render slave revisited

[CCS]

I'm ready to start filling out the shelves. Looking to get best bang for the buck. Trying to decide between a 3800 or 4200. Also considering building vs. pre-built systems.

Here are my general specs. If you have any suggestions as to component names, models or minimum specs, please let me know. Also looking for a good supplier. I've heard mostly good things about Monarch. Any others? (I'm in the US btw, so no shops in Cheapslavekastan. )

CPU: AMD x2 3800+
Mobo: ASUS A8N-E
RAM: 2 GB (2 pcs 1GB) DDR (400) PC-3200 Corsair (TWINX2048-3200PT)
PSU: Enermax (or Antec?) 400W (or 500W)
Case: cheapest that is fairly standard and accessible
NIC: Gigabit adapter
CD: Basic
HD: 7200 or 10k? single or RAID? IDE, SCSI, SATA?


Am I missing any components?

Remember this is a render slave, not a workstation. Also, files are stored on a separate NAS, and all to be connected to gigabit switch.

From my very cursory investigation, it looks like about $800 for parts or $1000 for an assembled box. Any suggestions for changes or places to buy??

Thanks!

[TRGraphics]

If your looking to have two or more slaves you should consider a dual dual opteron system. It's actually cheaper to operate and costs less to build than two 3800 systems.

Tony

[CCS]

Well....

First of all, a dual dual Opteron system is around $2800 I believe. That's almost 3x the price of the single dual x2 I was looking at. Are you telling me that 4 cores with 2GB RAM will outperform 6 cores with 2GB RAM? That's Q#1.

Let's say my plan was to buy a $1500 machine every three months to build up my farm. Then I rotate them out after 18-24 months of service. That way I essentially "dollar cost average" to get the best machine for the money at that time, and don't blow a bunch of money on a giant new machine that will come way down in price in the next months/year. This way I also keep the farm fresh with decent machines. Not cutting edge, but solid performers nonetheless. Q#2: Is this a good plan?

Q#3: If my plan is a good one, what is the best performance I can get for $1400? (Assuming $100 for shipping)