Old 12-28-2016, 02:58 AM   #1
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Hi all,
my son has been bitten by the recording bug and wants to start recording.
He has the opportunity of a HP Pavilion 550-100na tower going very cheap(unwanted present).
As a relative noob and not particularly teccy myself,i seek advice regarding this PC.
here are the specs:

system-win10
processor-- AMD A10-8750
- Quad-core
- 3.6 GHz / 4.0 GHz with Turbo Boost
- 4 MB cache

Memory (RAM) 8 GB (16 GB maximum installable RAM)
Storage - 2 TB HDD, 5400 rpm
- 128 GB SSD
Graphics card AMD Radeon R5-330 (2 GB DDR3)

Graphics card AMD Radeon R5-330 (2 GB DDR3)
USB - USB 3.0 x 4
- USB 2.0 x 4
He will be using a Focusrite 2i4(once it arrives)
Many Thanks
p.s i have read that a 7200 rpm is preferable and this is 5400?

Last edited by echo58; 12-28-2016 at 02:59 AM. Reason: missed something out
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Old 12-28-2016, 03:40 AM   #2
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Looks OK to me. However a desktop/tower is a ball and chain; he will be tied to one spot for all recording, editing, and tweaking. Maybe that's OK if he likes the space but I really enjoy the portability of a laptop. (I'm a grownup & don't have my own room anymore :LOL)
7200 rpm is better than 5400, but the SSD beats them both. You didn't say whether this is a hybrid drive, or 2 physical drives. Either way it is GOOD but your file organizing scheme will depend on that distinction.
The Focusrite will serve him well, great choice.
You may already know one thing you should do very early is optimize the system for audio. There is a thread here, as well as articles on Sweetwater and various DAW vendor websites which give the blow-by-blow setup steps.
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Old 12-28-2016, 03:49 AM   #3
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many thanks,yeah,hes making a small studio in his bedroom so portability isnt a hindrance ..
hes also looking at this pc which is roughly the same deal money wise.

http://store.hp.com/UKStore/merch/Pr...pt=ABU&sel=DTP
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Old 12-28-2016, 04:10 AM   #4
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As a general rule, use as few USB / wireless devices as possible when doing audio. Just the Focusrite, KB & mouse with cables. I wouldn't do ANYTHING on 'the cloud', just on general principles.
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Old 12-28-2016, 04:20 AM   #5
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Originally Posted by JeffreyET View Post
Looks OK to me. However a desktop/tower is a ball and chain; he will be tied to one spot for all recording, editing, and tweaking. Maybe that's OK if he likes the space but I really enjoy the portability of a laptop. .
LOL, different strokes for different folks, eh? I do most of my work on my tower, grudgingly using a laptop when on location. But with OP's son presumably being a young'un he might prefer your solution.

BTW, my tower is still on XP and it's specs are less grand than the OP's so I don't see any problems there!
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Old 12-28-2016, 04:25 AM   #6
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LOL, different strokes for different folks, eh? I do most of my work on my tower, grudgingly using a laptop when on location. But with OP's son presumably being a young'un he might prefer your solution.

BTW, my tower is still on XP and it's specs are less grand than the OP's so I don't see any problems there!
yeah,were all different i guess,theres so many choices and can get pretty confusing for a non teccy person..
he seems pretty set on this model- http://store.hp.com/UKStore/merch/Pr...pt=ABU&sel=DTP

Last edited by echo58; 12-28-2016 at 04:28 AM. Reason: wrong link
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Old 12-28-2016, 04:44 AM   #7
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yeah,were all different i guess,theres so many choices and can get pretty confusing for a non teccy person..
he seems pretty set on this model- http://store.hp.com/UKStore/merch/Pr...pt=ABU&sel=DTP
Now you've plunged me into a serious state of depression, being reminded of how prices in the UK compare with prices here in Oz

Seriously, about 90% of my studio gear is bought from UK or US ... much cheaper even after paying for air freight!
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Old 12-28-2016, 04:55 AM   #8
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Now you've plunged me into a serious state of depression, being reminded of how prices in the UK compare with prices here in Oz

Seriously, about 90% of my studio gear is bought from UK or US ... much cheaper even after paying for air freight!
I thought that we paid premium prices here in the UK!
mind you i'd swap todays weather(crisp and frosty) for a bit of oz sun
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Old 12-28-2016, 05:20 AM   #9
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I thought that we paid premium prices here in the UK!
mind you i'd swap todays weather(crisp and frosty) for a bit of oz sun
Are you sure?

Pissing down all day here in Tas, but 38 Celsius in Sydney! That ain't much fun!
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Old 12-28-2016, 05:25 AM   #10
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Are you sure?

Pissing down all day here in Tas, but 38 Celsius in Sydney!
maybe not then,my friend lives in caboolture and tells me he would swap the heat anyday for the UK's cold winter days
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Old 12-28-2016, 09:33 AM   #11
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The only thing wrong seems to be the secondary drive. 7200rpm is better for recording. I would fit in an additional, faster drive only for recording and use the slower one for storage and backup. If it has USB 3.0 ports, an external drive could work as well.

I would also make sure the computer isn't too noisy. I record in a small room and noise from the computer can be an issue.
This means a good case that ensures good ventilation, bigger fans instead of smaller and a decent power supply unit.
The power supply unit was the noisiest part in my computer and replacing it emproved the noise a lot.
Being silent is an advantage in laptops.
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Old 12-28-2016, 09:53 AM   #12
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I would also make sure the computer isn't too noisy. I record in a small room and noise from the computer can be an issue.
This means a good case that ensures good ventilation, bigger fans instead of smaller and a decent power supply unit.
The power supply unit was the noisiest part in my computer and replacing it emproved the noise a lot.
Being silent is an advantage in laptops.
Or just set the PC in another room/corridor. Just remember, that cables should not be too long.
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Old 12-29-2016, 01:17 AM   #13
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By the time you've made the recommended changes, you're better off building from scratch or buying from a custom builder.

Any pre-built 'PC World Special' is capable of 'doing the job', as long as you're not processing 200 tracks of samples/VSTis.
In my experience the major advantage of a custom/self build is not using the cheap generic case, fans and power supply - never underestimate the importance of a good case, fans and power supply when it comes to reliability/cooling and noise levels.
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Old 12-29-2016, 03:50 AM   #14
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Plus one to the above. I am on the same aluminium Luan-Li case I got second had years ago. Been through three or four builds with me and the power supply finally died a couple of months ago.
Purely from the standpoint of easy maintenance and addition of extra drives, etc., plus of course the case fan options it is worth spending a few $$ on a decent case and I cannot stress too highly how important a good power supply is. Look for AT LEAST an 80% certified power supply. May cost a little more but will save you money in the long haul.
Those PC World/Box Pusher builds invariably use products that are both at end of life AND the bare minimum spec to keep the machine going through the warranty period.
I know because I have repaired/rebuilt a ton of them in my time.
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Old 12-29-2016, 04:09 AM   #15
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If u dont use softsynths, and u record, like most of int this community u dont need to worrie about pc so much. Couple of SSD would be nice. But electronic music is taking over, i guess anyways, all of it ends up digital, so it can be treated as electronic music anyway
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Old 12-29-2016, 05:47 AM   #16
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maybe not then,my friend lives in caboolture and tells me he would swap the heat anyday for the UK's cold winter days
Funny thing, I lived in Caboolture about 30 years ago. Not a bad place to be.
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Old 12-29-2016, 06:34 AM   #17
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Originally Posted by echo58 View Post
many thanks,yeah,hes making a small studio in his bedroom so portability isnt a hindrance ..
hes also looking at this pc which is roughly the same deal money wise.

http://store.hp.com/UKStore/merch/Pr...pt=ABU&sel=DTP
Hi mate

Get a Dell PowerEdge T20-3708 Xeon E3-1225V3 3.2 GHz (3.6ghz turbo) 4GB RAM 1TB HDD Tower Server

The chip alone in it is worth more than you actually pay.Has far more Grunt than the OP and twice the cache based on Intel's Haswell Architecture.

I got mine for £220 after cash back...pop in a 8Gb stick of ram ,making 12gb, a cheap 120Gb SSD for the Operating system and use the fast 1tb 7200rpm drive it comes with for data...you'll have a really powerful stable DAW workstation that's absolutely silent...

Low power, cool and perfect for upgrades in the future...

It's small aswell meaning a saving on space...
I just installed one in my studio.

Last edited by easyrider; 12-29-2016 at 07:14 AM.
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Old 12-29-2016, 11:43 AM   #18
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You want to stay away from the A10 APUs. Quad-core and 4.0GHz sounds nice, but I've had this chip before (X4 860K) and the experience was not pleasant. The chances of bottlenecking running even a few plugins or even waiting unreasonably long amounts of time for rendering jobs to finish are very high. Also, buying an AMD PC with an APU and a discrete GPU makes no sense, and is just forking over money with no added benefit.

Also, buying pre-built machines usually locks you into a certain hardware configuration that can't be upgraded because of proprietary components. If you're getting this PC for any more than $200-$300 USD, I'd stay away. You could build a much more capable machine for only slightly extra.

Go on eBay and look for an i5 or an i7 from a couple gens ago that's still powerful, but going cheap:
i5-2500k CPUs are going for around $100 (same price as the A10, but way more powerful)

ASUS LGA1155 motherboards are going for around $50 or less on ebay as well.

RAM is cheap. Buy whatever $20 will get you without going as low as 4GB.

If you don't care about playing games, the iGPU on the i5 should be at least semi-decent. But, if you wanted bang-for-buck there are GTX 560 Ti or R9 270X GPUs on ebay or craigslist for around $50 or less sometimes.

A couple 1TB drives shouldn't be more than $80 total (though I still find it difficult to fill even one 1TB drive).

128GB SSD should be less than $100.

EVGA PSU for around $50 or less.

Slap it all in a $20 case, and call it a day.

Total is around $470. But, it would be worth every penny, because it would destroy the pre-built machine in nearly every aspect of performance. You could even ditch the SSD or opt for a single 1TB drive to bump the cost down. You could forgo the GPU and just use the iGPU on the i5, which would be fine. As far as I can tell, the HD 3000 chip on the i5 and the Radeon R5-330 get somewhat similar benchmarks.

The only thing left is Windows 10. Normally it's ~$150. But, you can buy a sealed copy of Windows 7 and upgrade it. (Don't believe Microsoft's BS about cutting off Windows 7/8 upgrades. You can still upgrade if you call them about it and get them to remote access your PC and unlock the upgrade. They started doing this because of all the backlash they received after cutting off all Win7/Win8 users this last spring.

Last edited by BRBWaffles; 12-29-2016 at 11:54 AM.
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Old 12-29-2016, 12:25 PM   #19
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You want to stay away from the A10 APUs. Quad-core and 4.0GHz sounds nice, but I've had this chip before (X4 860K) and the experience was not pleasant. The chances of bottlenecking running even a few plugins or even waiting unreasonably long amounts of time for rendering jobs to finish are very high. Also, buying an AMD PC with an APU and a discrete GPU makes no sense, and is just forking over money with no added benefit.

Also, buying pre-built machines usually locks you into a certain hardware configuration that can't be upgraded because of proprietary components. If you're getting this PC for any more than $200-$300 USD, I'd stay away. You could build a much more capable machine for only slightly extra.

Go on eBay and look for an i5 or an i7 from a couple gens ago that's still powerful, but going cheap:
i5-2500k CPUs are going for around $100 (same price as the A10, but way more powerful)

ASUS LGA1155 motherboards are going for around $50 or less on ebay as well.

RAM is cheap. Buy whatever $20 will get you without going as low as 4GB.

If you don't care about playing games, the iGPU on the i5 should be at least semi-decent. But, if you wanted bang-for-buck there are GTX 560 Ti or R9 270X GPUs on ebay or craigslist for around $50 or less sometimes.

A couple 1TB drives shouldn't be more than $80 total (though I still find it difficult to fill even one 1TB drive).

128GB SSD should be less than $100.

EVGA PSU for around $50 or less.

Slap it all in a $20 case, and call it a day.

Total is around $470. But, it would be worth every penny, because it would destroy the pre-built machine in nearly every aspect of performance. You could even ditch the SSD or opt for a single 1TB drive to bump the cost down. You could forgo the GPU and just use the iGPU on the i5, which would be fine. As far as I can tell, the HD 3000 chip on the i5 and the Radeon R5-330 get somewhat similar benchmarks.

The only thing left is Windows 10. Normally it's ~$150. But, you can buy a sealed copy of Windows 7 and upgrade it. (Don't believe Microsoft's BS about cutting off Windows 7/8 upgrades. You can still upgrade if you call them about it and get them to remote access your PC and unlock the upgrade. They started doing this because of all the backlash they received after cutting off all Win7/Win8 users this last spring.

Why bother when the Dell T20 does all that for less money...

It silent
Doesn't draw hardly any power
Has Intel Haswell 22nm quad core CPU running at 3.6ghz
Has onboard display port Intel® HD Graphics P4600
Can easily be upgraded
Dell build quality

Comes in at £220

Its a no brainer
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Old 12-29-2016, 01:18 PM   #20
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Why bother when the Dell T20 does all that for less money...

It silent
Doesn't draw hardly any power
Has Intel Haswell 22nm quad core CPU running at 3.6ghz
Has onboard display port Intel® HD Graphics P4600
Can easily be upgraded
Dell build quality

Comes in at £220

Its a no brainer
That's an excellent value. It doesn't include a copy of an OS, and that makes the cost nearly the same. But yeah, this would be a cheaper way to go. It's just even less upgradeable that the OP's first option.
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Old 12-29-2016, 01:40 PM   #21
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Why bother when the Dell T20 does all that for less money...

It silent
Doesn't draw hardly any power
Has Intel Haswell 22nm quad core CPU running at 3.6ghz
Has onboard display port Intel® HD Graphics P4600
Can easily be upgraded
Dell build quality

Comes in at £220

Its a no brainer
Link to £220 version please.
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Old 12-29-2016, 01:50 PM   #22
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That's an excellent value. It doesn't include a copy of an OS, and that makes the cost nearly the same. But yeah, this would be a cheaper way to go. It's just even less upgradeable that the OP's first option.
It is upgradeable.

What makes you think it's not ?
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Old 12-29-2016, 01:54 PM   #23
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Link to £220 version please.


http://www.laptopsdirect.co.uk/dell-...08/version.asp

Actually works out at £215 with the £20 which voucher code and Dell £80 cash back.
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Old 12-29-2016, 01:54 PM   #24
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http://www.laptopsdirect.co.uk/dell-...08/version.asp

Actually works out at £215 with the £20 which voucher code and Dell £80 cash back.
Cool.
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Old 12-29-2016, 02:00 PM   #25
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Cool.
Absolutely it is...
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Old 12-29-2016, 02:12 PM   #26
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I recommend getting a system built, or better still doing it yourself. Not any of these off the shelf options. i5 can be done on a modest budget. Local PC guys will probably help you out.

Win 10
I5 quad or i7 quad (if budget allows).
8 GB or more ram with 2 additional slots on motherboard for memory upgrade (no need to retire memory modules)
SSD x2 (one for Windows, one for samples)
120mm fans (including on large tower cooler to run quiet with low speed fans)
case damping on a decent hefty steel case.
Decent quality quiet PSU. Cheap PSUs are often early to fail and make troubleshooting difficult. Off the shelf PCs typically come with the cheapest tat (not quiet).
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Old 12-29-2016, 02:33 PM   #27
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I recommend getting a system built, or better still doing it yourself. Not any of these off the shelf options. i5 can be done on a modest budget. Local PC guys will probably help you out.

Win 10
I5 quad or i7 quad (if budget allows).
8 GB or more ram with 2 additional slots on motherboard for memory upgrade (no need to retire memory modules)
SSD x2 (one for Windows, one for samples)
120mm fans (including on large tower cooler to run quiet with low speed fans)
case damping on a decent hefty steel case.
Decent quality quiet PSU. Cheap PSUs are often early to fail and make troubleshooting difficult. Off the shelf PCs typically come with the cheapest tat (not quiet).
The Dell is not an off the shelf PC. It's a server designed for 24/7 use for business.

It's totally silent
Has 3 free ram slots
It's got quality components
Can easily be upgraded.
The case is heavy steel. It's built like a tank
Dell customer service.

For the price nothing comes close.

As said it's £220

I have been building computers for years..When I retired my X58 Xeon Rig I had no urge to build another once I saw the Dell T20 for my DAW in the studio.

For the price it's a phenomenal piece of kit.
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Old 12-29-2016, 02:35 PM   #28
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It is upgradeable.

What makes you think it's not ?
This, perhaps?



AIO prebuilt machines almost always include proprietary components for the express purpose of limiting upgrade potential. I can tell just by looking at this picture that this is likely the case for this machine as well. Even on the T20's spec page it says that only Xeon E3 and Pentium (probably the Pentium 350) are compatible. That means if you wanted to upgrade to a higher end i7 from the same chip family, you probably couldn't even though the socket type matches. You're likely locked into the Xeon E3 12xxv3 family. Want a GPU? Nope. Despite it being equipped with an x16 PCIe slot, it has a proprietary 290W PSU with proprietary connectors to go with its proprietary motherboard. Even if you wanted something cheap like an R9 270X, the computer probably wouldn't even boot if you installed it.

Last edited by BRBWaffles; 12-29-2016 at 03:21 PM.
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Old 12-29-2016, 02:43 PM   #29
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This, perhaps?



AIO prebuilt machines almost always include proprietary components for the express purpose of limiting upgrade potential. I can tell just by looking at this picture that this is likely the case for this machine as well. Even on the T20's spec page it says that only Xeon E3 and Pentium (probably the Pentium 350) are compatible. That means if you wanted to upgrade to a higher end i7 from the same chip family, you probably couldn't even though the socket type matches. You're likely locked into the Xeon E3 12xx family. Want a GPU? Nope. Despite it being equipped with an x16 PCIe slot, it has a proprietary 290W PSU with proprietary connectors to go with its proprietary motherboard. Even if you wanted something cheap like an R9 270X, the computer probably wouldn't even boot if you installed it.
Let me introduce myself...I'm easyrider from ocuk forums and have been building computers and offering advice in the community for years.You can check out my profile here. I've contributed over 31,000 posts on the subject.

https://forums.overclockers.co.uk/member.php?u=45931

You can check out my Home Recording Studio thread here

https://forums.overclockers.co.uk/sh...php?t=18692623

Quote:
AIO prebuilt machines almost always include proprietary components for the express purpose of limiting upgrade potential.
Depends on the System entirely.

Quote:
I can tell just by looking at this picture that this is likely the case for this machine as well.
Please research before posting. The Dell T20 can be upgraded

Quote:
Even on the T20's spec page it says that only Xeon E3 and Pentium (probably the Pentium 350) are compatible. That means if you wanted to upgrade to a higher end i7 from the same chip family, you probably couldn't even though the socket type matches.
There are many models of the T20. The base model comes shipped with a Pentium G3220. Not a probable Pentium 350 as this is the wrong socket! So I have no idea why you would suggest it.

Quote:
You're likely locked into the Xeon E3 12xx family. Want a GPU? Nope. Despite it being equipped with an x16 PCIe slot, it has a proprietary 290W PSU with proprietary connectors to go with its proprietary motherboard. Even if you wanted something cheap like an R9 270X, the computer probably wouldn't even boot if you installed it.
The Dell T20 will happily run an i7 4790K Devils Canyon chip.Something I may consider down the line. So your statement about being locked to Xeon chips is completely untrue.

People are running them with GTX 1050Ti in them if they want a GPU upgrade. So your latter point about upgrading the GFX is moot.

Ram upgrades are a non issue either.

Don't assume before you post. I would not suggest The Dell T20 for the OP if it wasn't one of the best deals out at the moment for bang for buck, power draw noise and performance.
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Old 12-29-2016, 02:54 PM   #30
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Let me introduce myself...I'm easyrider from ocuk forums and have been building computers and offering advice in the community for years.

https://forums.overclockers.co.uk/member.php?u=45931

You can check out my Home Recording Studio thread here

https://forums.overclockers.co.uk/sh...php?t=18692623
I've also been building computers for years, and have had the opportunity to disassemble several Dell server prebuilt machines. Trust me when I say their components are not upgradeable in the typical sense of the word. The PSU will literally have awkwardly shaped connectors on it so that it will only be compatible with that particular motherboard. Not only that, but the PSU will also have an odd number of connectors that will make it impossible to replace. For example, an average PSU will have a 24-pin power connector for the motherboard, but one of these proprietary PSUs might have, like, 10 connectors, or 12.

This is an issue with almost any prebuilt machine, particularly Dell.

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There are many models of the T20. The base model comes shipped with a Pentium G3220. Not a probable Pentium 350 as this is the wrong socket! So I have no idea why you would suggest it.
The Pentium 350 sandy bridge is the same socket as the Xeon E3 12xx CPUs. It's LGA 1155. But yeah, most of the other Pentiums are 1155 as well. But that's the only Pentium from the sandy bridge server selection that shares the socket. The others are LGA 1356.

You're also splitting hairs. Because of the awkward motherboard/PSU configuration, any upgrade that falls outside the RAM, CPU (within that given family), and GPUs with extremely low TDP and tiny form factor (garbage, typically), will be the same as a system overhaul. In fact, it's likely that a different PSU won't even fit in the slot, and a new motherboard won't even fit on the standoffs. So the case probably won't even be usable.

But like I said, it's probably a good value for the performance, given the alternatives. But, you will encounter inherent limitations that will probably end up being an issue at some point.

Last edited by BRBWaffles; 12-29-2016 at 03:09 PM.
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Old 12-29-2016, 03:01 PM   #31
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I've also been building computers for years, and have had the opportunity to disassemble several Dell server prebuilt machines. Trust me when I say their components are not upgradeable in the typical sense of the word. The PSU will literally have awkwardly shaped connectors on it so that it will only be compatible with that particular motherboard. Not only that, but the PSU will also have an odd number of connectors that will make it impossible to replace. For example, an average PSU will have a 24-pin power connector for the motherboard, but one of these proprietary PSUs might have, like, 10 connectors, or 12.

This is an issue with almost any prebuilt machine, particularly Dell.
I would read my edited post above.

I have a gaming Rig. I use it for games...

I have a DAW Rig. Its a Dell T20...I can upgrade the ram and install a i7 4790k if I want down the down the line.

The whole Dell T20 was £100 cheaper than my Gaming Rig chip i7 6700K on its own.

I have no reason to install a GPU in the Dell T20 (even though I could) as its driving my 34" superwide 3440 x 1440 monitor fine without the noise and heat and power draw of a third party GPU.
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Old 12-29-2016, 03:09 PM   #32
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The Pentium 350 sandy bridge is the same socket as the Xeon E3 12xx CPUs. It's LGA 1155. But yeah, most of the other Pentiums are 1155 as well. But that's the only Pentium from the sandy bridge server selection that shares the socket. The others are LGA 1356.
Mate,

https://ark.intel.com/products/75461...Cache-3_20-GHz

The Xeon the Dell T20 ships with is socket 1150

Intel® Xeon® Processor E3-1225 v3
(8M Cache, 3.20 GHz)

Its based on the Intels Haswell 22nm process not the 32NM process of the socket 1155 previous gen.

Thought you knew your stuff!
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Old 12-29-2016, 03:17 PM   #33
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Mate,

https://ark.intel.com/products/75461...Cache-3_20-GHz

The Xeon the Dell T20 ships with is socket 1150

Intel® Xeon® Processor E3-1225 v3
(8M Cache, 3.20 GHz)

Its based on the Intels Haswell 22nm process not the 32NM process of the socket 1155 previous gen.

Thought you knew your stuff!
The socket chart I was looking at must have been in error. But, this is the least relevant part of my point, which is about the motherboard and PSU. They'll likely fuck you in long run if you want to do anything to the PC down the road outside of slapping another stick of RAM in, or perhaps getting a better CPU. Any upgrades beyond that WILL pigeonhole you into an overhaul, and that's just the fact of the matter.

Could you post a link to the exact T20 model?

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Originally Posted by easyrider View Post
So your statement about being locked to Xeon chips is completely untrue
This is also misrepresenting my statement. I said it was likely. If it's not the case, then fine. But, I would expect the upgrade potential of nearly any prebuilt machine to likely be next to nil based on my own experience with them.

My advice to most people who ask me about what PC they should buy is to simply avoid prebuilt machines. Because in a year's time when you're asking me about how to upgrade it, I'll have to just shrug my shoulders and suggest buying an entirely new system anyway. I built my PC from scratch (https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/user/BRB...d/#view=2Z7zK8). If I want to upgrade the motherboard, I can. If I want to upgrade the PSU, I can. If I want to install a 300W GPU, I can. If I want multiple high-performance GPUs, I can. If I want to upgrade my cooling with a super tall sink and lots of fans, I can. If I bought a prebuilt machine, any of those options would necessitate a system overhaul.

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Old 12-29-2016, 04:39 PM   #34
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The socket chart I was looking at must have been in error. But, this is the least relevant part of my point, which is about the motherboard and PSU. They'll likely fuck you in long run if you want to do anything to the PC down the road outside of slapping another stick of RAM in, or perhaps getting a better CPU. Any upgrades beyond that WILL pigeonhole you into an overhaul, and that's just the fact of the matter.Could you post a link to the exact T20 model?


Already have in post 23

http://forum.cockos.com/showpost.php...4&postcount=23



Quote:
This is also misrepresenting my statement. I said it was likely. If it's not the case, then fine. But, I would expect the upgrade potential of nearly any prebuilt machine to likely be next to nil based on my own experience with them.
I'm not arguing the case for prebuilt machines.I would not recomend one for a gaming PC for example. But the Dell T20 allows for Upgrades hence why I linked to it. For a DAW workstation its perfect. Can be upgraded to 32GB ram, Run Intel Socket 1150 Cpu's (not just from the Xeon Family)

The cost is £220 sterling for the whole system!

The equivilent Home user chip in the same range is the Intel-Core-i5-4460

https://ark.intel.com/products/80817...up-to-3_40-GHz


This chip alone retails for £201 and is 200mhz slower and less cache.

http://www.ebuyer.com/641561-intel-c...mUgaAqwx8P8HAQ

Direct Comparison here

https://ark.intel.com/compare/80817,75461


Quote:
My advice to most people who ask me about what PC they should buy is to simply avoid prebuilt machines. Because in a year's time when you're asking me about how to upgrade it, I'll have to just shrug my shoulders and suggest buying an entirely new system anyway.
Not in the Dell T20's case.


Quote:
I built my PC from scratch(https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/user/BRB...d/#view=2Z7zK8). If I want to upgrade the motherboard, I can. If I want to upgrade the PSU, I can. If I want to install a 300W GPU, I can. If I want multiple high-performance GPUs, I can. If I want to upgrade my cooling with a super tall sink and lots of fans, I can. If I bought a prebuilt machine, any of those options would necessitate a system overhaul.
No one is arguing that building your own PC is an option but all those things cost money.

In my recording studio why do I want more noise from fans? More heat and power draw from a GFX card when I use it just as a DAW.

The Dell T20 alone costs the same as a single intel-core-i5-4460 chip never mind the case and everything you need to get Reaper running and creating music.

The Dell T20 is £220 sterling. Is totally silent in operation and draws 20w at when idle.And yet it offers more performance than similar specced own built rig for significantly less money. Hundreds less.


This is interesting. My Dell T20 DAW workstation with Xeon 1225 V3 chip beats your 6600k

http://www.futuremark.com/hardware/c...1225+v3/review

Even more interesting is the 6600k retails for £227 just for the chip.

https://www.scan.co.uk/products/inte...5x-ratio-91w-c
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