Apparently, POV-Ray 3.7 can use multiple processor cores. So that will definitely speed up your rendering.

And I wouldn't get Vista yet, if possible. But the problem is, many PC manufacturers are now offering it as the only choice when you buy a new PC. But I would try to stick with XP for now. Even if it means formatting the drive on the new computer and installing XP in the place of Vista.

As for what to buy . . . that's a really difficult question to answer. There's so much choice out there. Do you buy a pre-built system from a place like Dell? Or do you go to a local computer shop and have them build a system, with you picking every component? Or do you buy all the parts and build it yourself?

Since you said the you don't feel like you're a PC guru, I guess the best option would be to go pre-built. I suppose Dell is as good a choice as any, though obviously that decision would be up to you.

The Dell Dimension C521 has an Athlon 64x2 3800+ dual core processor, 1GB RAM, 160GB Hard Drive, 16x DVD burner, nVidia 6150LE integrated video, and even comes with a 19 inch LCD display. All for $769 (supposedly a limited time offer). I could have upgraded some of the specs and it still would have stayed under $1000, but I decided to see what the lowest price would be.

Everything about this system would be quite decent, except the integrated video chip. And even then it's acceptable, it supports DirectX 9. It could run Tron 2.0 no problem. It's just not a super-performer. I'd consider upgrading the video either right away, or down the road.

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wwwmwww Wrote1) Is the AMD Athlon as good as the Intel Core2Duo? I'm used to see a CPU's speed listed in GHz and I see those speed listed on systems with the Intel Core2Duo but the systems with the AMD chips don't seem to list a speed, or not a speed I recognize as such. Why?

Intel is also using a strange numbering scheme for their processors now, instead of simply going by clock speeds. Clock speed is becoming a useless measurement to go by. Comparative benchmarks are the only way to determine performance these days.

Maybe if you buy a Core 2 Extreme the performance difference will be apparent, but then you also won't be paying less than $1000 for a new PC. In your price range, the Core 2 Duo and Athlon 64X2 still trade blows in POV-Ray, from what I can tell.

(2) I'm also curious, what are your concerns regarding Vista?

Compatibility and stability. A lot of programs work fine in Vista, but some don't. Same goes for hardware. You might find out that a peripheral that worked in XP, isn't supported properly (or at all) in Vista. And the video drivers for Vista from both nVidia and ATI, are still immature.

Maybe in a year from now, everything will be running great in Vista. But not right now, that's for sure.

Mail order and talking to machines over the phone doesn't really appeal to me. Anyone here ever had issues with Dell? Am I worried over nothing? ... (4) Here in Mississippi the nearest CompUSA is several hours away but there is a BestBuy in Tupelo. What do you think of their Gateway systems?

The Dell warranty includes at-home service. I have no idea how good this service is, of course. But they do send technicians, if they can't help you over the phone first.

To be honest, I don't know how good Dell is. Or Gateway, for that matter. I never buy pre-built systems. I always build them myself, hand-picking every component.

I just know I've heard some good things about Dell, and when things went wrong they apparently always did their best to try and fix it. But you should definitely ask around and get other opinions, first.

(5) What are the most obvious consequences of a "poor" video chip? Does this affect more then game play? I don't think it would effect rendering speed.

The two axioms of desktop computing:

Integrated video = SUCK
Integrated audio = Almost all SUCK

The reason the video chip I mentioned earlier is poor (and most are) is because they use system RAM, instead of their own dedicated RAM like separate videos cards do.

Using system RAM means less memory for programs, and slower performance in any 2-D or 3-D realtime rendering. This mainly affects games, sure. But it will also affect CAD programs when you create and view wireframes, for example.

No, it won't adversely impact POV-Ray renders because all the work is done by the CPU. But again, integrated video steals memory. So there will still be a small impact.

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wwwmwww Wrote:I didn't even know clock speed was going the way of the dodo.

Yeah, clock speed isn't a very good measuring tool any more. Basically, you have to rely on benchmarks from hardware review sites now, to know the whole story. A CPU with a lower clock speed can outperform a CPU with a higher clockspeed, these days.

The system I have now is a Sony VAIO with a 1.5GHz Pentium 4. When I bought it I paid through the noise as it was the fasting thing on the market. Less then a month later they had something faster. Never again... For what I paid for this one I could get myself a new PC every two years by avoiding the top of the line stuff and be 10 times better off I think in the long run.

I try not to buy top-of-the-line any more, either. I settle for one or two notches below the top, and save a lot of money in the process.

I'm curious, what do you feel you are gaining by hand-picking everything these days? Its not any cheaper is it? I'm sure it forces you to keep up with the field which is certainly a good thing, but it changes so fast these days unless you are an IT guy I don't know how one finds the time.

Not so much cheaper, as best bang for the buck. I could get a cheaper computer if I bought it pre-built. But for not a lot more, I can pick exactly what I want and it will perform better.

It can be tough to keep up, yup. I visit certain news sites frequently, to find out all the latest.

A flavor of Core Duo, and Windows XP Pro; no doubt about it.

I do agree with you to some extent Tronfaq. I know to some extent here why as well on the CPU hardware wise between intel and AMD. Intel on most of their processor are still using Cisc(Complex Instruction Set Code) based CPU's. AMD used to do that as well until they tried with their AMD K6-2 CPU's to go the way of the mainframe and supercomputer processors which are RISC (Reduce Instruction set Code) based. Hence the lower power on the CPU lower clock speed. But same performance as the Intel CPU when you compair one from each company and compare them. What makes it even worste now is with the Duo core and quad core processors. Which really tangle things up even further as for the actual speed per core or a combined core of each physical processor chip.

The general public don't really understand the actual speed of the cpu itself. All they really want to know is it as fast as his/her friends computer. There are rare exceptions like some people here including myself who do like choosing parts still even for making a new system. Could be many different reasons as to why we do that part. Just take me as for example I like picking component just so I know if I should later on in time change to a different operating system like Ubuntu Linux, Sun solaris 10, SCO Unix. I don't really ahve to worry because I checked the things that I want to use for the long run for other OS that will wiork with that video card as an example. Makes a difference when you have want to use lets say vista or others that can use X thing and not worry about cursing out that the driver does not exit for it or major headache because it is not compatible.

TronFAQ Wrote: wwwmwww Wrote:I didn't even know clock speed was going the way of the dodo. Yeah, clock speed isn't a very good measuring tool any more. Basically, you have to rely on benchmarks from hardware review sites now, to know the whole story. A CPU with a lower clock speed can outperform a CPU with a higher clockspeed, these days. The system I have now is a Sony VAIO with a 1.5GHz Pentium 4. When I bought it I paid through the noise as it was the fasting thing on the market. Less then a month later they had something faster. Never again... For what I paid for this one I could get myself a new PC every two years by avoiding the top of the line stuff and be 10 times better off I think in the long run. I try not to buy top-of-the-line any more, either. I settle for one or two notches below the top, and save a lot of money in the process. I'm curious, what do you feel you are gaining by hand-picking everything these days? Its not any cheaper is it? I'm sure it forces you to keep up with the field which is certainly a good thing, but it changes so fast these days unless you are an IT guy I don't know how one finds the time. Not so much cheaper, as best bang for the buck. I could get a cheaper computer if I bought it pre-built. But for not a lot more, I can pick exactly what I want and it will perform better. It can be tough to keep up, yup. I visit certain news sites frequently, to find out all the latest.