Looking for advice for hardware with Maya

[xarzu]

I have an ancient computer. I mean, it is a 2001 Vaio. Software has advanced to the point where I know I must at least go out and buy some more memory.

I want to start using Maya and Photoshop and that sketch pad device. I wonder what people here will recommend for a good computer system and specifications.

[Twitch.]

computers basically come prebuilt with enough memory to run a few things like Maya and PS all at once.

just look for something normal
x 1 gig of RAM (memory)
x a processor, at least pentium 4 but most come with duo cores which are amazing.
x something with enough hard drive space to store your programs (obviously)
I dont know how much hardrive space lap tops run nowadays but most prebuilt desktops come with a 250 gig hard drive
x OH! important. if your software is not Microsoft Vista you may need to either ask to have Windows XP insalled.
or buy the OS disks seperatly and reformat accordingly.

if you're using a Mac..
well then I have no more advise lol

that's about all you need.

something reliable too. you dont wanna be like me and have your computer randomly crap out on you. Dell is a sturdy computer. HP is alright. shrugs. it's all up to you on brand though.

[waijman]

gow ith at least a gig of memory, but if you want the machine to last, i would go with 3 to 4, and you have to make sure your system can handle all that RAM (if it a 32 but machine, you can only run up to 3.5 gigs of ram, i think, 64 bit machines can go up to 128 gigs [nuts, i know])

pentium core 2 duo is defintiyl the way to go processor wise, at least for now
though AMD's new line may maych up

its real easy to add hard drives and swap them in and out, so don't worry to muc abou that, i think i only have 120 gigs on my computer, and if had organized mu files better, i wouldn't have any staorage problems (but i do)

if you r going prebuilt, Dell is good, but their customer service i hear is shit
i have one, i haven't had a single problem wihy my machine, but i am sure when i do, it will be a hassle

and as far as graphic cards go, you'll probably want at least 256 mb card, but if you want to game on the machine, you may want to go bigger (graphics cards aren't really my thing, in face, all this technical shit isn't really my gig, seeing as i bought a dell and didn't build my own machine)

hope that helps

[Twitch.]

Yea.. I totally forgot Graphics Thanks Waijman. He's totally right though you dont need an amazing graphics card to do art things. But it's nice to have that extra bit of power.

[xarzu]

There is this very cool user interface device I want to get and I want to get suggestions for. It is like a sketchpad. Thiis the natural way to make art for me anyway. It was they way I learned in art school.

I do not even know what it is called or what one to get.

Do you know what I am talking about?