help buying a design/multimedia computer - spec me please

[speedking]

hi forum,

i think i am in need of a new computer because my old amd 1800+ just doesn't seem to cut it anymore and my g4 mac is ok but not super quick.

i am going to be starting a new job with a new company soon that involves using photoshop and freehand a lot. the main emphasis is designing print based media.

the computer will also then be used for side projects that involve creating websites / photo manipulation / video work / light sound creation and other multimedia related things.

i have looked at the 2.0/2.3 dual powermac which will cost around £1115 - £1500 depending on what configuration i go for. the problem is that i do not want to spend loads of money on the powermac as macs are moving to intel within 1-2 years and this could mean my invested purchase could go obsolete quicker or annoy the hell out of me because i have older ppc technology.

this got me thinking. i could go a windows/pc route and then switch back to apple in the future. i could buy a ready made pc from various manufacturers but i rather build my ultimate machine. could you please help me spec a fast/quick multimedia pc? my budget is around/max £1000-£1250. i do not need a monitor as i have a decent crt and tft for dual monitor set-up.

my main needs are that it needs to be fast as fast can be for my budget. it needs to be whisper quiet as possible (macs are so quiet so on a similar level). offer good expandable options for the future such as more ram/hdd.

any configuration advice for my needs is appreciated. cpu/motherboard/case etc etc

(have been advised to look at the new amd x2 cpu as its meant to be good, but i will request your help on what cpu for my system)

thanks,

 

[speedking]

i have had a look at the new amd x2 cpu and am liking what it offers me. esp the 4400+.

could you please be so kind enough on recommending a system set-up that is fast and quiet around this cpu or another you feel is good for my needs?

thanks,

 

[DougLite]

For Photoshop work, you will need to give some consideration to what hard drives you pick out. A 73GB Raptor will give you the best performnace for OS and program loading you cna get in an ATA drive, while your content creation work, especially if the files are large, will benefit from as much sustained transfer rate as you can provide. You may even desire RAID-0 to increase throughput on saves/loads when doing your work. Hitachi and Maxtor's latest SATA drives, the T7K250 and DiamondMax10 respectively, are excellent choices that give high performance and high capacity without breaking the bank. £1250(I presume you are in the UK) is about $1800USD, maybe a little more if some other members want to try and help him out.

Most content creation applications take advantage of multi processing, take a look at some of the latest dual core chips, although AMD's dual core chips will probably break your budget.