Lowyat.NET: Latest topics by Benjamin911

Art Portfolios:

Benjamin911 — Sun, 17 Nov 2013 18:00:48 +0800

Source: http://www.behance.net/gallery/LISI-THE-HO...entity/10988595

tbc...

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magnificent mansions...

Benjamin911 — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 00:35:05 +0800

18th-Century-Style 'age-of-magnificence' palatial glory; or decadence...

Enjoy...

[YOUTUBE]Tn1MiFQxVYA[/YOUTUBE]
[YOUTUBE]M3nL2FTfmco[/YOUTUBE]
[YOUTUBE]qjOAf_cfm0Q[/YOUTUBE]

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My Full Desktop Configuration:

Benjamin911 — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 01:38:58 +0800

Dear all, I am interested to know your thoughts; this is the best configuration I could come up with for my budget; which is strictly RM 4K and below only... (This is because I can actually also configure a very powerful multimedia + gaming laptop for just around RM 3700 only... With this, surely one would expect a desktop "in general" to be much better in terms of price & performance; in order to justify the much larger size, heavier weight, & lack of portability.)

I personally consider this configuration to be strictly "no-nonsense" and also build to last. (Because admittedly, sometimes I just like messing around just for the fun of it, but this time round, I had configured based on what I understand "works", and it is meant to serve me for the long term in both serious work & study, as well as research... With some 3D gaming & multimedia entertainment of course...)

Now just imagine that this desktop configuration is going to be spend by your hard earned money. (Will you go for it? Or are they things that you would like to change...?)

Processor: Intel® Core™ i7-2600 Processor (8M Cache, 3.40 GHz) (Socket LGA1155)
Graphic Card: Gigabyte GV-N550OC-1GI (NVIDIA GeForce GTX 550 Ti GPU) (Gigabyte Ultra Durable VGA Series)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-H67N-USB3-B3 (Intel® H67 Chipset) (Socket LGA1155) (Gigabyte Ultra Durable 3 Design)
Power Supply Unit: Corsair Builder Series™ CX600 (600 Watts)

RAM (1st Option): Corsair Dominator with DHX Pro Connector (2x 2GB, Dual-Channel, DDR3, 1600Mhz)
RAM (2nd Option): Kingston Value RAM KVR800D2N6/2G (2x 2GB, 800MHz, DDR2, Non-ECC CL6 DIMM)

Hard Disk Drive (1st Option): Samsung Spinpoint F4 (320GB, Serial ATA 3.0Gbps, 16MB Buffer DRAM, 7200RPM)
Hard Disk Drive (2nd Option): Western Digital WD RE4 Enterprise (500GB, 64MB Cache, 7200RPM, SATA 3Gb/s)
Hard Disk Drive (3rd Option): Western Digital WD Caviar Black (500GB, 32MB Cache, 7200RPM, SATA 6Gb/s)
Hard Disk Drive (4th Option): Western Digital WD VelociRaptor (300GB, 32MB Cache, 10,000RPM, SATA 6Gb/s)

Optical Drive (1st Option): 24x Sony DRU-88OS-ZR SATA DVD-RW (Startec)
Optical Drive (2nd Option): 24x Liteon IHAS324-32Y SATA DVD-RW

Casing (1st Option): Cooler Master Elite 334U
Casing (2nd Option): Cooler Master CM 690
Casing (3rd Option): Cooler Master HAF 912 Advanced

Keyboard: Logitech Keyboard K120
Mouse: Logitech Mouse M100

LED Monitor: Samsung S22A350H (2ms, HDMI, 1920 x 1080, 21.5”)
Speakers: Black Edifier M1360 (2.1 Multimedia Audio Speaker System)

Feel free to suggest & recommend any components in-place of any of the above.

But here are some things that I am concerned about;

- Is my selected graphic card capable of handling the following programs type with ease & efficiency (?); AutoDesk Software(s) such as AutoCAD 3D, 3Ds MAX, Revit Architecture, & also SketchUp Pro. (Involves Rendering, View-port Action, Animations, 3D graphics, as such...)

- In addition, the graphic card will also need to be able to handle games in (Full HD) like Flight-Simulator X + those new first/third person shooter/action games such as Fallout 4, Half-Life 2 series, Resistance: Fall of Man, Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands, MechWarrior 5, and such...)

- Secondly, is my selected speaker system good for general multimedia entertainment & gaming? (Most importantly in the sound/audio quality itself; but how loud the speakers can play is not so important...)

Regards.

Desktop Configuration:

Benjamin911 — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 09:10:24 +0800

Dear experts/experienced members;

Kindly review the following configuration and then provide your feedback, suggestions, and (or) advices;

I would really appreciate it.

The budget allocated for this system = RM 4K

It will be primarily be used for work, as well as for some entertainment such as some 3D gaming, high-definition movies, & high quality musics.

The "work scope" basically involves the use of AutoDesk software such as AutoCAD 3D, 3Ds MAX, Revit Architecture, and such... It will involve rendering & much view-port actions...

All in all, my "usage type" is not just on "high-graphics" or "raw-processing-power" alone...; it is more about using a "combination" of both GPU & CPU workforce/power. (I think.)

Example would be; frequently loading big complex software like (the above) & opening the big/complex files as well; this would be using the CPU's capability (& I would like it to be quick).

Then zooming in and out & panning around in the view-port very frequently with the complex 3D Model = Graphic Processing Power... (Definitely would like it to be smooth without the lag, & also fast as well...)

Finally; Rendering...; this will definitely be using the RAW Processing Power of the CPU... (However, no matter how fast it can be; it will still be slow no matter what; so I would just like the speed to be reasonable enough without the need to spend much more to acquire the "certified" professional workstation CPU & GPU...)

I also have no plans of performing any overclocking... (But I may go for it in the future; who knows...)

In addition, I also do not really have much knowledge about computer hardware and their actual capabilities...

You guys may know better...;

Processor: AMD Phenom II X2 (550), 3100 MHz, 45nm SOI, AM3 Socket

Motherboard (Option 1): Gigabyte GA-880GA-UD3H (AMD 880G + SB850 Chipset) (AM3 Socket)
http://www.gigabyte.my/products/product-pa...spx?pid=3758#ov

Motherboard (Option 2): Gigabyte GA-880GMA-UD2H (AMD 880G + SB850 Chipset) (AM3 Socket)
http://www.gigabyte.my/products/product-pa...spx?pid=3632#ov

Motherboard (Option 3): Gigabyte GA-880GM-USB3 (AMD 880G + SB710 Chipset) (AM3 Socket)
http://www.gigabyte.my/products/product-pa...spx?pid=3412#ov

Graphic Card: Gigabyte GV-R697UD-2GD (AMD Radeon HD 6970 GPU) (Ultra Durable VGA Series)

Hard Disk Drive: Seagate Barracuda 3.5” (500GB, SATA 3Gb/s, 16 MB Cache, 7200 RPM)

Power Supply Unit: SilverStone Strider Essential (700W)

Chassis (Option 1): SilverStone Precision Series (PS03 + Transparent Window)
http://www.silverstonetek.com/product.php?pid=250&area=en

Chassis (Option 2): SilverStone Kublai Series (KL02)
http://www.silverstonetek.com/product.php?pid=149&area=en

RAMs: Corsair 4GB (2 x 2) Dual Channel DDR3 (XMS3) Memory Kit (1333 MHz)

Optical Disk Drive: Pioneer 24x DVD/CD Writer with LabelFlash (SATA) (Double Layer Writing)

Keyboard & Mouse: Logitech Keyboard K120 & Logitech Mouse M100

Monitor Display: Samsung 18.5” LED (HD)

Speakers: Have not performed any research yet... (Feel free to recommend though)...

Regards.

Tomb Raider 2 Walkthrough in Venice, Italy - HD:

Benjamin911 — Sat, 16 Jul 2011 23:00:30 +0800

I was very impressed by the skills demonstrated; it is safe to assume that only 0.2% of the population out there can undertake this series like that:

[YOUTUBE]dA0r_Wp-EtU[/YOUTUBE]

Relax, have a cup of warm coffee, and enjoy the night by watching the continuation to Bartolli's Mansion & the Opera House (not available in HD though...);

[YOUTUBE]mDAkaBa7xKc[/YOUTUBE]

Regards.

New Year Fireworks Display:

Benjamin911 — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 05:12:35 +0800

Happy New Year.

I managed to gain access to the rooftop of a hotel.

Aiming towards Sunway Pyramid area: (All taken without using a tripod; used high ISO settings to compensate for the factor. )

http://img526.imageshack.us/img526/2032/dsc1178c.jpg
http://img823.imageshack.us/img823/3479/dsc1180l.jpg
http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/8425/dsc1183n.jpg
http://img688.imageshack.us/img688/3958/dsc1185m.jpg
http://img834.imageshack.us/img834/5221/dsc1191u.jpg

http://img513.imageshack.us/img513/9536/dsc1193s.jpg
http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/8039/dsc1195c.jpg
http://img530.imageshack.us/img530/8482/dsc1197g.jpg
http://img704.imageshack.us/img704/9675/dsc1199v.jpg
http://img810.imageshack.us/img810/7743/dsc1212q.jpg

Getting more intense & powerful;
http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/7088/dsc1298y.jpg
http://img403.imageshack.us/img403/6577/dsc1300z.jpg
http://img842.imageshack.us/img842/8962/dsc1301b.jpg
http://img262.imageshack.us/img262/8952/dsc1302.jpg
http://img573.imageshack.us/img573/3572/dsc1304m.jpg

Fuelling aggressively towards the end;
http://img23.imageshack.us/img23/6125/dsc1306r.jpg
http://img404.imageshack.us/img404/6269/dsc1307.jpg
http://img709.imageshack.us/img709/1299/dsc1308i.jpg
http://img593.imageshack.us/img593/2411/dsc1309r.jpg
http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/5622/dsc1312.jpg

Aiming towards Puchong area;

http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/2497/dsc1330.jpg
http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/4840/dsc1397z.jpg
http://img826.imageshack.us/img826/3627/dsc1402r.jpg
http://img251.imageshack.us/img251/5612/dsc1407o.jpg

Last year; aiming towards The Curve & K.L. area: (Was using a good sturdy tripod, but the fireworks were too far away.)

http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/8973/dsc9787.jpg
http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/2108/dsc9796.jpg
http://img574.imageshack.us/img574/7061/dsc9800s.jpg
http://img600.imageshack.us/img600/1683/dsc9802.jpg
http://img257.imageshack.us/img257/628/zdsc9788.jpg

2011: Year of the Golden (Metal) Rabbit.
http://www.chinesefortunecalendar.com/2011...seHoroscope.htm

2010: Year of the White (Metal) Tiger.
http://www.chinesefortunecalendar.com/2010...seHoroscope.htm

I was born in the year of the Fire Tiger (1986).

2011 is going to be a great year for Tigers. (2010 was not supposed to be good for Tigers; however it was a surprisingly great year for me.)

Regards.

Acer Aspire 5943G vs Dell Studio XPS 16 (Core i7)

Benjamin911 — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 23:53:43 +0800

Specifications:

Acer Aspire Ethos 5943G HD:

Intel Core i7-720QM-1.6GHz CPU,
ATi Mobility Radeon HD-5850 GPU,
4GB-DDR3 RAM,
8-Cell Battery,
640GB-7200RPM Hard Disk,
5.1 Dolby Home Theater Surround Sound Speakers,
Full-HD Display - (unsure)
(Price = RM4799)
Photos: http://www.engadget.com/photos/acer-aspire...nds-on/#3041760

Dell Studio XPS 16:

Intel Core i7-740QM-1.73GHz CPU,
ATi Mobility Radeon HD-5730 GPU-1GB DDR3,
8GB-1333MHz DDR3 SDRAM,
9-Cell Battery,
640GB-5400RPM SATA Hard Disk,
Integrated CREATIVE Sound Blaster® X-Fi MB Audio Software Solution,
Full-HD Display.
(Price = RM4999)

Budget = RM5k

Primary usage = For running architectural/engineering/graphic softwares like AutoCAD, Revit, 3ds Max, Photoshop, Illustrator, etc as such.

I'm unsure on which model to get. Both model seems to be having a very similar specification, but the Acer model is cheaper although I'm not sure whether it comes with a high-definition LCD like the Dell model.

My main criteria here is adequate speed in rendering, and adequate smoothness during 3D modelings for work/projects at university level.

I will appreciate your inputs.

Shopping for computer-fans.

Benjamin911 — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 22:56:46 +0800

Dear all;

I would like to have a list of stores that stocks or sells a good variety of computer-fan models; preferably stores located in Lowyat-Plaza, IMBI-Plaza, Digital-Mall, or located in any other shopping-complexes situated in K.L. or P.J. preferably.

I am specifically interested in the DELTA fan models specified in the following link; under "Product Series":

http://www.delta.com.tw/product/cp/dcfans/dcfans_main.asp

Nevertheless, my mind is not specifically fixed on the Delta fan models alone.

My intention is to get good-quality fan models, regardless of manufacturer, for my air-cooling purposes. (It was just my discovery of the DELTA fans as being the most powerful of heat-sink fans through heat-sink reviews.)

It will be very helpful for the names of the ideal stores, that sells a wide variety of computer-fans, to be listed down together with their respective addresses.

Regards.

Some questions

Benjamin911 — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 20:36:25 +0800

Dear all;

I am presently pursuing a course in architecture, which, to put it very simply, is primarily about designing buildings using creativity and (or) imagination. (We build models and use computer-aided-design as such.)

One of the criteria, in order to enable the successful completion of the program, is to complete a four-credit industrial training subject where I must fulfill two months of approved practical experience with a registered practitioner.

I have some questions about internship (industrial training) in general; to get myself better prepare for it;

What will I basically be doing?

How is the workload going to be like, is it going to be rather heavy/stressful?

Will I be paid?

How is the working hours and pattern going to be like? (Is it going to be like the usual/typical eight hours of working time in the 9AM - 5PM pattern?)

Finally, I am also concerned about whether will I be able to fulfill this internship (industrial training) requirement of mine with my long-hair? Which is neither flashy nor 'loud' in appearance, it is kept neat and tidy, and always neatly tied-up into a ponytail that, for safety reasons, can also be tucked away into my shirt behind if I have to work around with risky power-tools for example.

I will be very appreciative if you guys could liberate me of my doubts regarding internship/industrial training.

Thanks a lot in advance.

Regards.

Understanding CPU - Need Expert Help

Benjamin911 — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 02:06:58 +0800

What does "Cache Size" means?

The Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550 has a cache size of 12MB

The Intel Core i7-920 has a cache size of only 8MB

The Intel Core 2 Duo E8600 has a cache size of 6MB

Finally, the AMD CPUs are more confusing >>>

Both the Phenom II X4 955 and the Phenom II X4 940 has an L1 Cache Size of 128KB, L1 Cache Count of 4, L2 Cache Size of 512KB, L2 Cache Count of 4, and an L3 Cache Size of 6144KB >>> http://products.amd.com/en-us/desktopcpure...&f10=False&f11=

So what does the cache size mean? (Which CPU above is the best in terms of cache?)

Is the cache size an important criteria in selecting a CPU?
___________________________________________________________________________________________________

Secondly; (Question about CPU Speed):

The Intel Core 2 Duo E8600 has a speed of 3.33GHz and a "Bus Speed" of 1333MHz

The Intel Core i7-920 has a speed of only 2.66GHz and a "Bus Speed" of 4.8GT/s

The Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550 has a speed of 2.83GHz and a "Bus Speed" of 1333MHz

The AMD Phenom II X4 955 has a speed of 3200MHz (3.2GHz) (With no "Bus Speed" specified) >>> http://products.amd.com/en-us/DesktopCPUDe...&f10=False&f11=

If the GHz value indicates the CPU speed, then is the Intel Core 2 Duo E8600 the fastest CPU in the list above?

Finally, what does the "Bus Speed" means?
___________________________________________________________________________________________________

My final questionnaire:

What is the difference between "Stepping"?

For example:

Intel Core i7-920 with D0 Stepping: http://processorfinder.intel.com/details.aspx?sSpec=SLBEJ

Intel Core i7-920 with C0 Stepping: http://processorfinder.intel.com/details.aspx?sSpec=SLBCH

Which is better?

Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550 with E0 Stepping: http://processorfinder.intel.com/details.aspx?sSpec=SLB8V

Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550 with C1 Stepping: http://processorfinder.intel.com/details.aspx?sSpec=SLAWQ

Which is better?

Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 with C0 Stepping: http://processorfinder.intel.com/details.aspx?sSpec=SLAPK

Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 with E0 Stepping: http://processorfinder.intel.com/details.aspx?sSpec=SLB9K

Which is better?

Finally, it seem that all of AMD's Phenom II X4 CPUs come with C2 Stepping.

I will be very thankful if you expert/experienced guys in here can explain it all out to me. (It will also be of great benefit to the others in here.)

Regards.

This AMD build - what do you think?

Benjamin911 — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 00:02:11 +0800

I'm sorry to have created so many "configuration" threads, but the "value for money" of an AMD platform is hard to be overlooked.

CPU: AMD Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition (RM 890)

Graphic Card (1st Choice) [but might not be available yet]: Sapphire ATOMIC HD-4890 1GB GDDR5 PCIE 1000MHz (With Vapor-X Cooler Technology) (Pricing unknown)

Graphic Card (2nd Choice): Sapphire HD-4890 1GB GDDR5 PCI-E (RM 875)

Mainboard (1st Choice): Biostar TA790GX A3+ 5.x (Socket: AM3) (RM 335)

Mainboard (2nd Choice): msi 790FX-GD70 (RM 735)

Sound Card (1st Choice): Creative PCI Express Sound Blaster X-FiTM Xtreme Audio (PCI) (RM 250)

Sound Card (2nd Choice): Creative PCI Express Sound Blaster X-FiTM Titanium (PCI-E) (RM 370)

Optical Drive: Pioneer SATA DVD RW 22x (RM 95)

Hard Disk Drive: WD Caviar Black SATA (500GB, SATA 3Gb/s, 32MB Cache, 7200RPM) (RM 190)

Memory-RAM (1): Kingston KVR DDR3 1333 2GB (RM 110)
Memory-RAM (2): Kingston KVR DDR3 1333 2GB (RM 110)

Power Supply Unit: Cooler-Master Real-Power-Pro 550W (550W Continuous – 660W) (RM 380)

Chassis: Cooler-Master CM-690 (RM 255)

LCD Monitor: AOC 2434Pw (RM 688) (Seems to be currently the best 24" LCD in terms of display specification.)

Desktop Set (Keyboard + Mouse): Logitech Internet Pro Desktop Combo (RM 45)

TOTAL without LCD monitor (bold items only): RM 3535

TOTAL including LCD monitor (bold items only): RM 4223

Isn't that value for money?

However, please suggest on any "necessary" improvements that can be done. (Or is this build already good enough for my 3D GAMING and 3D ARCHITECTURAL DESIGNING needs?)

Regards.

Looking for a GOOD 24" LCD

Benjamin911 — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 21:13:49 +0800

Dear friends;

I am currently looking for an LCD monitor with a high quality display, which is my primary concern.

Currently, I have a few choices in mind:

(Priced at RM 1200) The SAMSUNG T240 http://www.samsung.com/my/consumer/detail/...d=LS24TWHSUV/XM

The SAMSUNG 2433BW (price unknown) http://www.samsung.com/my/consumer/detail/...d=LS24CMKKFV/XY

The ViewSonic VG2427wm (price unknown) http://www.viewsonic.com/products/desktop-...es/vg2427wm.htm

&

(Priced at a very attractive RM 730) The ViewSonic VX2433wm http://www.viewsonic.com/products/desktop-...es/vx2433wm.htm

Which one of the above would you recommend? Or do you have a better recommendation from the other manufacturers?

My primary concern is on the display quality.

My budget is around RM 1000

The usage will primarily/mainly be on 3D architectural graphics designing works, and 3D gaming.

My Intel Core i7 System Configuration (final)

Benjamin911 — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 23:20:12 +0800

Processor: Intel Core i7-920 D0 Stepping @ 200 x 21, HT ON, 3200 uncore, 1600 mem @ 7 – 7 – 7 – 20 – 1T (RM 1035)

Motherboard: ASUS P6T (RM 830)

Graphic Card: NVIDIA QUADRO FX-380 (34W max power consumption) (RM 1000 [estimation])

RAM (Option 1): Kingston HyperX DDR3 1333MHz 3GB i7 Tri-Channel RAM Kit (kit of 3 – 1GB) (RM 219)
RAM (Option 2): Kingston HyperX TRIPLE-CHANNEL MEMORY KIT 3GB 1600MHz DDR3 Non-ECC Low Latency XMP Ready CL8 (kit of 3 - 1GB) (RM 350)
RAM (Option 3): Kingston HyperX TRIPLE-CHANNEL MEMORY KIT 3GB 1375MHz DDR3 Non-ECC Low-Latency XMP Ready CL7 (kit of 3 - 1GB) (RM 530)

Hard Disk Drive (Option 1): WD Caviar Blue SATA (500 GB, SATA 3 Gb/s, 16 MB Cache, 7200 RPM) (RM 195)
Hard Disk Drive (Option 2): WD RE3 Enterprise SATA (750 GB, 1.2 million hours MTBF, 32 MB Cache, 7200 RPM) Generation 3 (price unknown)

Optical Drive: Pioneer SATA DVD RW 22x (RM 95)

Desktop Set (Keyboard + Mouse): Logitech Internet Pro Desktop Combo (RM 45)

Power Supply Unit (Option 1): Xigmatek NRP-PC402 (400W) (price unknown)
Power Supply Unit (Option 2): Xigmatek NRP-PC502 (500W) (price unknown)
http://www.xigmatek.com/product/power-nrppc402.php
Power Supply Unit (Option 3): Silverstone (Element Series) ST40EF (400W) (price unknown)
Power Supply Unit (Option 4): Silverstone (Element Series) ST50EF-PLUS (500W) (price unknown)
http://www.silverstonetek.com/products/power.php?area=
Power Supply Unit (Option 6): Gigabyte ODIN Pro 550W (RM 390)
Power Supply Unit (Option 7): Gigabyte ODIN GT 550W (RM 470)
Power Supply Unit (Option 8): Cooler-Master Silent-Pro M500 (500W – 620W) (RM 395)
Power Supply Unit (Option 9): Cooler-Master Real-Power-Pro 550W (550W Continuous – 660W) (RM 380)

Chassis (Option 1): Cooler-Master CM-690 (RM 255)
Chassis (Option 2): Cooler-Master HAF-932 (RM 460)
Chassis (Option 3): Silverstone Fortress FT01 (Positive Air Pressure Design) (RM 800):
http://www.silverstonetek.com/products/p_c...o=FT01&area=usa

LCD Monitor (Option 1): Dell S2009W (20 Inch) Widescreen Flat Panel LCD Monitor (Wide Screen) (RM 439)
LCD Monitor (Option 2): Dell E190S (19 Inch) Flat Panel LCD Monitor (Standard Aspect) (RM 459)
LCD Monitor (Option 3): Dell E1909W (19 Inch) Widescreen Flat Panel LCD Monitor (Wide Screen) (RM 429)

TOTAL (Without LCD Monitor) = RM 4069
TOTAL (Including LCD Monitor) = RM 4508
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Suggestions on any improvements that I can make are most welcome.

I have obtained a list of my "architectural" criteria from the following website:

http://www.yangsquare.com/computer-shoppin...r-architecture/

QUOTE

* CAD drawings done with software like AutoCAD or ArchiCAD
* designing and arranging presentation boards in Photoshop
* enhancing photos of site/buildings/models
* modelling 3D buildings with Sketchup or 3DS max
* computer renderings/animation for architectural visualization
* composing portfolios
* preparing presentation slides
* scanning sketches/manual works into computer
* typing history & culture reports

It would be good if you can offer me further suggestions/recommendations based on it.

Regards.

Some questions regarding the following -

Benjamin911 — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 23:45:49 +0800

Dear all, the following is a list of Intel & AMD processors which I have carefully selected; based on the following criteria:

Energy-Efficiency + Processing-Power:

Have I succeeded? (Take a look at the processor list below and then tell me what you think. )

As you take a look at each processor below carefully, you will notice that the "power-consumption rating" of each and every one of the processors below never exceed 65W.

However what I am currently not sure about is, whether is the "processing-power" of the following energy-efficient processors sufficient or good enough for my criteria.

Hope you can spend some time looking through the following processors and then inform me on the one that is the best for my 3D designing/rendering criteria. I went and checked out the price of the Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550S and discovered that it is, unfortunately, rather expensive at around RM 1300+...(Thus, ignore it for the time being and scan through the rest of the processors.) Don't forget to tell me what you think.

Regards.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Intel® Core™2 Quad Processor Q9550S (12M Cache, 2.83 GHz, 1333 MHz FSB) (65W):
http://ark.intel.com/Product.aspx?id=40815

Intel® Core™2 Duo Processor E8600 (6M Cache, 3.33 GHz, 1333 MHz FSB) (65W):
http://ark.intel.com/Product.aspx?id=35605

AMD Phenom™ II X4 905e (2500 MHz) (65W): (I'm thinking of this one)
http://products.amd.com/en-us/DesktopCPUDe...=&f9=&f10=&f11=

AMD Athlon II™ X2 250 (3000 MHz) (65W): (New and just launched)
http://products.amd.com/en-us/DesktopCPUDe...=&f9=&f10=&f11=

AMD Business Class- AMD Athlon™ X2 Dual-Core Processors 5600B (2900 MHz) (65W):
http://products.amd.com/en-us/DesktopCPUDe...=&f9=&f10=&f11=

AMD Athlon™ X2 Dual-Core 5400+ BLACK-EDITION (2800 MHz) (65W):
http://products.amd.com/en-us/DesktopCPUDe...&f8=&f9=&f10=No

AMD Athlon™ X2 Dual-Core 5600+ (2900 MHz) (65W):
http://products.amd.com/en-us/DesktopCPUDe...W&f9=&f10=&f11=
______________________________________________________________________________

AMD Business Class- AMD Athlon™ X2 Dual-Core Processors 4850B (2500 MHz) (45W):
http://products.amd.com/en-us/DesktopCPUDe...=&f9=&f10=&f11=

AMD Athlon™ X2 Dual-Core 5050e (2600 MHz) (45W):
http://products.amd.com/en-us/DesktopCPUDe...=&f9=&f10=&f11=

So, which one is the "BEST" (or most ideal/suitable for my usage)?

or,

If you have to pick any one of the above, which one will you go for?

What do you think about this workstation >>>

Benjamin911 — Sun, 31 May 2009 03:50:00 +0800

Motherboard: ASUS L1N64-SLI WS (AMD Socket F Workstation Motherboard)
http://my.asus.com/products.aspx?l1=3&l2=8...530&modelmenu=1

Two Processors:

1st Processor: AMD Athlon™ FX (FX-74)
2nd Processor: AMD Athlon™ FX (FX-74)
http://products.amd.com/en-us/DesktopCPUDe...35&id=21&id=461

*I am planning to get two high-performance coolers for both AMD processors.*

Four Hard Disk Drives:

1st Hard Disk Drive: Western-Digital 160GB SATA (7200RPM) Hard Disk Drive
2nd Hard Disk Drive: Western-Digital 160GB SATA (7200RPM) Hard Disk Drive
3rd Hard Disk Drive: Western-Digital 160GB SATA (7200RPM) Hard Disk Drive
4th Hard Disk Drive: Western-Digital 160GB SATA (7200RPM) Hard Disk Drive

Two Graphic Cards:

1st Graphic Card: ASUS EN9600GT BLACK PEARL/HTDI/512M
2nd Graphic Card: ASUS EN9600GT BLACK PEARL/HTDI/512M

http://my.asus.com/products.aspx?l1=2&l2=6...226&modelmenu=1

RAM: 4x 2GB DDR2 800MHz RAM (TOTAL = 8GB RAM)

Optical Drive: Pioneer DVD RW 22x

Desktop Set (Keyboard + Mouse): Logitech Internet Pro Desktop Combo

Power Supply Unit: GIGABYTE ODIN Pro 800W (Large 14cm intake fan - double ball-bearings)

Chassis: Thermaltake Spedo Advance Package chassis:

http://www.thermaltake.com/product_info.as...e+Package&ovid=

Add: (Optional bottom intake) - One 120 x 120mm turbo-fan (2x ball-bearing)
Add: (Optional CPU exhaust) - One 120 x 120mm turbo-fan (2x ball-bearing)

Chassis (Option 2): Cooler-Master HAF-932
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My concerns are:

Is RM5000 enough for all of the above?

Are there any compatibility issues, such as, with the four hard disk drives, and with the two graphic cards?

(Is the processor and the RAM configuration alright as well?)

Finally, is the 800W power supply unit too much (overkill) for the configuration? (Is 550W going to be sufficient enough?) [I will be using a 17" CRT monitor for the time being.]

I will really appreciate all of your inputs.

P.S.:

Most importantly, is my "two graphic card combination" above good enough for 3D graphical rendering/designing works and for 3D gaming?

Thanks a lot in advance.

My "System-Unit" Configuration:

Benjamin911 — Tue, 19 May 2009 01:30:58 +0800

Usage: For 3D Architectural Graphics Designing Works and 3D Gaming.

Budget: RM 5000.

Intel Xeon Platform:

Processor: Intel® Xeon® W3503 2.40GHz/4MB L2 Cache/4.8GT/s.

Graphic Card: 512MB PCIe x16 nVidia Quadro FX580, DisplayPort,DVI Capable.

Motherboard (Option 1): Asus P6T WS Professional
Motherboard (Option 2): Asus P6T6 WS Revolution

RAM: 6GB (3x 2GB) DDR3 SDRAM Memory, 1333MHz, ECC

Hard Disk Drive: 150GB Western Digital Velociraptor SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive with NCQ (10k RPM)

Sound Card: Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeMusic.

Optical Drive: 16X max SATA DVD+/-RW with Dual Layer Write Capabilities.

Casing: (Need Recommendation: Preferably one with good ventilation.)

Power Supply Unit: (Need Recommendation.)
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Intel Core i7 Platform:

Processor: Intel Core i7-920

Graphic Card: nVidia Quadro FX 580

Motherboard (Option 1): Gigabyte GA-EX58-UD4
Motherboard (Option 2): Asus P6T SE
Motherboard (Option 3): Asus P6T

RAM: 6GB (3X2GB) Tri-Channel DDR3 SDRAM at 1066MHz- 3 DIMMs

Hard Disk Drive: 150GB Western Digital Velociraptor SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive with NCQ (10k RPM)

Optical Drive: 16X max SATA DVD+/-RW with Dual Layer Write Capabilities

Casing: (Need Recommendation: Preferably one with good ventilation.)

Power Supply Unit: (Need Recommendation.)
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AMD Platform:

Processor: AMD Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition

Graphic Card (Option 1): ATI FirePro V3750
Graphic Card (Option 2): ATI Radeon HD 4890

Motherboard: GIGABYTE GA-MA770T-UD3P (AMD 770 + SB710 Chipset)

RAM: 4GB (2x 2GB) 1333MHz Dual-Channel DDR3 SDRAM

Hard Disk Drive (Option 1): 150GB Western Digital Velociraptor SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive with NCQ (10k RPM)
Hard Disk Drive (Option 2): 80GB SATA (10,000RPM) Hard Disk Drive

Optical Drive: 16X max SATA DVD+/-RW with Dual Layer Write Capabilities

Casing: Need Recommendation; preferably one with good ventilation.

Power Supply Unit: Need Recommendation.

LCD Monitor: Dell™ UltraSharp™ 2009W 20" Widescreen Flat Panel Monitor

Keyboard: Dell™ QuietKey Keyboard (English)

Mouse: Dell™ 6 buttons laser mouse

Please drop me with some feedback, advice, or recommendation.

Regards.

ATI FirePro or ATI FireGL?

Benjamin911 — Mon, 18 May 2009 20:48:11 +0800

Dear all;

I would like to know which workstation graphic accelerator is better for 3D graphics designing works. (In my case: For 3D architectural graphics designing works.)

Secondly, can these workstation graphic accelerators support 3D Games well? (For example: Command & Conquer 3 Tiberium Wars and Red Alert 3 as such...)

Finally, which ATI FirePro or ATI FireGL graphic accelerator model will you recommend me; for my usage type?

http://ati.amd.com/products/workstation.html

Regards.

Narrowed down to those 3 >>>

Benjamin911 — Fri, 01 May 2009 23:07:05 +0800

Dear all;

I am a newbie when it comes computer specifications. However, out of curiosity, I have configured a few notebook computers yesterday in the HP and DELL's website, and I have narrowed down my configured notebook selections to the following three models (which are in no particular order) for you expert/experienced guys in here to review: (I configured the HP notebooks in the HP USA website because the HP Malaysia website does not have the configuration feature.)

Here goes:

i: My DELL XPS M1530 configuration:

PROCESSOR: Intel® Core™2 Duo Processor T9500 (2.6GHz, 6MB Cache, 800 MHz FSB)
OPERATING SYSTEM: Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium SP1 32 bit Edition (English)
COLOR OPTIONS: Tuxedo Black LCD display with Integrated 2.0 mega pixel web cam
DISPLAY: 15.4" Widescreen WXGA+ (1440x900) TFT Display with TrueLife™
MEMORY: 4GB ( 2 X 2048MB ) Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM
HARD DRIVE: 250GB 7200RPM SATA Hard Drive
OPTICAL DRIVE: Internal 8X DVD+/-RW Combination Drive with dual layer write capabilities
VIDEO CARD: 256MB NVIDIA® GeForce® 8600M GT
AUDIO SOLUTION: Integrated Sound Blaster Audigy ADVANCED HD Audio Software
BATTERIES: 6-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery
WIRELESS NETWORK CARD: Intel® 4965AGN Wireless-N Mini-Card
BLUETOOTH: Dell™ Wireless 355 Bluetooth Module
WARRANTY & SERVICE: 1-year XPS Premier Service with 1-year CompleteCover
DATASAFE BACKUP SERVICE: Dell Online Backup 2GB
SOFTWARE: Microsoft® Works 9.0 (Does Not Include Microsoft® Office 2003/2007 Software)(English)
SECURITY SOFTWARE: McAfee® Security Center™ 30 days trial (English)

TOTAL = RM 5,303.00
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ii: My HP HDX 18t Premium series configuration:

Operating system: Genuine Windows Vista Home Premium with Service Pack 1 (64-bit)
Processor: Intel® Core™2 Duo Processor T9550 (2.66 GHz)
Memory: 4GB DDR3 System Memory (2 Dimm) - For 1GB Nvidia GeForce GT 130M
Hard drive: 320GB 7200RPM SATA Hard Drive with HP ProtectSmart Hard Drive Protection
Graphics card: 1GB Nvidia GeForce GT 130M - For DDR3 Memory
Display: 18.4" diagonal High Definition HP Ultra BrightView Infinity Display (1920x1080p)
Primary DVD/CD drive: Blu-Ray ROM with SuperMulti DVD+/-R/RW Double Layer
Personalization: Webcam + Fingerprint Reader with HP Imprint Finish (Fluid)
Networking: Intel Next-Gen Wireless-N Mini-card
TV & entertainment experience: No TV Tuner w/remote control
Keyboard: HP Color Matching Keyboard
Primary battery: 8 Cell Lithium Ion Battery
Productivity software: No Productivity Software

TOTAL = $1,569.99 USD
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iii: My HP Pavilion dv6z series configuration:

Color: Moonlight White
Operating system: Genuine Windows Vista Home Premium with Service Pack 1 (64-bit)
Processor: AMD Turion™ X2 Ultra Dual-Core Mobile Processor ZM-86 (2.4 GHz)
Memory: 4GB DDR2 System Memory (2 Dimm)
Hard drive: 250GB 7200RPM SATA Hard Drive with HP ProtectSmart Hard Drive Protection
Graphics card: 1GB ATI Mobility Radeon™ HD 4650
Display: 16.0" diagonal High Definition HP BrightView Infinity Display (1366x768)
Primary DVD/CD drive: LightScribe SuperMulti 8X DVD+/-RW with Double Layer Support
Personalization: [For BrightView Infinity Display] Webcam Only
Networking: Wireless-N Card
Keyboard: HP Color Matching Keyboard
Primary battery: 6 Cell Lithium Ion Battery
Modem Port: No Modem
Productivity software: Microsoft® Works 9.0

TOTAL = $1,304.99 USD
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I am an Architecture student. My usage criteria will be on 3D Architectural Graphic Designing & Drafting. Basically I will be designing/drafting out structures in three dimensional spaces, such as designing an interior space, a house, or a building in a 3D plane or specially designed 3D terrain etc...as such. (Architecture works in general.)

Very importantly, this notebook computer is going to be used throughout my 6-7 years of Architecture education, so as you can see, this notebook computer is going to be for the long term.

Basically, speed, responsiveness, and efficiency in a notebook computer is necessary for my hectic and stressful Architecture course.

My dad will be paying for this notebook computer of mine considering the fact that it is for the purpose of my education. Nevertheless, I may also be coming out some $$$$ to add upon it.

The total budget for my notebook computer is around RM 5000, however, I am looking for good value for money and only at features & functions that I need, or will be using. (I would not like to pay for unnecessary specifications that I will not be using the full potential of and etc...as such.)

I hope that you expert/experienced guys in here can assist me in selecting the most ideal/suitable notebook computer for my Architecture education.

I am greatly looking forward to your advice and recommendation.

I would really appreciate your information and suggestion.

Regards.

Looking for a Notebook for Architectural Designing

Benjamin911 — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 22:56:02 +0800

Dear all;

I am looking for a good notebook computer for 3D Architectural Graphics Designing.

I have the two following NEC models in mind:

http://www.nec-computers.com.my/products/s...1&tab=1&mid=289

http://www.nec-computers.com.my/products/s...1&tab=1&mid=120

It would be good if I can have the pricing information on the above two NEC models.

I am open to other notebook suggestions.

My budget is around RM 4000. (Though it can be extended when necessary.)

Regards.

Need help configuring an INTEL based system:

Benjamin911 — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 00:36:08 +0800

My budget is around RM 4K.

I have the following INTEL processors in mind:

INTEL Core 2 Duo E8600

INTEL Core 2 Quad Q9650

INTEL Core i7-920

For my usage criteria, which one is highly recommended?
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I am also looking for a suitable/ideal Motherboard & Graphic Card.

It would be good if you experienced guys in here can help me out.

Thanks a lot in advance.