im getting a job: new home built or dual g5s?

[benjamit]

i already have too many computers at home, been collecting them over the years

got rid of some but still too many now

i have 2 dual p3, a single tbird

1 imac, 1 ibook and an inspiron

what i want with my new income is to get rid of the 2 dual p3 and single tbird and get a really strong dual proc machine

even a rack mount if need be

what i do is lots of proc work

encoding, ripping and multimedia entertainment

should i just put together another dual AMD or INTEL or get the G5s?

i also need lots of expansion bays

i use 4 dvd roms in one of the dual p3 and 3 dvd roms in the other

 

[Eug]

Depends on how much money you have, how many extra parts, what software you run, and your preferred OS.

For a lot of multimedia stuff, the dual G5 (which I have used in person) is great. For others it isn't. Also, it depends on what software licences you already have. If you already have all the PC software you'll need, there's not much point in rebuying the Mac versions, or vice versa.

 

[GTaudiophile]

Congrats. Mind if I ask what line of work you're in? I'm unemployed at looking.

 

[benjamit]

biotech/pharm


what i really want are strong procs

 

[Caly]

Usually I would just say "Get the Dual G5!!"
But they don't have a lot of expansion bays. Depends how important that is to you?

 

[benjamit]

the dvd roms are the only reasons why i use the tower computers

i can use the my other computers for everything else

 

[Eug]

biotech/pharm

Hmmmm... So *nix maybe?

Linux on x86 would support all those biotech programs, but then again a huge number of those work on OS X's Unix too. The benefit of OS X would be running Unix alongside of standard desktop programs like Word and Excel. With Linux you'd be stuck with Open Office or WINE or something.

BLAST is supposedly killer on the G5, but my guess if you won't be running a BLAST database.

 

[benjamit]

oh this is for my home entertainment

ie not work related since my expertise is not really comps

 

[Barnaby W. Füi]

Choose whichever you like more, not which one is more powerful or whatever.

 

[OverVolt]

I would go with the dual G5, dual AMD sucks @ media encoding, and you probably couldn't get a 800FSB dual P4 platform out, for dual u would need Xeons anyway.

 

[Yoshi]

Get the dual G5, I use Mac and PC also and love my two G4 machines. I'll be looking at a G5 system sometime next year myself.

 

[Markfw]

Originally posted by: OverVolt
I would go with the dual G5, dual AMD sucks @ media encoding, and you probably couldn't get a 800FSB dual P4 platform out, for dual u would need Xeons anyway.

Excuse me ? The dual Opterons are quite good at this. If the budget allows, that would be the way to go. I think there are several threads already on the comparison, and the dual Opterons won. I little spendy though.

 

[Lonyo]

Either dual Xeons on a Canterwood 875 motherboard (someone made one, check Anandtech's reviews for it) or dual AMD-64 chips, (Opteron) if you can get hold of some.
Either would be nice and swift for media encoding, but I think actually that single proc systems aren't that bad for media encoding.

Here for the dual Xeon mobo

Media Encoding, on the other hand, would be a natural for the PC-DL. Intel has always done very well in media encoding performance, and the PC-DL is the best of the lot. Even at the current 533 bus, the Dual-Xeon PC-DL is 15% faster than the current best of the Pentium boards in Media Encoding.

Media encoding benchmarks

Opteron 1.8GHz media encoding

Media encoding has always been a strength of the Pentium 4 architecture and despite the improvements to the Opteron, the fundamental architecture is still very K7-like. The end result is that although performance improves a bit under our DivX encoding test, the Pentium 4 with Hyper Threading enabled is still well beyond reach for AMD.

The situation is a bit more positive for AMD in our Windows Media Encoder 9 test; the Pentium 4 is still untouchable though.

From the FX-51 review

Intel continues to do extremely well under content creation applications such as DivX encoding; the clear leader here is still Intel.

I would suggest a P4 3.2C or dual Xeon system, depending on how much $$$ you have to throw around.

 

[odog]

the G5 is out due to the fact that it does not have 4 x 5.25 inch drive bays.

i would say the dual athlon suck at media encoding. while not dual hyperthreaded xeons, they are a good bang for the buck. on a budget, dual is the best per dollar dual processor system.

if price is no object.....

dual opteron

 

[Lucky]

i also need lots of expansion bays

unfortunately &$@#$% apple decided to cripple the G5 by severely limiting internal expansion. you could go external but that's such a PITA.

 

[Chaotic42]

For multimedia, I'd choose the G5, for games a dual Xeon.

 

[Cerb]

Anyone have links to any dual opteron 246 encoding benches? The 244s are on the heels of the Xeon in a few video ones...but overall they lose miserably, making up for it in database and other typically I/O-bound stuff.

Xeons or G5s are your best bet for a decent value. Opterons are nice, but they don't do as well at encoding, especially based on price, unless you go for bottom end (in which case the Opteron 240 is quite inviting--but why not spend a few more $ and get much better Xeons?).

 

[LordOfAll]

At this point i would wait a few months and see what the prescott has to offer. Plus there should be a new round of athlons and opterons by then and I think prices are due to adjust on or about oct 27th. I'll just add this, on the encoders all the big sites test p4 out performs the athlons, but 1 site tested some other encoders and the athlon 64 spanked the p4. Try and find some reviews of the encoders and rippers you actually use.

 

[bjc112]

Originally posted by: Chaotic42
For multimedia, I'd choose the G5, for games a dual Xeon.

I agree.. But you have to decide, saving a few seconds on your multimedia eoncoding.. Or having the option to be lucky enough to only play a FEW games on the Mac...

Go PC .

 

[GL]

For expansion, you could always just use external firewire/USB 2.0 cases for your dual G5. There's room internally for a second hard disk. So I guess the external cases would only be useful if you require a second optical drive or 3+ hard disks. If you go this route, I'd suggest going the firewire route (firewire 800 if you can afford it).