|
|
|
Newbie
Group: PB Employees
Last Login: Tuesday, October 04, 2011 8:00 AM
Posts: 21,
Visits: 135
|
|
I was looking and the new range that dell have brought out, just wondered what people thought or heard of the range. Yeh or Neh 
Tim Messer Parsons Brinckerhoff
29 Cathedral Road,
Cardiff 
|
|
|
|
|
Newbie
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: Monday, October 03, 2011 4:58 PM
Posts: 18,
Visits: 63
|
|
To the best of my knowledge, the XPS is Dell's gaming line which is may be useful for visualization. However, Dell has recently acquired Alienware (one of their top competitors for gaming machines) and is currently selling both lines. In the future, the two lines will likely be integrated into one. I looked at both the XPS and Alienware laptops, and it looks like the new Alienware line of gaming laptops represents the bleeding edge of gaming technology for laptops (better video card and memory available than ever before) - not sure about desktops though. It looked like you get what you pay for with the Alienware, and that performance comes with a cost.
I've owned and used Dell for a long time now and my impression is that they've always put out quality and consistent products but that their prices no longer reflect the ideal range for the hardware parts. When Dell was the underdog they seemed to offer better pricing and now there are many quality suppliers offering solid machines at more competitive rates. Companies such as TriStar cater specifically to the CAD/Visualization markets and offer more competitive deals. While companies like Boxx offer strong visualization machines, you're paying more for the name. I know I want the highest value for my dollar and suspect you do also.
Short answer = depends on what you're using it for.
The Cajun Modeler!
|
|
|
|
|
Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: Saturday, November 05, 2011 10:44 AM
Posts: 81,
Visits: 216
|
|
Dell Precision M6300 Engineered for Maximum Performance Intel® CoreTM 2 Duo X7900 (2.80GHz 4M L2 Cache, 800MHz) Dual Core, NVIDIA Quadro FX 1600M 512MB TurboCache3 (256MB dedicated) 4GB of dual-channel DDR2 SDRAM memory (Dell recommends 2GB) Price ~ $3,000+ Dell XPS M1730 Intel® CoreTM 2 Extreme Processor X7900 (2.80GHz,4M L2 Cache,800MHz FSB) 2GB Dual Channel 667MHz DDR2 (Dell recommends) Dual 256MB NVIDIA® GeForce® Go 8700M GS NVIDIA® SLI® Technology Ageia PhysX processing unit Price ~ $4000+ ***Won't it be very difficult to work with highly reflective and glared Ultra Bright LCD? They are good to watch movies and play games! What you think? What about SONY VAIO laptops for Viz?
Jerlin
|
|
|
|
|
Über Geek
Group: Administrators
Last Login: Wednesday, February 01, 2012 7:07 PM
Posts: 86,
Visits: 403
|
|
The Precision 6300 with the Quadro will give you excellent performance in the most current rev of 3ds max (2008). I've been eyeballing the XPS 1330 which looks rather promising. Though smaller and a less hot-rodded NVida card, it does sport the LED backlit LCD and a built-in camera. Nice for traveling. Otherwise, I'm a big fan of the Precisions, abeit not a fan of the price. I suppose you get what you pay for.
Mark Kauffman
Technical Lead / PA
Project Visualization TEC
Parsons Brinckerhoff, Inc.
Kauffman@pbworld.com
|
|
|
|
|
Veteran
Group: Administrators
Last Login: Friday, January 27, 2012 4:50 PM
Posts: 280,
Visits: 1,667
|
|
I'm not a big fan of lugging these Precisions around. They are absurdly large and heavy. They do make very good "portable" workstations however. But all that power means a pretty short battery life and a broken back.
THOMAS SHANNON
SENIOR DESIGN VISUALIZATION SPECIALIST
PB Project Visualization
http://www.pbprojectviz.com/
|
|
|
|
|
Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: Wednesday, February 01, 2012 4:02 AM
Posts: 89,
Visits: 743
|
|
Ok kids. 
I am going to be (soon) in the market for a new desktop computer. I have a limited budget and I don't know really jack about computers. So ... I need some help.
I have a chieftec server tower and that is about it (mine is like the image). There are guts inside but, they are failing after 5+ years. Newegg.com is my preferred vendor but, I can go elsewhere if something is cheaper/better/stronger.  Maybe a BluRay burner/reader to back my stuff up. 
Any advice? I would also be playing games on this box. OH YEAH!
I would also like to have two of the monitors shown below - Samsung T200HD.
http://www.digitalputty.net
|
|
|
|
|
Member
Group: PB Employees
Last Login: Wednesday, February 01, 2012 6:14 PM
Posts: 82,
Visits: 1,335
|
|
If you're looking for build-it-yourself, newegg is the only way to go. I've been ordering from them for years and years and never had a problem.
As far as specifics, it will all depend on what limited budget means to you. Throw out a general $$ you have in mind and I'm sure several of us on here can give some recommendations.
SJ
Steve JohnsonPBProject Visualization Technical Resource CenterE-Mail: johnsonste@pbworld.com...................................................................................................
|
|
|
|
|
Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: Wednesday, February 01, 2012 4:02 AM
Posts: 89,
Visits: 743
|
|
|
|
|
|
Veteran
Group: Administrators
Last Login: Friday, January 27, 2012 4:50 PM
Posts: 280,
Visits: 1,667
|
|
|
|
|
|
Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: Wednesday, February 01, 2012 4:02 AM
Posts: 89,
Visits: 743
|
|
|
|
|
