First Build - Budget £1000-£1500 - Gaming/Streaming/Video Editing and 3D Modelling/Visuals etc

For AE and other pro apps, you need to factor in a cache SSD, and also think about what kind of backup system you're going to have. SSD hot-swap cloning? (that's what I do) Also think about mechanical storage if you're going to be accumulating rendered/captured video, etc. I try and acquire unused 2TB Enterprise SATA drives off eBay, bagged quite a few so far.

IMO the PSU is a bit on the low side for a system that's edging into pro task territory, but it'd be ok for the starter spec.

Also, have to say, with all those pro tasks listed, I wouldn't go for a midrange chipset anyway, but offhand I don't know if you have the budget for X99. Mind you, there's a heck of a lot of utility in used X79 kit if you're not going to bother with stuff like M.2 storage (my last 3930K was only 95 UKP, recent one went for 72), though locating a mbd is a tad more difficult these days even if they are cheap (I bagged an ASUS P9X79-E WS for 200, and a 4960X for 205 - item 112027937171).

Btw, my Thermaltake Toughpower 1475W XT Gold was only 105 off eBay (barely used item).

If you weren't talking about mixing gaming with pro tasks then I wouldn't mention such things, but really the extra cores would help for the apps you've listed, especially AE, and stuff like having separate cache SSDs is very important for AE. Also, pro tasks need big RAM, AE inparticular, 32GB makes much more sense (another plus for X79/X99), and I fit another SSD to hold the Windows paging file which can be very large (48GB for a system with 32GB RAM).

Good luck with Windows 10...

Btw, there are some decent 1440p monitors which are less costly now, but beware, some of the cheaper models are a bit finnicky. I bought an Acer 27" 1440p which has real problems handing a 1440p signal over HDMI, whereas my more expensive Dell U2711 (even across a 10m extension cable) handles it just fine.

Ian.

I think you should go GTX 1080 and definitely fast storage pcie or m.2 or 2.5 ssd with backup 2tb mechanical drive or more if you need. RAM is up to you. Personally I'd go 16 for now to save some money and later upgrade to 32. As for windows 10 its great. There is a few places you can get it fro about $30 for a key and you can download it from microsoft. I wouldn't get 7 now since Microsoft dropped support for older operating systems.

I say GTX 1080 because an overkill card now will last you longer. Plus if you ever go 4k this would be the perfect card. Also having a powerful card will help out a lot when editing videos for GPU rendering.

Mostly very good build.
Few points:
Cooler: have a look at Swiftech H220 and EK Predator - much higher quility
PSU: from EVGA, you want G2 or P2 PSUs, also check the Corsair RM650x (pick whatever cheaper among those 3).
Case: Fractal Design Define S - if you are not using optical drive - much cleaner (inside) look and great airflow

Reading ahead a little (and other replies), it doesn't look like your focus is sufficiently upon pro tasks atm to warrant consideration of the things I've suggested above and will explain further below, but do bare this info in mind for the future, and feel free to PM/email if you ever need any other info ahead.

I should mention that I've built a lot of systems of this kind, and am in the process of constructing another four at the moment, plus a budget-restricted mid-range quad-core system as a charity donation.


Scottishrequiem writes:
> Can I ask why this MOBO won't suffice, just so I can understand why you are
> suggestion a X79 or X99. I'm not that knowledgeable about MOBOs. So if you
> could elaborate that would be appreciated.

It's not that your example spec would not suffice (for getting started as you later described, it certainly would); rather, with an initial reading of your query, it sounded like pro tasks were fairly important to your needs, and in that regard top-end chipsets (and hence mbds) do offer significant advantages, including far greater PCIe expansion potential (40 PCIe lanes instead of only 16, an issue which may be much enhanced with Zen next year), multiple GPUs (four or more in many cases), advanced storage options, a much higher maximum RAM, access to XEONs with ECC if required (which means an even higher max RAM in many cases, and a lot more cores than the current limit of 4 for mainstream chipsets.

What bugs me about Intel's mainstream chipsets is that they haven't increased the no. of PCIe lanes in a very long time, and in some cases certain mbd features such as onboard power/reset buttons have actually regressed compared to older models (budget P55 models used to have them, yet many newer and more costly Z97 boards didn't, which is bizarre). With two GPUs fitted, most mbds in the mainstream category will impose restrictions on how one can make use of the rest of the mbd's features, with all sorts of lane sharing going on to support the various ports such as M.2 and suchlike. Top-end consumer boards don't have these restrictions, especially those which employ PLX switches or equivalent. The 2nd-hand ASUS board I obtained for 200 UKP (P9X79-E WS) has two PLX switches, meaning it can support four 2-slot GPUs at x16/x16/x16/x16, or in my case I plan on three and then use the other slot for a PCIe NVMe. Naturally, the more recent X99 has newer features such as M.2 and access to newer CPUs, but X99 is still too new for there to be much of a presence yet of used X99 mbds on the market. In time though...

Pro versions of top-end consumer chipsets (such as the ASUS WS series) are also certified to properly support professional PCIe cards, including FC, Infiniband, 10GigE, audio, SAS RAID, pro video boards, etc. Such mbds include the same overclocking features as the Rampage gamer series (my 3930K runs at 4.7), but err towards consideration of pro task support in other areas.

There is however please note a budget-determined middleground of affordability here for many people engaged in pro tasks between what they'd ideally like to have (dual-socket XEON system stuffed with Quadro/Tesla) and what they can realistically afford (souped-up consumer system, usually overclocked, fitted with sensible gamer cards). In some cases a user can't afford to buy all-new even for the latter, which is where I've aimed most of my efforts in recent years, ie. helping people make the best use of 2nd-hand hardware where it makes sense to obtain the best possible performance under a restricted budget for pro tasks such as After Effects, CAD, etc. Or indeed even gaming; a recent system I built for someone was a 5GHz i7 2700K on an ASUS M4E with 2x Samsung 850 Pro 512GB, the one all-new item being a 980 Ti (the SSDs were new, but obtained via normal auction, which saved about 90 UKP); using an older CPU oc'd (same performance as a stock 6700K) meant that a 980 Ti was affordable instead of just a 980.

AE is something I've focused on for a few years, including helping develop a CUDA benchmark to aid performance and stability testing of target platforms. An example of optimised spending was the use of GTX 580 cards which are particularly powerful for CUDA in AE, since just two of them are faster than a Titan at far less cost, the tradeoff being heat, power consumption and noise (in more recent times btw, 780 Tis are finally becoming a realistic upgrade option for those who are still using CS6, the version of AE which cannot use Maxwell for RT3D). Thus, for example, I obtained a 2nd-hand Quadro K5000 for someone buying an X79 system from me (saved him 850 UKP vs. new) and fitted it alongside two GTX 580s for additional CUDA power, resulting in a potent system for a decent price. They key was sourcing GPUs of the right type from eBay, along with other parts either used or new via normal auction (the K5000 was actually new, removed from a system that had been immediately upgraded upon purchase). The tradeoff of course if buying used is warranty cover, but careful choices can minimise such issues, eg. GSkill RAM is always covered, though often I buy them new anyway since larger kits (32GB+) don't tend to sell 2nd-hand for bargain prices anyway. Some items I usually always buy new, such as fans, BDRW, link cables, hot swap bays and other misc items. My own AE/CUDA research machine is a typical mix of used/new, a 3930K on a P9X79 WS with 64GB RAM and with four top-end GTX 580 3GB.


> The "pro tasks" are somethin I'll do for fun, I'm just learn some of these programs:

Hence my starting caveat above. If you're just in the learning phase of this then you certainly don't yet need the sort of build I've described, but it's worth pointing out that for the same cost you could certainly attempt such a setup, though it has to be said that luck can be a real factor sometimes, eg. last year I did particularly well obtaining a significant number of barely used or new Thermaltake Toughpower 1475W XT Gold PSUs all for much less than half their normal cost, ideal for top-end builds, which meant a significant saving to a buyer (about 150 UKP less than normal), but there are hardly any floating arounf just now. I also did well obtaining various mbds last year. Atm market supply has shifted, right now the main surplus is previous-gen 900 series NVIDIA GPUs, whereas mbds are fewer in number.

OTOH with respect to the mbd though, the latest models do at least provide newer features such as M.2, USB 3.1, etc. However, one reason I framed my initial reply in the way I did was because you mentioned fitting an 850 EVO, ie. effectively not making use of the mbd's newer M.2 anyway. If you're sticking with a mainstream chipset though, then it probably does make sense to buy all-new atm. Bizarrely, the value of 4-core SB CPUs actually seems to be rising just now, grud knows why (though at the same time, 6-core SB-Es are getting crazy cheap).

Even so, I still say you should get an extra SSD for the AE cache. I've done well on eBay for this sort of thing recently, bagged a couple of 840 Pro 256GB units for good prices.


> ... I know 32GB will be required but that' ssomething I'll get after the build.

Indeed, you could upgrade a mainstream mbd to 32GB before deciding somewhat later that having extra cores and other features was by that time desirable and hence consider a mbd switch.


> What's the issue with windows 10?

It's simply not as stable as Win 7 atm, and I personally do not like the nature of how it operates with regard to data collection, etc. It's also likely IMO that MS will move Win 10 to a subscription model at some point. However, factually speaking, only the stability issue is something I would mention as being something to ponder if one is doing pro tasks, though I know of many pro users who do worry about the other issues.

One thing btw, Win 7 is pretty cheap atm. There are loads of unused OEM 64bit Pro licenses available for about 45 UKP ($65) or less. I bought ten a while back.


> I kinda want a 1080p monitor for gaming, not entirely convinced with 1440p just
> yet as I keep hearing mixed reviews on lots of them, but definitely will want a 1440p
> for multitasking/"pro tasks" as bigger monitor will be a lot more useful for that

I can understand the hesitation about 1440p. I really do like the Dell I bought, but it was not cheap, the equivalent tech today is about 100 UKP cheaper.

However, if you are indeed going to be making use of any pro apps then may I suggest a sensible middleground, namely a 1920x1200 IPS. The additional screen height really does make a difference for pro apps, and honestly I like it a lot for gaming too, being able to see that extra bit higher into the scenery in Crysis or Elite Dangerous. 8) I bought my HP LP2475W back when such displays were still quite expensive (though ironically I recently bagged a very good condition used unit for just 50 UKP), but the tech has moved on a lot and modern products are much cheaper, with faster screens, etc.

Later I bought a Dell U2412M, which is still reasonably priced today. If you do go for 1080p though, then definitely get an IPS (you will hear comments from gamers who decry the higher refresh vs. TN, but the irony is that's a sensitivity problem they've created themselves, studies show that the more one is exposed to high-refresh and low latency screens, the less one can tolerate normal models that operate at the standard 60Hz). The narrow viewing angles of TN displays is really annoying for pro app work, and it's even worse if you ever go for a screen as large as 27". I bought a 27" TN 1080p for my brother for gaming, but with hindsight I wish I'd spent the extra on an IPS because his viewing angles from TN totally suck. For example, the 25" Acer G257HL IPS is quite cheap, though note that more expensive models do tend to be better for adjustment options and other features.

And I see there are various 27" 1080p IPS models that are reasonably priced too, such as the AOC I2769VM and DELL 27" P2717H. I also notice that the 27" models do appear to be a bit brighter, which is good, typically 300cd/m2 vs. just 250 for the 24" models.

The cheapest 27" 1440p IPS I'd consider is the 27" Asus PB278QR, though it's not much more for the Dell U2715H (but still a good chunk more than a 24" 1080p).

Oh, there's a 29" 2560x1080 IPS which is decently priced (wide format), namely the LG 29UB67. I don't know much about it though, not seen it before. Always check reviews before deciding (I usually consult trustedreviews.com and tftcentral.co.uk).

Hmm, I suppose I should mention one can get a 4K 27" IPS for surprisingly little these days (Acer B276HK), but I'm not sure I'd want 4K on a screen that small. Kinda decided that when I move up to 4K, it'll be at least a 32" model.

Ian.

Quick followup, an example of what I meant by good value on the used market, namely this auction which ended recently:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=162198101569&orig_cvip=true

Ian.

(sorry for the delay! Been tied up with family matters...)

Most welcome! Best wishes for your build! Only thing I'd still recommend though is a higher rated PSU.

Btw, here are some more good examples of what I meant about the value of used parts, check out some of my recent wins (these are eBay item numbers, though in some cases they're actually new items won via normal auction):

122209485082
142166716176
322300806135
322308064774
162247824057
331996136443
291903681097
182308526691
272401349443
122149698511
152251291887

I was particularly pleased with the 850 Pro 512GB for 112 UKP. 8) It's had barely any use.

I tested the first of the ASUS X79 boards this evening, with an i7 3970X (also bought used), works fine, fitted with a used GSkill 32GB/2133 (8x4GB) kit I won a while ago for a snip, and a top-end GTX 580 3GB (MSI Lightning Xtreme, ideal for testing PSUs with a heavy load).

As it happens though, I'm in the process of building an X99 system for someone atm as a favour, using an ASUS Rampage V Extreme USB3.1 and i7 6850K bought new from normal sources (the mbd was 414 UKP from Eclipse Computers, the CPU was 557 UKP a la item 331984324244), so it will be interesting to see what extra performance I get from the newer CPU, baring in mind the 3970X only cost about 200, ie. a used mbd/CPU X79 combo for approx 420 UKP vs. a new mbd/CPU X99 combo for 972 UKP (more than twice as much), each mbd being the top of the range for its respective CPU tech (check out the PCIe slot provision for the P9X79-E WS!).

I have a 3930K waiting for the 2nd P9X79-E WS I bought, but will be testing that later as alas the seller sent me a new ASUS P9D WS by mistake.

Btw, I've also bought a Samsung SM951 256GB to test functionality with older chipsets and Win7 (as a data drive rather than a boot drive, since the latter would require BIOS support), and the X99 setup will be on a 950 Pro 256GB so that'll be interesting working out how to get Win7 installed, compare boot times, etc.

Ian.

I wish I could assist (I'm sure you can tell from my earlier posts that I do so when I can), alas I'm swamped with family matters atm. I still reckon you're better off with X99, but the CPU costs are pretty crazy.

Comparing the two 1070 configs, the extra is definitely worth it. However, points to ponder (these refer to the X99/1080 list):

- The i7 6800K only has 28 PCIe lanes. If you never intend to setup multiple GPUs while also having more advanced storage then this doesn't matter, but do check the mbd specs for what port usage restrictions might exist when using a 6800K (this btw is why I like the older CPUs, SB-E/IB-E all have 40 lanes). Alas the 6850K, with 40 lanes, costs quite a lot more. I'm building someone an X99 setup atm with a 6850K, best price I could find was 557 UKP. As I say, unless you intend using multi-GPU plus other things at the same time in the future then the lesser 28 lanes of the 6800K likely won't matter, but do check to be sure, eg. on some boards fitting an M.2 device (if it has such a port) can restrict other options, that sort of thing (I checked; with a 6800K installed on that board, slot PCIE5 will run at x4 instead of x8). Oh, and yesterday I won an i7 3930K for 87.50 UKP (item 262699482618). Fancy comparing performance when your new system is ready?

- The mbd is ok, Asrock are a decent make, I have quite a few.

- The H100i is fine, I've used several, but the Corsair Link software (the feature the "i" refers to) can often clash with native mbd apps that monitor board/device temps. Overall, I found it worked better to just use the native mbd utilities to control the CPU cooler fans, not the Corsair sw, in which case buying the i-edition is a waste, just get the H100 which should be cheaper. Even more important though, if you do not intend to overclock the CPU then the H100 or H100i is overkill, just get an H80 instead (I've used loads), it'll save some. However, in all cases, I find Corsair's stock fans to be a bit loud under heavy load, so I replace them with NDS PWM, same or better cooling performance but way less noise (the saving from using an H80 would cover the extra for the fans). Or likewise, hunt for something used, eg. I bagged a larger H110 for an excellent price (item 182308526691) though the H110 is probably too large for your chosen case; I'll be using it with the P9X79-E WS and 3970X I mentioned before.


- RAM: X99 is quad-channel, you should buy a kit that has 4 modules, not 2. Buy this instead:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/G-SKILL-Ripjaws-F4-3200C16Q-16GVK-GBx4-Memory/dp/B013J7TS7Q/

though I bought the 32GB version for the build I'm doing (it's better per-GB value anyway, and more RAM is always good when working with Adobe apps):

https://www.amazon.co.uk/G-SKILL-Ripjaws-F4-3200C16Q-32GVK-GBx4-Memory/dp/B013J7UMVM/


- SSD: Samsung has greatly inflated the price of the 850 EVO since the start of 2016 (it became so popular, they simply didn't need to price it as low as it was, down to almost 100 back in mid-Jan), its cost now is kinda ridiculous, there are more sensible alternatives for less, or do what I did and hunt around, eg. I mentioned the 850 Pro 512GB I won for 112. SK Hynix is good, though having said that, Novatech's price for the EVO 500GB is on the more sensible side (some places have it far higher, eg. Scan lists it for 180, though Amazon's price is a less insane 150).


- HDD: One would have to be out of one's mind to trust any kind of pro task data to a Barracuda, they are nowhere near reliable enough. Please consider something better, spend the extra, it's worth it. Heck, I'd be happy to sell you one of the new Seagate Enterprise 2TB ES.3 disks I obtained for 70 (zero profit for me; note they normally cost 130 new). I just can't bare to think of someone risking their work on a Barracuda. Consumer drives are cheap for a reason. At the very least get a WD Black or somesuch. I know someone at the movie company MPC who told me they were once sent a batch of Barracuda drives by mistake (instead of the ES.2s they'd paid for), but nobody spotted the error and the disks were installed anyway; ALL of them died within a week.


- If you can manage the savings or extra in whatever manner, do consider getting a 2nd HDD to act as a backup. The biggest mistake people make with PC builds is not having a backup solution for their data. I can suggest some extras to make this easier with respect to the C-drive, but at the very least with a 2nd disk fitted one can use something like Macrium Reflect to create complete image dump files of the C-drive that can be used to restore the OS in the event of a total C-drive device splat. What I do is fit a 2-bay trayless hotswap unit so that one can insert a 2nd backup SSD, secure erase the backup SSD, clone the C-drive onto the backup SSD and then eject the backup SSD, all without having to power cycle the system at all. And of course the 2nd drive can just act as a manual backup of whatever is on the primary 2TB.


The rest of the spec is fine, especially the GPU, good choice for a 1080, I like EVGA.

Cheers!

Ian.

PS. Just had a thought re your user ID; where are you? I'm in Edinburgh, so feel free to drop by if you like, assuming you do live in Scotland.

Only just noticed this... 8)

So how did you get on in the end? What did you buy?

Ian.

PS. Ironically, I have an X99 system for sale atm, but it's total overkill for your needs.