System Recommendation

[chris10an]

Nice forum!

I am basically composing a linux system on which I will tinker with misc open source GIS and cartography software. (I am planning to map the world) This will require some oomph as lots of data is freighted around, however I am still on a low budget (less than ?500) as this is just for hobby purposes.

Having learned my lesson the hard way getting the supposedly ?linux compatible? EPIA M10000 to run smooth I am now going to consult the experts:

What is in your opinion the best pile (MOB,CPU,GPU) balancing speed, value and linux compatibility?

To help you on the way:

AMD X2 4600+ (AM2) vs. Intel Core 2 Something
Best motherboard for the above
Good performance drives, will a raid0 improve speed given file sizes of max 1Gb
Good performance GPU

Thank you for any replies in advance.
Cheers,
Christian

[Michael]

Welcome to the forums.

?500 = ~$640 USD

Here's just a couple parts considering your budget needs, and should pack enough power for your processing needs.

CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E6300
Motherboard: Abit AW9D

The Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 (Perpendicular Recording) ST3250620AS 250GB drives are very nice, and will only set you back about $80 USD.

Do you have any ATI/NVIDIA preference? There is also the open-source option of going with a motherboard that has onboard Intel 965G graphics.

[chris10an]

It seems like the E6300 gives the best value for money these days, price/performance of the AMD 64 X2?s is not even close. The Abit AW9D motherboard is still fresh on the market and it would be nice to read a few more reviews before deciding. But from reading the review of the AW8 on the phoronix webpage it looks promising.

I have not any preferences on videocards? just need out-of-the-box Linux support. Does anyone have a specific card to recommend?

Thanks again for any replies to my questions ? my knowledge on the hardware side is a bit limited but I am learning?

Cheers,
Christian

[Michael]

The ATI X1800XT and NVIDIA 7900GT are two choices that may fit your price range, and offer respectable performance under Linux.

[1c3d0g]

I'm an nvidia guy, and for good reason. Trust me, once you get an nvidia GPU, you'll never go back to another manufacturer.