Recommended User Desktop/Workstation Specs
Last Updated: 13 Aug 2004
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*** PLEASE NOTE: Link(s), If Provided, May Be Wrapped ***
Here are some recommended hardware specs for desktop and
workstation systems for various types of users. Given
the rate of change in the desktop market, these configs
are even more fluid that server counterparts.
The specs listed below assume Windows 2000 or XP Pro.
Memory and disk prices are low enough that it doesn't
hurt to have a little more than you might need. It's
certainly less painful than trying to migrate to a larger
hard drive, after realizing that you're using up more
space than you'd expected.
• http://KB.UltraTech-llc.com/Docs/?File=DesktopSpecs.PDF
===================
TABLE OF CONTENTS
===================
1. GENERIC USER CATEGORIES
2. BASIC USER
3. NORMAL USER / CASUAL GAMER
4. POWER USER / SERIOUS GAMER
5. POWER WORKSTATION USER
6. POWER WORKSTATION USER (SCSI)
=========================
GENERIC USER CATEGORIES
=========================
• BASIC USER
- Standard Web Browsing
- Basic eMail
- Average Office Apps (Word & Excel)
- Light multimedia
- 2-4 simultaneous apps
• NORMAL USER / CASUAL GAMER
- Multimedia Web Browsing
- eMail and Groupware
- Average Office Apps (Word & Excel)
- DirectX and OpenGL games
- 6-10 simultaneous apps
• POWER USER / SERIOUS GAMER
- Web Development
- Graphics Editing
- Audio Editing
- CD/DVD Ripping
- Basic CAD/CAM
- Office Pro Suite (Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint)
- DirectX and OpenGL games
- 12-18 simultaneous apps
• WORKSTATION POWER USER
- Code Development (Windows, Database, etc)
- Office Development (Access, PowerPoint, Visio)
- DirectX and OpenGL games
- Game Development (Levels and Mods)
- Audio/Video Editing
- 3D Graphics Design and Editing
- 20-25 simultaneous apps
============
BASIC USER
============
* 2.0-Ghz CPU (or greater)
* 384-MB RAM
* Onboard 64-MB AGP Video
* Onboard 10/100 NIC
* Onboard 16-bit Sound
* 60-GB ATA100 drive
* ATAPI CD-RW drive
* ATAPI DVD drive
* 15” LCD or 17” CRT
* 350W Power Supply
* Windows XP Pro (or XP Home)
============================
NORMAL USER / CASUAL GAMER
============================
* 2.8-Ghz CPU (or greater)
* 512-MB RAM
* 64-MB AGP Video
* Onboard 10/100 NIC
* Onboard 16-bit Sound
* 80-GB ATA133 drive
* ATAPI CD-RW drive
* ATAPI DVD drive
* 17” LCD or 19” CRT
* 400W Power Supply
* Windows XP Pro
============================
POWER USER / SERIOUS GAMER
============================
* 3.4-Ghz CPU (or greater)
* 1-GB RAM
* 128-MB AGP (or PCIexpress) Video Card
* 10/100 PCI NIC
* 16-bit/24-bit PCI Sound Card
* ATA RAID – 2 Channel
* 1 x 80-GB Serial ATA drive - OS drive
* 2 x 160-GB Serial ATA drives - Data array (RAID0)
* ATAPI CD-RW drive
* ATAPI DVD+RW drive
* 18” LCD or 19” CRT
* 450W Power Supply
* Windows XP Pro
========================
WORKSTATION POWER USER
========================
* Dual 3.0-Ghz (32-bit or 64-bit) CPU minimum
* 2-GB RAM
* 256-MB AGP (or PCIexpress) Dual-Head Video Card
* 10/100 PCI NIC
* 16-bit/24-bit PCI Sound Card
* ATA RAID Adapter – 4 Channel
* 2 x 60-GB Serial ATA (or equivalent SCSI) drives – OS array (RAID1)
* 3 x 200-GB Serial ATA (or equivalent SCSI) drives – Data array (RAID5)
* ATAPI CD-RW drive
* ATAPI DVD+RW drive
* Dual Monitors (20” LCD or 21” CRT)
* 650W Power Supply
* Windows XP Pro (32-bit or 64-bit edition)
===============================
WORKSTATION POWER USER (SCSI)
===============================
* DUAL 3.0-Ghz (32-bit or 64-bit) CPU minimum
* 2-GB RAM
* 256-MB AGP (or PCIexpress) Dual-Head Video Card
* 10/100 PCI NIC
* 16-bit/24-bit PCI Sound Card
* Ultra160 SCSI RAID Adapter – 2 Channel
* 2 x 36-GB Ultra160 SCSI drives – OS array (RAID1)
* 4 x 73-GB Ultra160 SCSI drives – Data array (RAID5)
* ATAPI CD-RW drive
* ATAPI DVD+RW drive
* Dual Monitors (20” LCD or 21” CRT)
* 650W Power Supply
* Windows XP Pro (32-bit or 64-bit edition)
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
• http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/64bit/evaluation/upgrade.mspx
• http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/evaluation/sysreqs.asp
• http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/professional/evaluation/sysreqs/
• http://forums.delphiforums.com/MaximumFAQ/messages?msg=48.1
• http://firingsquad.gamers.com/guides/power/
• http://www6.tomshardware.com/howto/20021021/powersupplies-05.html#practical_advice_the_perfect_power_supply
PERSONAL NOTES
• Aug 2004: Updated RAM and processor specs across the
board -- we're seriously entering the realm of 64-bit
processing.
• As always, these specs are just recommendations. In
many cases you can get away with a little less than
the recommended spec, and in most cases, you won't
get hurt by adding more -- especially RAM and power.
• For a basic user, a 2.4GB system purchased today should
easily last 3 or 4 years, assuming that the software
upgrade schedule is infrequent. New software is the
catalyst for new hardware.
• I have avoided VIA-based motherboards for several
years now, on account of how much grief they have
caused me. Especially with AMD systems. nForce-
based motherboards are the way to go on AMD, and
Intel or other vendors (like SiS) for Intel.
• Except for the most basic of user, I would recommend
XP Pro over XP Home because of the improved security
and more flexible configuration. This is true even
if the user has no plans for a serious network.
Despite its advantages of stability and reliability
as compared to Windows 9x/ME, XP Home has too many
limitations for most users.
• Ultimately, your configuration will be dictated
by your usage and budget.
• There's always some new technology right around
the corner. While it might be prudent to wait a
couple of weeks for something to gain widespread
deployment, basing your purchases on version 1.0
of any technology is to be avoided. It's all just
hype until the product is shipped and tested in
real-world scenarios.
• More RAM is always desirable if you can afford it.
Windows 2000 and XP will use all that you send their
way.
• A pagefile is still desirable beyond 1GB of physical
RAM. XP is very good about memory management.
RELATED TOPICS (ALSO IN THIS ARCHIVE)
• http://KB.UltraTech-llc.com/?File=SMPOS.TXT
• http://KB.UltraTech-llc.com/?File=Pagefile.TXT
• http://KB.UltraTech-llc.com/?File=Performance.TXT
• http://KB.UltraTech-llc.com/?File=Hardware.TXT
• http://KB.UltraTech-llc.com/?File=Pricing.TXT
• http://KB.UltraTech-llc.com/?File=ValueList.TXT
• http://KB.UltraTech-llc.com/?File=Windows.TXT
• http://KB.UltraTech-llc.com/?File=ServerSpecs.TXT
