Building Dedicated Music Production Computer(Pro Tools 11)

dmahota · Aug 2, 2016

Hi,

I am building a computer that will be dedicated to music production, specifically the program Pro Tools 11. I was going to buy a macbook pro but after some research I found out you really need a i7 quadcore to run pro tools flawlessly, and to get that on a macbook pro it costs around $1800. After seeing this I decided I could build a better computer for less, but I don't know much about this and was hoping you guys could help me.

I am hoping to stay around $1200 for budget, but quality is the most important thing to me. From my research on pro tools it looks like it is important to have a very good processor, lots of RAM, and a solid state drive.

Here is the computer I have put together. What do you guys think? Are there places where I have more expensive components then I need, or are there areas where I should invest more money?

Here is a link to the build I have started
http://pcpartpicker.com/list/x6ydm8

Thanks for your help,
Danny

Geekwad · Aug 3, 2016

I would consider making a few changes that add more RAM so you have no limits on virtual instruments, a backup 2tb drive for your main drives, higher resolution monitor to put more data on the screen, and a better power supply.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-6700 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($298.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: ASRock H170A-X1/3.1 ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($83.89 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 32GB (2 x 16GB) DDR4-2133 Memory ($112.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 500GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($143.00 @ Amazon)
Storage: Western Digital Blue 2TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive ($69.88 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($47.49 @ OutletPC)
Case: NZXT S340 (White) ATX Mid Tower Case ($64.69 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA G2 550W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($79.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM 64-bit ($85.89 @ OutletPC)
Monitor: AOC Q2778VQE 27.0" 60Hz Monitor ($250.98 @ Newegg)
Total: $1237.79
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

dmahota · Aug 3, 2016

Thank you so much for your quick response. Everything you said makes a lot of sense, and I will definitely be making the changes you recommended. Do you have personal experience with any of the parts you added? Quality is a big concern of mine.

Geekwad · Aug 3, 2016

All of those are extremely good quality parts, especially the drives. I've used many of them specifically, and at least all the manufacturers, and they are all solid.

The only thing you may need to add, if you need it, is a WiFi card. This one has good range and is compliant with the newest standard:

http://pcpartpicker.com/product/tTdqqs/gigabyte-wireless-network-card-gcwb867di

Other than that, if you're interacting with a mixer or other equipment in your studio and need extremely high quality, then a sound card with more I/O options may be something to consider:

https://www.asus.com/Sound-Cards/Essence_STX_II/

But very much depends on what your needs are.

dmahota · Aug 3, 2016

Thank you so much for all of your help! You have been incredibly helpful!

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