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Need help building a 4K editing workstation

Tags:
  • Workstations
  • Computers
  • Systems
  • 5K
  • GPUs
  • Video Editing
  • CPUs
  • RED
  • 4K
Last response: in Systems
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November 19, 2013 5:02:22 PM

Hey guys! I am planning to buy a video editing/VFX workstation computer this holiday season, but I have no idea where to start!

I am shooting for something that can handle 4K videos with absolutely no problem and will last me a good while without getting outdated. I would love if all the render times were lighting quick, and overall the computer just ran like a beast!

I work with RED cameras, the BMCC and DSLR's so (especially with the RED and BMCC) I need something quick and POWERFUL!

I plan on only spending up to $3500 but nothing more. I have gotten a friend to put a lost together and a worker at NewEgg, but I wanted to see if you guys had any suggestions and/or changes to their lists.

The NewEgg employee didn't add a monitor, keyboard or mouse which I will need, and I need the monitor to be good for color grading.

Some programs I use are Adobe Premiere, After Effects, and Davinci Resolve (which all run SUPER slow on my Macbook, since I guess I don't have a good GPU or Graphics Card I'm guessing).

This is my friends list[(the newegg guy said that it was a great build, however more intended towards gaming, which wouldn't be right for me.):

http://www.mediafire.com/view/3jnejrkg5pab4ae/William's_Final_Build_for_PC.pdf

This is the Newegg Emploee's list:

http://www.mediafire.com/view/lrfibmncqgr7ld1/Tony's_Final_PC_WORKSTATION.pdf

Thank you guys SOOOO much in advanced! I look forward to your responses.

More about : building editing workstation

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November 19, 2013 5:15:36 PM

Alright. First of all, the RAM that your "friend" picked out is unnecessarily high-quality. You would be fine with consumer-grade RAM; you certainly don't need that which he/she suggested. A lot of the stuff in that build is oddly obscure, such as the motherboard. If you are going to want a lot of expansion cards, the Asus P9-X79 WS motherboard is awesome, with six PCIe slots.
One thing to remember; the monitor itself will cost upwards of three to four thousand dollars. You might actually do well with an MMO gaming mouse (such as the Corsair M95) since there are a lot of macros which can be helpful in video-editing software.
As for the case; I would go with something pretty big here; a Corsair 750D is a great case.
As for RAM; not only is that RAM expensive, but it is slow. For editing applications, higher-clocked RAM can be very beneficial; the 1600MHz clock on the current RAM is only standard, and one should not accept standard on a build of this caliber. The G-Skill Trident X-Series (although it seems very gaming-oriented) is great RAM, especially at 2400 MHz.
As for the GPU; A SINGLE 770 WILL NOT CUT IT AT 4K. You need insane graphics power to succeed at 4K. Many people spend upwards of $1500 if they want to run at 4K.
However, since you are editing, you also need the best processor, which is why I vote to keep the 4930k as well.
As for storage; if the budget allows, go for something like a 750GB or 1TB Samsung 840 EVO SSD; they are super good, and have a ton of storage. If the budget does not allow for that, you could get Seagate Barracudas or WD Caviar Blacks.
Overall, the build is oddly balanced. Also, your budget may not be able to account for all of the power that is necessary for an enjoyable 4k experience.
Also, might I ask why you wouldn't be fine with 1440p?
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November 19, 2013 5:56:38 PM

Yeah I agree with dannyboy, I don't think server components are necessary to edit videos at 4K resolution. Sure they don't hurt, but you're spending way too much money for almost no payoff in terms of performance gain. Better would be to get a 4930K and overclock it. However I will disagree about purchasing an ultra high capacity SSD like a 750GB or 1TB - right now you do not come out ahead that way. Plus you have to keep in mind that SSDs still have far more limited lifespans than traditional mechanical hard drives do.

Use this for GPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

And then for the rest of the system:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i7-4930K 3.4GHz 6-Core Processor ($576.98 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: NZXT Kraken X60 98.3 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($117.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: ASRock X79 Extreme9 ATX LGA2011 Motherboard ($339.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: Mushkin Blackline 32GB (4 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($319.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Plextor M5S Series 256GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($184.99 @ Adorama)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Black 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($149.92 @ Amazon)
Case: Fractal Design Arc Midi Tower ATX Mid Tower Case ($109.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: NZXT HALE90 V2 850W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($168.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Optical Drive: Lite-On IHBS312-98 Blu-Ray/DVD/CD Writer ($89.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Total: $2058.82
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-11-19 20:56 EST-0500)
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November 19, 2013 8:05:18 PM

g-unit1111 said:
Yeah I agree with dannyboy, I don't think server components are necessary to edit videos at 4K resolution. Sure they don't hurt, but you're spending way too much money for almost no payoff in terms of performance gain. Better would be to get a 4930K and overclock it. However I will disagree about purchasing an ultra high capacity SSD like a 750GB or 1TB - right now you do not come out ahead that way. Plus you have to keep in mind that SSDs still have far more limited lifespans than traditional mechanical hard drives do.

Use this for GPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

And then for the rest of the system:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i7-4930K 3.4GHz 6-Core Processor ($576.98 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: NZXT Kraken X60 98.3 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($117.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: ASRock X79 Extreme9 ATX LGA2011 Motherboard ($339.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: Mushkin Blackline 32GB (4 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($319.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Plextor M5S Series 256GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($184.99 @ Adorama)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Black 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($149.92 @ Amazon)
Case: Fractal Design Arc Midi Tower ATX Mid Tower Case ($109.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: NZXT HALE90 V2 850W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($168.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Optical Drive: Lite-On IHBS312-98 Blu-Ray/DVD/CD Writer ($89.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Total: $2058.82
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-11-19 20:56 EST-0500)


That Quadro may or may not have enough power to get the job done... We need to remember that it's 4k, and that something like a Quadro (although optimized well for some programs) does not provide NEARLY as much raw performance as a GTX card. If the budget supports it, I recommend doing something like a combined GTX 780Ti and Quadro setup, which (although potentially overkill) would let you be prepared for any situation.
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November 19, 2013 8:28:42 PM

dannyboy2233 said:

That Quadro may or may not have enough power to get the job done... We need to remember that it's 4k, and that something like a Quadro (although optimized well for some programs) does not provide NEARLY as much raw performance as a GTX card. If the budget supports it, I recommend doing something like a combined GTX 780Ti and Quadro setup, which (although potentially overkill) would let you be prepared for any situation.


Can you combine the two? I know you can mix and match various GTX cards but I didn't know you could combine a professional grade and a consumer/gamer grade card.
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November 19, 2013 8:51:47 PM

g-unit1111 said:
dannyboy2233 said:

That Quadro may or may not have enough power to get the job done... We need to remember that it's 4k, and that something like a Quadro (although optimized well for some programs) does not provide NEARLY as much raw performance as a GTX card. If the budget supports it, I recommend doing something like a combined GTX 780Ti and Quadro setup, which (although potentially overkill) would let you be prepared for any situation.


Can you combine the two? I know you can mix and match various GTX cards but I didn't know you could combine a professional grade and a consumer/gamer grade card.


Yeah you can. I wasn't sure either, but LinusTechTips (if you've heard of him) recently posted a YouTube video containing his dream Vid-Editing build, and it contained a 780 and a Quadro. In the end, different applications use the cards differently, so if one really needs an ultra-high-end rig, it's best to have these options.
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November 19, 2013 9:14:04 PM

ok so I tried to take your guys suggestions (but like I said I have NO idea what I'm doing! hahaha).

I made my own list after doing research and trying to figure out tech talk lol. Lemme know what you guys think!

http://www.mediafire.com/view/i05j2k18hwcnkqj/Omar's_Final_Build.pdf

Thanks so much for the help thus far!
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