Spec me for £1500

[Jayster]

I think a 1055t would be a good way to go with a 890fx motherboard and a HD5xxx card. Pretty cheap aswell leave money for nicer extras.

 

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

For Photoshop work the OP should consider getting a colour accurate monitor. Also Photoshop benefits from having a dedicated scratch disc and more RAM too AFAIK.

 

[Brian8bit]

Integrated graphics good enough to play HD films on a 27" monitor though?

Yes. But if you want a monitor at the same resolution as the iMacs display, you're looking at £800+ just for the monitor. All the other 27" displays are 1920x1080 which is why you can build a decent system for the price of an iMac... When you factor in the cost of a large format display with the iMac resolution, it takes a serious chunk out of your build budget.

 

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

The new iMacs have returned to the use of IPS panels again. The most expensive version of the iMac 27" uses a Core i5 quad core.

 

[I get around]

I realise that, while the higher resolution would be nice it's not essential. And the pc is going to be less aesthetically pleasing obviously, it can't be denied the iMac is a very good looking machine.

The only real thing putting my off building a pc is the fact that I won't be able to use logic at home, else i'd be on it like a shot looking at some of these specs.

 

[Brian8bit]

Nevermind.

 

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

What about colour accuracy then??

Does the OP need monitors which are colour accurate or not??

 

[stulid]

I realise that, while the higher resolution would be nice it's not essential. And the pc is going to be less aesthetically pleasing obviously, it can't be denied the iMac is a very good looking machine.

The only real thing putting my off building a pc is the fact that I won't be able to use logic at home, else i'd be on it like a shot looking at some of these specs.

Sounds like you should get to your local apple store, see what takes your fancy and buy it.

 

[I get around]

Not particularly, I don't do that much photoshop/ video editing stuff. A bit but not much.

It's a toss up, I can get a better spec pc, which is uglier with less of a monitor but will undoubtedly be much faster.
Or I could get a lower spec mac, slower, but better looking, better monitor, and does everything I want it to.

Definitely need to think about this over the weekend...

 

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

Another factor is OS X and whether you prefer it over Windows 7. The iMac will also take up much less deskspace which maybe useful if you are going to university next year.

I have used some of the newer iMacs and they are pretty shiny!!

 

[stulid]

If your really busy at uni, and something goes wrong with the pc, do you have the time to wait for a RMA?

With a mac you just take the whole unit back, a backup device of all your work would help too.

 

[I get around]

I prefer OSX to all the microsoft operating systems so far. Not tried windows 7 so will definitely have to look into that.
The room i'm renting in september is big enough for an average sized desk (Which i'm ecstatic about, at the moment I haven't got room for any desk) so deskspace isn't an issue.

And yes, every time I walk past the apple shop in town my belly fizzes at the sight of the new iMac, apple does know how to make things look gorgeous.

A mac would involve sending it off to apple via courier would it not though? I imagine that could be expensive?
Components individually would be cheap to ship.

 

[atmax1]

Apple are expensive and use reconditioned parts to fix if they go wrong (last time I asked the mac guy who works for my dad) he told also told me that if you want speed, and what's best for your money.. get a pc and if you want looks that will be out of date in a few years get a mac.

But its each to there own.. so i spend the money on my pc .. as i do web design and a bit of video editing and gaming when i can... and going to save now and get a macbook pro every client i have meetings with are shocked to see i use a dell laptop lol

 

[Jae-So]

I like the i7 920 build that Mr Krugga posted, I'd choose different ram tho

 

[I get around]

My freind informs me there are "alternative ways" to run logic. Not to be mentioned on this forum.

I guess it's gotta be a pc. Hows this:

 

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

Instead of getting an HD4870 1GB for around £120 I would get an HD5770 1GB:

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/productlist.php?groupid=701&catid=56&subid=1515&sortby=priceAsc

I would get the Samsung F3 1TB instead of the Hitachi disc:

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=HD-082-SA

I would also look at least get this Antec PSU over the OCZ:

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CA-118-AN

It is made by Seasonic AFAIK.

You might want to consider this case too:

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CA-033-ZA

Here is a review of the case:

http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/924

AFAIK,one of the Asus Xonar cards would be better for music:

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/search_results.php?sortby=priceAsc&search=asus xonar

 

[I get around]

Why the antec psu?

 

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

The Antec unit is made by a better company and uses better quality capacitors.
It also has modular cabling too.

 

[stulid]

That creative sound card is just a re-badged Audigy version, it doesn't use the same processor as the rest of the proper x-fi range.

 

[I get around]

Will that make a noticable difference to sound quality baring in mind i'm only running 2.1?

Not overly fussed about modular cabling and I've always heard OCZ were a reliable enough make. Thanks for the recommendations though.