Need help with system configuration

[nightshadow1]

Hello,
Hello,

I've been doing a lot of research for the past couple of months in order to configure a new system (I will not be building it myself), which I will be ordering it from Digital Storm, an online computer company; however, I would really appreciate some of you experts checking the configuration I have set up before I place the order.

I am not a gamer. My computer is used primarily for graphics, mainly with Corel Painter 12 and an older version of Paint Shop Pro. I also teach Painter 12 and when I'm writing lessons, I often have open:

Painter 12
Open Office writer
Snag-it 7
EditPad (a text editor)
Google Chrome (sometimes with 5 or 6 tabs)

So I need a system which is capable of running Painter 12 without any slowdown from some of the new brushes and also capable of some heavy multi-tasking. Here is the configuration I have chosen:

Case: Cooler Master 942 HAF X
Processor: Intel Core i5 3570K 3.40 GHz Quad
Core
Motherboard: ASUS SABERTOOTH Z77
Ram: 16GB DDR3 1600MHz Corsair Dominator DHX
Power Supply: 750W Corsair HX
Hard Drives: 2 1TB Western Digital Caviar Black set up for Raid 1 mirror
Optical Drive 1: Blu-Ray & DVD Writer/Reader
Optical Drive 2: DVD-R/RW/CD-R/RW
GPU : 1x NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570 1.2GB
Extra PCI card: USB 3.0 4-Port PCI Express Card
AIR: Stage 1: High Performance Cooler
Chassis Airflow: Chassis Upgraded With Zalman Performance Fans
Noise reduction package (important to me, I hate excess noise)
Standard Intel Turbo Boost 2.0 Automatic Overclocking
OS: Microsoft Windows 7 Professional 64 bit

I have the option to upgrade the processor to the Intel Core i7 3770K 3.50 GHz quad core for an additional $182, but I'm not sure if this is something I need, or if it will be more processing power than I need. I would really appreciate some input on this system. Thanks in advance.

Elaina

 

[TheBigTroll]

your programs look awfully non demanding

if you get this built yourself, you save 200 dollars most likely
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/ihHA

and this
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814133353

-you wont need overclocking if you are doing work
-you defintily dont need a sabertooth
-the haf x is not for silence, rather moving a ton of air and housing lots of fans (loud)
-dominator is a rip off
-you only really need one dvd drive and ODDs are dying out
-their so called high performance cooler might just be the stock heatsink
-more fans = more noise no matter how you put it
- you defintily dont need 750w since one video card is more than enough

also heres a build with overclocking abilities
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/ihIb

i put a quadro card as the graphics card as it could be useful but really depends if your program can take advantage of the processing power. specwise, it looks inferior to the gtx570 but nvidia twaked the drivers to unlock all its compute power unlike the 570 where they only use the card to increase fps in games

 

[nightshadow1]

Hi,

Thank you for the input.

your programs look awfully non demanding

Actually, Corel Painter 12 is a very demanding program, especially when creating large and multi-layered images, but it doesn't use much of the processing power of the GPU. The card I chose is from a list Adobe supplies for Photoshop CS6 users, and the only one from that list which I can afford. Since Corel doesn't supply any such list I figured if the card would work for CS6 it would also work for Painter.

if you get this built yourself, you save 200 dollars most likely

I know, but building it myself is out of the question, trust me on this.

When ordering a pre-built, one only has the options offered by the company which is going to build the system.

The case: The computer is located in an area where it can get warm, and we have no carpets, so I need a case with good air circulation and fan filters. I don't know if the case you're suggesting would keep things cool enough, but it's irrelevant since I don't have that case as one of my options.

The less expensive cases available for me to choose from are:

Cooler Master Elite 430
Cooler Master Storm Trooper
Corsair 600T
Corsair 650D
Corsair Carbide 300R
Corsair Carbide 400R
Corsair Carbide 500R
Ironclad
Maelstrom
SilverStone Raven 2

Evidently I need to go back and research more cases...I'm getting a headache...lol. :lol:

My choice in Motherboards was the Sabertooth or these:

ASUS P8Z77-M PRO
ASUS P8Z77-V LX

Choosing a Motherboard is not something within my scope of knowledge, because the explanations get way too technical. Frankly, I chose the Sabertooth because in the description the phrase ""Ultimate COOL!" Thermal Solution" kept being repeated...sigh

I would like to know why you chose the i7-3770k processor over the i5 3570K 3.40 GHz Quad. I know the 3770k is faster and it's also 6-core, but oddly, sometimes more cores create problems with Painter 12...so much so, that the program actually has a setting to reduce the number of cores being accessed. I've been going back and forth over the choice between the two processors for a while.

 

[g-unit1111]

your programs look awfully non demanding

if you get this built yourself, you save 200 dollars most likely
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/ihHA

and this
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814133353

-you wont need overclocking if you are doing work
-you defintily dont need a sabertooth
-the haf x is not for silence, rather moving a ton of air and housing lots of fans (loud)
-dominator is a rip off
-you only really need one dvd drive and ODDs are dying out
-their so called high performance cooler might just be the stock heatsink
-more fans = more noise no matter how you put it
- you defintily dont need 750w since one video card is more than enough

also heres a build with overclocking abilities
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/ihIb

i put a quadro card as the graphics card as it could be useful but really depends if your program can take advantage of the processing power. specwise, it looks inferior to the gtx570 but nvidia twaked the drivers to unlock all its compute power unlike the 570 where they only use the card to increase fps in games

I completely agree with everything Troll said so far. I'd be really cautious about that CPU fan as well - it could be the stock fan or it could be some off, junk brand like Ultra or Apevia, etc.

Choosing a Motherboard is not something within my scope of knowledge, because the explanations get way too technical. Frankly, I chose the Sabertooth because in the description the phrase ""Ultimate COOL!" Thermal Solution" kept being repeated...sigh

You're paying $100 more for something that's nothing more than a marketing gimmick. That is all the Sabertooth Z77 is. It's overrated and very expensive for what you get. Those plastic covers are the PC equivalent of a car salesman putting undercoating on your new car. You can get a full featured board that's $100 less.

The less expensive cases available for me to choose from are:

Cooler Master Elite 430
Cooler Master Storm Trooper
Corsair 600T
Corsair 650D
Corsair Carbide 300R
Corsair Carbide 400R
Corsair Carbide 500R
Ironclad
Maelstrom
SilverStone Raven 2

Out of those choices I'd go for the Corsair 300R or Silverstone Raven. I have a Silverstone HTPC case and it's built like a tank - very nice.

 

[TheBigTroll]

the 3770k is 4 cores but with 8 threads. 8 threads are very managable nowadays

i dont see why you dont want to build it yourself. im a 14 year old and i can do it in 3hrs or so. i seriously suggest building it yourself

the sabertooth armour probably makes the board run hotter given it traps the components inside a enclosure. the pro is a better option.

 

[nightshadow1]

the 3770k is 4 cores but with 8 threads. 8 threads are very managable nowadays

i dont see why you dont want to build it yourself. im a 14 year old and i can do it in 3hrs or so. i seriously suggest building it yourself

the sabertooth armour probably makes the board run hotter given it traps the components inside a enclosure. the pro is a better option.

Okay, if not the sabertooth, then which of these:
ASUS P8Z77-M PRO
ASUS P8Z77-V LX

If I was a 14 year old, I'd probably try to build it myself too, but I'm a 69 year old grandmother. I don't have the time, the strength, or the know how. That's just too much of a learning curve for me at this point in my life, not to mention, I'm not interested in learning how to do it.

If you want to come to Florida and build it for me, you're welcome to do so.

 

[nightshadow1]

Sorry Troll...you already answered about the Mobo...I missed it.

I'll go ahead and order the Asus Pro. Re the processor, someone told me it was 6 core, or maybe I'm getting it confused with one of the other Ivy Bridge processors. I've been pretty much eating and sleeping system specs now for over two weeks and this is the third time I've researched a new system. Like I said, my head hurts.

Thanks for you input. I will reconfigure the system.

 

[TheBigTroll]

none of the components weigh more than 5 pounds (the case is 10 but all you need to do is turn it flat and screw in the motherboard and the rest of the stuff is tooless)

watch this and they will teach you how to build a computer. really easy. if it doesnt fit, it wont fit. pretty much the moto.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?annotation_id=annotation_92066&feature=iv&src_vid=lPIXAtNGGCw&v=d_56kyib-Ls

i live in canada. florida is pretty far

 

[nightshadow1]

watch this and they will teach you how to build a computer. really easy.

I appreciate your faith in me, but it's just not my thing. Not everyone can do everything. I can teach, I can cook very well, I can sew, and many other things...playing around with anything mechanical...not so much. Tell you what. I'll send the link to my husband...maybe he'll bite. :lol:

Good night, and thank you again.

Elaina
p.s. My brother-in-law and his wife live on Ward's Island.