How many of you know about High End PC ?

[pc-quebec]

I read quite few post since I’m member, and I notice than many of you don’t build computers, so my question is , what is your level of knowledge with High Performance PC use for Video Editing, Rendering ? Are you up to date with Gaming GPU, What about water cooling? I ask because on many forums that I’m member, they think computer technicians don’t know about those kind of PC they thing and tech are not in the game with new technology.

 

[Crgky127]

I fit into that category. I don't use my computer for gaming or video editing, and neither do most of my clients. I couldn't tell you the latest graphics card off the top of my head.

 

[16k_zx81]

TBH Im not up on all the latest hardware any more.

The fact is in the day-to-day work I do, I have very little to do with high-end machines.

However, I do know how to find out what I need to know in a pinch.

I actually had a customer ring me recently telling me he wanted me to put together a machine for video editing. I did the research and ended up getting DELL to put together a workstation. Cost him an arm and a leg but it got the job done.

I used to be up on all the benchmarks and overclock scores, temps, latest hardware developemnts etc, but these days I have no time to do that any more.

I guess the thing is I still know where to find them when I need them. Im also a member of several communities that have these expertise.


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[Lone99star]

A request for that type of machine is rare, if a person has a need for a really high end machine they usually know enough to assebly it themselves. there is no money to be made from gamers.
The video editors use Macs.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

I've been into gaming computers since Windows 95 and Quake 1 and "GLQuake" came out and I purchased the very first 3DFx Voodoo graphics card and started "upgrading" my computer. Pentium 166 days and dial up modem days.

Since then...have feverishly been into gaming...FPS games. Always built my own custom gaming rigs, got huge into overclocking. Used to build gaming computers for friends too..and started doing a bit of a side business building gaming computers. Being very involved with large organized LAN parties at hotel convention centers and places like that...got a bit of business through that.

Stopped building gaming computers on the side about the time Pentium 4's just came out...but kept building them for myself, and for the boy since he got into the age to start getting big time into online FPS games.

Have also built higher end video editing machines for clients that did video editing for a business. Recent one...24 gigs of RAM, 4x WD Black Edition 64 meg cache 1TB drives, quad core i7, Asus mobo, ATI Radeon something card.

As for my clients..business clients...I also have a few clients that are architects, or engineering/design jobs...running CAD software like Solidworks. I don't build computers for business clients....always use Tier-1 products for their computers. I do strongly urge them to use proper "ISV certified graphics workstations" for those computers that run design software. Example...Dell Precision workstations with higher end hard drives, processors, and graphics cards such as nVidia Quaddro or FireGL cards.

 

[SuffolkComputers]

I'm heavily into gaming and I plan to offer custom built gaming rigs when I launch my own shop in a few months. I started on a old 8086 and I've build a computer with every generation since then! Right now im gaming on a i5 2500k, ATI 6950 2GB, 16 gigs of ram, 64GB cruical m4, 2GB WD black, and the super silent fractal design XL case, I love it! I follow the hard ware news regularly on tomshardware.com too...I know I won't make that much money off them but I really enjoy building them, I've already built quite a few for friends and family, I usually charge 150 on top of parts to do it.

 

[RedFoxComp]

I'm consider myself a mid range enthusiast. I like quality, understated components. No crazy mods and flashing lights for me. I still love gaming but I have less and less free time to do it.

I keep up to date on current graphics cards, chipsets and CPU's just out of interest and it comes in handy in the event I'm building a higher end system for video editing or gaming. I love racing games (F1, Dirt, Richard Burns Rally) so I had to get an eyefinity setup and a wheel! It is just awesome. It's great for Battlefield 3 too.

My current setup: I5 2500K 8GB crossfired 6870s

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Nice monitor setup!

I see an HP/Compaq DC series over on the right...dc515 or dc5100? Sure installed lots of those models back in the day. They'd have some noisy fan issues due to the HSF design allowing a lint blanket to clog it up easily.

 

[PCSupportGlasgow]

video editing keep upto date on as have few clients in the video and animation market.

Although having said that gaming not so common most gamers are xbox or ps3 and the largest majority of pc gamers are those that build own pcs.

Our main concern nowadays in higher end of things would be making sure PCs have enough grunt for what our CAD & 3d Modelling using clients going to throw at them. (which seems to be turning into the ultimate resource hog wares with every release)


Having said the above finding the IT equipment that going to give the client the most back for their buck and comfortably complete their tasks for a couple of years is a very underrated skill that all IT Techs should have.

 

[RedFoxComp]

Nice monitor setup!

I see an HP/Compaq DC series over on the right...dc515 or dc5100? Sure installed lots of those models back in the day. They'd have some noisy fan issues due to the HSF design allowing a lint blanket to clog it up easily.

Not sure, the picture was taken a few months ago and I think that was heading to the recyclers. I remember it had a weird intake setup that was clogged with dust.

 

[PCX]

I keep up to date with hardware and some of the more popular games (though I do not play any of them) so that I at least know enough to put something together if I had to. The simple fact of the matter is, most people do not need high end gaming rigs and if they do, they typically build them themselves or buy an expensive Asus or Alienware. At least thats how it is here. Custom rigs seems to be a dying art due to the price of parts and the easy of using Google to put something together. Also many people simply opt to get a good Asus desktop or similar and just upgrade the graphics and memory.

I think your right though, most techs are no longer knowledgeable in this area, and to be honest, I almost don't blame them. Its just not worth investing the time in most cases. What is worth investing your time is new technologies that are practical like tablets, smart phones and smart TVs. With that being said, you should know enough to put something together and not lose customers because you could not.

 

[JNEWTON]

Im a gamer, love to build PC's and repair them.

 

[Knightsman]

I love building custom PC's. But I tell all of my clients that I build quality high end machines, and they do cost more. But its well worth it. If I can tell they are looking for somethign just to browse with, I dont even offer, Ill sell them something else.

Ive built a few custom machines, all of them using quality parts, and If they let me, I max every bit of it out. Go big or go home.

I'll be building one for myself here soon. the one im on now is about 4 years old. Best machine ive ever built. My bench machine is the first computer I built, is about 8 years old now.

 

[Tekko]

I stay relatively up to date, my business partner has more expertise in that area. I used to be into gaming and overclocking, now I just don't have the time.

Right now I'm just rocking a i5 2500K with 16GB of ram, does everything I need it to.

 

[Tekko]

Also, we do have one high end machine for sale right now.

MAXIMUS extreme IV Z, Core i7 2600k, 16gb 1866mhz ram, WATER COOLED!!!

 

[totalPCTechs]

Yeah i like to be updated on High End PC's especially since it makes it easier to sell if you have one...partially why i like the business but here are my current PC specs

Raven II Case
1000w PSU
2500k i5 @ 5ghz
16gb 1600mhz Corsair XM3 RAM
Noctua D14 Cooler
560 GTX OC
Few Hot Swap Bays
Logitech Illuminated Keyboard
G9X Mouse
1TB Caviar Black
128gb SSD
24" Monitor (thinking about doing dual of these but may seem a little over the top for front desk computer lol)

There is a couple of other things that i feel lazy to list. I love redoing it all the time. I spend quite a bit on it but the customers love it everyone who comes in has questions. Cool thing is that the computer is a work horse i can put several drives on there and multitask like a champ.