New Photo Editing Build ($2500 Cdn)

[Brett123]

Hi Everyone.

It's time for a new build - I've always asked for help here on Tom's, and always gotten great advice.

Here's my situation. I'm looking to build a computer mainly for Photoshop/Lightroom use, mostly on larger files (I shoot RAW and the files are 15 to 40 MB each). My current boot drive is a 256 GB SSD and I'm always having to delete my Lightroom previews and backups as they are on the boot drive. The computer is intended to last 4 years or so, at which time I will pass it on to my son (now 15 and dealing with my old computer which is no longer fast enough to play some of his online games - he'll be getting my current 4 year old build which will be a big upgrade for him - he's already tried it). So graphics should be more than I would need for photo/video editing.

My budget is $2500 but I'm happy to spend less. I already have an IPS monitor, calibration system, speakers, keyboard, mouse, card reader and scanner. I have a spare SSD which I may install as a scratch drive. I also have three onboard HDDs (will swap them out to the new build) and would like the ability to go to 4. Wired and wireless printers. Backup done via NAS. I'd like the option to go dual monitors at some point. I'd also like the system as quiet as possible. I've done a little reading (here and on other sites) and incorporated the ideas below, but honestly I'm more than a little out of my depth here. I've added an extra case fan for the front of the case to keep the HDDs cool.

Approximate Purchase Date: no rush. Anytime in next two months
Budget Range: $2500 Cdn or less
System Usage from Most to Least Important: Photo/video editing, gaming

Are you buying a monitor: No
Parts to Upgrade: none
Do you need to buy OS: Yes
Preferred Website(s) for Parts: NCIX
Location: Vancouver, Canada
Parts Preferences: Intel, Asus, Corsair (great experience with them in the past)
Overclocking: Probably
SLI or Crossfire: No
Your Monitor Resolution: 1920x1080,
Additional Comments: See above
And Most Importantly, Why Are You Upgrading: Current computer is desired by my son!

PCPartPicker part list: https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/list/VBZxVY

CPU: Intel Core i7-6700K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor ($429.75 @ Vuugo)
CPU Cooler: be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 3 67.8 CFM Fluid Dynamic Bearing CPU Cooler ($91.98 @ DirectCanada)
Motherboard: Asus MAXIMUS VIII HERO ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($264.75 @ Vuugo)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LPX 32GB (2 x 16GB) DDR4-2666 Memory ($229.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Storage: Samsung 960 Evo 500GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive ($336.00 @ shopRBC)
Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 1060 6GB 6GB Strix Video Card ($412.90 @ Vuugo)
Case: Fractal Design Define R5 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($129.99 @ DirectCanada)
Power Supply: Corsair CSM 550W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($94.98 @ NCIX)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24F1ST DVD/CD Writer ($19.43 @ Amazon Canada)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM 64-bit ($118.98 @ DirectCanada)
Case Fan: Fractal Design FD-FAN-SSR2-140 66.0 CFM 140mm Fan ($18.99 @ Memory Express)
Total: $2147.74
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-01-07 02:48 EST-0500

Thank you for your help in advance!

 

[Hellfire13]

New gen. kabylake build with better quality psu.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-7700K 4.2GHz Quad-Core Processor ($475.99 @ DirectCanada)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($36.94 @ Vuugo)
Motherboard: Asus STRIX Z270-E GAMING ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($269.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3200 Memory ($136.98 @ DirectCanada)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3200 Memory ($136.98 @ DirectCanada)
Storage: Samsung 960 Evo 500GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive ($336.00 @ shopRBC)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1060 6GB 6GB WINDFORCE OC 6G Video Card ($344.50 @ Vuugo)
Case: NZXT Source 210 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($49.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Power Supply: Corsair CXM 550W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($59.98 @ NCIX)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($24.75 @ Vuugo)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM 64-bit ($118.98 @ DirectCanada)
Total: $1991.08
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-01-07 03:15 EST-0500

 

[Brett123]

Wow that was fast! Thank you!

Would you bother with an additional front case fan? What makes you prefer this case?

Thanks again!

 

[Hellfire13]

It is a good case with good cable management and air flow. The case fan that you have chosen is good enough, as Fractal Design components are pretty quality stuff. So you can retain that.

 

[Brett123]

Great idea. Thanks Hellfire! Looking forward to any other ideas, from anyone.

 

[Hellfire13]

welcome

 

[jmsellars1]

Not sure what your tolerance for quietness is because it is difficult to measure but I wouldn't consider a system with multiple hard drives quiet personally.

At this kind of budget I'd look at a better quality PSU as well, here's a really good guide on general PSU quality, you should be able to afford a tier 1 or 2 at the very least. The CSM is a tier 3 so it's OK and isn't going to blow up or anything but a better PSU is going to be more stable.

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/id-2547993/psu-tier-list.html

Admittedly I'm a bit overkill when it comes to quietness so I tend to replace all case fans for ultra high quality aftermarket ones. The ones in the NZXT and Fractal cases are OK, standard mid range stuff.

Regarding Kaby lake I wouldn't bother personally, the IPC (performance per Ghz) is exactly the same as Skylake and they're very expensive at the moment because they are so new.

This would be good if you want something very quiet.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-6700K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor ($446.74 @ Vuugo)
CPU Cooler: be quiet! Shadow Rock 2 51.4 CFM Rifle Bearing CPU Cooler ($59.90 @ Newegg Canada)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z170M-D3H Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($139.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LPX 32GB (2 x 16GB) DDR4-3000 Memory ($234.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Storage: Samsung 960 Evo 500GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive ($315.84 @ shopRBC)
Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 1060 6GB 6GB Strix Video Card ($420.98 @ DirectCanada)
Case: Fractal Design Define Mini MicroATX Mini Tower Case ($99.99 @ NCIX)
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA G2 550W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($104.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-14 DVD/CD Writer ($17.50 @ Amazon Canada)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM 64-bit ($118.98 @ DirectCanada)
Case Fan: Noctua NF-F12 PWM 55.0 CFM 120mm Fan ($21.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Case Fan: Noctua NF-F12 PWM 55.0 CFM 120mm Fan ($21.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Case Fan: Noctua NF-S12A PWM 120mm Fan ($24.85 @ Newegg Canada)
Total: $2028.73
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-01-07 16:15 EST-0500

I'd have that with the 2 x Noctua F12's in the front blowing into the case and the S12 as a rear exhaust with the CPU cooler blowing from front to back. The massive heatsinks on that CPU cooler and that GPU means the fans don't have to spin as much making the system quieter. The fans on that PSU and that GPU stop under low load as well. Then you've got those Noctua case fans, expensive yes but absolutely top notch. I'd put the included low noise adapter on each fan and that should be quiet.

Let me know if you've got any questions about that.

 

[Brett123]

Thanks very much! As to quiet - yes, I do plan to have 3 to 4 HDDs and there will be a struggle to keep quiet (although all but 1 will be dedicated photo drives - no programs or other files on them, and presumably not generating much noise). I've never considered a microATX before. Do you prefer smaller cases? I had thought about the Fractal Design Define R5, not having a top fan, and thought that would be quieter than a top-fan case (like the MicroATX Mini Tower). Of course, I was also concerned about heat buildup in such a case. And thanks for the PSU advice!

 

[Hellfire13]

Not sure what your tolerance for quietness is because it is difficult to measure but I wouldn't consider a system with multiple hard drives quiet personally.

At this kind of budget I'd look at a better quality PSU as well, here's a really good guide on general PSU quality, you should be able to afford a tier 1 or 2 at the very least. The CSM is a tier 3 so it's OK and isn't going to blow up or anything but a better PSU is going to be more stable.

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/id-2547993/psu-tier-list.html

Admittedly I'm a bit overkill when it comes to quietness so I tend to replace all case fans for ultra high quality aftermarket ones. The ones in the NZXT and Fractal cases are OK, standard mid range stuff.

Regarding Kaby lake I wouldn't bother personally, the IPC (performance per Ghz) is exactly the same as Skylake and they're very expensive at the moment because they are so new.

This would be good if you want something very quiet.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-6700K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor ($446.74 @ Vuugo)
CPU Cooler: be quiet! Shadow Rock 2 51.4 CFM Rifle Bearing CPU Cooler ($59.90 @ Newegg Canada)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z170M-D3H Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($139.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LPX 32GB (2 x 16GB) DDR4-3000 Memory ($234.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Storage: Samsung 960 Evo 500GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive ($315.84 @ shopRBC)
Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 1060 6GB 6GB Strix Video Card ($420.98 @ DirectCanada)
Case: Fractal Design Define Mini MicroATX Mini Tower Case ($99.99 @ NCIX)
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA G2 550W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($104.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-14 DVD/CD Writer ($17.50 @ Amazon Canada)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM 64-bit ($118.98 @ DirectCanada)
Case Fan: Noctua NF-F12 PWM 55.0 CFM 120mm Fan ($21.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Case Fan: Noctua NF-F12 PWM 55.0 CFM 120mm Fan ($21.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Case Fan: Noctua NF-S12A PWM 120mm Fan ($24.85 @ Newegg Canada)
Total: $2028.73
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-01-07 16:15 EST-0500

I'd have that with the 2 x Noctua F12's in the front blowing into the case and the S12 as a rear exhaust with the CPU cooler blowing from front to back. The massive heatsinks on that CPU cooler and that GPU means the fans don't have to spin as much making the system quieter. The fans on that PSU and that GPU stop under low load as well. Then you've got those Noctua case fans, expensive yes but absolutely top notch. I'd put the included low noise adapter on each fan and that should be quiet.

Let me know if you've got any questions about that.

There is a 10% - 15% increase in the kaby lake over sky lake and in terms of compatibility it will be one generation more convenient in terms of viability. Also dont forget the power to performance ratio gain made over skylake. Personally a $40 extra which goes towards a newer gen. tech. over older gen. is more convenient to me, specially when there are reasons for it.
About the PSU, first of all its a CXM not a CSM. CSM is a piece of junk and so was CXM at the time of publishing of that Tier List. But in July 2016 Corsair rebranded and relaunched the CXM lineup with better HSF architecture and mosfet design. The CXM listed in the Tier list is the old model identified by Green sticker on its body. The new CXM linked in the build is a top quality unit identified by White sticker on its body.

 

[Brett123]

I appreciate both the replies so far, from both Hellfire13 and jmsellars1. Your time is very much appreciated! I'd love to know what anyone else might think. I am probably more inclined towards Hellfire's suggestions - I'm OK with a full size case, and I think that having more HDD slots in the front could help with air flow around a lot of HDDs. I lost a HDD with 3 TB of photos on it due to overheating when a front case fan went and I didn't realize it. Thank God for backups. I am still inclined towards the Fractal Design Define 5 though - just like the look. I fully appreciate the fact that Kabylake is an evolutionary move, not a revolutionary one, from Skylake. Having said that, using the most recent architecture is something I'm comfortable with. The cost difference is pretty minimal. I'm sure both would work well for my purposes, however.

I think jmsellars was referring to my original build idea when he talked about the CSM power supply. I had no idea it was poor quality, and will be picking a different one. jmsellars also had some good comments about fans and I will be taking that into account - it's a bit confusing for me as the Fractal Design front case fan (which I had picked out simply because it's a match for the supplied one) seems to have lower dBA than the Noctua that jmsellars recommends, but in doing some reading I do see that many people prefer Noctua case fans. As to the CPU cooler, I have used CoolerMaster before and had no problems with it, but then again many reviewers seem to like the be quiet! CPU coolers. They are all very big, and of course I would have to see which one would fit. I'm also looking into the Noctua NH-D14.

One question I'd have for Hellfire is why do you prefer 4X8 GB sticks of RAM rather than 2X16?

The knowledge in this forum is amazing, and again my sincere thanks to everyone who has given their time so far.

 

[Hellfire13]

"One question I'd have for Hellfire is why do you prefer 4X8 GB sticks of RAM rather than 2X16?"

They are both fine, whether you go dual channel or quad channel. But the logic is simple. 4 taps will fill the bucket faster than 2 taps. Not something that is explicitly noticeable though.

 

[jmsellars1]

Yeah I prefer smaller cases personally and the cooling in that particular one should be fine for this build but the R5 is a good case too.

I'd take the DB ratings on fans with a pinch of salt, they are a rough guide but could easily have been measured from different distances etc. and don't take into account the type of sound it makes. For example a quiet fan that has an annoying click to it would be worse than a slightly louder fan which has a nice low pitched hum. Read any review for any Noctua product and you can see they are quality, as you can tell I'm a big fan of them personally.

Regarding Kaby Lake, it is the same performance per Ghz but they are clocked slightly higher. That's why the performance is 5-10% better but it costs 20%+ more in some cases. Obviously it is a perfectly viable option, I was just expressing my opinion and explaining why.

Regarding 2 or 4 sticks of RAM, for Skylake and Kaby Lake they are going to run in dual channel either way and using 2 sticks leaves another 2 open for upgrades. Also fully populating the RAM puts more strain on the memory controller and limits overclocking.

Regarding the PSU you should easily be able to get a T1 at this budget. I'd look at the Corsair RMx, EVGA G2, G3, P2 or T2, Be Quiet P10 or Seasonic X series as they are also very quiet.

 

[Hellfire13]

It does not limit overclcoking, but it does put some strain on the controller. You can go with either.

 

[jmsellars1]

I'm talking from experience, I work for an OEM repairing/upgrading PC's and whenever we use 4 sticks of memory in a system we almost always have to increase voltage and/or decrease speed for overclocked systems to get it stable again. I'm only talking a 5% difference but just saying 2 sticks is more efficient for dual channel systems.

 

[Brett123]

I feel privileged to have people like the two of you sharing your wisdom! Thanks - this is exactly the sort of information I need to know.

 

[jmsellars1]

No problem, what's your parts list looking like at the moment?

 

[Brett123]

No problem, what's your parts list looking like at the moment?

Working on it!

 

[Hellfire13]

I'm talking from experience, I work for an OEM repairing/upgrading PC's and whenever we use 4 sticks of memory in a system we almost always have to increase voltage and/or decrease speed for overclocked systems to get it stable again. I'm only talking a 5% difference but just saying 2 sticks is more efficient for dual channel systems.

I have actually never felt much of a difference while overclocking nominally with 2 or 4 sticks. The voltage instability would be more prominent during extreme overclcoking, which i am not sure whether user will be proficient with. Even if its a factor, then its a minor one.

 

[Brett123]

I'm talking from experience, I work for an OEM repairing/upgrading PC's and whenever we use 4 sticks of memory in a system we almost always have to increase voltage and/or decrease speed for overclocked systems to get it stable again. I'm only talking a 5% difference but just saying 2 sticks is more efficient for dual channel systems.

I have actually never felt much of a difference while overclocking nominally with 2 or 4 sticks. The voltage instability would be more prominent during extreme overclcoking, which i am not sure whether user will be proficient with. Even if its a factor, then its a minor one.

I do plan on a moderate overclock, but not extreme.

 

[Hellfire13]

Thats fine, get whichever is cheaper. If 2 sticks are cheaper than 4 then get that.

 

[Brett123]

No problem, what's your parts list looking like at the moment?

Fan question - I was reading about the Noctua fans on their site, and since the front case fans will be pulling air through some resistance (mesh), what do you think about the NF-P12? And the NF-S12A at the rear since there is no filter there? For that matter, 140mm fans will fit - should I be considering those? Finally, you like the Noctua case fans, but prefer the be quiet! CPU cooler - what is your reason for this over the well-known NH-D14 , or the Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo - is it just the quietness? Thanks!

 

[Hellfire13]

http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-2592448/case-fan...

Go for quality 140mm if you can. And if you are willing to spend some money, dont look beyond NH-D15. Its one of the best coolers ever.

 

[jmsellars1]

The F12's are a newer version of the P12's so they are designed for high resistance stuff as well. Yes I'd go for 140mm if the case fits it. Be Quiet fans are pretty good as well and the performance of the Shadow Rock 2 is somewhere in between the 212 Evo and D14/D15 at a good price. So chose it due to a combination of quietness and value for money really.

In terms of the S12 yes that's in the rear because it just needs to shift as much air as possible and we don't really care where that air is going. With the front fans we want the air to get through the HDD cages towards the back of the case so static pressure fans are preferable.

Agreed that the D15 is excellent for a high performance/quiet/high price option If you're planning on overclocking and want quietness then the Dark Rock Pro 3 or Noctua NH-D15 would be best.

 

[Hellfire13]

Since you have 2 mnths time, better as well to wait for Ryzen and see what it offers.

 

[Brett123]

OK, here we go....

I've got a few of my own ideas here, some from Hellfire13 and some from jsellars1. What does everyone think? There are many parts where I could go one way or the other.

Thanks!


PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-7700K 4.2GHz Quad-Core Processor ($473.99 @ PC Canada)
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D15 82.5 CFM CPU Cooler ($99.85 @ Newegg Canada)
Motherboard: Asus STRIX Z270-E GAMING ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($269.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LPX 32GB (2 x 16GB) DDR4-3000 Memory ($234.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Storage: Samsung 960 Evo 500GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive ($332.00 @ shopRBC)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1060 6GB 6GB WINDFORCE OC 6G Video Card ($344.50 @ Vuugo)
Case: Fractal Design Define R5 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($129.99 @ DirectCanada)
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA G2 550W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($104.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-14 DVD/CD Writer ($17.50 @ Amazon Canada)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM 64-bit ($118.98 @ DirectCanada)
Case Fan: Noctua NF-F12 PWM 55.0 CFM 120mm Fan ($21.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Case Fan: Noctua NF-F12 PWM 55.0 CFM 120mm Fan ($21.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Case Fan: Noctua NF-S12A PWM 120mm Fan ($24.85 @ Newegg Canada)
Total: $2195.61
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-01-10 00:08 EST-0500