New build for heavy photoshop/adobe cc use

[ShowMePotatoSalad]

Hi, my father needs a new computer for his work and is considering a high end PC build to try to save some money as compared to current high end pro macs. Details below, thanks in advance for your thoughts on components to consider.

Approximate Purchase Date: 2 - 8 weeks

Budget Range: As much as needed, but the smallest needed to competently tackle the tasks described below. Was considering the $8k pro macs but looking to approach (or equal?) them for cheaper with a PC build.

System Usage from Most to Least Important:
Develop images up to 7GB+ each (images that often require 100+ layers at high dpi), open and save these images quickly
Entire adobe creative cloud including photoshop, illustrator, premiere pro
3D image development and animation
Run 50 TB+ external storage (already have, not part of build)

Are you buying a monitor: No
Do you need to buy OS: Yes
Preferred Website(s) for Parts: Prefer Amazon, then newegg, then any vendor
Location: Miami, FL
Parts Preferences: by brand or type: None
Overclocking: No/Maybe
SLI or Crossfire: Maybe
Your Monitor Resolution: 2 x 4k, likely buying a 3rd monitor in the future

 

[imsqam]

The information you have provided is great but to get you where you want I think we need a little more info.

First, below is a workstation build, this is a MONSTER SYSTEM. I am not suggesting this is what you need but rather to show how much can be built for $8k. For some applications it would blow any Mac Pro out of the water. But this system in fact might be inappropriate based on some of my research. You have listed adobe products which in fact might not be suited to dual CPU systems.

https://www.pugetsystems.com/labs/articles/Adobe-Photoshop-CC-Multi-Core-Performance-625/

But you also list 3D image development and animation which are suited to dual CPU systems

http://www.intel.com/content/dam/www/public/us/en/documents/guides/workstation-adobe-4k-guide.pdf

So the question I have is can you supply a comprehensive list of the programs that will be used and from that an appropriate system can be designed.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

PCPartPicker part list: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/fxdKNN
Price breakdown by merchant: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/fxdKNN/by_merchant/

CPU: Intel Xeon E5-2690 V4 2.6GHz 14-Core Processor ($2172.98 @ Newegg)
CPU: Intel Xeon E5-2690 V4 2.6GHz 14-Core Processor ($2172.98 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Intel BXRTS2011AC CPU Cooler ($26.00 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Intel BXRTS2011AC CPU Cooler ($26.00 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Asus Z10PE-D8 WS SSI EEB Dual-CPU LGA2011-3 Motherboard ($564.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Crucial 64GB (4 x 16GB) Registered DDR4-2133 Memory ($417.77 @ Amazon)
Memory: Crucial 64GB (4 x 16GB) Registered DDR4-2133 Memory ($417.77 @ Amazon)
Storage: Crucial MX300 1.1TB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive ($277.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: HP FirePro W7100 8GB Video Card ($643.83 @ Amazon)
Case: Phanteks Enthoo Luxe ATX Full Tower Case ($141.99 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA 1000 P2 1000W 80+ Platinum Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($197.98 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Pro Full 32/64-bit ($199.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $7260.27
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-01-17 12:52 EST-0500

 

[ShowMePotatoSalad]

The information you have provided is great but to get you where you want I think we need a little more info.

First, below is a workstation build, this is a MONSTER SYSTEM. I am not suggesting this is what you need but rather to show how much can be built for $8k. For some applications it would blow any Mac Pro out of the water. But this system in fact might be inappropriate based on some of my research. You have listed adobe products which in fact might not be suited to dual CPU systems.

https://www.pugetsystems.com/labs/articles/Adobe-Photoshop-CC-Multi-Core-Performance-625/

But you also list 3D image development and animation which are suited to dual CPU systems

http://www.intel.com/content/dam/www/public/us/en/documents/guides/workstation-adobe-4k-guide.pdf

So the question I have is can you supply a comprehensive list of the programs that will be used and from that an appropriate system can be designed.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

PCPartPicker part list: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/fxdKNN
Price breakdown by merchant: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/fxdKNN/by_merchant/

CPU: Intel Xeon E5-2690 V4 2.6GHz 14-Core Processor ($2172.98 @ Newegg)
CPU: Intel Xeon E5-2690 V4 2.6GHz 14-Core Processor ($2172.98 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Intel BXRTS2011AC CPU Cooler ($26.00 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Intel BXRTS2011AC CPU Cooler ($26.00 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Asus Z10PE-D8 WS SSI EEB Dual-CPU LGA2011-3 Motherboard ($564.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Crucial 64GB (4 x 16GB) Registered DDR4-2133 Memory ($417.77 @ Amazon)
Memory: Crucial 64GB (4 x 16GB) Registered DDR4-2133 Memory ($417.77 @ Amazon)
Storage: Crucial MX300 1.1TB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive ($277.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: HP FirePro W7100 8GB Video Card ($643.83 @ Amazon)
Case: Phanteks Enthoo Luxe ATX Full Tower Case ($141.99 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA 1000 P2 1000W 80+ Platinum Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($197.98 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Pro Full 32/64-bit ($199.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $7260.27
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-01-17 12:52 EST-0500

Thanks a lot for your time and for putting that component list together. That machine looks pretty wicked. I regrouped with my father -

He uses Adobe Photoshop, illustrator, InDesign, Premiere Pro, After Effects, Media Encoder, Acrobat, Bridge, Dreamweaver, and Lightroom. They have a Character Animator still in beta that he's interested in.

Re: what you said about single and dual cpus - he sent me these articles https://www.pugetsystems.com/labs/articles/Adobe-Premiere-Pro-CC-2015-Multi-Core-Performance-Update1-806/
https://www.pugetsystems.com/labs/articles/Adobe-Photoshop-CC-Multi-Core-Performance-625/
Where it seems that dual CPUs are better for Premiere pro but can be iffy for photoshop. But, the following advice is given:

"In addition, Photoshop will actually perform worse with multiple physical CPUs than it would with just a single CPU. Due to this, we highly discourage purchasing a Dual CPU system for Photoshop. If you need a Dual CPU machine for other tasks, however, you can avoid the performance degradation associated with multiple physical CPUs by setting the affinity in Task Manager to force Photoshop to just use a single CPU”.

Not sure how practical that is when using multiple applications?

Someone also told him that for 3D rendering additional physical cores along with hyperthreading provided by the i7-5820K 6-core CPU will benefit him for the programs he'll be running, for overclocking, and it has an iGPU also.

 

[imsqam]

Okay, I think we have our answer on CPU selection. Dual CPU's are more appropriate for other applications, a powerful single CPU is better here. The best on the market now is the i7-6950. Picked dual GTX 1080 cards over a single Titan or a Quadro, better rendering results and will support more monitors. But depending on which version of software you have dual Quadro's might still be needed. Lots of power with room to overclock if needed. Picked a top of the line liquid cooling system. Let me know if tweaks are needed.


PCPartPicker part list: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/6PPsjc
Price breakdown by merchant: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/6PPsjc/by_merchant/

CPU: Intel Core i7-6950X 3.0GHz 10-Core Processor ($1579.69 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: NZXT Kraken X61 106.1 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($119.99 @ B&H)
Motherboard: Asus Rampage V Edition 10 EATX LGA2011-3 Motherboard ($549.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: G.Skill TridentZ Series 128GB (8 x 16GB) DDR4-3200 Memory ($1099.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 960 Pro 1.0TB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive ($629.99 @ B&H)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1080 8GB Xtreme Gaming Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($743.90 @ Jet)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1080 8GB Xtreme Gaming Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($743.90 @ Jet)
Case: Cooler Master Cosmos II (Black) ATX Full Tower Case ($316.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: Corsair AX1500i 1500W 80+ Titanium Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($399.98 @ B&H)
Optical Drive: LG WH14NS40 Blu-Ray/DVD/CD Writer ($46.88 @ OutletPC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Pro Full 32/64-bit ($199.99 @ B&H)
Total: $6431.29
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-01-20 06:35 EST-0500