Video Editing PC Build - Ryzen 7 1700X and GPU Quadro K620 vs GTX 1060 Ex 6GB

[chpix70]

Hi all,

I am looking to build a photo and video editing PC. As a background I am not PC savvy nor photo and video editing savvy (in particular video editing which I have zero experience). I hope this PC set up will last me a couple of years ….perhaps up to 6 years if possible.

Main Usage of PC:
I take lots of photos and videos mainly for family use with a 24MP Full Frame DSLR (Nikon D750). So photo sizes are like 11-13 MB per piece (usually JPEG), and not sure about video sizes. As the computer is expected to last a couple of years, it may need to be able to process even larger photo and video files should I upgrade the optical equipment or decide to shoot RAW for some shots. I don’t expect to do serious editing work as it’s mostly for family use, maybe save for a few limited personal projects.

I will likely be using Photoshop for photo editing, but have not had any experience with video editing software to date. All my videos are currently stored in the HDD in separate files. My intention is to combine/stitch them together after some simple editing and possibly transfer the videos into DVDs for ease of watching later by other family members.

Other active use will be for Microsoft Office work – i.e. Words, Excel and PowerPoint (which I understand will not really have much determining factor on the PC set up). But I may build pretty large Excel spread sheets, which I believe sufficiently large RAM will easily manage this requirement.

Secondary Usage of PC:
I doubt I will use the PC for much serious gaming purpose, at most some moderate pass time gaming. I will also be using Chief Architect Version 10 (old version I bought years ago) to render simple renovation plans for my home, mostly 3D rendering of the renovation projects that are not expected to be complex (this is expected to be a once off or non-regular work for the PC).

Proposed PC Package:
I was previously looking at the Intel i7-7700 or i7-7700K CPU, but the supplier just recently that I use the new AMD Ryzen 7 CPU as follows:

• CPU – AMD Ryzen 7 1700X
• MOBO – MSI B350 Tomahawk (instead of the Gaming Pro for additional PCI-e slots for future expansion potential – also the difference is price is not too large between the two)
• GPU – Nvidia Quadro K620 (I am also considering using the GTX 1060 EX 6GB GPU)
• RAM – 1 piece Kingston 16GB DDR4 (plan to upgrade to 32GB only when required later)
• Cooling system – Air cooler Cooler Master 212 LED

The other components are:

• SSD – Kingston Fury 240GB
• HDD – 1TB (since I use external WD MyBook Duo 12TB)
• Optical drives – 2 Asus 24X DVD RW (as I expect to burn home made DVDs)
• PSU – CoolerMaster G650 (650W Bronze)
• Windows 10

QUESTIONS:
The following are the key questions I have in mind for the above PC:

1) CPU: Is the AMD Ryzen 7 1700X a good choice over the Intel i7-7700 or i7-7700K for the above use?

2) GPU: Should I use the Quadro K620 over the GTX 1060 6GB GPU, and what are the reasons for the proposal?

3) Video Editing: Which is a good video editing software that can be used for the intended purpose and to match the proposed hardware?

As I am not very tech savvy in the PC field, I will try to answer to the best I can any questions in this tread, but likely I will be taking in inputs.

Thank you very much in advance for your kind answers.

Best regards,

 

[velocityg4]

As far as your uses go.

Photoshop: Pretty much everything is done in the CPU. Photoshop does not make heavy use of multiple cores. Single/Dual threaded performance is more important. The Core i7-7700K will do better.
This test gave Ryzen every opportunity by downclocking the i7-7700K to the same clock rate.
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/amd-ryzen-7-1700x-review,4987-7.html

Video Editing: Most work is also done by the CPU. The i7-7700K does better most often. Hard drive speed can play an important factor when rendering your project.
https://www.pugetsystems.com/labs/articles/Premiere-Pro-CC-2017-AMD-Ryzen-7-1700X-1800X-Performance-909/

Chief Architect: As this is a one-off deal. Performance is non-sequitur. Any of the proposed hardware will do well for your use.

Office: Unless you are creating truly gargantuan spreadsheets with extremely complex mathematical formulas. You will be the determining factor in speed. Not the computer.

Gaming: i7-7700K and GeForce GTX 1060 6GB will perform the best. Workstation cards are a bad choice for this.

Storage: I would use a larger SSD. Work your current video projects on the SSD and offload them onto the hard drive when finished. You may as well skip the 1TB drive as you have an external 12TB RAID array.

Optical: I would suggest one BluRay burner. I assume your home movies are shot in HD. You may as well insure as wide a compatibility as possible.

That Coolermaster is outdated. If you just want a cheap cooler for mild overclocking. Get a Be Quiet! Pure Rock or Cryorig H7. It is best to buy RAM in matched pairs to ensure an exact match. Even the same model later may be different. Dual channel memory. The Cooler Master G650 is a pretty low quality Tier 3 PSU. Get a Seasonic S12-II or M12-II (modular) for a higher quality Tier 2 unit.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-7700K 4.2GHz Quad-Core Processor ($329.99 @ B&H)
CPU Cooler: be quiet! PURE ROCK 51.7 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($28.49 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: MSI Z270 GAMING PRO CARBON ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($147.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3200 Memory ($113.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Intel 600p Series 512GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive ($169.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 1060 6GB 6GB ARMOR OCV1 Video Card ($229.98 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair SPEC-03 Orange ATX Mid Tower Case ($69.99 @ Corsair)
Power Supply: SeaSonic S12II 620W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($47.78 @ SuperBiiz)
Optical Drive: LG WH16NS40 Blu-Ray/DVD/CD Writer ($56.99 @ Amazon)
Optical Drive: LG GH24NSC0B DVD/CD Writer ($16.88 @ OutletPC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM 64-bit ($88.58 @ OutletPC)
Total: $1300.64
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-04-23 00:31 EDT-0400

As your video editing needs are modest. You’d likely be happy using Adobe Premiere Elements

 

[chpix70]

Dear Velocity,

Thank you very much for your very prompt, organised and detailed reply – it is very much appreciated. It has certainly addressed a load of considerations in my mind on the matter. Following are some updates:

CPU:
As mentioned, I am not an expert in this field, but from my discussions and reading on the subject, I am still torn on the decision on the CPU, i.e. between the Ryzen 7 1700X and the i7-7700k.

Noted that the current version of the Photoshop and Lightroom are faster on the i7-7700K as they are dependent on the high clock speed of the individual core of the i7, but the outcome seems to be mixed on more complex software that utilises the higher number of cores of the 1700X. I had the impression that the outcome on the test with Premiere Pro seems to be mixed, i.e. the 1700X did better on tasks that are able to use the higher multiple cores of the 1700X.

I suppose the consideration comes down to the following in relation to the CPU selection:

For the 1700X
• Take the plunge and hope to benefit from the possibility that software suppliers will move towards developing programs that will take advantage of the 8 core strengths of the Ryzen 7 in the immediate next few years
• But at the same time I am not sure if there are any bugs that relates to the 1700X that may affect its performance, as I understand these are currently still being fixed

For the i7-7700K
• To stick with the tested and proven Intel i7 CPU and enjoy the immediate benefits of programs that are structured to benefit from the high clock speed of the i7
• But I may not fully enjoy the possible shift in the direction of software providers on the use of the higher number of cores of the Ryzen 7

In any event, I would guess that the software providers’ decision to focus on utilising the higher clock speed of the i7 or the higher number of cores of the Ryzen 7 will very much depend on the sales volume of the resepective CPUs. Obviously this is a subject that is beyond me.

Some other components / parts:
• GPU: Thanks for your advice on the use of GTX 1060 6GB. I will be using this over the Quadro as my PC will be more for general usage as oppose to a dedicated workstation.

• SSD: The recommendation of the 516GB SSD over the mix of 256GB SSD plus the 1TB HHD is fantastic, as I will be able to benefit from the high speed of the SSD and the large storage of the 12TB external HDD. Thanks again.

• Video editing software: Thanks I will check out the Adobe Premiere Elements

The latest set up:
I was looking at getting the components from the local supplier, as I am not sure how easy it is to buy all the components from your proposed sources and mail them to where I am. By the way, a big thank you for the detailed list. In any case the latest set up is as follows:
• If Intel CPU : i7-7700K
• If Intel Motherboard: ASUS TUF Z270 (I was informed that the TUF Z270 is better quality than the Z270 Prime and I might not need to pay extra for the Gaming Pro motherboards that looks more fancy. I am not sure if there are any other benefits of the Gaming Pro motherboard besides the aesthetics.)

• If AMD CPU: Ryzen 7 1700X
• If AMD based Motherboard: MSI B350 Tomahawk (that’s the only one they currently have for the Ryzen)

• GPU: ASUS 1060 6GB Dual
• SSD: WD 500GB M.2
• RAM: [please see question]
• PSU: FSB 650 Gold
• Cooling fan: Unfortunately if it’s for the Ryzen CPU, they only have the Cooler Master Hyper 212 LED one that can fit the new AM4 socket. I need to discuss further with them on other air cooler options if I decide to use the i7 CPU
• Optical drive: 1X 24X DVD RW (I have to separately find the blue ray DVD RW as this does not seem to be popular anymore where I am)
• Operating system: Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM 64 bit

Some additional Questions:

1) Happy to hear any further thoughts on the selection of the CPU, i.e. between the i7-7700K and the Ryzen 7 1700X

2) On the SSD, is it advisable to (a) get one 516GB SSD; or (b) have two separate 256GB SSD, one for the programs and the other for working files. In any event, I will be using the M.2 connected SSDs as oppose to the 2.5” SSD. I was informed the M.2 SSDs are faster than the 2.5” SSDs.

3) For the RAM – I just wanted to clarify if it is better to (a) get 2 x 8GB DDR4 now (but this will restrict total of 4 slots to only 32GB); or (b) just get 1 x 16GB now so as to allow for future expansion to 32GB by buying an extra 16GB card (this leaves 4 slots to achieve a total of 64GB).

4) Any further comments on the proposed PC components above is also very much welcome.

Again as mentioned earlier, all these are very new to me, and I hope my assessment and questions are sensible and rationale. Thank you for the patience.

Thank you in advance and warmest regards

 

[velocityg4]

1. 6 and 8 core I7 CPUs with hyperthreading (12 to 16 threads) have been out a long time. Professional workstations, the computers used by multimedia pros, have been around with 10+ Xeon configurations even longer. If Adobe was going to update Photoshop. They would have done so by now. They haven’t because either they don’t see the benefit, it would require too much reworking or the work performed simply doesn’t scale well.
The Ryzen R7 1700x is a fine CPU. It will perform quite well. Unless software is better designed for it. For your stated uses it will largely be a little slower.
Adobe Premiere Elements is likely to benefit in the future, as 6/8 Core Xeons outperform the i7-7700K. Although I don’t know how quick Adobe is in responding to their watered-down consumer version. Plus, you would likely have to buy the latest version when released. At any rate, Premiere Pro will benefit first.
Keep in mind Premiere makes use of GPU acceleration. So, the GTX 1060 will speed up rendering and certain effects, by a large factor. GeForce cards generally perform at the same speed as their much more expensive Quadro counterpart (Quadro P2000). In the few tasks where a Quadro is better. The difference is slim. Given the massive cost increase it would be better to buy a GTX 1080 8GB rather than the Quadro equivalent of the GTX 1060. As the GTX 1080 would be much faster and cheaper. The GTX 1060 is likely faster in Premiere than the Quadro P2000. As the P2000 has many CUDA Cores and shaders disabled, less VRAM and a lower clock rate.

2. Careful on the M.2. M.2 comes in two flavors SATA and NVMe. The SATA variants are the same as their 2.5” SATA counterparts. You want NVMe SSD models. Which is why I listed the Intel 600P. If you want appreciably faster get the Plextor M8Pe, OCZ RD400, Samsung 960 Evo, Samsung SM961 or Samsung 960 Pro. I wouldn’t bother with two. NVMe are so fast you won’t see a benefit.
With just a single user a single NVMe will clear up any storage speed bottleneck. It writes and reads data at such a high rate of speed. It will be waiting for your computer to complete its tasks. Not the computer waiting for the storage to read/write. With the alternative high end models listed. The differences will hardly matter in real world use.
If we were talking about a server with a high que depth and numerous users. It would matter. Not for a single user workstation. For workstations, the difference between high end NVMe is usually less than a second.

3. I don’t know the length of the projects or resolution you will be working with. Memory is best bought in matched sets. If you think you will need more than 48GB in the future. It is best to get 2x16GB now in a matched set. Rather than 1x16GB now and 1x16GB later. Especially if you have 4K footage or long 1920x1080 projects.

4. I don’t know how serious you are about video editing. If you are just going to fiddle with a few home movies. I wouldn’t worry too much. If this is something serious. Then you are better off paying the $20 a month for Premiere Pro and $10 for Photoshop or even $50 for the full Adobe CC. To learn Premiere Pro and After Effects.

Whether pro or hobby. Either system will perform exceptionally well. The motherboards are good choices.

 

[chpix70]

Dear Velocity,

Thank you for the comprehensive explanation. Save for the RAM, I should have good clarity on the components as follows:

• CPU: I will go with the i7-7700K processor, which seems to better fit my intended use

• SSD: Thank you for highlighting the difference between the SATA and NVMe specifications. It appears the proposed WD SSD M.2 Blue may be SATA based. I will need to relook into this and hope the NVMe components are available at reasonable price here

• Motherboard: I will go with the ASUS TUF Z270 as I am not a gamer

• RAM: I am a bit undecided on the RAM configuration, as to use the 2x16GB will push cost up considerably.

Questions:
1) If I were to use the matched set of 2x8GB RAM = 16GB now, does it mean in future I have to add equivalent matched set of 2x8GB (hence obtaining total of 4x8GB = 32GB), or can I add a larger set of 2x16GB (to obtain total of 2x8GB (current) + 2x16GB (future) = 48GB)?

2) Based on my propose use, including the possible use for 4K or long 1920x1080 video projects in future, will total RAM of 32GB be sufficient or a higher RAM capacity is recommended?

3) The RAM cards the local store has proposed to me is either 2400 to 2800 MHz, whilst the one you proposed is 3200 Mhz; does the higher 3200 Mhz clock speed of the RAM make any significant differences in performance?

Any kind advice on the above is much appreciated.

By the way, I am contemplating buying the parts on line and assembling the PC myself, as oppose to buying the parts at the local store and having them assemble the PC for me. For this I am considering the taxes that I have to pay when importing the components into my country, and also the difficulty of assembling the PC myself (first time and lack of familiarity) and the risk of damaging the components as a result. But it seems like an interesting skill set to learn.

I will update on the above. And I hope it is fine for me to keep this forum open until I firm up the build.

Thank you very much again for the good advice.

Best regards

 

[velocityg4]

Dear Velocity,

Thank you for the comprehensive explanation. Save for the RAM, I should have good clarity on the components as follows:

• CPU: I will go with the i7-7700K processor, which seems to better fit my intended use

• SSD: Thank you for highlighting the difference between the SATA and NVMe specifications. It appears the proposed WD SSD M.2 Blue may be SATA based. I will need to relook into this and hope the NVMe components are available at reasonable price here

• Motherboard: I will go with the ASUS TUF Z270 as I am not a gamer

• RAM: I am a bit undecided on the RAM configuration, as to use the 2x16GB will push cost up considerably.

Questions:
1) If I were to use the matched set of 2x8GB RAM = 16GB now, does it mean in future I have to add equivalent matched set of 2x8GB (hence obtaining total of 4x8GB = 32GB), or can I add a larger set of 2x16GB (to obtain total of 2x8GB (current) + 2x16GB (future) = 48GB)?

2) Based on my propose use, including the possible use for 4K or long 1920x1080 video projects in future, will total RAM of 32GB be sufficient or a higher RAM capacity is recommended?

3) The RAM cards the local store has proposed to me is either 2400 to 2800 MHz, whilst the one you proposed is 3200 Mhz; does the higher 3200 Mhz clock speed of the RAM make any significant differences in performance?

Any kind advice on the above is much appreciated.

By the way, I am contemplating buying the parts on line and assembling the PC myself, as oppose to buying the parts at the local store and having them assemble the PC for me. For this I am considering the taxes that I have to pay when importing the components into my country, and also the difficulty of assembling the PC myself (first time and lack of familiarity) and the risk of damaging the components as a result. But it seems like an interesting skill set to learn.

I will update on the above. And I hope it is fine for me to keep this forum open until I firm up the build.

Thank you very much again for the good advice.

Best regards

WD Blue is M.2

NVMe models I know of
Intel 600p, 750 (It is a larger PCIe card)
MyDigitalSSD BPX
Samsung 950 Pro, SM961, 960 Evo, 960 Pro
OCZ RD400
WD Black
Plextor M8Pe(Y)

Here is a more thorough list (beware some may have an M.2 SATA or AHCI version) for example the Samsung SM951 has an AHCI and NVMe variant.
http://www.pcgamer.com/best-nvme-ssds/

1. Larger, smaller doesn't matter as long as they are a matched pair so you can get 2x16GB and 2x8GB. Try to match the ratings as closely as possible such as 3000mhz and CL15. Preferably the same vendor and series such as Corsair Vengeance LPX.
2. 32GB is usually sufficient. It really depends on the project size. I can't picture home videos being big enough to worry.
3. Not really, total RAM is more important.

If you import you lose any warranty (most of the time). Faulty parts are a nuisance to return. The savings of importing have to be worth the hassle and loss of protection.

 

[chpix70]

Dear Velocity,

I apologise for being quiet for a while. Reason I was putting the project on the back-burner and was considering in more detail the likely uses of my PC as well as the greater number of reviews on the Ryzen CPUs. I concluded that I will use the PC mostly for general purposes (as opposed to my original thought of using it mostly for photo and video editing), and hence preferred the option of having the higher multi core of the Ryzen.

I will be going with the Ryzen 7 1700, and is in the midst of finalising the build, save for the GPU and the overclocking option of the CPU. After considering in more detail my usage requirements, your earlier inputs and having discussed with the local vendor, I have posted on this site the questions (as extracted) below.

I would be happy to hear your insightful thoughts on the same, if that’s alright with you.

Thank you again.

Warmest regards,
Ch


Posting as extracted:

“Budget GPU for Ryzen 7 1700 - For general use and watching movies, and limited videos and photos editing”

A) I am in the midst of building a PC for personal use. I PLAN to allocate more money into the CPU and RAM at this juncture, and budget on the GPU to the extent possible.

This way when required I will upgrade the GPU (when 4K videos become more common) and extend the lifespan of the PC (possibly to 6-7 years of use). The PC is not used for any gaming (or any demanding gaming) purposes.

The questions (details below) relates to the following:
1) The selection of budget GPU cards
2) The option to overclock the CPU

B) The USAGE of the PC is estimated as follows:
a) 30% - General use such as MS Office work, internet surfing, watching YouTube (including 4K videos)
b) 20% - Watching movies including some 4K (very limited 4K movies for now)
c) 15% - Managing photos ^
d) 15% - Managing home videos ^
e) 7.5% - Stitching videos and some simple rendering *
f) 7.5% - Photoshop simple editing of photos
g) 5% - Others – including using “Chief Architect” software (not a demanding software to run) to design and do 3D rendering on home renovation project (a once off project)
h) NIL – Gaming **

** The PC is not build for gaming (or any demanding gaming) use.
^ Photos and videos are currently shot with DSLR Nikon D750 (full frame), GoPro and iPhone, and are transferred from SD cards / iPhone into external HDD, i.e. Western Digital 12TB My Book Duo, for storage. Photos and videos may also be transferred between directories. Additionally, I may also burn some home videos onto DVDs.
* As video work is simple, mostly stitching with some light rendering, I plan to use the free video editing softwares such as “Davinci Resolve” and/or “HitFilm4Express”. Most videos are currently shot at 1080p (minimal or none at 4K), but may shoot more in 4K in future (which prompts the need to upgrade the GPU at that time).

C) The PROPOSED SPECIFICATIONS is as follows:
i) CPU – Ryzen 7 1700
ii) MOBO – Asus Strix B350-F Gaming
iii) RAM – 2 x 8GB Corsair 3200Mhz C16 Vengeance CMU LED
iv) SSD – Samsung 850 Evo 250GB
v) HDD – [None as not required]
vi) PSU – Corsair TX650
vii) GPU – [please refer to question below]
viii) OS – Windows 10
ix) DVD - 2 x read & write DVD
x) Liquid cooler (only if overclock the CPU) – FrostFlow 240L AIO CPU Liquid Cooler

D) The detailed QUESTIONS are as follows:

1) As I am on a budget with regard to the GPU at this juncture, the GT 1030 is the preferred choice. Will I be able to get by with the GT 1030 2GB for say 1 – 1.5 year (since I plan to upgrade thereafter) for the above intended usage? Or do I have to use at least GTX1050 2GB or GTX 1050Ti 4GB^^ or other similar range of GPU instead?

^^ As much as I like the GTX 1060 3/6GB, I have decided not to go any higher than the GTX 1050 due to budget constraint at this time.

2) Also specifically, will the above proposed GPU, be suited for watching 4K movies and/or to carry out simple 4K video editing work? (Note: 4K movies and 4K videos are expected to be limited for the next 1 year in my use.)

3) The vendor has proposed that I Overclock the CPU in light of the capability of the Ryzen 7 1700. Based on the above set up and requirement (including if GTX 1050 is used), is Overclocking a good option to have? If it is a good option, I don’t mind overclocking the CPU.

--- end ---

 

[velocityg4]

1. The GT 1030 should work fine for playing 4K. Video playback is a breeze for a GPU even a GT 520 is capable of 4k h.264 decoding. Later generations added other codecs for 4K playback. Most software isn't going to utilize CUDA for decoding anyways. It'll most likely be done by your CPU. The GT 1030 decodes H264 and HEVC among other capabilities.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nvidia_PureVideo#The_eighth_generation_PureVideo_HD

2. It'll help accelerate some video and photo editing tasks some. Given how much you are doing. You could do it all in the CPU. Some extra performance won't hurt. Most of the work done in the CPU. Sure the GPU can speed up rendering but it isn't necessary. Even the GT 1030 will help. With 500MB 4K previews Ryzen takes less than a minute to Render previews. The GTX 1050 is certainly nicer and doesn't cost much more.
https://www.pugetsystems.com/labs/articles/Premiere-Pro-CC-2017-AMD-Ryzen-7-1700X-1800X-Performance-909/#TestSetup

3. It isn't necessary. For the most part you won't notice the OC. Every once in a while it might be nice to have that extra 30%, especially in Adobe Premiere. Perhaps go light at 3.5Ghz. Liquid cooling isn't necessary. I wouldn't trust it to last 6-7 years. I'd go with a mid range big air cooler. The Scythe Mugen 5 is an excellent, high performance, cooler. It'll keep it cool and quiet.

Other Thoughts: As AMD Threadripper is near release. You may want to consider waiting to see the prices. You will get a whole lot more PCIe lanes for expansion. I think you go from 16 to 64 PCIe lanes. There are also options for more cores. Although most of your tasks aren't going to utilize those cores.

I'd still look at the WD Black NVMe SSD or one of the other NVMe options I listed before if the price is better. Rather than the 850 Evo. It is simply superior tech for close to the same price point.

 

[chpix70]

Dear Velocityg4,

I have finally built the PC. Thank you very much for your guidance and advice; it has been one of the most helpful.

1 & 2) After some thought, I have decided to spend slightly more and go with the ASUS GTX 1050Ti 4GB Expedition OC. It seems the GTX 1050Ti is way more than enough for my type of use, but combined with the 4GB VRAM hopefully it will give the VGU an extended life span. Besides, but not sure true or not, I was hearing some people saying the 2GB VRAM on the GT 1030 and GTX 1050 (none Ti) may result in some lag in 4K video playback (hence, decided not to chance it). Also comparing the GT 1030 against the GTX 1050 and GTX 1050Ti on userbenchmark.com, I noted a very significant increase in performance between the 1030 and 1050. Hence, I decided that the added cost is a reasonable compromise.

3) I am glad that the Overclocking (without pushing boundaries of course) of the Ryzen 7 1700 seems easy to do. Anyway, the Vendor has played it safe and only Overclocked the CPU at 3.9 Mhz (3.89 Mhz was achieved despite input in the BIOS was at 3.9 Mhz) with core voltage of about 1.385+ volts (sorry I cannot remember the exact voltage). He did not want to go higher to ensure the Overclocking is stable. Apparently, the Vendor has been Overclocking the Ryzen 7 1700 at 3.9 Mhz for his customers without issues. On the cooler, I ended up with the liquid cooler, AuraFrost 240 CPU Liquid Cooler, despite having discussed air cooler options with the vendor (P.S. they do not carry the Scythe Mugen 5 air cooler). Guess I will need to replace the liquid cooler some 3 to 3.5 years into the future.

*) On another note, with the ASUS ROG Strix B350-F Gaming chipset and the 2 x 8GB 3200 16R Corsair CMU Vengeance DDR4, we failed to boot the system at 3200 Mhz setting, and ended up at 2933 Mhz. We did not try the clock speeds between 2933 and 3200. Maybe I will try it myself when the Bios is updated later.

**) On the AMD Threadripper, “lol”, I think I will let it pass. Indication it’s going to be more than 2X the price of the Ryzen 7 1700. At least that is what the Vendor told me.

***) The WD Black M.2 2280 PCIE 250GB SSD they have costs like USD35 more, hence I decided to stick to the Samsung 850 Evo SATA SSD. Perhaps when the M.2 SSD prices come down and I need more fast storage capacity I will add on the NVMe SSD.

Thanks much again for all your replies.

Warmest regards,
Chpix

 

[velocityg4]

You're welcome. I thought you were building it yourself. Where you would have more freedom in part choices. Anyways, glad you enjoy the new computer.

A BIOS update will likely fix the issue with the max RAM speed. 1.385V is a safe voltage and 3.9Ghz, not Mhz, is a good overclock. At most you'd get another 0.1 to 0.2 Ghz. It isn't worth fiddling with.

 

[chpix70]

Hi Velocityg4,

Haha, yes Ghz! ... my bad. I did think of building the PC myself, but buying full set of the components from a single vendor who will also build for you without any charges is a cheaper option here than buying separate components from multiple vendors and building it myself. So that seems a more sensible route to take. The PC with the Overclock CPU is working fine so far, but I have not pushed the PC. So yeah, I will not push beyond 3.9 Ghz on the CPU, and just try for higher RAM clock once there is an update on the BIOS.

Anyway, interestingly, I have seen a few of the vendors building crypto-currency mining machines over here for their customers, as well as on display (running) at their shop. Wonder those are viable investments ... or just a passing craze!!!

Best regards,