localzuk Posted January 24, 2014 Posted January 24, 2014 So, I'm trying to think about various things at the moment including how much it'd cost to fit a new ICT suite with 35 PCs. In the past, I've always gone for AIO PCs, as space has always been at a premium. In this case, it might be and we may also desire the room to be multi-purpose so that the screens/kb/mouse can be used with Raspberry Pi computers as well. So, how much would you guys budget for a new suite of 35 machines? Full costs including: PCs IWB/Projector/Speakers Colour Laser Network Cabling (include separate network sockets for rasp pi to plug in to) Network Switching Benching Chairs Back of envelope calculations come to about £32k. What do you guys think? How much would you budget?
simpsonj Posted January 24, 2014 Posted January 24, 2014 Hmm, some rough estimates, and assuming you want value for money rather top end kit: 35 refurbed HP DC7800 at £125 each 35 Kingston 60gb SSD drives at £36 each 21.5" LED Monitor w/HDMI connection at £100 each Targus compact keyboard at £6 each Mouse at £4 each PC total = £271 per PC £9485 total Say £2000 for IWB, plus speakers plus installation Around £400 for a colour printer, I like HP but many people like Kyocera Network cabling is tricky, I tend to ask the electricians to run the network cable when they're putting in the electrics, and I terminate both ends. Assuming you need electrics as well, could be £100 per double socket (electric and network)? In which case you might want Y leads for the PC, leaving a power socket for the Raspberry Pi, so £3500 for cabling. Benching tends to be £100 per metre, so again could be another £3500 depending on the layout of the room. I have no idea on chairs, probably need something to fit H&S standards, so height adjustable. Last ones I got were from Isis concepts, and were about £50 each, so £1750. Network switch would have to match your current system, mine would be two 48 port HP switches, so around £800 per switch, £1600 total. If it's a new cabinet, add another £400 plus extra to run either Cat5e or Fibre to your Main switch. So lets see, a total of around £23,500, plus Y-leads, VGA leads and HDMI cables. But that's a fairly budget PC, sped up with a SSD drive. Will cope with everything our school could throw at it, but YMMV!
localzuk Posted January 24, 2014 Author Posted January 24, 2014 Oh, as a guide, we don't buy refurbish machines really - we'd want i5 machines to last at least 5 years.
w-clarke101 Posted January 24, 2014 Posted January 24, 2014 Oh, as a guide, we don't buy refurbish machines really - we'd want i5 machines to last at least 5 years. Why not Refurbish? And what are you doing to need i5?
simpsonj Posted January 24, 2014 Posted January 24, 2014 Then add an extra £50 per PC to my budget. Would still keep the SSDs, but if you needed to keep costs down, they could be scrapped with an i5 machine. I wonder which would login quicker, a slower core2duo machine with an SSD drive, or a core i5 machine with standard hard drive. If I ever get a chance, I'll test that... Just out of curiosity, what do you expect to hit processor speeds over the next 5 years? Office and Windows aren't particularly processor heavy, and a graphics card is more useful for graphical programs such as Photoshop, Premier or Kodu. All other software that my teaching staff have been interested in has been cloud based (GCSEpod, mangahigh etc). Not that I don't want to have core i5 machines, its just I can't see what's coming that my school would need them for.
w-clarke101 Posted January 24, 2014 Posted January 24, 2014 Then add an extra £50 per PC to my budget. Would still keep the SSDs, but if you needed to keep costs down, they could be scrapped with an i5 machine. I wonder which would login quicker, a slower core2duo machine with an SSD drive, or a core i5 machine with standard hard drive. If I ever get a chance, I'll test that... Just out of curiosity, what do you expect to hit processor speeds over the next 5 years? Office and Windows aren't particularly processor heavy, and a graphics card is more useful for graphical programs such as Photoshop, Premier or Kodu. All other software that my teaching staff have been interested in has been cloud based (GCSEpod, mangahigh etc). Not that I don't want to have core i5 machines, its just I can't see what's coming that my school would need them for. I concur with that!
tmcd35 Posted January 24, 2014 Posted January 24, 2014 (edited) Don't know what's available at the moment, but the general rule of thumb is give @VeryPC a £450 per machine limit and squeeze as much as I can get away with Current spec is i3 SSD 4Gb Ram SFF with All in One Monitor stand 19" WXGA Screen Windows Home But I may try my luck with 8Gb Ram and/or an i5 on the next purchase... Edited January 24, 2014 by tmcd35 1
simpsonj Posted January 24, 2014 Posted January 24, 2014 If this was going to be a media heavy ICT suite, or used for Kodu or any other 3D based software, then I would definitely add £22 for a graphics card, like a GeForce 210. If I were looking for a core i5 machine, then a HP Pro 4300 would probably fit the bill, £330 on Misco with cashback. But I would add a graphics card, or SSD, or both to that.
w-clarke101 Posted January 24, 2014 Posted January 24, 2014 We have DC 7800 & 7900 core2duo with SSD, GPU in them for Technology and they fly.
simpsonj Posted January 24, 2014 Posted January 24, 2014 Or do as @tmcd35 said, that sounds like a good deal! 1
tmcd35 Posted January 24, 2014 Posted January 24, 2014 Just a thought, are the Pi's staying in situe or are they being stored when not in use? Maybe adding 2-way KVM's to the spec could make it quicker/easier to switch between the two without the need for student to mess around with cabling?
sparkeh Posted January 24, 2014 Posted January 24, 2014 I'd be thinking more like 25k but budget a bit extra for those inevitable extras.
GeekyPete Posted January 24, 2014 Posted January 24, 2014 I'd say 25-27K depending a few things. Quality of the benching, I design my own and get a local carpenter to fit it. I use Bull nosed work top 800mm deep with timber ends. Then I get him to cut slots for the cables and fit a catch cage or MDF box underneath to tidy the whole thing up. Where possible I like to put the Euro-Trunking under the benches, there's less tampering that way. In class rooms atleast, Staff room above for ease of access. a 48 Port switch should give enough spare sockets depending on how many Raspberry Pis you have. How far is the cable run? Do you need a Cab? It may be cheaper to wall mount a small cab in the room and take a single fibre back to main Cab than run 48 copper cables. Have you budgeted for CALs and Office Licences or do you have that covered in your OVS? Personally I would go for i3 with SSD. Probably get them for around £350-400 + £70 -100 per monitor. If you can get £32 K for the project consider Air Con. 2K should cover the IWB. You are looking at atleast 40 double sockets. You always need more that you think. Contact an electrician to make sure the power distribution board can accommodate it. Do this FIRST. Is the room big enough? I allow 800mm per workstation for computer based Learning (nothing else on the desk). You have to forget 400-500mm where you have an internal corner. You can get the computers there but not the chairs. 1200mm per workstation for computer assisted learning (where the student will have books or other materials too).
fiza Posted June 13, 2014 Posted June 13, 2014 So, I'm trying to think about various things at the moment including how much it'd cost to fit a new ICT suite with 35 PCs. In the past, I've always gone for AIO PCs, as space has always been at a premium. In this case, it might be and we may also desire the room to be multi-purpose so that the screens/kb/mouse can be used with Raspberry Pi computers as well. So, how much would you guys budget for a new suite of 35 machines? Full costs including: PCs IWB/Projector/Speakers Colour Laser Network Cabling (include separate network sockets for rasp pi to plug in to) Network Switching Benching Chairs Back of envelope calculations come to about £32k. What do you guys think? How much would you budget? @localzuk - Did you get anywhere with this project? If so what did you go for PC wise in the end? I am looking to tech refresh our Dell 755 machines after Sept.
ICTDirect_Dave Posted June 13, 2014 Posted June 13, 2014 Hmm, some rough estimates, and assuming you want value for money rather top end kit: 35 refurbed HP DC7800 at £125 each 35 Kingston 60gb SSD drives at £36 each 21.5" LED Monitor w/HDMI connection at £100 each Targus compact keyboard at £6 each Mouse at £4 each PC total = £271 per PC £9485 total My Refurb DC7800s are only £90 now (thats with Keyboard, Mouse & warranty) - Make it £135 with 120GB SSD Oh, as a guide, we don't buy refurbish machines really - we'd want i5 machines to last at least 5 years. I could land you refurb i5 machines that would play nice for years to come, you only have to ask
localzuk Posted June 13, 2014 Author Posted June 13, 2014 I could land you refurb i5 machines that would play nice for years to come, you only have to ask Our views might have changed since January... We now have a very nice Z600 and a few i5 Lenovos laptops from ICT-Direct. 1
fiza Posted June 13, 2014 Posted June 13, 2014 Our views might have changed since January... We now have a very nice Z600 and a few i5 Lenovos laptops from ICT-Direct. So you equipped your suite with laptops instead of 35 desktops?
localzuk Posted June 13, 2014 Author Posted June 13, 2014 So you equipped your suite with laptops instead of 35 desktops? No no, we bought the laptops for staff. We still use desktops in suites.
fiza Posted June 13, 2014 Posted June 13, 2014 No no, we bought the laptops for staff. We still use desktops in suites. I see, I was more interested in what you did for the ICT Suite.
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