Video Editing Workstation + Gaming Rig (4000$)

Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
B

bandmaster3

Reputable
Feb 16, 2014
14
0
4,510
Hello,

I've been a long time reader, but this is my first post on this forum.

Anyways, let me explain my situation. I'm planning to build my first PC ever. I want to have a really good video editing computer which is also capable of gaming.

By saying I want a workstation, I don't mean a PC with ECC Ram and nVidia Quadro cards and Xeon processors. But I need it for NukeX, PremierePro and AfterEffects as well as Photoshop, 3D work with C4D.

As far as my budget goes, it is really big compared to what most PCs cost. I'm willing to spend 4000$ without monitors and peripherals.

Here is my parts list:
http://pcpartpicker.com/user/eminiarts/saved/3LYp

For the processor I chose the Intel 4930k because of its multicore and multithread performance, and because I can over-clock it as it's unlocked.

To be capable to over-clock as well as possible I chose the Asus Rampage IV Black Edition Motherboard. I don't need many PCI-E slot which are mostly provided by typical workstation motherboards.

As for the graphics I chose the GeForce GTX 780 Ti, but I'm not sure which brand to go with, maybe the Asus or Gigabyte.

For CPU cooling I chose the Corsair H110. It should be able to cool the over-clocked CPU. But I'm unsure which corsair water cooling option is the best for my needs. The H100, H100i or any other. Advice would be greatly appreciated.

I would also need some advice for choosing the right RAM for my system.

I think the Corsair 860W 80+ platinum PSU should give me plenty of power for an possible SLI setup in the future.

I don't know which case I should use. It should be rather minimalistic, maybe have a sidepanel window. I really liked the Fractal Design Define R4 because of it's low noise performance (very important for me), but everyone seems to be using it lately and I'm not a hipster by any means but I'd still like to have something "special" but very good looking and quiet at the same time.

I chose 2 SSDs because on the bigger one I want to install Windows and on the other I want to install Mac OS X.

This leads me to my next question: Is this system capable of being a hackintosh? From my knowledge it should be, but I have never done it before and I'm not 100% sure.


So, what do you think? Where could I do better? Where cheaper? I know some parts are a little bit overkill, but I still didn't reach my budget limit. I don't want to have 2 GPUs in SLI yet, because it doesn't give you the best price-to-performance ratio.

Thank you for your advice and have a nice day!

Bandmaster3
 
Sort by date Sort by votes
Jacob McIntosh

Jacob McIntosh

Honorable
Aug 24, 2013
2,073
0
12,460
I took your build and revised it a bit, adding a cheaper motherboard, faster RAM (both latency and it's 1866) for less money, and a better hard drive, CPU cooler, added a second 780 Ti, and a cheaper PSU.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i7-4930K 3.4GHz 6-Core Processor ($558.99 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: NZXT Kraken X60 98.3 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($119.98 @ Best Buy)
Motherboard: MSI X79A-GD45 Plus ATX LGA2011 Motherboard ($244.33 @ NCIX US)
Memory: G.Skill Trident X Series 32GB (4 x 8GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($354.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 840 EVO 250GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($174.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Samsung 840 EVO 500GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($320.98 @ Amazon)
Storage: Western Digital WD Black 4TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($248.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 780 Ti 3GB Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($727.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 780 Ti 3GB Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($727.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: Fractal Design Define XL R2 (Black Pearl) ATX Full Tower Case ($109.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: XFX ProSeries 850W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($114.99 @ NCIX US)
Total: $3704.19
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-02-16 11:33 EST-0500)

I would also recommend that you look into using the NZXT Kraken G10 and a X40 to cool your graphics cards, and then OC them.

http://www.nzxt.com/product/detail/138-kraken-g10-gpu-bracket.html
http://www.nzxt.com/product/detail/82-kraken-x40-cpu-cooler
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
B

bandmaster3

Reputable
Feb 16, 2014
14
0
4,510
Hello there,

thanks for your advice. I've been considering the 4960X as well, but double the price for about 10% performance increase doesn't seem necessary to me.
In what terms is the RAM you chose better than the Dominator? Or how would the higher speed clock influence performance?
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
B

bandmaster3

Reputable
Feb 16, 2014
14
0
4,510


Yeah, that's what I thought as well. Just because I could doesn't mean I have to spend all of my money.

What would you recommend for RAM instead? I don't want the cheapest RAM, but it should definitely be decent.

Thanks for your reply.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Jacob McIntosh

Jacob McIntosh

Honorable
Aug 24, 2013
2,073
0
12,460
Well, the Latency is lower, which is good, and the speed is higher, which is also good. There is also the price difference. Usually, Corsair RAM is overpriced when you compare it to other kits, and the G.Skill Trident X kit is faster and cheaper. The Trident X is also G.Skill's best RAM line, so it will perform amazingly. The higher clock speed combined with lower latency will boost performance.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
B

bandmaster3

Reputable
Feb 16, 2014
14
0
4,510


Ok, thanks. I found a reasonably priced 32GB kit of G.skill Trident X 2400 MHz. At the same price of the Corsair Dominator 1600MHz this seems like a good upgrade to my parts list.

What about the GPU? I read that the Asus version of the 780 Ti has better cooling but is louder as well.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
B

bandmaster3

Reputable
Feb 16, 2014
14
0
4,510


Wow, I'm sorry I really missed this reply, don't know how. Thanks, I will definitely consider some parts and additions of your build.

Is the MSI motherboard good for over-clocking? I've read that Asus motherboards are best for over-clocking which I'm planning to do.

I know that 2 GPUs would give me a good boost in gaming, but what about Video Editing?

For the CPU cooler there are so many options, I thought I just picked the H110 because I read a good review. Is the NZXT kraken x60 better?


 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Jacob McIntosh

Jacob McIntosh

Honorable
Aug 24, 2013
2,073
0
12,460
1) The ASUS boards are designed for super OCing, like with custom liquid cooling and liquid nitrogen, so it is much more expensive. Because you will just be using a closed loop water cooling setup, you don't need that many OC settings.
2) The SLI will give you a boost, but before you buy and video card, check the programs that you will be using, and see what they are optimized for- Nvidia or AMD cards, and SLI/Crossfire setups. I've seen cases where people don't check that out before buying a second card, and then are mad that they just dropped a few hundred dollars on a second GPU, only to find out that the program they use doesn't utilize that second card.
3) The NZXT X60 is better at cooling, due to it's dual 140mm fans over Corsair's H100/H100i dual 120mm fans. Here are some benchmarks, and a quote off AnandTech's review of water coolers. I would also recommend getting some Noctua fans for the radiator, seine NZXT's fan's aren't that amazing.

"Finally, if you want the best closed-loop liquid cooler you can find, it's going to be tough to beat the NZXT Kraken X60. The price tag and quirky compatibility due to being a 280mm radiator instead of a 240mm make it tough to immediately recommend, and they need to refine their software, but the X60 is capable of producing frankly amazing performance that handily beats the other radiators we tested. Even better, it offers that performance at much lower noise levels. If you can afford it and you can fit it, the NZXT Kraken X60 is the one to beat."
The temps
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
B

bandmaster3

Reputable
Feb 16, 2014
14
0
4,510


Thank you very much for your answers! Amazing community!

About the GPU over-clocking and the aftermarket cooling for the GPUs you mentioned in your first post: wouldn't it be better to get a overclocked version from asus or so?

And I'm still not sure which case to go with. Would the Kraken X60 fit in the Define R4 because of its increased size? There are also some good looking cases by NZXT like the Phantom 630. Could you recommend one over the other or maybe one by an other brand?
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Jacob McIntosh

Jacob McIntosh

Honorable
Aug 24, 2013
2,073
0
12,460
Well, I am an NZXT fanboy, so I'll always recommend their cases and products. As for the GPU, yes you could get card more for OCing with the stock cooler, but the water cooling will be:

-quieter
-cooler
-more bada$$

Just make sure you have the extra space for water cooling on both the CPU and GPU, if you choose to go down that path.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
B

bandmaster3

Reputable
Feb 16, 2014
14
0
4,510


The aftermarket GPU cooling really looks bada$$, I might consider it.

As for the fans, I would take the Noctua ones, they just are so ugly. Isn't there a similar performing good looking competitor?
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
B

bandmaster3

Reputable
Feb 16, 2014
14
0
4,510
I've just come across another problem. If I would be choosing an E-ATX motherboard, I'd have to choose a bigger case than the Define R4 right? I know it's a ATX case, but I'm not sure how big the diffrence is. Please help.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
B

bandmaster3

Reputable
Feb 16, 2014
14
0
4,510


Ok, thanks. What about the NZXT H440? Or would I have to go with the bigger H630? I really like the sidepanel window of the H440 and I'd like the case to be rather small than huge.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
B

bandmaster3

Reputable
Feb 16, 2014
14
0
4,510
Hey Jacob,

Thank you for all your answers! I've just one question left before I buy the parts. You may know the answer or maybe someone else.
Will I be able to install Mac Os X (Hackintosh) on this system? Are the 4th-gen Ivy-E processors supported yet?

Bandmaster3
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Jacob McIntosh

Jacob McIntosh

Honorable
Aug 24, 2013
2,073
0
12,460
I don't know a bunch about the Mac OS, I've only used it a few times, but frow what these 3 threads say, it mey be possible, with an updated patch. Check them out, you certainly seem to know more about building a hackintosh that I do.

http://www.tonymacx86.com/desktop-compatibility/111759-intel-core-i7-4930k-asus-rampage-iv-extreme-hackintosh-2-630-3-570-a.html

http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/61962-4930k-motherboard/

http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/291831-asus-sabertooth-x79-ivy-bridge-e-4930k/
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
B

bandmaster3

Reputable
Feb 16, 2014
14
0
4,510
Ok, I have done some further research and checked the compatibility of my parts. It looks like the new 4th gen Ivy-Bridge-E aren't supported officially yet, but there is a workaround with a patched kernel. This patch is not needed anymore with the newest version of Mac OS X 10.9.2 which is said to come around in the next few weeks. So I'll wait a little bit, as I'll be using windows as my main OS anyways. I have ordered my parts and I should receive them within the next 2-3 weeks, as some parts like the NZXT Kraken X60 are not available right now in Switzerland. If you want I can post a picture of my finished build!

Thanks for your help Jacob!
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
B

bandmaster3

Reputable
Feb 16, 2014
14
0
4,510
Hey Jacob, here's an update!

I've actually still ended up with the ASUS Rampage IV Extreme Black Edition, as I was able to find quite a good deal. As for the case I got the NZXT Phantom 630, which is way bigger than I thought, but I really like it. I haven't received the NZXT Kraken X60 yet, so I'm not able to turn the PC on yet, but I will be installing it as soon as I get it.

Anyways here are some pictures of my build without the CPU cooler (and tell me what you think about my cable management) :

2wrp9nm.jpg

2nixqpz.jpg

15ntb2r.jpg
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts

Moderators online

Share this page

COMPANY
RESOURCES
FOLLOW
Top Bottom