Hardware Suggestions Welcomed...

[Bad_Rabbit]

It's becoming very apparent that my old PC just can't cope with a decent quality render.
So when I think about doing animations and fly-through's I know it's out of the question.
I know I need to renew/update and was looking at some of the new generation of entry level workstations by HP/Lenovo/Dell etc.
The Lenovo D20 looks particularly good as does the HP Z400 and I was wondering if anyone has any experience of these or has any other recommendations to make?

Any suggestions gratefully accepted...

[FrankB]

Maybe it's just me but I would always build one myself. It's so easy. Just buy a few components, stick them together, done. Yes, a little bit of research on google is required to identify the best compatible components, but then it's just a matter of sticking them together AND you get a machine optimized for your purposes. Super silent, super cool, super fast, good for gaming or not,....

[Henry Blewer]

I like Intel, but the new AMD processor looks tempting. If I were to build my own, I would go with AMD now. It really comes down to how much cash you can use.
If you want a factory built system, stretch your dollars. Get the best CPU and graphics card you can. You can upgrade the memory and harddrive later. Most new MOBO's have ok sound, so a sound card can be purchased later.
Get a really good monitor! My shipped free with the computer, and it's ok for web and games. It sucks when I'm trying to do graphics. It does not have good contrast.

Good Luck!

[Thelby]

If you build one yourself don't forget about 'Barebones Kits'. They can save you a lot of money and they pair up parts that are compatible so you do not have to do so much work finding out what works together or not. Check them out here : http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/category/category_tlc.asp?CatId=31&name=Barebone-PC-Kits&