Build Advice Need advice on new PC build

[erikkellison]

Hi all,
It's been a long time since I got engaged in this sort of thing, so please forgive the ignorance in advance.
I currently have a home PC that is just getting too long in the tooth. I have upgraded it to the max, I believe (I don't think I can run faster significantly faster RAM or CPU), and the HD is just too tiny for a primary.

• OS: Windows 10 Home
• MoBo: AsRock Z68 Pro3
• CPU: Intel i7-2600K 3.4 GHz
• Graphics: MSI GeForce GT 730 4GB PCIe (new 2 yrs ago)
• RAM: Patriot Viper 3 8GBx2 DDR3 1600 (new 2 yrs ago)
• Storage: Intel 510 120GB SSD, Samsung 1 TB 7200RPM, Seagate 2 TB backup

I built this computer in 2011, and with some upgrades here and there, it continues to work well.

With my last build, I was going to the level of detail of looking at throughput on the N & S bridges, and matching speeds of other components so that I was not buying unnecessarily fast pieces that could not operate at their max functionality due to inherent limitations elsewhere.

Why I need a new computer:

• I am always running out of space on my primary HD
• I can't video edit my GoPro clips (too slow, freezes)
• It used to be quite a bit faster (shocker, I know)

What I want:

• Reliability (I don't want to test the thermal limits of a heavily-OC'd CPU)
• Upgradability
  • Opportunity for a significantly faster CPU when those get released and subsequently become cheaper, years down the road
    • Will need a chipset that is not at the end of its market life
  • Opportunity for larger and/or faster HDD when current choice inevitably becomes obsolete
• Modularity (opportunity to flex for different and potentially unforeseeable computing needs in the future)
  • Will VR be compulsory?
  • I have 64 bit architecture now - will 128 bit be a thing in the future? Is it a thing already?
• I am perfectly OK with any form factor I have a mid-tower right now
  • Quiet fans are a plus
  • Not too much heat production also nice, but maybe naive
• Monitor support
  • Currently I have two 24" monitors @ 1920x1200 (part of a 4 monitor setup as the other 2 are for my work computer). I would like the option to run larger resolutions on larger monitors, like maybe a big, single monitor at 3840x1200? Or two at that resolution? Some headspace here would be nice.
• Peripheral support
  • I have a DVD burner in there as my sole disc reader, which is fine. Hardly use it, but find I need it, on occasion
  • I have a built-in card reader for my MicroSD and Compact Flash cards, but I also have the same as an external with a Firewire connecting cable, so I can make that work if needed
• WiFi internet?
  • Currently I use an ethernet cable for internet on this machine, but it would be convenient at times if I had the option for WiFi.

I use this computer for:

• Work
  • MS Office (incl. Visio)
  • Zoom/Webex/Teams/etc.
• Web browsing (LOTS of tabs)
• Drafting/designing (currently AutoCAD LT, just for fun)
• Adobe Suite (Lightroom > Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, hobby mostly)
• Video editing (nothing heavy, just occasional GoPro edit)

What I don't like/need:

• Corporate builds (i.e. Dell, because as much as I have had good luck with Dell Business machines, I prefer unbloated machines that are custom for my needs, and not beholden to them making a profit off their inferior hardware choices)
• Ability to play games
• Flashy case
  • I do like a professional/muted aesthetic if such a thing exists (like brushed steel, or wood, but black is fine, too)

Budget is flexible. I would like to find that sweetspot of best performance/$, avoiding the overpriced bleeding edge of speed, but I'm willing to spend if it gets me longevity, reliability, or future compatibility.

I think that's everything, but I'll update this post if/when additional information is required based on responses.

 

[Roland Of Gilead]

I have to ask - how would your recommendations change knowing that I don't care about and have no intention to play any games? Like seriously - the last video game I played was Halo. Where can I downgrade the components knowing I won't need that level of video processing? Or do I still need it because I want to CAD and video edit?

They would change drastically As mentioned, my build was for illustration and to get the conversation started. Very much, top gaming machines. You needs are different, so changes will certainly reduce the bill.

Yes, you could knock down a midrange GPU with high vram. Sticking with 32gb ram would be good too.

If you click on any of the partpicker lists you can then edit it and post it back here for us to look at.

 

[Zerk2012]

Where will you buy? USA? Amazon? Newegg? Local store?

• Newegg. I'm in WA state.

What is absolute top dollar for all parts total? Not wanting to go overboard would probably imply i7 for an Intel, not i9.

• I really don't want to spend more than $5k, but that # is totally arbitrary. Don't think it of as a hard budget... it's more of a functional budget. If I'm going to get something special out of i9 over i7, and that costs more, OK.

New generation stuff to be available within 60 days.

• I'm guessing you mean there's a new series/standard coming in 60 days. That's acceptable. I'm in no huge hurry, but the sooner, the better, I suppose. I'm OK waiting if it means I get on the next standard.

Are you totally agnostic on the air cooling versus liquid cooling issue?

• Pretty much. If it's not risky, kinda "set-and-forget," liquid is fine, especially if it's quieter and/or generates less heat

No overclocking intentions?

• I mean... let's not rule anything out, but I'm not trying to eek every last bit of performance. I have overdone it before. I want this stuff to last.

You'll have a tough time upgrading CPUs very far into the future unless you also change motherboards.

• How on earth was I able to stick with the same MoBo for over a decade? I'd like to shoot for that... is there a new standard chipset that is coming out soon?

Maybe lean toward DDR5 RAM and motherboard unless budget says no.

• I don't know what that is, but I'm guessing it's a new faster bandwidth of RAM? This sort of suggestion sounds like a good place to spend money.

I'm still here if you can use all cores about a 300% on all core performance from the 2600K to the 12700.
Plenty of SSD storage do the work on the 2TB drive then transfer to the HDD for backup, if the SSD starts getting full secure erase back to square one.

Nice case add the extra fan to the front blowing in. Depending on your card reader you might need a adapter for one of the front bays, like 10 bucks. Black with a touch of gray and the overall build should be nice and quite.

A bit overkill for the CPU cooler if it don't come with the 1700 mounting hardware they will send it to you free or buy one from Amazon for quicker service again about 10 bucks.

12GB of ram on the video card if you can use GPU acceleration it will come in handy. You can't even compare the 730 card to this one.

Use Windows 11 it handles the cores of the 12xx processors better.

For the DDR5 memory still not sold on it and have seen nothing that says it's much better. It's still young usually takes it a year or so to actually match the older memory. 32GB should be fine when I was using work programs the most I seen used was in the 24GB area.

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: Intel Core i7-12700 2.1 GHz 12-Core Processor ($342.98 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D15S chromax.black 82.51 CFM CPU Cooler ($99.95 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: MSI MAG B660 TOMAHAWK WIFI DDR4 ATX LGA1700 Motherboard ($189.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR4-3600 CL16 Memory ($134.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 970 Evo Plus 500 GB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive ($74.98 @ Amazon)
Storage: Samsung 870 Evo 2 TB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($169.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce RTX 3060 12 GB XC BLACK GAMING Video Card ($406.99 @ Newegg)
Case: be quiet! Pure Base 600 ATX Mid Tower Case ($89.90 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA G6 750 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($99.99 @ Amazon)
Case Fan: be quiet! Pure Wings 2 61.2 CFM 140 mm Fan ($12.90 @ Amazon)
Total: $1622.66
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2022-08-31 19:45 EDT-0400

 

[Nighthawk117]

442% over the 2600K if you go by Cinebench, a big upgrade anyway. Hardware Unboxed was able to demonstrate a significant boost with DDR5 in Spiderman Remastered. Not relevant to the OP but performance gains do exist. I would agree though the difference in most apps right now is very small to non existent. However given the OP intends to keep this machine for a long time, there's a case for getting it just for that reason. It may well be more valuable years from now.

 

[erikkellison]

Here's my tentative build with some rationale... would love to hear what you all think. I have read all your posts in great detail and done a fair bit of research on my own as well, in order to better understand current tech. This is based on the premise that I don't wait for the Ryzen 7000 or Raptor Lake 13th gen Intel stuff, BTW. I am getting impatient because I read that Raptor Lake won't be available until end of Oct at best, and I just had to uninstall Illustrator and InDesign because my primary HDD is out of space for Windows Update.

• CPU: Intel i9-12900K $590
  • iGPU with Intel chips better for video editing than AMD, so I read. Might as well maximize performance for home use as it seems like I can't justify proper workstation processors (i.e. Threadripper)
• Cooler: CORSAIR CW-9060060-WW iCUE H150i RGB ELITE Liquid CPU Cooler $180
  • I read somewhere that liquid cooling is near-mandatory for the above CPU
  • Update: switched from the MSI MAG to the Corsiar after feedback re: reliability
• MB: MSI MPG Z690 Edge WiFi DDR4 LGA 1700 ATX $280
  • Well-rated MB with WiFi. Not much research/preference went into this (besides Z690 seeming to be more forward-compatible), though I do have a favorable impression of MSI. Anything that reduces the complexity of configuration, optimization, etc. is worth some extra $, and I feel like reputable companies like MSI do a good job of this.
  • Update: if someone succeeds in convincing me that I should go the DDR5 route, will consider:
    • MSI MAG Z690 TOMAHAWK WIFI LGA 1700 Intel Z690 SATA 6Gb/s DDR5 ATX Intel Motherboard
    • MSI MPG Z690 CARBON WIFI DDR5 LGA 1700 Intel Z690 SATA 6Gb/s ATX Intel Motherboard
    • MSI PRO Z690-A DDR5 LGA 1700 Intel Z690 SATA 6Gb/s ATX Intel Motherboard
    • MSI PRO Z690-A WIFI DDR5 LGA 1700 Intel Z690 SATA 6Gb/s ATX Intel Motherboard
    • MSI MEG Z690 UNIFY-X DDR5 LGA 1700 Intel Z690 SATA 6Gb/s ATX Intel Motherboard
    • MSI MPG Z690 EDGE WIFI DDR5 LGA 1700 Intel Z690 SATA 6Gb/s ATX Intel Motherboard
    • MSI MPG Z690 FORCE WIFI DDR5 LGA 1700 Intel Z690 SATA 6Gb/s ATX Intel Motherboard
• RAM: G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 2x 32GB DDR4 3200 Intel XMP 2.0 $196
  • Read an article on performance of different RAMs with i9 12900K, and they are all pretty similar. Figured better to get more GB with lower latency (16-18-18-38) than to get DDR5 with higher speed (and latency). To get DDR5 5200 2x 32GB with questionable latency would cost almost twice as much.
  • Currently seeking evidence that DDR5 is better for the same amount of $$$ as DDR4. If so, see MB update above.
• GPU: Gigabyte GeForce RTX 3060 12GB GDDR6 $498
  • This was kinda arbitrary. I just chose a card with a very high potential resolution output for large displays, and the 12GB was about the same $ as the 8GB. I have no idea what sort of GPU I need, if at all. My only video editing is GoPro footage (or maybe footage from my iPhone 12). I am not really going to town on Photoshop these days, CAD use is extremely basic (2D floorplans), and again, NO GAMES. Maybe I don't need one at all? Currently I am running two 24" monitors side-by-side, 1920x1280 each, though I can see myself upgrading to larger displays with higher resolutions as that becomes more mainstream and prices drop. For now, I can work fine as-is.
  • I STILL don't know what to do about a GPU. Spending almost as much on a GPU as
• Case: Antec P10 FLUX $120
  • Debated between this and the be quiet! pure base 600; Antec looked like it was designed similarly (for silence), comes with more fans, looks a little better, and I've always liked Antec.
  • Edit: Looks like be quiet! makes some more cases that I don't see on Newegg, like the 802. I'll have to consider those. Do all these mid-tower ATX cases support water cooling of CPU?
  • Update: the be quiet! 802 looks like maybe the best. Allows more airflow without having to open the front door - I'm loving the idea that I can choose mesh vs. sound-damping, and figure out what works for me without having to buy 2 separate cases. Also lets heat escape the top, and permits up to a 420mm radiator (which it looks like I'll need!)
• PS: be quiet! Straight Power 11 850W Platinum fully modular $175
  • It's about time fully modular PS' were invented! Cool. I estimated power requirements at 700W, so went a tad overboard in the event of future upgrades. Chose one that supports ATX12v for future compatibility. This one is rated quite quiet, which I like.
• HD: WD SN850X 2 TB PCI-E 4.0 NVMe M.2 2280 $230
  • I am not sure I understand why I would get 2 HDs when I can get 1 big one that is stupid fast with the advent of NVMe. Would it be better to get two 1TB of the same? Is there such a thing as RAIDing NVMe drives? This looked better than the similar Seagate with respect to speed.
• OS: Windows 11 Home $140
  • I see no reason to get Pro.

Total: $2315.82-ish
Is there such a thing as a company that will put it all together for me?

 

[Lafong]

Are you familiar with Puget Systems in Auburn, WA?

Homepage

Puget Systems specializes in tailor-made computing solutions for all business needs. We build quality workstations and servers for your unique workflows.

www.pugetsystems.com

You can custom configure from their list of available parts. They build it.

Don't know of any "assemblers" near you. Microcenter does it, but no stores anywhere near WA.

Some Best Buy stores allegedly will assemble. Maybe dicey?

Got to be a quality assembler/PC shop in greater Seattle, but I don't know if you are near Seattle or how to find the right place.

Re cooling: here's a quote I found a few months ago re 12900K:

"I'm running a 12900k on a Noctua u12a, I get 70 to 72C on cinebench R20 and around 75-78 on cinebench r23. That's at 204 to 230 watts."

RAID typically frowned on for SSDs. But if you must......

No over-riding reason to have 2 drives, but many do it purely to simplify their backup and re-installation procedures. Maybe a 500 GB for boot drive and apps and 1 or 2 TB for all data.

I checked DDR5 prices a few hours ago. You can get 2 x 32 DDR5 kit of Hyper X Fury direct from Kingston for 239 (4800 speed) to 290 (5600 speed), before a 10 percent discount. Net 215 to 261.

 

[jeremy0118]

I don't think the OP needs to spend this much. I've simply given 'a' build to give an idea of a couple of what you can get. Yes, the OP said performance/$ is relavant, but also that they were willing to spend to get longevity.

I've also suggested there are other builders who would come up with other machine/options.

Different horses for different courses!

Concidering the needs that he listed i think there is absolutely no reason to throw in a 3090 Ti , that is extremely overkill.

I am inclined to agree with Zerk2012 and his list.

You don't need to spend that much on what you want to do with your system, there's a reason he is listing his needs and we combine a system to suit those needs. that 1700$ beast will handle all the things you want to do with it absolutely fine.
If silence is important then steer away from the EVGA 3060 , it's pretty audible on load. You could go with one that has an upgraded cooling solution.

I am a fan of the Be Quiet pure base series cases, rocking one myself. Great value for money.

 

[Roland Of Gilead]

Concidering the needs that he listed i think there is absolutely no reason to throw in a 3090 Ti , that is extremely overkill.

I am inclined to agree with Zerk2012 and his list.

You don't need to spend that much on what you want to do with your system, there's a reason he is listing his needs and we combine a system to suit those needs. that 1700$ beast will handle all the things you want to do with it absolutely fine.
If silence is important then steer away from the EVGA 3060 , it's pretty audible on load. You could go with one that has an upgraded cooling solution.

I am a fan of the Be Quiet pure base series cases, rocking one myself. Great value for money.

I've cleary sais as much already. In addition to the build proposal being an illustration of what 'can' be had. Simples.

 

[Nighthawk117]

Cooler: MSI MAG Series CORELIQUID C280 280mm radiator dual 140 mm fans $118

• I read somewhere that liquid cooling is near-mandatory for the above CPU

I would pick a different cooler, the MAG series has poor reliability, I see more posts on here about failures with these than any other AIO. I would recommend something from Corsair, Artic or NZXT instead.

MSI is recalling MAG CoreLiquid 240R/360R AIO coolers for hitting abnormally high idle temps

Not cool, guys. Thankfully MSI is being proactive about a product recall.

www.pcgamer.com

I would also go for a 360mm/420mm AIO if you can fit one.

CPU: Intel i9-12900K $590

• iGPU with Intel chips better for video editing than AMD, so I read. Might as well maximize performance for home use as it seems like I can't justify proper workstation processors (i.e. Threadripper)

This is true if your using something like Adobe Premier Pro.

HD: WD SN850X 2 TB PCI-E 4.0 NVMe M.2 2280 $230

• I am not sure I understand why I would get 2 HDs when I can get 1 big one that is stupid fast with the advent of NVMe. Would it be better to get two 1TB of the same? Is there such a thing as RAIDing NVMe drives? This looked better than the similar Seagate with respect to speed.

There's not really much advantage to having two in your case, I would get the 2TB drive if it were me. I wouldn't bother with RAID, it's a lot of hassle, can often be slower and unless your using the CPU PCI-E lanes you will face bandwidth limitations.

 

[erikkellison]

Are you familiar with Puget Systems in Auburn, WA?

Homepage

Puget Systems specializes in tailor-made computing solutions for all business needs. We build quality workstations and servers for your unique workflows.

www.pugetsystems.com

You can custom configure from their list of available parts. They build it.
Don't know of any "assemblers" near you. Microcenter does it, but no stores anywhere near WA.
Some Best Buy stores allegedly will assemble. Maybe dicey?
Got to be a quality assembler/PC shop in greater Seattle, but I don't know if you are near Seattle or how to find the right place.

I looked at Puget Systems - seems like a cool idea, but their options are quite limited (1 MB to choose from, 3 processors, and limited RAM choices which are neither straightforward nor transparent. I wish there was another company that did what they do a little better. I'm not going anywhere near BB with this - they can't even handle WiFi plugs. I appreciate the suggestions though!
Looks like I get to build it myself. I'm not excited about getting all the BIOS crap set up.

Re cooling: here's a quote I found a few months ago re 12900K:
"I'm running a 12900k on a Noctua u12a, I get 70 to 72C on cinebench R20 and around 75-78 on cinebench r23. That's at 204 to 230 watts."

It sounds like air cooling can be quieter than liquid cooling, all else being equal, but liquid can cool better. With my CPU choice being kinda hot, and the potential for a future Raptor Lake processor running even hotter, liquid seems like a wise choice. I changed my build to the Corsair CW-9060060-WW iCUE H150i RGB Elite Liquid CPU Cooler

I checked DDR5 prices a few hours ago. You can get 2 x 32 DDR5 kit of Hyper X Fury direct from Kingston for 239 (4800 speed) to 290 (5600 speed), before a 10 percent discount. Net 215 to 261.

Are you saying I should get DDR5? This is a point about which I am quite confused. The test I looked at made a case that DDR5 really isn't much faster with the i9 12900, and DDR4 was cheaper. I don't know how to compare apples to apples here. It looks like I have to choose a different MB for DDR5 vs. DDR4. Lotsa good/popular MSI Z690 boards out there, it seems.

 

[Lafong]

Looks like I get to build it myself. I'm not excited about getting all the BIOS crap set up.............................Are you saying I should get DDR5? This is a point about which I am quite confused.

"BIOS crap" would be near the bottom of the list of stuff to worry about. If you get that far, you are already at least a semi-success. BIOS defaults should get you going.

Maximum anxiety will be reached on your first boot attempt. It does or it doesn't. For all you know, half of the parts that you researched for 100 hours were dead on arrival....you just didn't realize it until you attempted to boot.

Where to find an assembler? You might go to a geographical area within a 10 mile radius of your house that has a high concentration of computer geeks.....maybe walk into a JC or college computer lab where there are dozens or hundreds of machines and various techs who maintain them. Talk to the 3 or 4 nerdiest people you can find and pick their brains for local building talent.

That's gotta be better than a dart thrown at the Yellow Pages.

But pointless if you couldn't take their word for it....which would put you back in the builder's seat.

RAM choice....if you had 2 machines side by side, identical in all respects except the DDR 4/DDR 5 issue.....highly unlikely you'd tell the difference. Highly. Barring an extreme use case.

If you had a 1300 dollar budget, DDR 5 is less attractive. The price increment from DDR 4 would be a significant percentage of your total budget.

But you are already planning on spending 2300. Most of the recommendations in this thread are in the 1500 to 1800 range. You are willing to spend hundreds beyond that range. The DDR 5 price differential might be 100 to 150 dollars at the 64 GB level, and declining. You can check it easily.

Are you immune to buyer's remorse and second-guessing yourself?

I'd guess not, considering your level of research.

 

[erikkellison]

Well, for the sake of sharing with readers what my journey led to, and to solicit final feedback on my choices (in order to avoid any grave errors), here is my tentative final build:

• CPU: Intel i7-12700K $400 i9-12900K $570 multiple tests indicate that the i9 performance gains are not worth the ~50% price increase; more like 5%...
  • I appreciate that the i7 12700K is pretty close in performance, and quite a bit cheaper. My thinking is that the i9 12900K is the bottleneck for my sort of work. That, and the fact that other choices are based on running 12900K (RAM, no dedicated GPU). I'm not sure if the same assumptions can be made about RAM and GPU if I go with i7 12700K. I dunno... am I making a mistake @Lafong @Why_Me @Zerk2012 @geofelt @Nighthawk117 @logainofhades ?
• Cooler: be quiet! Pure Loop 2 FX 360mm $125
  • Matches the case (makes me think fitment will be streamlined), and cheaper than the Corsair iCUE H115i I was considering.
  • Hoping this is not going to fail like @geofelt suggested was a possibility with an AIO; if likely, would a be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 4 be a better choice?
• MoBo: MSI MPG Z690 Edge WiFi DDR4 LGA 1700 ATX $280
  • Chosen over the MSI Pro Z690-A WiFi DDR4 as the MPG has more high-speed USB ports on the back
• RAM: Muhcnkin Redline Lumina 2x 32GB DDR4 3600 Intel XMP 2.0 16-19-19-39 $250 G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 2x 32GB DDR4 3200 Intel XMP 2.0 16-18-18-38 Dual Channel $175 Bought the best RAM I could find in stock, at a reasonable price. I wanted CL14 Samsung B-Die 3200 so I could overclock, but I couldn't find any (my assumption was that all CL14 was B.Die -- wrong), and with this 3600 CL16 with other timings that appear to be superior to the majority of 3600 CL16, $250 seemed like a good balance.
  • Testing shows that with i9 12900, DDR4 CL14 3200 and CL16 3600 are as good as CL36 DDR5 6000 for 80% of scenarios, and for the remaining 20%, performance differences are unlikely to be detectable by the end user (and most are irrelevant to my needs). Getting as close to apples-to-apples as one can in this scenario, the price for DDR5 is double that of the similar-performing DDR4 ($430 vs. <$200). Yes, cheaper DDR5 is available, but that's likely to perform inferiorly to low-latency DDR4 3200/3600, and cost more. I think the gearing is a part of why 3200 & 3600 do surprisingly well compared to their faster refresh counterparts.
  • Available 3200 & 3600 options:
    • CL16 3200 $175
    • CL18 3600 $200
    • CL16 3600 $237
    • CL14 3200 $300!
    • I'm not sure if I can assume that CL16 3200 is up to snuff with CL14 3200 or CL16 3600. If this is a mistake and I should spend an extra $60 for CL16 3600 or $125 for CL14 3200, let me know.
  • My thinking is that in the future if I want to upgrade RAM, I won't be thinking "I wish I went with a DDR5-supporting MoBo" because in order to get a significant improvement in DDR5 performance beyond 64 GB of CL36 DDR~6000), I would need a new MoBo anyway to take advantage of higher speeds (right?)
• GPU: None $0
  • MB above can support what I'm doing in theory, and if I find that to be untrue, I'll dive down the GPU rabbithole at that time. Thanks for the 2060 KO suggestion, @logainofhades
• Case: be quiet! 802
  • Modularity FTW! Well, except for an optical drive, but I have an external drive should I need it.
  • Thanks to @Zerk2012 for turning me onto be quiet, and @jeremy0118 for confirming
• PS: be quiet! Straight Power 11 850W Platinum fully modular $175
  • A little extra power to account for potential future upgrades
• HD: Corsair MP600 PRO XT M.2 2280 2TB PCI-E 4.0 x4 NVMe 1.4 3D TLC
  • Newegg ran out of the WD SN850 I was going to get, and the Seagate FireCuda 530 and Corsair MP600 XT are so similar that I went with the one with the better heatsink. Longer warranty, too. I considered the 3 yr recovery services of the FireCuda, but felt that with the Cloud, I would not need this benefit.
• OS: Windows 11 Home $140

Total: $1937 after tax and shipping

Also, not a moment too soon as simply clicking on a grammar suggestion within this response crashed Edge, deleting my initial swing at this post, necessitating a complete rewrite. Here's hoping it reads slightly better the second time around...

Again, I really appreciate all the input, everyone. I have read everything written here numerous times as posts gain new meaning as I continue to learn.

 

[logainofhades]

I would still recommend getting a dedicated GPU, for the CAD stuff. Cad based programs tend to like Vram, in my experience. I use Zeiss Calypso primarily and Solidworks to convert files to formats Calypso will accept. I was getting cad models that my RTX 4000, in my work PC, couldn't handle well, due to simply not having enough Vram. In an IGP setup, your system ram becomes the vram.

 

[Khaastechngames]

Hey there,

There are a lot of good builders here on Tom's.

With that said, something like this from the AMD side :


CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D 3.4 GHz 8-Core Processor ($384.99 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Corsair iCUE H150i ELITE CAPELLIX 75 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($189.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: MSI MAG X570S TOMAHAWK MAX WIFI ATX AM4 Motherboard ($229.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: G.Skill Trident Z Neo 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR4-3600 CL16 Memory ($169.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Samsung 980 Pro 1 TB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive ($139.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Samsung 980 Pro 2 TB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive ($239.93 @ Amazon)
Sorage: https://khaastechngames.com/product...ernal-solid-state-drive-ssd-m280cs3140-1tb-rb @40k PKR
Video Card: EVGA GeForce RTX 3090 Ti 24 GB FTW3 ULTRA GAMING Video Card ($1313.93 @ Amazon)
Case: Corsair 7000D AIRFLOW ATX Full Tower Case ($239.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: Corsair HX1200 Platinum 1200 W 80+ Platinum Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($240.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $3149.79