Best way to finance new computer

Herzlos

Cycrow wrote: »

yeah i work on software that takes large amounts of point data and processes it into 3d models using some pretty complex algorthims. This can take alot of processing power, so the software uses all available cpu power as well as gpu power (CUDA).

That's easily more processing power requirements than 99% of professional computer users, though. I run compilation jobs that take about 16 hours to complete, but we can do partial builds on local machines in ~20-30 minutes and have a couple of dedicated building machines for the bigger tasks. Even doubling the spec of my machine won't bring those builds down to a tolerable level, so there's not much point.

And the more memory the pc has, the more data that can be kept live while processing, otherwise you end up having to cache it all, which slows the whole process down considerably

To an extent, yes, but once all the data you need is in RAM, the rest of it is unnecessary. It's generally the easiest upgrade to do (when I upgraded my first pc from 16 to 48Mb it flew along!), but there reaches a point where you're just wasting money unless you're saturating it regularly (like you do, but most won't).

Cycrow

I was simply making the point that the PC you need for development depends on what you are actually developing.

but on here you get crucifed for suggesting this, and that *all* develepment work can be done on any pc.

I also work on mobile apps, and you cant do these on a cheap pc/laptop either. But thats not because of the processing power needed, but that when developing iOS apps, it needs to be done on a Mac

robatwork

Most of my development gets done on this


and if it's not too graphics intensive the 16k pack comes off too.

Li0nhead

shreddedmeat wrote: »

With all due respect, I come for financial advice and I get vaguely patronising replies telling me I don't know what I need to do my own job? Frankly I haven't told you anything of what my work involves because it's irrelevant isn't it?

FWIW, yes I could write HTML on probably any machine screwed together in the last 15 years but I work at a design agency, where (for better or worse) everyone is Mac based and our workflow is tightly integrated and there's a lot of overlap between roles. For instance if I need to call up 600MB PSDs on the fly while working on a massive after effects file I don't want to be chugging along on a lousy argos netbook. The long and short of it is, I take a lot of work home, I need the right machine to do it on.

So its mainly a work machine? You work at a design agency. Surely if employed by them and its for work then surely your employer should be buying it or a portion of it. If your self employed then it should cost you nothing as it would be a tax write-off.

Just a thought.

andydiysaver

if OP wanted to surf the net all day long and needed a 3 grand alienware machine to do it then that's his prerogative, ain't it. and we're on moneysaving forum, so that gives people not lending the money and not suffering any hardship whatsoever licence to look down on people who want to take on a debt because it is their prerogative?


I'd feel on safer ground playing judge and jury if it was me that was under-writing the finance, but I'm not, so who cares, I have no right to say if it's right or wrong or criticise if he needs it or wants it.


how I'd do it - combo up 0% card so I could have it now and work it off before interest - 0% providing paid in full on time means debt is only associated with purchase, some on here forget this, and you can actually make money off it if you pile up the saving to pay in interest accounts elsewhere, then pay the lot on day 365 of a 365 day period. - and if I thought I couldn't pay it off in time I'd do a contract or two on odesk or elance, lots of aussies want IT at the moment, AUD's in!

Feddy

andydiysaver wrote: »

if OP wanted to surf the net all day long and needed a 3 grand alienware machine to do it then that's his prerogative, ain't it. and we're on moneysaving forum

Specifically we're on the MoneySavingExpert forum and the mantra is...

If you're skint... do you need it? Can you afford it? Can you get it cheaper anywhere else?

The fact he needs credit suggests he's skint. He has a job, so I think most people are assuming that he can afford it. I think people are trying to help him with the other two.

Does he need it? The original poster says he does, but people are suggesting his reasoning may be incorrect. Only he can determine for sure.

Can he get it cheaper anywhere else? This one's a bit debatable as he probably can't get the same Apple Mac cheaper anywhere else but seeing as a Mac is basically just a PC with a bespoke operating system some people are suggesting he can get a PC cheaper from another manufacturer.

People are just trying to help.