So I'm currently in the process of opening a small studio with a few other artists and a couple programmers, and I'm in need of some advice as to a good setup for our development machines.

Now our budget isn't huge, in fact i don't even have the official number yet, so if i could get some general info as to what any of you might use at work or a system that you'd like to work with that would be great.

Essentially we are developing strictly for PC, and we need 4 full time art machines and a file storage system. The programmers wont be in studio as much as the artists, so they've offered to provide their own machines.

I've got no problem putting the machines together, however Pre-built machines would probably take any technical headaches out of the mix so that would be preferred.

Dual monitors aren't a must, but if there's a good deal out there it will be considered..

Thanks everyone

you could probably save a bundle of money (and hassle!) if you got set up with Dell small business program. We use exclusively dell workstations here.

I think pretty much every studio uses Dell.

It's actually cheaper to buy through a Dell reseller than it is to buy direct from Dell though.

thanks guys, looking into both of those options.

I've been out of the loop for too long concerning system specs , i stopped paying attention around the emergence of Pentium d and radeon 9000 series cards, so what would be a good mid level system that isn't going to break the bank but will still allow all current gen development without much hassle

Originally Posted by MikeF

thanks guys, looking into both of those options.

I've been out of the loop for too long concerning system specs , i stopped paying attention around the emergence of Pentium d and radeon 9000 series cards, so what would be a good mid level system that isn't going to break the bank but will still allow all current gen development without much hassle

Look into the XPS workstation you can get one for about 1000 to 1300 and I think that includes a 17" to 20" monitor as well. Also check out the dell outlet sometimes you can find kick ass deals on PC's there.

Splurge on the dual monitors so your artists don't go insane (and also work much more efficiently!).

Originally Posted by glib

Splurge on the dual monitors so your artists don't go insane (and also work much more efficiently!).

Yeah not having 2 monitors will make you want to punch babies...

Dual monitors are like heroin. You can introduce it to anyone, and they'll pretty much be hooked from that point on.

I think the best and most cost effective thing would be for one of your team members to be a hardware expert.

I myself don't know much about hardware, but my brother knows the stuff inside and out and I have him for advice. I thought I had a fast PC, and then he built another one for me for about $1000 bucks and it is literally 6-8 times faster. Building your own machines is not only cheaper, but it allows you to upgrade the individual parts as needed and keep them always top of the line at minimal cost.

One of the problems with prebuilt systems is that the companies (especially dell) will always try to cut cost one way or another, usually with crappy video cards, power supplies, or motherboards. A cheap power supply might now sound like a big deal, but if later you realize you need to add another drive or another device to your workstation, you realize you don't have enough watts and you're stuck.

When it comes to monitors, quality varies wildly, and none of the specs provided by the manufacturers are reliable. the best thing to do would be to go to hardware boards and look at people's reviews.
http://www.hardforum.com/
Is a pretty good source.

Tablets are vital.

Dual monitor setups are vital. But you can afford for only one of them to be quality and the other to be generic. I have a Planar PX2611W (26"), and second crappy 19". The planar is a very good monitor but also pricey. I managed to get mine on sale at some point for $500.

Additional stuff:
You must, must, must, have a good reliable central server that is accessible via the internet, where everyone stores their files. My brother set up a Unix server for me and it is a freaking thing of beauty. It's got tons of space, it does regular back-ups, I can access it from anywhere, and it's independent of my main system OS.

Good Chairs. You'll be sitting for a while.

Licensed copies of all the software. This will probably be your biggest expense of all.

Hope everything goes well.