Best Workstation?

[ogray]

My IT deptartment just gave me every designer's dream! I get to configure and build my own workstation from the ground up. I've got some good ideas from the Solid Solutions Benchmark test but was wondering if anybody has any input? What have you found to work best/fastest/most dependable/ for running solidworks?

 

[MadMango]

Everything becomes a bottle-neck in the computer when you start to try to build one. If you get a AMD Athlon 1.8ghz, and DDR memory, but forget to ensure your motherboard has a good front side bus, then there's your bottle-neck. If you get a GVX-1 graphics card and 22" flat screen monitor, but have a poor network connection, then there's your bottle-neck.

In short, make sure everything works well together. Visit the SolidWorks website, where they have listed components that work best with the software. Make sure your IT department is going to support your new machine with a good network connection, and perhaps even go the distance and provide your engineering department with a dedicated server.

As for who makes the best computer, that it all up in the air. Our IT department has been toying with Dells, yet the workstation they got for me was from a smaller company called XI Computers. At $7k it's easily the most expensive computer in the building, but so far it seems to be worth the cost, and it out performs the $3k Dell stations. "Happy the Hare at morning for she is ignorant to the Hunter's waking thoughts."

 

[swertel]

If you want to go with a manufacturer, go with Xi Computers. They build AMD systems which has been out performing Intel as far as CAD applications goes (sorry I can't sight a reference right now. On Intel's side, they are much better at multimedia.)

I know you can get a kickin' machine from Xi without the $7K price tag of MadMango.

Personally, I just built my own and got the price tag at about US$1700. Of course, I bought the components when they were on sale, piece by slow piece, until I had everything. I don't think you can wait that long.

Here are the components I bought and price. I got this for home, so I had to balance CAD vs games and internet.

HP OfficeJet v40XI (printer/copier/scanner/fax) $190
LG (CD-RW/DVD-Rom) $150
2 additional cooling fans $ 30
nVidia GeForce2 MX400 video card**auction item $ 70
M$ Optical Wheel Mouse $ 25
MSI K7T266Pro2 motherboard $110
Creative Labs PCI512 soundcard $ 60
Creative Labs SBS16 speakers $ 15
TEAC 3.5" Floppy $ 15
MAG 19" .24dp monitor $130
AMD Athlon 1800+ processor with heat sink $186
512Mb Ram DDR PC2100 $150
Case w/ 300W power supply $ 45
Keyboard $ 10
IBM 40GB 7200RPM Hard Drive (only ATA100) $100
Iomega 100Mb Internal Zip drive $ 80
Norton System Works $ 70
Windows 2000 Pro $300


Total Cost = $1736
minus $140 in rebates is a good deal.