# \[Help\] New graphics workstation CPU choice?

**URL:** <https://forum.kirupa.com/t/help-new-graphics-workstation-cpu-choice/156219>\
**Category:** random\
**Created:** [July 24, 2005, 1:14am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/help-new-graphics-workstation-cpu-choice/156219 "2005-07-24T01:14:55Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![ya3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/e95f7d/32.png) [@ya3](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/ya3)\
**Post date:** [July 24, 2005, 1:14am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/help-new-graphics-workstation-cpu-choice/156219/1 "2005-07-24T01:14:55Z")

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Hi there,

I’m hoping to build a new graphics workstation some time soon, and I’d appreciate some advice  
Right now I’m running a 2.8GHz Pentium4 system with 512RAM. I was thinking to upgrade to a dual-processor P4/Athlon system, or just a single-CPU Xeon/Opteron. The CPU is the part I’m really not sure about. I want something that’ll actually be worthwhile, and seeing as CPU’s are still floating around 3.5GHz, I’m thinking to go for dual-processors.

Software I’m using:  
CorelDRAW 12, Cinema 4D 8, Adobe CS2, 3dsmax, Premiere, After Effects

So, basically:

- The cheapest Xeon (2.8GHz 800FSB) or a high-end P4 (3.2-3.5GHz)
- The cheapest Opteron (242 or 244) or a high-end Athlon (3400+)
- Can I get dual P4/Athlon CPUs? Are they better than a single Xeon/Opteron
- or should I forget everything and just get a dual-core P4/Athlon?

Please don’t ramble on too much about technical stuff, I just want something that’ll be noticably faster than my P4 2.8 - something that’ll be worth the upgrade 🙂

Thanks in advance!