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NT 5.0 Hardware Requirements


  • SCSI Ultra2/Wide runs 100% faster than Ultra/Wide (up to 80MB/s), but you'll need both a new adapter and drive(s) (unless you get SCSI on the motherboard, of course). One adapter and drive, figure $900 at the minimum.

    (For you UDMA-types out there, cf Adaptec's obviously unbiased analysis comparing SCSI and Ultra DMA)

  • USB peripherals: nah... although the new motherboards provide USB ports, there's really no compelling reason to buy new USB peripherals yet.

    At some point, depending on what you already have, you have to stop with the upgrading and bite the bullet: build (or purchase) a new workstation!

    A New Box
    Xeon Workstations

    Let's go whole hog and look at the new Xeon workstations that are just becoming available now.

    Of course, you'll find much better deals with the "plain-Jane" 400 and 450 Pentium II workstations using the 440BX AGP chipset, which runs at 100MHz just like the Xeon motherboard's chipset (Intel 440 GX AGPset). But we'll go high-end just to see what's out there.

    1. The HP Kayak workstation model XU can be configured with a Xeon processor for $5,000. That comes standard with Ultra2/Wide SCSI peripherals up the kazoo, including HDDs, a CD-RW drive and a DAT drive; a 21" monitor; ethernet; and so on. Can't go wrong with a kayak!

    2. Dell's ultimately configurable WorkStation 610 with a Xeon processor can be configured down to a $4,500 machine, and that still includes the 9Gig Ultra2/Wide disk; 128MB RAM; a 19" monitor, and the other usuals (I cut out the excellent video card, settling for a typical PC card: the Diamond Fire GL Pro 1000; and I also cut a second hard disk drive, RAID 0, the 21" monitor, and so on to get it to $4,500 - but it's still a hot box).

    3. The Gateway E-5250 can't be configured nearly as much, and I couldn't get it below $5,000 (although that includes 256MB memory).

    IBM Intellistation's new Z Pro model is "coming soon," and it ought to be a looker.

    Bottom Feeders

    While I don't think you should discount the Xeon as being too high-end/bleeding edge (cf Tom's Hardware Guide's Xeon page - Xeon is not just for enterprises), you can get a properly-configured workstation (read: Ultra2/Wide SCSI) with a 350 MHz or 400 MHz PII for a lot less than the Xeon workstations will cost you. Examples:

    1. HP's Kayak XA workstation, from $1,800 (see price sheet).

      The copyright of the article NT 5.0 Hardware Requirements in Windows NT Workstation is owned by Tracey Kirkpatrick-Pritchett. Permission to republish NT 5.0 Hardware Requirements in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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