From: collin@angelo.amd.com (Collin K. Ong)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.hardware,comp.sys.mac.misc
Subject: Advice on graphic design system wanted
Date: 27 Aug 92 18:53:25 GMT
Organization: Advanced Micro Devices, Santa Clara, CA

I need some advice for a system that I'm helping a friend put together.
He's a graphic designer, so he would want (ideally :) a big cpu, big
screen, big storage, big printer, big memory, etc, etc. but can only spend
about $5000-6000.  I need to find the best compromise between these elements
for this amount of money.  My personal opinion is that a decent CPU with
lots of peripherals is more useful than a really fast CPU with weaker or
less stuff on it.  Agree?  Disagree?

CPU:  I figure that he'll need at minimum a IIsi with a IIci more
likely.  He wanted a Quadra 700 but that could eat the whole budget
alone almost.  Is the IIci with cache (how much is this on the street)
fast enough for intensive graphic/type work?  Common apps would be 
Quark Xpress, Aldus Pagemaker, and Illustrator.  Is the age of the
IIci's ROMs going to effect this any?  Are the IIvi/IIvx going to
change this equation or should we get the IIci now/later for a good
price since it is being discontinued?  I figure 8M of RAM would
probably be ok.

Monitors:  He doesn't do too much color work as of now but he would
like to get more into it eventually.  He wants a 19-20" 24bit color
monitor but again, the budget doesn't work with this.  Would it be a
good choice to go for a monochrome/grayscale two-page display for
about $800 (are the cheap ones any good?) and add color later, or just
go all the way with color now?  The next option up would be a smaller
(15-16-17") display run off of the internal video with a 24 bit card
added later if necessary.  Or a small 13" color off internal video and
a two page display in a slot?  Are any non-Trinitron displays good?
The NEC's seem more affordable.  Opinions?

Storage:  He uses Syquest at work so would like one at home.  What are
good prices and brands.   I think a 80M hard disk would be adequate if
he has the Syquest 44M.  The HD would hold only the system, the apps,
and the fonts.  Or would a bigger hard disk and no Syquest be better?
I also think that a CD-ROM would be useful for the
font collections on CD-ROM.  Are the font prices cheaper from the CD
or are they the same as buying individual packages?  I also notice
that some of the NEC FG-series monitors give away a free NEC CD-ROM.
Is this a good deal?  How's pricing on removable R/W opticals?

Printer: Ideally, a Apple LaserWriter IIg would be best for him since
he would need the FinePrint and PhotoGrade.  How much do these things
go for?  IIf?  Other?  The NEC SilentWriter 95 seems to be a good deal
at $1500 for PostScript L2, and some sort of resolution enhancement.
Any opinions?  I'm not sure if he wants to output final on the laser,
or would just proof (in which case the IIg would be overkill, and he
would just need anything that prints PostScript).

As you can see, there's a lot of factors I'm juggling and any help,
opinions, or recommendations would be great.  Infomation on specific
models or vendors would be good, but general advice would also be helpful.

Thanks alot...
Collin Ong
collin@brahms.amd.com