Want HD video&photo editing powerhouse, please comment on specs

[PinkGecko]

I'm trying to catch up with all the latest hardware ifs and buts, but it seems I'll be at it forever.

In order of preference, the computer will be used for:
*high volumes higher end photo editing (possibly Lightroom) and HD video editing (possibly Cyberlink PowerDirector, Corel VideoStudio or Adobe)
*HDMI connection to HD TV to watch movies/bluray
*gaming (mostly medal of honour)

I don't want to sit with a machine that hangs up on the first HD movie I try to import, and I don't want to overkill (too much) either. But rather overkill than upgrade next year.

Let's pretend that money grows on trees and that budget is not an issue. Here's what I have so far - please fire at will.


*i7 3000k processor
*RADEON R6870 graphics card (very clueless here)
*System disk SSD 320 series 120gb
*Storage disk 2TB SATA
*Is scratch disk necessary? SSD?
*Z68 motherboard (totally clueless here)
*8GB DDR3 ram
*750W power supply
*Win 7 64bit
*bluray reader/writer

 

[edvalens]

You need to read up on some of the video requirements - try here at VideoGuys DIY9:
http://www.videoguys.com/Guide/E/Videoguys+DIY9+Its+Time+for+Sandy+Bridge+E/0xe9b142f408a2b03ab88144a434e88de7.aspx
if you go Z68, you might as well do i7-2600k CPU, you have to use a HD for scratch disk, you should double the memory. - just some suggestions (DIY8 is more appicable to your situation).

 

[PinkGecko]

Thanks edvalens. I must admit I am COMPLETELY lost when it comes to graphics cards.

Would you recommend 3x HDD in total? One scratch, one system, one store? Or can the store disk or system disk double as scratch disk?

 

[juniiflow]

Budget?

 

[mourice12]

Here is what you need broski

Intel i7 3930k( 3960X is useless)
Asus or Gigabyte X79 Socket 2011 mobo
Video Card - AMD Radeon 7870 or 7950
128gb SSD
2x2tb HDD
16gb DDR3 1600 or 1866 Ram Kingston, Corsair or G.skill
Seasonic, Corsair, CM pro silent 850w PSU
blu ray reader/writer

Thats what you need for an epic system broski, thats what i would build and i do TONS of video editing

 

[PinkGecko]

Here is what you need broski

Intel i7 3930k( 3960X is useless)
Asus or Gigabyte X79 Socket 2011 mobo
Video Card - AMD Radeon 7870 or 7950
128gb SSD
2x2tb HDD
16gb DDR3 1600 or 1866 Ram Kingston, Corsair or G.skill
Seasonic, Corsair, CM pro silent 850w PSU
blu ray reader/writer

Thats what you need for an epic system broski, thats what i would build and i do TONS of video editing

Thanks, that looks like a shove in the right direction!

OK going for X79 mobo makes sense with the i7 3930. You say 3960x is useless - in what respect?
Will 3820 cut it at all?

And on the video card - where does 7870 or 7950 beat R6870?

 

[mourice12]

Well the 3960X is 1100 dollars compared to 600. When the only difference is a higher clock on the 3960X. So recommending one is quite silly since its just throwing away money.

The 3820 is the entry lvl jump into the x79 platform, it doesnt have any benefits over say the i7-3770k except for the platform that it uses. Its a quad core with HT same as the Ivy Bridge and Sandy Bridge CPU's you just get the added benefits from the x79 platform.

Yes the R7950 and 7870 beat the R6870. The 7950 and 7870 are the new architecture from AMD offering better GPU performance along with less power draw and heat. And offer really good performance for the price. plus the 7950 has 3gb of ram which will come in handy on rendering jobs.

 

[edvalens]

Legit Reviews has a nice article on a system that with some mods would fit what you want to do - complete with benchmarks. You could go to aircooled with a bigger case and smaller SSD and two HDs for your needs also a smaller PSU (maybe 500W). The graphics card they chose is the one you want. Maybe $2000 or so at the end of the day. Here is the link:How To Build a Water Cooled Mini-ITX SFF PC w/ Ivy Bridge & Kepler http://www.legitreviews.com/article/1922/1/

 

[edvalens]

Of course you would have to use a different mobo, but that's the idea.

 

[mourice12]

i dont think a 500w PSU would cut it, never go with what you can get away because PSU's degrade over time and sometimes dont put out what they are rated for. Always get more PSU than you to need to keep a hard load of ur PSU and burning it out and causing it to degrade even faster

 

[PinkGecko]

Thanks, I think I am slowly moving away from being technically impaired to knowing the difference between RAM and HDD *LOL*

OK here's what in my basket at the moment:

*Win 7 Pro 64 bit
*BluRay
*Mobo: MSI X79
*Processor: Want i7 3930k, can afford i7 3820
*Graphics card: want Radeon 7950, can afford R6870
*RAM: 16GB DDR3 Corsair (or maybe Kingston, depending on stock)
*System disk: 256GB SSD
*Data disk: 1 x 2TB, expanding to 2 x 2TB when budget allows
*Case: want Aerocool devil red strike, only have space for Antec 1200
*Power supply: 750W

Any major flaws here (apart from not having enough $$$ )?

 

[mourice12]

Looks good man real good, oh due to the new AMD catalyst drivers the 7870 that is $350 is almost and i mean almost as powerful as the 7950, like just 2-3 fps slower

 

[PinkGecko]

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