Advice for offline image analysis computer

Posted by lechristophe on Sep 22, 2008; 8:34am
URL: http://imagej.273.s1.nabble.com/Advice-for-offline-image-analysis-computer-tp3695009.html

Dear listers,

I have to buy a new computer for our team that will be used as for offline
image analysis. The software required (ImageJ, Metamorph, Matlab) require to
build a Windows/Vista machine. The cost would be around $5,000 / 5000€. The
job would be processing (a lot) and rendering. My questions are :
- Should I go for a "traditionnal" computer, I mean a 32-bits, dual core, XP
computer with maxed RAM (I guess it is 3GB or so) ? Is it usefull to go to
more fancy stuff like 64 bits, 4 or 8 core, 8 to 16GB RAM machine ? Would
ImageJ really benefit from it on a Windows computer ? Related question : if
I go 64bits, should I use Vista 64 or XP 64 (What is the best for ImageJ and
Java) ?
- What about graphic cards and GPU ? What is the best choice ? I've heard
about new strategies to speed up processing by making the GPU churn data as
well as graphics, but I don't think it is really commercially available now
or implemented yet in Java.

Thanks for your advices !

Christophe