Question High end 3D modeling build for a friend

[Xavier Bouttier]

Hey all, long time no post, I have a good friend who works in character design for games, he isnt familiar with hardware, only software..

Approximate Purchase Date: e.g.: ASAP

Budget Range: 3500eur

System Usage from Most to Least Important: character art workflow needs (3D modeling, sculpting, texturing, and real-time engine work like Unreal Engine, Maya, and ZBrush)

Are you buying a monitor: Yes

Parts to Upgrade: NIL

Do you need to buy OS: Yes
Please note that if you're using an OEM license of Windows, you will need a new one when buying a new motherboard.

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: www.e-shop.gr & www.skroutz.gr (can also source from other European websites)

Location: Greece

Parts Preferences: No preference

Overclocking: No

Multiple GPUs: No

Your Monitor Resolution: 3840 x 2160 pixels, 60Hz

Additional Comments: Would prefer to have a relatively quiet rig


As an FYI, he asked an AI to make him a build and it spat this out:
• CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 7900X (12 cores, 24 threads, up to 5.6 GHz) - €395.00
• GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Super (16 GB GDDR6X VRAM) - €1,180.00
• RAM: 64 GB DDR5 (2x32 GB, 6000 MHz, e.g., G.Skill Trident Z5 RGB) - €245.00
• Storage: 1 TB NVMe SSD (e.g., Samsung 980 PRO) - €98.00
• Storage: 2 TB NVMe SSD (e.g., WD Black SN770) - €175.00
• Motherboard: MSI B650 Tomahawk WiFi - €185.00
• PSU: Corsair RM850x (850W, 80+ Gold, Fully Modular) - €135.00
• Case: Cooler Master MasterBox TD500 Mesh - €95.00
• Cooling: Deepcool AK620 (High-Performance Air Cooler) - €95.00
• Cooling: 2x Arctic P12 PWM PST (Case Fans) - €36.00 (€18.00 each)
• OS: Windows 11 Home (OEM) - €105.00
• Monitor: ASUS ProArt PA279CV (27”, 4K, IPS, 100% sRGB) - €490.00
Grand Total: €3,139.00

Appreciate any input!!!

 

[Lutfij]

The rig should be beefy enough to handle high end character art workflow needs (3D modeling, sculpting, texturing, and real-time engine work like Unreal Engine, Maya, and ZBrush)
+
Appreciate any input!!!
Users are advised to stylize their threads with info asked of in this thread;

*How to Ask for New Build or Upgrade Advice*

How to Ask for New Build or Upgrade Advice First off, respect where respect is due - this is an adaptation of the Animal's *How To Ask For New Build Advice* Sticky. I created this because there's a lot of posts nowadays asking for upgrade advice both on here and on the CPU forums, and I feel...

forums.tomshardware.com

it helps add context to your inquiry and the community will chime in with worthwhile suggestions.

If you're going to stick to an AM5 platform, you should look into ram that has ADM's E.X.P.O. advertised on it's packaging or site. If you want to stick to G.Skill ram kits, look for the Neo lineup of rams, e.g: G.Skill Trident Z Neo.

I would look at a higher wattage unit for headroom but you've picked a good quality unit. I'd pick up a Fractal Define 7 case instead of the TD500.

I'd give you a more concrete suggestion instead of generically if your thread was stylized akin to the link above.

 

[LOGAN54321]

I did pcpartpicker de before you told which country. Monitor and OS not included.

PCPartPicker Part List
CPU: Intel Core Ultra 7 265K 3.9 GHz 20-Core Processor (€297.05 @ Amazon Deutschland)
CPU Cooler: ID-COOLING FROZN A720 BLACK 98.6 CFM CPU Cooler (€67.89 @ Proshop)
Motherboard: MSI MAG Z890 TOMAHAWK WIFI ATX LGA1851 Motherboard (€223.90 @ Alza)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws S5 64 GB (2 x 32 GB) DDR5-6000 CL30 Memory (€229.89 @ Alternate)
Storage: Crucial T500 2 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive (€149.99 @ Amazon Deutschland)
Storage: Crucial T500 2 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive (€149.99 @ Amazon Deutschland)
Video Card: Palit GamingPro GeForce RTX 5070 Ti 16 GB Video Card (€856.08 @ notebooksbilliger.de)
Case: Lian Li LANCOOL 216 ATX Mid Tower Case (€79.55 @ Amazon Deutschland)
Power Supply: Super Flower LEADEX VII XG 1000 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply (€140.89 @ Caseking)
Total: €2195.23
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2025-07-07 13:10 CEST+0200


That e-shop.gr doesn't seem good (on parts selection....don't have the motherboard, don't have THERMALRIGHT coolers, so i stopped looking)
Seems like cart can't be saved as link, so only picture.

 

[Why_Me]

@Xavier Bouttier add storage and monitor.

https://www.skroutz.gr/s/57226868/G...I-7-Motherboard-ATX-me-Intel-1851-Socket.html
Gigabyte Z890 Gaming X WIFI7 €236,18

https://www.skroutz.gr/s/57425013/I...stis-20-Pyrinon-gia-Socket-1851-se-Kouti.html
Intel Ultra 7 265K €309,84

https://www.skroutz.gr/s/59894538/a...anemistira-120mm-gia-socket-am4-am5-1700.html
Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 €95,10

https://www.skroutz.gr/s/45052366/P...achytita-6400-gia-Desktop-PVV564G640C32K.html
Patriot Viper Venom DDR5-6400 64GB (2x32GB) CL32 €199,36

https://www.skroutz.gr/s/59057388/G...OC-SFF-Karta-Grafikon-GV-N507TWF3OC-16GD.html
Gigabyte GeForce RTX 5070 Ti Windforce OC SFF 16GB €864,00

https://www.skroutz.gr/s/57376282/A...iko-Ypologisti-Full-Modular-80-Plus-Gold.html
ADATA XPG Core Reactor II VE 850W ATX 3.1 €123,47

https://www.skroutz.gr/s/46504551/Montech-Air-903-Base-Gaming-Midi-Tower-Kouti-Ypologisti-Mayro.html
Montech AIR 903 BASE €79,89

Total: €1907,84

https://www.tomshardware.com/software/windows/windows-11-free-or-cheap

 

[geofelt]

My reading shows MAYA and Zbrush apps to be primarily single threaded.
To that end, a build based on the Ultra 265K would show better single thread performance than the AI generated 7900X which is similarly priced.