Help upgrading pc...

[2infamouz]

I know most ppl will say "GET A MAC" but thats not wut im looking for...Its bout time i upgraded my pc but i really dont know what to get??

heres my specs:
HD: 1 Terabyte
Processor : Pentium (R) Dual-Core CPU E6300 @2.80Ghz
Installed memory (RAM): 8.00 GB
Sound Controller: SB X-Fi Xtreme Audio
•Playback: 24-bit/96kHz 7.1
•Signal-to-Noise Ratio: >108dB (20kHz Low-pass filter, A-weighted)
•Total Harmonic Distortion + Noise at 1kHz: 0.006% (20kHz Low-pass filter)
•Recording: 24-bit/96kHz

Im pretty sure i need a better processor / sound card (internal or external?)
but i figured someone here would know better than me..?

If ne1 can point me in the right direction id appreciate it
-ayr0n

 

[thedreampolice]

Well you are cheaper off buying a new dell then trying to upgrade this old PC. Because you will need to buy a new mainboard/CPU/RAM and probably OS. Also your sound card is shit, its really time to upgrade that. Get something from maybe RME, or Edirol.

 

[Scholar]

if he's using that full 8 gigs of ram, he must have a 64bit OS, i hope. Also Pentium i7 950 proc, but i just did this price up, and ill tell ya its about 600.00 for proc,ram,board.

 

[lion-ucs]

whatever you get, try looking on online stores like newegg(first place I go), geeks, tigerdirect, oh and circuitcity is back as an online store.

but for CPU, core i7 or phenom x4. But this still depends on just how much processing you need. i3, i5, athlon x4, phenom x2, etc might be way more than enough for you. We're not talking about games here, BUT if you do go with the latest and greatest, you'll be set for a good while.

You don't have an interface for sound?
If not, do so. Period

HDD, you can keep that easy. Tho, I suggest using an external for storing your stuff, or at the very least have an external so you can backup everything. eHDDs have been going down in price alot (along with internal), but its still a bit cheaper to just make one.

You'll definitely need a new Mobo, but the good news is if your ram is 240-pin (most likely), you dont have to get new memory. Unless you wanna come up with DDR3 (I'm assuming your memory is DDR2). Might wanna look for something with USB3 to get ahead on that early.

BE SURE, you check your power supply wattage. Honestly, it should be fine - SHOULD have more than enough, but make sure you check it anyway just in case.

 

[7thangel]

you need to provide more info than what you have. upgrading isn't that simple

are you buying a whole new computer or upgrading the current one?

if buying a new one, your best bet, other than going to pro audio pc builders, is to get the specific parts and either build it yourself or get someone else to do it. i7 970 maybe (although you may want to check when intel will be releasing the new sandy bridge next year. better performance but also a possible drop in prices for the current i7 lines).

personally i would go for a gigabyte board with usb 3.0 capability, firewire and enough pci/pci-e/pci-ex4/etc that will match whatever soundcard, monitor and peripheral that i either have or will need. a quality psu and a quality case. for this i would still check the audio pc build pro's and see what i could mimic and i would check the many, many threads at gearslutz in the music computer section, where some builders have given advice and info on good builds and what to look out for. of course that would be based on budget.

if you're just looking to upgrade your cpu, more info is needed, such as your current motherboard. you don't say what your memory is, ddr2-pc-6400? ddr2 pc-5300? ddr2-8500? crucial? corsair? ocz?

get at least one more hd.

 

[thedreampolice]

The bus speed of his old ram will not match a new i5 or i7 board. 95% chance he will need new ram even if the pin-out matches.

 

[Ozmosis]

LOL, Sound Blaster and I thought my interface was outdated. I used to have one back before I started making beats. I was looking into a dell like this http://www.dell.com/us/p/inspiron-580/pd?oc=dddoyb9&model_id=inspiron-580

 

[7thangel]

The bus speed of his old ram will not match a new i5 or i7 board. 95% chance he will need new ram even if the pin-out matches.

no doubt, but that's only if he's going to an i3/i5/i7, which will be a new build as opposed to an upgrade.

if it's just an upgrade but still the same socket he has currently (775), the ram doesn't have to be replaced. the same with the mobo, depending on what he has. if it's just an upgrade than something like the newer quads or core 2 duo's would be the main priority and may be the only thing needed (computer-wise). that's why the op needs to be a little more specific. is it a new build or an upgrade of the current computer and if it's an upgrade than specific info is needed for recommendations

 

[thedreampolice]

For sure, but I believe any CPU upgrade would mean a board replacement.

But honestly I don't see any reason to try and upgrade or build your own PC these days. Its so cheap to go get a dell and they work great. In three years buy a new one. at $300 that ends up being under $10 a month for a monster DAW. I don't even upgrade ram really anymore. Maybe I will at most add a hard drive.

 

[Sucio]

You have 8GB of RAM, I think it's overkill for music, but definitely need a 64-bit OS for that.

I'm with DP on this one, already built computers are so cheap that you could use it without issues, just gotta get one with 64bit OS if your RAM is compatible with the new computer. Or you could just sell it all and use the money towards your new PC or purchase an upgraded version of it.

The only reason I would say to build your own, would be for gaming or for video, which both uses more resources than just music.

Externals or extra HDS would be a good idea. But as was said earlier, you can turn your current internal to an external with some cool parts and it's cheaper (I have an enclosure for my old 100GB laptop HD, cost $20).

...or you could get a Mac like I did (I had to say it).. hahahaha..I still run FL studio on Windows that I installed on here, but that will go away once I get Maschine and get a catalog with it.

 

[7thangel]

For sure, but I believe any CPU upgrade would mean a board replacement.

not true. i could decide to get a more powerful quad, or even one of the quad extremes (i currently have a the e7400 core 2 duo) and i wouldn't need to change my giga mobo at all. my board allows for pentuim d, dual core, core 2 duo, quad and quad extreme. it's all dependent on on the mobo you chose to buy which leads to

But honestly I don't see any reason to try and upgrade or build your own PC these days. Its so cheap to go get a dell and they work great. In three years buy a new one. at $300 that ends up being under $10 a month for a monster DAW. I don't even upgrade ram really anymore. Maybe I will at most add a hard drive.

bang for buck and performance, it's cheaper to build. not only do you avoid bundled crap that screws up your computer, but you have a ton of flexibility in choosing which parts get installed, now and in the future. if you have a great case, psu, etc and in a couple of years all you need to do is upgrade the mobo and cpu or vice a versa, you can buy a bundle from a computer store, new egg, ncix, tiger direct, etc for a great price. where as if you wanted to do the same change the your case/change mobo/cpu, you're in a shit of a bind due to dell's form factor, which is meant to force it's users to buy a whole new computer.

besides, which dell computer would become a monster daw at $300? what specs?

 

[thedreampolice]

bang for buck and performance, it's cheaper to build

That has not been true for 5 years.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883155017

$370 drop another hard drive in and this is more than enough for music production.

Also motherboard form factors change, so often times you need to buy a new case as well. Also when you get a new dell, just wipe the thing and load the OS. Then you dont have all that crapware.

The days of the build your own screw driver shop computers are over.

but you have a ton of flexibility in choosing which parts get installed

I am not trying to sound like a dick but most users should NEVER EVER EVER pick out there parts. They have no clue what they are doing. Leave that to people who do that for a living and stick to making music.

 

[7thangel]

That has not been true for 5 years.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883155017

$370 drop another hard drive in and this is more than enough for music production.

Also motherboard form factors change, so often times you need to buy a new case as well. Also when you get a new dell, just wipe the thing and load the OS. Then you dont have all that crapware.

integrated soundcard, integrated video of the g class chips, shitty psu, vga only...no thank you. i'm trying to find out how many pci-e, pci-16 2.0, and pci slots available on the unlisted mobo, never mind the firewire. this isn't a good computer, not for music, it's barely adequate. if going the dell route, at least get a better computer.

we're not talking mobo form factor, the most popular being atx, followed by micro-atx (dell using btx), we're talking the closed system dell utilizes (they're not as strict as they used to be).the vast majority of cases and desktop mobo's use atx and micro atx, so there's no need to change the case when getting a new mobo from giga, foxconn, asus, intel commercial boards, etc.

another note about dell (this includes mac, hp and maybe ibm), finding out whether you actually have good parts can be futile, as they tend to refuse revealing which manufacturer of various parts are being used to the customer.

The days of the build your own screw driver shop computers are over.

nope. as more are seeing the benefit of having a computer specifically for music, many are either paying pro's to build their computer or buying from their companies, building computers themselves, or getting a computer shop to do a specific build based on their specs and needs.

I am not trying to sound like a dick but most users should NEVER EVER EVER pick out there parts. They have no clue what they are doing. Leave that to people who do that for a living and stick to making music.

that's your opinion. even when someone buys a dell, mac, or hp pc, some of those people are still willing to learn.

update:

i built mine and if i chose to make a huge upgrade i could simply take out my current giga mobo and intel cpu and replace it with this NCIX Bundle Deal Intel Core i7 950 Quad Core Processor & ASUS P6X58D-E X58 ATX Motherboard for $591.23 canadian. i would have to go to either a dell precision workstation or this Dell Studio XPS 9100 Desktop starting at $999 usd just to get a comparable i7 quad (unless i'm missing something).

that's the benefit. price and quality (except i wouldn't get this particular bundle because i'm not an asus fan and there's not enough slots for what i need, but all i would have to do is either check the many other places i can go to get a bundle or wait until i find the right one)

 

[thedreampolice]

integrated soundcard, integrated video of the g class chips, shitty psu, vga only...no thank you. i'm trying to find out how many pci-e, pci-16 2.0, and pci slots available on the unlisted mobo, never mind the firewire. this isn't a good computer, not for music, it's barely adequate. if going the dell route, at least get a better computer.

?? You disable the onboard card and use your USB interface.

You can drop another video card in for $50 if you like, but this is a MUSIC machine. Few people EVER EVER EVER use there expansion slots anymore. And firewire is all but dead. NEXT

nope. as more are seeing the benefit of having a computer specifically for music

Well I have two responses for this

#1 a computer built for music, yea its called a mac

#2 tell that to all the screw driver shops that are going out of business.

 

[7thangel]

?? You disable the onboard card and use your USB interface.

You can drop another video card in for $50 if you like, but this is a MUSIC machine. Few people EVER EVER EVER use there expansion slots anymore. And firewire is all but dead. NEXT

now you're getting ridiculous. few people ever use their pci slots? really? firewire dead?

Well I have two responses for this

#1 a computer built for music, yea its called a mac

#2 tell that to all the screw driver shops that are going out of business.

1: typical. cue eye roll

2: really? yet i can go downtown and visit 20 all in a 3 block radius

at this point you have no argument but i doubt that will stop you.

 

[thedreampolice]

So is this an industry you work in?

few people ever use their pci slots? really? firewire dead?

Yes and yes look it up.

typical. cue eye roll

Really? What other OS maker build in low level audio drivers like core audio.....

and honestly if don't know that the white box computer industry is dying in a hurry you really need to get informed. Not trying to be rude man, cause its all love. But you are flat wrong on that point. None of those companies make money selling white box's, they have shifted to a service based model where they get paid for removing virus's

 

[7thangel]

So is this an industry you work in?



Yes and yes look it up.



Really? What other OS maker build in low level audio drivers like core audio.....

and honestly if don't know that the white box computer industry is dying in a hurry you really need to get informed. Not trying to be rude man, cause its all love. But you are flat wrong on that point. None of those companies make money selling white box's, they have shifted to a service based model where they get paid for removing virus's

what industry are you working in? look what up? this ridiculous idea that people are all going usb, especially those that make a living using computers for music and film, is just that, ridiculous.

what the hell does core audio have to do with your weak answer "computer built for audio"?

white box? as i'm not talking about systemax or any of the others, what exactly is your point? which company are you talking about? the popularity of notebooks/laptops have had a bigger impact on their sales of desktops, period. the shops i'm talking about primarily sell parts but will sell full systems occasionally. now unless you have their annual earnings, you have no idea how well they're doing in my city, even in this economic climate. by the way, last time i checked (2009) newegg was in the black. ncix has expanded their brick and mortars shop. systemax reported a profit (2010). as for pro audio builders, they are a niche market, because we are a niche market, and they provide both pc and mac built specifically for those needs.

 

[dacalion]

Mortal kombat - round 2..........................................fight!

>=)

 

[thedreampolice]

this ridiculous idea that people are all going usb

the popularity of notebooks/laptops have had a bigger impact on their sales of desktops, period

hmmmm

BTW over 65% of all new computers sold are laptops, so yes many people are going all USB

or even the pro video people that still use firewire, products like this

http://www.motu.com/video-products/v4hd/

High end HD video over firewire only. The ONLY reason anyone uses internal expansion is for a new video card.

oh and my last jobs

Computer Concepts - One of the top distributors of intel products in the midwest
Sweetwater - One of the top builders of custom recording PC's
Computer Aid Plus - IT firm

oh and I also own a company called "Computer Rock Stars"

I have literally lived through these changes as part of my job. Oh I am also an intel share holder so I do get to see these numbers.

Next....

what the hell does core audio have to do with your weak answer

You do know that core audio is built in to the OS and ASIO is not right? You do know that it is more efficient that ASIO and has much lower latency right? Sure is nice that Apple thinks of us pro audio people where Steinberg had to hack the windows driver set just to make ASIO work properly. But I don't want this to be a Win VS Mac thing. I use windows all the time and it works fine, but Apple designs OSX with creative users in mind. Microsoft designs Windows with Business users in mind.

 

[7thangel]

hmmmm

BTW over 65% of all new computers sold are laptops, so yes many people are going all USB

or even the pro video people that still use firewire, products like this

http://www.motu.com/video-products/v4hd/

High end HD video over firewire only. The ONLY reason anyone uses internal expansion is for a new video card.

oh and my last jobs

Computer Concepts - One of the top distributors of intel products in the midwest
Sweetwater - One of the top builders of custom recording PC's
Computer Aid Plus - IT firm

oh and I also own a company called "Computer Rock Stars"

I have literally lived through these changes as part of my job. Oh I am also an intel share holder so I do get to see these numbers.

Next....

and? you're still talking shit.

just in our industry, firewire, pci-e, and usb are being used for interfaces. you speak in absolutes based on your feelings and expect others to defer to you because you're in retail.

lynx, m-audio, rme, echo layla, uad, ssl duende, apogee,avid hd, ssl madi, focusrite, metric halo, etc, etc.. pci/pci-e and firewire devices that people in our industry are still using, still seeking to buy, and for some, a must for their business, but wait, you work at sweetwater so therefore you know that no one, and you mean no one, needs firewire or pci slots except for their gpu (of course the gpu is unimportant for music...eyes rolling)

what? you saw intel's 2nd quarter sales and profits up? or their 3rd quarter set a record gain for themselves? why are we talking about intel profits and shares?

You do know that core audio is built in to the OS and ASIO is not right? You do know that it is more efficient that ASIO and has much lower latency right? Sure is nice that Apple thinks of us pro audio people where Steinberg had to hack the windows driver set just to make ASIO work properly. But I don't want this to be a Win VS Mac thing. I use windows all the time and it works fine, but Apple designs OSX with creative users in mind. Microsoft designs Windows with Business users in mind.

and here's the smokes and mirrors. why are you still trying to bring up core audio (and now asio) in a thread about upgrading hardware? wait, don't tell me it's because you think (or should i say, you know?) that a windows pc can't be an audio daw pc? you say you don't want to get into the whole windows vs mac thing, yet you brought it up for no reason.