pitkin2020 1 Posted December 1, 2009 Had a quick search but not found a definitive answer, What are the minimum PC specs required to run a cutter, for example when you play games etc it tells you exactly what the lowest spec machine it will run on, but the for the cutters nothing. I am running a MH721 Refine with sign blazer and flexi (or atleast trying to get flexi to run) it also needs to run the adobe creative suite, corel in the future. What would you recommend to be the minimum spec required?? I am asking for the minimum so i have a ground base to work up from, if that makes sense Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest fivestar Posted December 1, 2009 Google Adobe Creative Suite (whatever version you are going to run) specs and it will tell you. Adobe will require the highest out of what you posted that's why I told you to google that. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pitkin2020 1 Posted December 1, 2009 cool i was thinking along those lines myself, but i didnt know if the cutters required a certain amount of RAM/GRAPHICS or other bits and bobs Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bamafan2277 50 Posted December 1, 2009 Five has a good point. If you can afford it max the ram you board can handle and get a ok graphics card for $60 - $70 and you should be in good shape. I run Corel X4, Adobe and SBE on my Vista laptop with 4GB of ram. Built in 512MB video card. It runs just fine. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jay2703 704 Posted December 2, 2009 SignBlazer says the "Optimum" is a Pentium II with 64 MB Ram and a CDRom. It says to handle files greater than 100MB you should have 256MB Ram. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MaderDesign 3 Posted December 2, 2009 Lol Pentium II isn't made anymore, and hasn't been for quite some time. Here's what I would suggest doing. Go with at least a Core 2 Duo processor, so that your machine isn't out of date come next year. Or you could even go to the Core 2 Quad (Q6600) which is really nice and not too bad on the wallet. Video card, don't get some cheapy, Photoshop is now optimized to run off your GPU now and the better the graphics card the better the performance. Illustrator will soon utilize it as well for 64 bit. I'd do 4gig of ram minimum and recommend 8 gig. Can't ever have too much ram now days. Make sure the ram you guy also is compatible with the motherboard, don't go buy triple channel ddr3 when it needs ddr2. Corsair ram is cheap, Gskill is what I run and love it. Don't worry to much about timing as i'm sure you won't be doing any overclocking. Motherboards, eh it's your pick just make sure it supports the Core 2 Duo or Quad. I like DFI and Gigabyte boards. Make sure you get a PSU that is large enough to handle the load. Underpowering can lead to shut downs and isn't fun at all. Other than that, pick out your goodies, hdd sizes, dvd/bluray, etc. one thing, look at cases, look at how quiet the cases are being rated at and pick up some quieter fans for it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest fivestar Posted December 2, 2009 Lol Pentium II isn't made anymore, and hasn't been for quite some time. Here's what I would suggest doing. Go with at least a Core 2 Duo processor, so that your machine isn't out of date come next year. Or you could even go to the Core 2 Quad (Q6600) which is really nice and not too bad on the wallet. Video card, don't get some cheapy, Photoshop is now optimized to run off your GPU now and the better the graphics card the better the performance. Illustrator will soon utilize it as well for 64 bit. I'd do 4gig of ram minimum and recommend 8 gig. Can't ever have too much ram now days. Make sure the ram you guy also is compatible with the motherboard, don't go buy triple channel ddr3 when it needs ddr2. Corsair ram is cheap, Gskill is what I run and love it. Don't worry to much about timing as i'm sure you won't be doing any overclocking. Motherboards, eh it's your pick just make sure it supports the Core 2 Duo or Quad. I like DFI and Gigabyte boards. Make sure you get a PSU that is large enough to handle the load. Underpowering can lead to shut downs and isn't fun at all. Other than that, pick out your goodies, hdd sizes, dvd/bluray, etc. one thing, look at cases, look at how quiet the cases are being rated at and pick up some quieter fans for it. LOL...........I'm an AMD guy myself.......and for mobo's.......We say DFI stands for Don't F@#$in' Install....... ;D I've never had good luck with DFI's. I use Asus Gigabyte, or MSI myself. Yes video card is very important as is power supply. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dakotagrafx 7,297 Posted December 2, 2009 I'll second the MSI MOBO's and AMD chips. Newegg great source for parts Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MaderDesign 3 Posted December 2, 2009 I had great results with my last DFI motherboard, over clocked the crap out of it and it was so stable. But i made the switch to the Gigabyte when I switched to Intel from AMD. I like my pc that i have right now, key word like. But I loveeeeeeee my Mac's Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jay2703 704 Posted December 2, 2009 I'll stick with my 386 and Windows 3.1. Jay Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fargo_182 0 Posted December 2, 2009 You could buy the cheapest pc on the market right now, and it'd run a cutter flawlessly. It's all on what your software needs. If you don't need the newest corel or photoshop,and youa re not editing RAW images and HD video then you will be fine with absolutely anything. I bet the $300 acer net books would run a cutter and the software you want with not one problem. Only problem I would see would be software load times. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MaderDesign 3 Posted December 2, 2009 fargo, the small Acers will not run the Illustrator or Corel. The resolution isn't high enough. Trust me on this. I have a friend bring me his Acer to install CS4 Master Collection. Everything was fine but the minimum resolution. It would not let him install. I wouldn't own one of those Acers anyway. Great way to hurt your eyes lol. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jay2703 704 Posted December 2, 2009 You could buy the cheapest pc on the market right now, and it'd run a cutter flawlessly. It's all on what your software needs. If you don't need the newest corel or photoshop,and youa re not editing RAW images and HD video then you will be fine with absolutely anything. I bet the $300 acer net books would run a cutter and the software you want with not one problem. Only problem I would see would be software load times. And lack of a serial port. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MaderDesign 3 Posted December 2, 2009 Why do you need a serial port? Not one of my computers has one. Serial ports are old news, and shouldn't be used. My Copam has USB, and so did my 871. I specifically told Levi at USCutter not to send me anything without USB. It's old technology. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jay2703 704 Posted December 2, 2009 It may be old but it works flawlessly. I couldn't keep USB working on my PCut. Kept dropping connections. Jay Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
midwaste 4 Posted December 2, 2009 Lol Pentium II isn't made anymore, and hasn't been for quite some time. Here's what I would suggest doing. Go with at least a Core 2 Duo processor, so that your machine isn't out of date come next year. Or you could even go to the Core 2 Quad (Q6600) which is really nice and not too bad on the wallet. Video card, don't get some cheapy, Photoshop is now optimized to run off your GPU now and the better the graphics card the better the performance. Illustrator will soon utilize it as well for 64 bit. I'd do 4gig of ram minimum and recommend 8 gig. Can't ever have too much ram now days. Make sure the ram you guy also is compatible with the motherboard, don't go buy triple channel ddr3 when it needs ddr2. Corsair ram is cheap, Gskill is what I run and love it. Don't worry to much about timing as i'm sure you won't be doing any overclocking. Motherboards, eh it's your pick just make sure it supports the Core 2 Duo or Quad. I like DFI and Gigabyte boards. Make sure you get a PSU that is large enough to handle the load. Underpowering can lead to shut downs and isn't fun at all. Other than that, pick out your goodies, hdd sizes, dvd/bluray, etc. one thing, look at cases, look at how quiet the cases are being rated at and pick up some quieter fans for it. LOL...........I'm an AMD guy myself.......and for mobo's.......We say DFI stands for Don't F@#$in' Install....... > I've never had good luck with DFI's. I use Asus Gigabyte, or MSI myself. Yes video card is very important as is power supply. I almost wrote you off after the AMD part...lol. I've always been an Intel guy, but I second Asus mobos. I run my cutter, Illy CS2, Pshop, etc all at the same time from a 5-year old Abit AG8 P4 3.0Ghz with 1G of RAM. Abit video card is barely hanging on, fan hasn't worked in years so I just aimed a cheapo 80mm at it. I have a few year old Dell Pentium D with 4G of ram that I bought from work for $50 that I have installed everything on, just waiting for the old girl to die, which doesn't look like it's happening anytime soon. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pitkin2020 1 Posted December 2, 2009 thanks for the pointers guys much appreciated, the reason i m looking for a new pc is im currently using a laptop reasonable spec but i think its causing me a few cutting problems when i seem to do large graphics (length wise) possibly to do with either not enough ram or the connection USB to serial adapter. This weekend im going to test my theoy out on my home desktop i know thats more than man enough, so if i still get problems from using that then the problem must lie else where, its an elimination process at the moment. But i am glad to see that the cutter it elf doesnt need a top spec PC to run a basic set up will do the job, and its the programs other than SB that actually need the spec Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jay2703 704 Posted December 2, 2009 If your desktop allows, try direct serial connection. It solved a lot of my problems with incomplete cuts. Jay Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest fivestar Posted December 2, 2009 Skip buying a new computer and get a new Graphtec. That'll solve your problem. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pitkin2020 1 Posted December 2, 2009 If your desktop allows, try direct serial connection. It solved a lot of my problems with incomplete cuts. Jay thats what i am hoping for taht serial to serial will resolve the issue Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pitkin2020 1 Posted December 2, 2009 Skip buying a new computer and get a new Graphtec. That'll solve your problem. I'd Love to i really would but there is huge price difference between a computer and a graphtec lol Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest fivestar Posted December 2, 2009 Skip buying a new computer and get a new Graphtec. That'll solve your problem. I'd Love to i really would but there is huge price difference between a computer and a graphtec lol Not if you buy a great computer. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pitkin2020 1 Posted December 2, 2009 lol no not if i buy a great computer but that wont be happenning anytime soon i can tell you Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
