Rendering Workstation Build ( 3DS MAX )

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Gaganailawadi

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Hello Everyone
I am into 3D Rendering and Image/Video editing (3ds Max, After Effects, Photoshop, vray, corona) After a Long Research i want to build a Workstation for me. I am pretty noob in hardware stuff so i would be very thankful if anyone willing to help.

Cpu - thinking to go with 1950x or 2950x ( as more core will help me in rendering )

Mobo - x399 which one? the 2nd gen is too costly i guess

ram - my main concern i need atleast 3200mhz 64g. will be buying 32gb for now then will upgrade 32gb more in few months.

PSU - ?

Gpu - RTX 2070 or 1080ti ? what will be the best option ?

boot drive - i want the value for money nvme as its the fastest ( samsung 970 evo 256 gb )

Hdd- barcuda 2tb x2

cooler - have no idea about it, will overclock a bit not extreme.

cabinet - ? 50$ budget

do i have to buy any other extra fan for better temperatures? as my system have to work day and night sometimes for rendering. please suggest me the best.

Total budget 3000$ ( Rs 230000) can go little up if its really worth it.
 
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jaslion

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The main issue with the rtx 2070 is that in raw performance for helping in redering it's quite a bit worse however in software that does support rtx acceleration (3DS max is busy integrating it) it does speed up rendering a fair bit. However it's up to you if you want to take the gamble and hope it brings a good performance boost in the future or go with the now and get the gtx 1080ti.

x399 boards only support the 2950x with a bios update so it's a gamble getting these and hoping they work with a 2950x.

Another problem with ram is that even if you get the exact same 32gb kit there is a fair chance it won't work or it will work at different speeds. Only a complete kit within the same package is guaranteed to work togheter.

Also any plans for other future upgrade (second gpu,...)?
 
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herrwizo

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Here it is, and it is $500 below your max budget. I picked Threadripper 1920x because it has been on heavy discount since recently and is currently best buy for rendering by miles in price/ratio terms (12 cores and 24 threads, btw).

ASRock Taichi motherboard is among the best ATM. No need to update BIOS as well, since 1st gen Threadripper is inside.

I picked 2070; 1080Ti is faster overall, but rendering apps should see some benefit from RTX in near future. If you want performance now and don't trust the future developments, go for 1080Ti instead. Just pick one with good cooling, not some basic model.

Cabinet for $50 was unrealistic, rendering builds usually require ample cooling space and full towers, since they operate 24/7 normally.

I also put only 2 modules of excellent memory for 32GB in total; until you get a 2nd set of memory, you won't have quad channel. If that is a problem for you, get 4x8GB of Trident Z memory instead, and another 4x8GB later. But that will use all your mobo slots and upgrading to 128GB (if you even require so) will need selling of all modules first.

Got you a 500GB SSD instead of 250 which is basically not recommended for anyone.

A top quality Seasonic PSU with ample power.

And also a great CPU cooler by Noctua, among the best air coolers for TR4 at the moment. I am not a fan of liquid cooling, but if you wish you may go with a different cooler.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: AMD - Threadripper 1920X 3.5GHz 12-Core Processor ($420.98 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Noctua - NH-U14S TR4-SP3 140.2 CFM CPU Cooler ($79.90 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASRock - X399 Taichi ATX TR4 Motherboard ($359.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: G.Skill - Trident Z RGB 32GB (2 x 16GB) DDR4-3200 Memory ($289.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung - 970 Evo 500GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive ($147.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Seagate - Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($58.89 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Seagate - Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($58.89 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: Gigabyte - GeForce RTX 2070 8GB AORUS Video Card ($619.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Fractal Design - Define XL R2 (Black Pearl) ATX Full Tower Case ($140.81 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: SeaSonic - PRIME Ultra Platinum 1000W 80+ Platinum Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($200.84 @ Amazon)
Operating System: Microsoft - Windows 10 Pro OEM 64-bit ($124.89 @ My Choice Software)
Total: $2503.16
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2018-10-26 06:18 EDT-0400
 
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Lucky_SLS

Lucky_SLS

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Look at primeabgb, mdcomputers.in, itdepot for the best prices.

Go for 2950X with a quad channel memory kit 4x8gb rams. Single package having 4 ram sticks.

Prime A mobo : https://www.primeabgb.com/online-price-reviews-india/asus-prime-x399-a-amd-motherboard/

A Seasonic focus plus, prime 750/850w or evga g2 /g3 750/850w or corsair rmx 750/850w.

Samsung 960/970 pro. Mydigitalssd bpx pro, corsair mp 510 ssd.

Enermax liqtech tr4 360 cooler.

Case : https://www.primeabgb.com/online-price-reviews-india/cooler-master-mastercase-h500p-mesh-mid-tower-case-gun-metal/

Get a 1080ti.
 
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Gaganailawadi

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Hi, thanks for the reply, no i have no plan to use dual gpu.
 
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Gaganailawadi

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Thanks for the reply, for cpu i would like to go with 2950x as i want maximum reduction of render time under this budget,
i am afraid i have ASRock - X399 Taichi available here in india ( delhi )
what model of case i can buy for better cooling not much high value?
we dont have noctua here in india :(
1000 psu dont you think its too much ?
trident z or ripjaw v ?
 
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Gaganailawadi

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Thanks for the reply, actually i live in delhi, so i will buy stuff from nehru place which have cheaper price then all.

for ram better compatibility & performance 4x8gb or 2x16gb ? i will have to make it 64gb in coming 3-4 months

for mobo - i dont have to buy 2nd gen mobo ? 1st will be good enough?

cooling - i heard enermax got some leaks issue is that true ?

why 1080ti? i think its equally good as 2070 and after some time will get rtx boost too
 
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herrwizo

herrwizo

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Well sure, if your budget allows it then go for 2950X. Latest BIOS for X399 board is a must then.

For case, get a full tower from reputable brand, doesnt really matter which one. Corsair, Fractal, Cooler Master, NZXT, they all make great cases.

If you don't have noctua, then get this cooler:

https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/cooler-master-masterair-ma621p-threadripper-air-cooler,5664.html

1000W PSU - dang, I totally missed it. It was my initial pick and later I forgot to replace it with a 850W part. Yeah, 850W will be plenty (take the same brand and model, just lower wattage). Seasonic PSUs are great quality and not an overkill since you will be running your system 24/7.

Trident or Ripjaws V, doesn't really matter. As long as all your memory is the same :)
 
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herrwizo

herrwizo

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Here is the updated build. Included all you asked for. You get quad channel from the start, and can upgrade to 64GB later. But not to 128GB, until you sell all your memory first. Plan accordingly. Double check that this motherboard has latest BIOS prior to purchase!

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: AMD - Threadripper 2950X 3.5GHz 16-Core Processor ($865.99 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master - MA621P TR4 53.4 CFM CPU Cooler ($49.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASRock - X399 Taichi ATX TR4 Motherboard ($359.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: G.Skill - Ripjaws V Series 32GB (4 x 8GB) DDR4-3200 Memory ($269.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung - 970 Evo 500GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive ($147.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Seagate - Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($58.89 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Seagate - Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($58.89 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: Gigabyte - GeForce RTX 2070 8GB AORUS Video Card ($619.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Fractal Design - Define XL R2 (Black Pearl) ATX Full Tower Case ($140.81 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: SeaSonic - PRIME Ultra Platinum 850W 80+ Platinum Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($174.65 @ Amazon)
Operating System: Microsoft - Windows 10 Pro OEM 64-bit ($124.89 @ My Choice Software)
Total: $2872.07
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2018-10-26 07:23 EDT-0400
 
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Lucky_SLS

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The threadripper is a quad channel system. That's why 4x8gb. It also gives you a big boost in video rendering cuz of double the memory bandwidth.

The first gen products were designed with 16 core cpu in mind. Since the 2950X is also a 16 core cpu, go for the prime a. It's designed to handle it.

Enermax is the only aio cooler which has full coverage of tr4 slot. Much better performance than your makeshift corsair and nzxt with their tr4 mounting brackets.

No such leak problems. All the brands have few complains like that. But since Enermax is not so popular, they focus on the negative things. But read the reviews for the liqtech tr4, the best cooling solution for 2950X.

The 1080ti cuz it got more vram. If you don't mind 8gb of vram then it's not an issue. The rtx2080 gives you the performance of 1080ti. Rtx 2070=gtx 1080.
 
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nuttynut

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Second the 1080 Ti. Go for the extra VRAM. As for system RAM, 64GB is a lot, but I'm assuming that you have your reasons. As Lucky_SLS said, get a 4x8GB pack now and another pack later. There shouldn't be issues with timings, but if you can't afford all your RAM initially, you can do it and hope for the best. I really can't see 128 GB providing any more of a boost than 64.

As for memory speeds, 3200Mhz won't help you. Unless you're willing to overclock past the official bus speed of the chip, get 2933Mhz modules for 2950X and 2667Mhz for 1950X.

For a case, you can get the DIYPC DIY-TG8 for $49.98 (Rs 3,657). https://www.newegg.com/global/in-en/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811353126&cm_re=diy-tg8-_-11-353-126-_-Product Note that since it is a Mid-Tower, you're limited in your cooling solutions. The Cooler Master Wraith Ripper is the only air cooler on the official list for TR, and it is pricey. http://www.coolermaster.com/cooling/cpu-air-cooler/wraith-ripper/
 
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Aeacus

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Got a PM from OP to help out and now i'm here.

The build posted by herrwizo is a good one, especially when you mainly use CPU render. Though, for rendering 2D/3D objects, GPU render is far faster than CPU render, up to 10 times. And due to this, i present a build that is optimized towards GPU render:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel - Core i9-9900K 3.6 GHz 8-Core Processor ($750.00 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: be quiet! - Dark Rock Pro 3 67.8 CFM Fluid Dynamic Bearing CPU Cooler ($88.58 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: MSI - MAG Z390 TOMAHAWK ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($156.07 @ Newegg)
Memory: Corsair - Vengeance LPX 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR4-3000 Memory ($263.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung - 970 Evo 500 GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive ($116.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Hitachi - Deskstar NAS 4 TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($127.77 @ Newegg Business)
Video Card: Zotac - GeForce RTX 2080 Ti 11 GB GAMING Triple Fan Video Card ($1379.99 @ B&H)
Case: Phanteks - Enthoo Pro ATX Full Tower Case ($99.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: SeaSonic - PRIME Ultra Titanium 750 W 80+ Titanium Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($163.10 @ Amazon)
Total: $3146.48
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2018-11-14 03:28 EST-0500

Note: went over the budget a bit due to the current pricing.

Few words
What you'd loose in CPU performance, you'll make up with GPU performance. Also, while Core i9 has 8/16 cores/threads, making it's multi-core performance inferior to TR 2950X, it's single- and quad-core performance are better, making it overall better CPU than TR 2950X,
comparison: https://cpu.userbenchmark.com/Compare/AMD-Ryzen-TR-2950X-vs-Intel-Core-i9-9900K/m569025vs4028

Since going with AIO would be a waste of money, picked Dark Rock Pro 3 as CPU cooler which is one of the best big-sized CPU coolers offering great cooling performance and good looks as well.

MoBo wise, picked MSI Tomahawk MoBo which is part of Arsenal Gaming series. MSI Arsenal Gaming series MoBos have a heavy emphasis on functionality and robustness, making this MoBo better suited inside the workstation/business PC rather than inside gaming PC.

Also, picked Corsair Vengeance LPX RAM (2x 16GB, 3000 Mhz) since it's one of the few RAM models that fits under Dark Rock Pro 3 without issues. Just install the RAM before installing CPU cooler, it's easier this way. With 4x RAM slots on MoBo, you can easily upgrade the RAM to 64GB in the future.

SSD is same as in herrwizo's build since 970 Evo is very fast M.2 NVMe drive and 500GB capacity also helps quite a lot.

With HDD, went with HGST (Hitachi) Deskstar NAS drive instead. Drive size is 4TB, just like your initial wish was. Oh, since HDD is NAS drive, it is designed to run 24/7 in a server environment, making it far more reliable HDD than consumer grade Seagate Barracuda drives,
review: https://www.storagereview.com/hgst_4tb_deskstar_nas_hdd_review

Now the good part. There's RTX 2080 Ti in the build which is the fastest GPU in the world at current date and which would be the workhorse of this PC when it's used mainly as GPU render build. Also, compared to the RTX 2070, RTX 2080 Ti has more than twice of CUDA cores (4352 vs 2070) and GPU itself is about 50% better than RTX 2070,
comparison: https://gpu.userbenchmark.com/Compare/Nvidia-RTX-2070-vs-Nvidia-RTX-2080-Ti/4029vs4027

For a case, picked Phanteks Enthoo Pro full-tower ATX case with side window. There's also windowless version at the same price if you don't like to see the internals of your PC case. Enthoo Pro is one of the best full-tower ATX cases out there and i did consider it heavily when i was searching for a PC case for my PC. For case being full-tower ATX, you have more than enough room for all the hardware with some extra space as well. Also included with the case is 200mm front intake fan and 140mm rear exhaust fan,
video review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBhmn21ylkc
Since choosing a PC case is personal choice, feel free to switch out the case with the one that you like the most.

And lastly, put in the best 750W PSU money can buy at current date: Seasonic PRIME 750 80+ Titanium.
review: http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php?name=NDReviews&op=Story&reid=481

Note: This Intel build is only useful if you mainly use GPU render. When you mainly use CPU render, go with herrwizo build instead since you'd get better performance with his suggested build.

Also, here's a good article for you to read about building a rendering PC, with which components to choose and why,
link: http://www.logicalincrements.com/articles/building-pc-3d-rendering-animation/
 
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Gaganailawadi

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First of all thanks for your detailed reply sir,

i read from many sites that higher the core Better the rendering speed. i have to use this system mainly for corona renderer which is unfortunately cpu renderer. & also for rendering in VRAY with 3ds max luckly vray now supports hybrid rendering means i can utilise the cpu as well as gpu. thats the only reason i choose 2950x. please check the benchmark of both the processor

corona benchmark
https://corona-renderer.com/benchmark/results/cpu/i9-9900k
https://corona-renderer.com/benchmark/results/cpu/2950x

vray benchmark
https://benchmark.chaosgroup.com/cpu?search_string=i9-9900k
https://benchmark.chaosgroup.com/cpu?search_string=2950x

Please help in this then will ask about further parts.

 
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Aeacus

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As i said, for CPU render, AMD Threadripper is better than Intel Core i9. And since you mainly use CPU render, going with Threadripper gives shorter rendering times.
I put the Intel build out there as an example of GPU render optimized build for you and anyone else who might see it.

As far as Threadripper goes, best CPU would be TR 2990WX which is miles better in multi-core performance than TR 2950X,
comparison: https://cpu.userbenchmark.com/Compare/AMD-Ryzen-TR-2950X-vs-AMD-Ryzen-TR-2990WX/m569025vsm560423

Of course, best desktop CPU in the world at current date also costs accordingly, e.g like so:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: AMD - Threadripper 2990WX 3 GHz 32-Core Processor ($1719.99 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master - MA621P TR4 53.4 CFM CPU Cooler ($59.35 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASRock - X399 Taichi ATX TR4 Motherboard ($323.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill - Ripjaws V Series 32 GB (4 x 8 GB) DDR4-3200 Memory ($269.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung - 970 Evo 500 GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive ($116.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Hitachi - Deskstar NAS 4 TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($129.99 @ Newegg Business)
Video Card: MSI - GeForce GTX 1080 8 GB DUKE OC Video Card ($494.98 @ Newegg)
Case: Phanteks - Enthoo Pro ATX Full Tower Case ($99.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: SeaSonic - PRIME Ultra Titanium 750 W 80+ Titanium Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($163.10 @ Amazon)
Total: $3378.36
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2018-11-14 06:43 EST-0500

Few words
Took my Intel build and combined it with herrwizo's suggested build. Also, had to downgrade GPU to GTX 1080 which is about 10% slower than RTX 2070,
comparison: https://gpu.userbenchmark.com/Compare/Nvidia-GTX-1080-vs-Nvidia-RTX-2070/3603vs4029

Sadly, build is still quite a bit over the budget and going with TR 2990WX may not be worth the money spent on it. Then again, while TR 2990WX does cost twice the price of TR 2950X, you'll also get twice as many cores/threads, 32 cores and 64 threads to be exact.
 
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Lucky_SLS

Lucky_SLS

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About the cpu cooler, the dark rock pro 3 still doesn't cover the entire ihs of the tr4 cpu. Which means less efficient cooling.

For tr4, go for a cooler specifically designed for that socket. The wraithripper is designed for the 32 core 2990WX, so no issues.
 
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G

Gaganailawadi

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Yes sir 2990wx is bit out of the budget, so i guess i will be fine with 2950x. but heard cooling is bit of an issue for this threadripper. so does Cooler Master - MA621P TR4 53.4 CFM CPU Cooler perform good if i want to overclock? or should i go with cooler master wraithripper or Noctua NH-U14S TR4-SP3 ? i dont want my cpu to fry in heat. as i have to work for long hours sometimes for rendering. little bit scared to go with liquid cooling may be that will damage my system as tr4 is new and very few of the liquid cooler cover the whole plate.

the look does NOT matter to me, i want performance and safety
 
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Aeacus

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Since there are no reviews of Cooler Master Wraith Ripper out yet, it's impossible to tell how good it's cooling performance is.

But here's the review of Cooler Master MA621P TR4,
link: https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/cooler-master-masterair-ma621p-threadripper-air-cooler,5664.html

As seen from review, MA621P TR4 is only few degrees short from big boy AIOs with 360mm rad. That's very impressive.
Though, you'd get even better cooling performance with Noctua NH-U14S TR4-SP3. Noctua cooler is on par with 360mm AIOs,
review: https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/noctua-nh-u14s-tr4-sp3-amd-threadripper,5715.html

To put it short; according to the 2x reviews, TR 1900X @ 4.1 Ghz, CPU full load, CPU temp:
51.4°C (max fan RPM) / 56.9°C (50% fan RPM) - Enermax LIQTECH 360 TR4 OC
54.2°C (max fan RPM) / 58.5°C (50% fan RPM) - NZXT Kraken x72 360
55.3°C (max fan RPM) / 58.4°C (50% fan RPM) - Noctua NH-U14S TR4-SP3
58.3°C (max fan RPM) / 60.4°C (50% fan RPM) - Cooler Master MasterAir MA621P

While Noctua NH-U14S TR4-SP3 comes with 1x 140mm fan with 120mm mounting holes, you can always add 2nd 140mm fan with 120mm mounting holes to it to increase the static pressure inside the CPU heatsink. 2nd fan also acts as contingency plan, if one of the 140mm fans should fail. Since it would leave the 2nd 140mm operational, providing cooling to CPU.
 
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Gaganailawadi

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Great, thank you
 
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G

Gaganailawadi

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i am getting Noctua NH-U14S TR4-SP3 for 83$
Cooler Master MasterAir MA621P for 55$
wraithripper for 150$
silver arrow is not available in india :( @Lucky_SLS

Please suggest now what to buy so that i can overclock a bit with optimum cooling.
Thanks for your research and hardwork
 
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Aeacus

Aeacus

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I'd go with Noctua and in push-pull configuration (2x fans) since it offers the best cooling among air coolers.

Also, Wraith Ripper is extremely overpriced and there's no point going with it (i'd rename it to Wallet Ripper). With $150, you can get x62 Kraken.
 
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