build ready 3D/architectural drafting PC, looking for final ipnut

dexting · Jul 30, 2014

I am new to building PC's, but have done a lot of research and have come up with a decent rig. I would love some input from people with more experience with his sort of thing. The programs I use are: - Most of the adobe creative suite (adobe CC), relying heavily upon illustrator, photoshop, indesign, after effects, premiere, and muse. - Vectorworks/renderworks - cinema 4D, maya, rhino, a few other auto cad programs - I use sketch up pro A LOT, with 3d plugins like vary and podium, etc. - additionally I use ableton, and a few other sound comp/mixing programs.

I just want to make sure my PC will be powerful enough, and also that I am not getting anything unnecessary. I've already got a mouse and a copy of windows 8. My budget is $1500 MAX, so I've included my pcpartspicker list with that in mind.
CPU Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor $322.99 @ NCIX US
Motherboard MSI Z97-G55 SLI ATX LGA1150 Motherboard $88.99 @ Newegg
Memory Crucial Ballistix Sport 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory $139.99 @ Micro Center
Storage Crucial MX100 256GB 2.5" Solid State Drive $109.99 @ SuperBiiz
Storage Seagate Barracuda 3TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive $99.99 @ Amazon
Video Card EVGA GeForce GTX 770 2GB Dual Superclocked ACX Video Card $296.98 @ Newegg
Case Corsair 330R ATX Mid Tower Case $79.99 @ Amazon
Power Supply Corsair CX 600W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply $49.99 @ NCIX US
Monitor Asus VN248H-P 23.8" Monitor $134.99 @ Newegg
Monitor Asus VN248H-P 23.8" Monitor $134.99 @ Newegg
Total
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available $1458.89

Thanks for your time, I am this close to making the purchase, but I would love for a professional to weigh in on this.

numanator · Jul 30, 2014

You have an overclocking CPU and mobo so I am assuming that you plan to overclock the CPU. If you want to OC your CPU then you should look at getting a CPU cooler, something like the Noctua NH-D14 is great (but big). For a more mild OC the Cooler Master 212 Evo is a good choice.

Also the corsair CX series is not great quality, you should try for a Antec, XFX or Seasonic PSU. The only good Corsair PSUs are the AX/HX/TX series, the other series use chinese capacitors that fail easily.

This is a good PSU alternative:
Power Supply: XFX 650W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($49.99 @ NCIX US)

dexting · Jul 30, 2014

Thanks for the prompt reply!

Actually, the CPU was at the suggestion of a friend. I'm not so certain that I want to overclock, as I want this build to last for some time. If i don't ultimately choose to overclock, would you recommend I pursue another CPU? I'm not sure if it's a waste if I don't use it to overclock.

numanator · Jul 30, 2014

If you are unsure if you will overclock then you can keep the 4790k and the z97 mobo. If you don't plan on overclocking for sure then the 4790k +z97 is a bit wasted (money wise). For a non-OC build I would look at getting a H97 motherboard and a Xeon E3 1231v3 or 1241v3. The Xeon CPUs are also supposed to be binned for reliability since Intel markets them as server/workstation CPUs. The major difference between an i7 and the Xeon E3s is that the Xeon E3 does not have integrated graphics.

Looking at the price for the Z97 mobo you picked out, it looks cheaper than most H97 mobos so no reason to change it.

dexting · Jul 30, 2014

numanator :

I took your advice and swapped out the power supply, and also grabbed the xeon. I just want to confirm, that leaving the Z97 mobo in the build will be fine? It's compatible and affordable, just want to make sure I'm not screwing myself to save a few bucks.

Thanks again

numanator · Jul 30, 2014

Yeah, the Z97 is totally fine with the Xeon. Typically the H97 mobos are cheaper since they are missing some features that the Z97 mobos typically have but they have the same compatibility. Just double checked and the Xeon E3 1231v3 and 1241v3 are on the mobo's compatability list.

Double check that the Xeon you grabbed is on the 1150 socket since there is a Xeon E3 1230 (no v3) that is on the 1155 socket which would not work. Also make sure you pick up the Xeon E3 1230v3 or higher since the 1220v3/1225v3 do not have hyperthreading.

dexting · Jul 30, 2014

numanator :

Again, thanks for the prompt reply. Just checked everything out. I grabbed this model http://pcpartpicker.com/part/intel-cpu-bx80646e31241v3 and it supports the FCLGA1150 socket.
I had no clue about the hyperthreading so thank you for bringing that to my attention. The Xeon E3-1241 V3 is a higher than the 1220v3/1225v3 so I should be good to go!

Thanks for everything! If you've got any other suggestions or pieces of advice, I'm all ears.

dexting · Jul 30, 2014

numanator :

There is one other thing that I am on the fence about. A lot of my research tells me to have multiple hard drives (possibly with a RAID configuration) in the event that one of them fails, instead of the 3TB hard drive that I have. Do you have any advice on this? I'm now leaning towards multiple drives, however I do own a few 1TB external hard drives that I intend to use back up important files.

numanator · Jul 30, 2014

No problem.

One thing you should double check on is what GPU architecture your software utilizes. Some software takes advantage of the CUDA cores in the Nvidia GPUs while other Software utilizes OpenCL with AMD GPUs. Knowing which one benefits you most will help.

dexting · Jul 30, 2014

numanator :

The software I use utilizes OpenCL. I've read people recommend either option, but it seems in general the industry is moving towards OpenCL.

Basically any graphic card that supports OpenGL 1.5 or higher. I don't think I need to make any changes based on this information but please, correct me if I am wrong. Not 100% though, but I'm looking into it for each piece of software I use. Should be OpenCL for everything.

Do you think I should get a cheap cooler? It doesn't seem necessary.

wachuko · Jul 31, 2014

Not to throw a monkey wrench... but I built a computer just for this... here is what I went for and some comments on it:

This is the final list of parts that will be in the system:

PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/FC4VmG
Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/FC4VmG/by_merchant/

CPU: Intel Core i7-4930K 3.4GHz 6-Core Processor ($549.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D14 SE2011 CPU Cooler ($73.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Asus P9X79 ATX LGA2011 Motherboard ($229.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 16GB (4 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($169.99 @ Micro Center)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 16GB (4 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($169.99 @ Micro Center) - I went with a total of 32Gig of ram... you can get away with 16 and save some $ here...
Storage: Samsung 850 Pro Series 256GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($199.99 @ Amazon) - A must for OS and key programs to have them load as fast as possible.
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Green 3TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive ($105.99 @ NCIX US) - I have a QNAP NAS (569L) to store everything... I suggest you do the same. This is just for temporary local storage
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 770 4GB WINDFORCE Video Card ($359.99 @ Newegg) - You are correct about OpenCL... but a lot of the programs I currently have benefit from NVIDIA... going with this card I get the benefit of both
Case: Cooler Master HAF 932 Blue ATX Full Tower Case ($156.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair Professional AX750W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($149.99 @ TigerDirect)
Optical Drive: Asus BC-12B1ST/BLK/B/AS Blu-Ray Reader, DVD/CD Writer ($55.90 @ OutletPC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 - 64-bit (OEM) (64-bit) ($95.98 @ OutletPC)
Speakers: Genius SP-HF1800A 50W 2ch Speakers ($72.31 @ Mwave) - Well... the kids made me do it. They want to use the computer to play a few games as well...
Monitor: ViewSonic VG2436wm-LED 24.0" Monitor
Keyboard: Gigabyte GK-OSMIUM Wired Gaming Keyboard ($109.99 @ Amazon) - (There are better alternatives, only went with this one due to the blue light that it has... )
Mouse: Gigabyte GM-KRYPTON Wired Laser Mouse ($47.28 @ Amazon) (There are better alternatives, only went with this one due to the blue light that it has... a track ball like the ones from Logitech would be better)

numanator · Jul 31, 2014

dexting :

I'm not much of an expert on backup solutions but I do know that RAID configurations are not good for backups.Perhaps someone else could help you out in that regard. You would probably get a better response posting a new question about backups on the storage forum.

wachuko · Jul 31, 2014

You still need a method to backup your critical information to protect you from system failures... Raid is a good option for increasing the reliability of your information... reason why I recommended using a NAS with Raid 5 as a storage solution. But you will still need to make a back up to DVD/Blu-ray of any sensitive data as a safe guard. And test that you can retrieve the information!!

numanator :

Cophyor · Jul 31, 2014

Get 2 or 3 GTX 580 and sli them. This GPU is a beast for rendering!
Its cheaper and much more powerful than GTX 770 (for rendering purposes). Trust me, i've done lot of research
Check this link if you want to see the benchmark
http://furryball.aaa-studio.eu/products/benchmarks.html

dexting · Jul 31, 2014

wachuko :

Thanks for the input. After reading your build, I reconsidered mine extensively. I am open to sinking another $100-$200 into my build, i'm just not sure where that would best be spent.
Here is my current build:

CPU Intel Xeon E3-1241 V3 3.5GHz Quad-Core $269.98
Motherboard MSI Z97-G55 SLI ATX LGA1150 $78.99
Memory Crucial Ballistix Sport 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 $149.99
Storage Crucial MX100 256GB 2.5" SSD $104.99
Seagate Barracuda 3TB 3.5" 7200RPM $101.98
Video Card EVGA GeForce GTX 770 2GB Dual Superclocked ACX $309.99
Case Corsair 330R ATX Mid Tower $79.99
Power Supply XFX 650W ATX12V / EPS12V $54.99
Monitor Asus VN248H-P 23.8" $187.58
Asus VN248H-P 23.8" $187.58
Keyboard A4Tech 3100N w/Optical Mouse $25.27
Total: $1551.33

I worry that I'll encounter a CPU horsepower bottleneck. I want optimal performance out of my card, and after seeing your core, I'm thinking I should perhaps send some more money and get a more powerful CPU. If there is one place for me to spend more money to see a better performance, I think that would be it. What do you think?

With your comments in mind:
- I'm going to start with 16GB ram, as I do intend to upgrade this build over time and will eventually have at least 32GB.
- I'm looking into the QNAP, good advice.
- I'm baffled what to do with my video card. I could spend a little more money and grab two more GB like you have done, I just can't find any comparisons to see what sort of difference I will experience in performance. I'm not sure if this is worth it. Thoughts? Also, Cophyor suggested below that I get two or 3 GTX 580 and SLI them. I never considered this. It would be more expensive than the current card I have, but worried that the CPU I currently have will limit their performance anyways, so if I go this route, or if I buy the same video card that you have, will I have to get a more powerful CPU regardless?

That's my main concern, bumping up my video card(s) with a CPU that won't fully take advantage of their capabilities.

And thanks for your comments. I was this close to buying everything, but fortunately I only purchased the monitors.
-

dexting · Jul 31, 2014

Cophyor :

Hey,

Thanks for giving me your input. I never considered SLI. It's a great idea. I think it'll be more expensive than my current set up, but I checked the benchmarks and you are correct. My main concern with upping the performance of my video card is that the CPU I currently have may (I'm not certain) limit their performance anyways, so if I go this route, will I have to get a more powerful CPU regardless?

Thanks again, I do appreciate the input as this is unknown territory for me.

dexting · Jul 31, 2014

wachuko :

You still need a method to backup your critical information to protect you from system failures... Raid is a good option for increasing the reliability of your information... reason why I recommended using a NAS with Raid 5 as a storage solution. But you will still need to make a back up to DVD/Blu-ray of any sensitive data as a safe guard. And test that you can retrieve the information!!

numanator :

I think I'm going to stick with the 3TB HD for now, and eventually buy the QNAP 569L + multiple HDD to make the RAID 5 setup. The QNAP is expensive and plus the drives raises the price quite a bit. Definitely want to do this, but in time. For now I think I'll have to stick to manually backing up my files to external HDs.

wachuko · Jul 31, 2014

dexting :

Nothing wrong with a phase approach. I have mine for all the data that is managed at home... so all my music, movies, etc. is stored there. I only do backup of the photos, drawings, and documents... everything else I can recover from DVD, Blu-Ray, CDs... Again, just make sure you backup to another media all your critical documents/data. Here what my setup ended looking like:

dexting · Jul 31, 2014

wachuko :

Whoa. Excellent set up!

I'm seriously considering grabbing the GTX 770 4GB WINDFORCE Video Card you got. However, my CPU & motherboard are considerably cheaper than yours. Would it even be worth my getting the windforce with my current MOBO & CPU? Should I look into upgrading either my CPU or MOBO? Perhaps both? To get the most out of the software I use, it seems like having a powerful CPU is priority.

I'm willing to spend another $200, I'm just not sure where the best place to put that is. Considering it seems like you use similar programs, I'm hoping that you can point me in the right direction.

numanator · Jul 31, 2014

The 4gb gtx 770 will only be fully utilized if you are working/playing games at a higher resolution than 1080p or if you plan to SLI another gtx 770 4gb into the build to add some GPU power. If you feel you need more graphical power then you could go for a gtx 780 3gb or an i7 4790k for it's higher CPU clock speed (though personally, I feel that the extra 500 mhz isn't worth the extra $60-70)

build ready 3D/architectural drafting PC, looking for final ipnut

Reputable

Honorable

Reputable

Honorable

Reputable

Honorable

Reputable

Reputable

Honorable

Reputable

Distinguished

Honorable

Distinguished

Reputable

Reputable

Reputable

Reputable

Distinguished

Reputable

Honorable

Share this page