First PC Build Opinions

[shutout33]

I am trying to build a PC for my fiance that will be used for Graphic Design. Since this is the first time I have tried to build a system and I would love some opinions about the parts that I picked out.

She uses the Adobe Creative Cloud suite specifically InDesign, Illustrator, Flexi, and Photoshop. I'm trying to keep it under $1100 including the monitor

This is what I have:
CPU - Intel i5-4690 Haswell
GPU - Nvidia Quadro K620
MOBO - MSI Z97 PC Mate LGA 1150
RAM - Corsair Vengeance LP 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3 1600
SSD - Mushkin Enhanced ECO2 240GB
HDD - Western Digital Blue 1TB 7200 RPM
OS - Windows 10 Home
PSU - RAIDMAX Cobra RX-500-AF-B
Case - Rosewill Challenger
Wireless Adapter - SEDNA PCI Wireless LAN Adapter
Monitor - Samsung S24E310HL

Thanks for the help.

 

[Niklas_13]

https://pcpartpicker.com/user/Niklas_13/saved/#view=GpqTwP

 

[shutout33]

Niklas_13

From what I read, the Nvidia Quadro series GPUs are designed to accelerate Adobe, and other professional applications. Would spending an extra $170 on the MSI Radeon R9 390 8GB Video Card be worth the money? Would that money be better spent upgrading to a higher level Quadro card like the K2000?

Also, how big is the difference between the i5-6600k you recommended and the i5-4690 I picked out?

 

[Niklas_13]

First off I picked the i7 6700 not a i5. The i7 would be alot better for rendering photos especially if you're doing more than one or at a time.

For photoshop work IMO your monitor is the most important

Cpu power

Ram

Ssd

Store

Then gpu , most gpu build into the cpu now days is enough for photoshop, unless she will be doing CAD work

 

[shutout33]

First off I picked the i7 6700 not a i5. The i7 would be alot better for rendering photos especially if you're doing more than one or at a time.

For photoshop work IMO your monitor is the most important

Cpu power

Ram

Ssd

Store

Then gpu , most gpu build into the cpu now days is enough for photoshop, unless she will be doing CAD work

Ah, I misread your parts list. I just found this page.

It actually shows the new i5 outperforming the i7 on the Adobe CC suite. But they are both way ahead of the processor I originally chose.

She isn't doing CAD work, but a lot of her projects do get pretty big. For example, she works with raw format photos which range from 10-20 times the size of a normal jpeg. Her Illustrator and InDesign files can get even larger. Adobe has said that their programs benefit from CPU most but GPUs help. If I get the i5-6600k I would still have about $200 left compared to the i7 you recommended. Is there a specific GPU you would recommend for that price? Or maybe a little cheaper so I can get some more RAM too.

 

[Niklas_13]

Yes with windows 10 it shows for Adobe cc the i7 6700k and i5 6600k to be are par , keep in mind with the Ks you will need a cpu cooler so 30 bucks more

The i5 6600k has a built-in gpu that might be enough for you.
You can alway add one at a latter time.

IMO 16 gigs of ram min

The gtx 960 also has Cube support

 

[Stysner]

Drop the Quadro, get a medium or low end gaming card (unless she really needs the Quadro). Get a better monitor, a quality IPS (preferably 1920x1200) is so much nicer for graphic design work.

Also if it fits the budget go for an i7, it'll help a LOT in image processing and rendering stuff, as well as just being better at multitasking (what graphic designers often do) across the board.

For your budget, I'd say your priorities should be:

1) The monitor. Get a good IPS panel. Yes they're expensive but it does help a LOT with graphical design work, especially for print.
2) i7, it will really help.
3) Maybe 16GB of RAM instead of 8, not REALLY necessary but better safe than sorry (don't know what kind of work she does).

 

[hiyabusared]

I am trying to build a PC for my fiance that will be used for Graphic Design. Since this is the first time I have tried to build a system and I would love some opinions about the parts that I picked out.

She uses the Adobe Creative Cloud suite specifically InDesign, Illustrator, Flexi, and Photoshop. I'm trying to keep it under $1100 including the monitor

This is what I have:
CPU - Intel i5-4690 Haswell
GPU - Nvidia Quadro K620
MOBO - MSI Z97 PC Mate LGA 1150
RAM - Corsair Vengeance LP 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3 1600
SSD - Mushkin Enhanced ECO2 240GB
HDD - Western Digital Blue 1TB 7200 RPM
OS - Windows 10 Home
PSU - RAIDMAX Cobra RX-500-AF-B
Case - Rosewill Challenger
Wireless Adapter - SEDNA PCI Wireless LAN Adapter
Monitor - Samsung S24E310HL

Thanks for the help.

A good suggestion I haven't seen anyone say is change out the PSU its a Tier 4 PSU and its junk (imo) . I always tell everyone do not ever go cheap on your psu. Also the pcpartpicker listed by Niklas_13 is a tad bit wrong. Getting a z170 board and a non k cpu is pointless. Bclk OCin does not give the performance overclocking a K series does. Though ideally a i7 would be better for graphics design and rendering, etc. Also is the wireless LAN adapter a must? Because you could consider using powerline adapters for a boost in speed if that's needed. I would defiantly go with 16gb of ram.

 

[Stysner]

I am trying to build a PC for my fiance that will be used for Graphic Design. Since this is the first time I have tried to build a system and I would love some opinions about the parts that I picked out.

She uses the Adobe Creative Cloud suite specifically InDesign, Illustrator, Flexi, and Photoshop. I'm trying to keep it under $1100 including the monitor

This is what I have:
CPU - Intel i5-4690 Haswell
GPU - Nvidia Quadro K620
MOBO - MSI Z97 PC Mate LGA 1150
RAM - Corsair Vengeance LP 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3 1600
SSD - Mushkin Enhanced ECO2 240GB
HDD - Western Digital Blue 1TB 7200 RPM
OS - Windows 10 Home
PSU - RAIDMAX Cobra RX-500-AF-B
Case - Rosewill Challenger
Wireless Adapter - SEDNA PCI Wireless LAN Adapter
Monitor - Samsung S24E310HL

Thanks for the help.

A good suggestion I haven't seen anyone say is change out the PSU its a Tier 4 PSU and its junk (imo) . I always tell everyone do not ever go cheap on your psu. Also the pcpartpicker listed by Niklas_13 is a tad bit wrong. Getting a z170 board and a non k cpu is pointless. Bclk OCin does not give the performance overclocking a K series does. Though ideally a i7 would be better for graphics design and rendering, etc. Also is the wireless LAN adapter a must? Because you could consider using powerline adapters for a boost in speed if that's needed. I would defiantly go with 16gb of ram.

Good catch, that PSU is indeed not the best. It's often not a good idea to cheap out on the PSU, especially considering the budget is pretty high, high quality components deserve a better PSU.

Also, if you can, yes, go LAN instead of WIFI, unless you have a really decent connection, because WIFI connection problems are not necessary and a shame on such a PC.

The 16GB, I recommended it too, but it's a maybe. It really depends. I'm quite good at turning everything I don't need off at startup, closing programs that I don't need or just briefly needed, and keeping a clean workspace. But even with Maya, ZBrush, Photoshop, xNormal and a couple of tabs in Chrome open I've never seen more than 8GB usage unless I edit millions of polygons in ZBrush with undo history, that will cap RAM, but that's really specific. But for the relatively small increase in price 2 8GB sticks are nice to have, and you can always go up to 32GB by just buying the same set again, which might be relevant in the future.

 

[Niklas_13]

I am trying to build a PC for my fiance that will be used for Graphic Design. Since this is the first time I have tried to build a system and I would love some opinions about the parts that I picked out.

She uses the Adobe Creative Cloud suite specifically InDesign, Illustrator, Flexi, and Photoshop. I'm trying to keep it under $1100 including the monitor

This is what I have:
CPU - Intel i5-4690 Haswell
GPU - Nvidia Quadro K620
MOBO - MSI Z97 PC Mate LGA 1150
RAM - Corsair Vengeance LP 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3 1600
SSD - Mushkin Enhanced ECO2 240GB
HDD - Western Digital Blue 1TB 7200 RPM
OS - Windows 10 Home
PSU - RAIDMAX Cobra RX-500-AF-B
Case - Rosewill Challenger
Wireless Adapter - SEDNA PCI Wireless LAN Adapter
Monitor - Samsung S24E310HL

Thanks for the help.

A good suggestion I haven't seen anyone say is change out the PSU its a Tier 4 PSU and its junk (imo) . I always tell everyone do not ever go cheap on your psu. Also the pcpartpicker listed by Niklas_13 is a tad bit wrong. Getting a z170 board and a non k cpu is pointless. Bclk OCin does not give the performance overclocking a K series does. Though ideally a i7 would be better for graphics design and rendering, etc. Also is the wireless LAN adapter a must? Because you could consider using powerline adapters for a boost in speed if that's needed. I would defiantly go with 16gb of ram.

I put a good psu in his partpicker build , he could save 20 bucks with a H mobo vs the Z