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My friend just started as a graphic artist and asked me what kind of desktop he should get (3D artist, so he has to run some version of Windows).

What do you guys think between a big-brand (Dell, HP, etc.) or build-it-yourself? Also, which big brands currently have the best support?

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You should replace "Graphic Artist" with "3d Modeler" or "3d Artist" in the title. – Jonathan Sampson Jul 15 '09 at 23:29
thanks, changed. – John Jul 16 '09 at 0:39

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If you are looking for power vs. price, then build-it-yourself is typically going to be your best bet. You will almost always be able to build a power PC for cheaper than ordering one pre-built because you will be able to pick and choose from the best priced prime components. This is also assuming that you are not factoring in your own time and frustration in the process (if you are not familiar with building, it can be frustrating at times).

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I've ran Maya on relatively normal machines. Granted, rendering takes a bit longer if you're dealing with reflections, realistic lighting, etc. It likely won't make much of a difference. The differences will come in when you start to build a rendering-farm. I've got one friend who has built four massively-powerful machines to handle the load of rendering his projects.

Occasionally, you can find a 3d-Group reviewing specific machines.

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