There are several things to consider when buying an engineering workstation:
1. How much per hour is it costing you for your engineer? If an engineer is paid over $40k per year, plan on spending $4 to 8k per year on hardware. The productivity gains compared to wage costs will pay for the hardware.
2. Are you doing 3D stuff? If you are doing complex 3D stuff consider the top end Wild Cat video card.
3. Are you doing FEA? Finite element analysis uses lots of RAM. Be cautious about the CPU's ability to page the RAM files. A good rule of thumb is, 1k of cash for each meg if ram, 512k of cash can handle 512mb of ram, any more and the ram becomes overhead for the CPU and will cause the system to run slow. I purchased a 500 PIII with 756mb of ram, it booted and ran slower than a 233 note book until I removed 1 SIMM to drop it back to 512mb of RAM. We are having a simular problem with a Dell workstation with 2GB of ram, except it just crashes 2-6 times a day.
4. If you by a machine from Dell or anyone else and they say the software is causing your machine to crash don't let them make you trouble shoot the problem. Dell will string you out until your 30 Day return passes then you are stuck with the problem, and they will not refund your money. I know from a bad experience with DELL!!!! Dell's 24 hr. onsite repairs are contingent upon parts. They currently don't have any RDRAM in stock, nor can they tell you when they will receive it.
Intel has a department that can help you choose an Intel work station motherboard. Try 1-800-628-8686.
Be cautious of RDRAM.
If you depreciate your workstation for 5 years and at the end of 2 years donate it to a school, or college, the last 3 years of depreciation becomes a taxdeduction.
Good luck with you new system.
