New Build $3000-$7000 Workstation

Asiel

Honorable
Aug 27, 2012
47
0
10,530
Hi

Trying to narrow down best choices for a Workstation.
After doing more research I think I'm getting closer to what I need.

Approximate Purchase Date: Early December, or even January 2013.

Budget Range: $3000 - $7000 (Don't think I want to spend more than 7k)

System Usage: Mainly for 3D and video editing.

-Compositing software (Nuke, After Effects etc)
-Adobe suite (Premiere Pro, After Effects, Photoshop etc)
-Maya
-3DS Max
-Cinema4d
-Vue
-Poser
-Zbrush
-Real flow
-Autodesk Smoke
-Houdini

Are you buying a monitor: No

Parts to Upgrade: CPU, RAM, PSU, Video card, and casing.

Do you need to buy OS: Yes. Windows 7.

Location: Canada, Ontario.

Parts Preferences: I've always liked Asus, and Intel. (Mobo, CPU)

Overclocking: Maybe

SLI or Crossfire: SLI, for future use.

I'm looking for a mobo with 2 CPU slots (Xeon), I'd like a 6 core Xeon but if I can get an 8 core that would be great. Going for 1 CPU right now, to fit into budget.

I've been looking at HP Z800 workstations, but I believe I can built one myself for less...

VIDEO CARD

Seem to be undecided here. Been looking at the Nvidia Quadro 6000, and I am not sure if the price justifies performance.
I read two lower end (gaming) cards in SLI can perform the same...
Does the Nvidia Quadro 6000 justify it's price? I just don't know if it's worth it.
On the Nvidia website they recommend certified systems for their video card. How important is that, or is it just a way to promote another company, or just the systems they tested their video cards in?
Deciding factor for me is in render times. The faster the job gets done, the more productive I can be.

All suggestions and advice welcome!


Thanks

 

g-unit1111

Titan
Moderator


Yeah I'd definitely second the K5000 - it's a new platform based on NVIDIA's excellent Keppler technology and uses less power at that.
 

Asiel

Honorable
Aug 27, 2012
47
0
10,530
Interesting. The K5000 looks good, way more cores and higher clock speeds.
Has less ram, but how much of a difference would that really make?
What else makes the K5000 better than the Q6000?
I guess it's still the same question... Does the price justify the performance for these Nvidia cards?

 
I haven't seen the reviews of the new cards yet (and haven't tested them myself yet), but more applications are optimized for the older fermi architecture. I don't think the 6000 can justify its price with its performance either. I would go with the 5000 myself. I am in the middle of testing a 570GTX as its the best value for pro apps that I use. It only has 1.2GB of memory though, you may want more than that for the apps you run (I haven't used several of them). Some of those apps may have drivers especially written for them and that makes the pro cards much faster sometimes.
 

Asiel

Honorable
Aug 27, 2012
47
0
10,530
Great benchmark for the video cards!
Does seem the Nvidia cards may not justify the cost...
Makes sense about the older fermi architecture.


How about mobo? (2 sockets, with upto 512 Ram) CPU?(6 or 8 core) Casing that the mobo will fit into...





 


I reading some pretty rough reviews of that board. I don't have any personal experience with dual cpu boards, so I will let someone else chime in on that. If I had to recommend a board it would be single cpu and it would be this one http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157327 It has everything you could ever want in a board (although I would get a separate sound card, I don't like Creative). Cpu would be this one http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819117272 You would need really good cooling for that cpu though (not as much as two cpus would be though).