I told myself I'd never build another PC again... (1 Viewer)

[Patrick Sun]

Forgot it takes about 10 hours to do an initial diagnostic scan on an 8TB hard drive before I copy any data over to it. Kicked off the first 4TB of data migration around 4am this morning. Hopefully when I get back home, I can do that last 4TB of data migration and be fully functional by Saturday. Whew!

 

[Patrick Sun]

Had to re-arrange stuff in my PC table area, but finally put the new PC in production last night. Let's hope my bit of overclocking doesn't lead to unstability heartbreak (I know I can just back it down to stock clocking if need be). Whew!

 

[Dennis Nicholls]

I don't build PCs from scratch anymore - it's cheaper to buy refurbished Dell boxes. These are powerful enough for the average non-gamer user.

But I don't mind getting into them to upgrade and fix issues. My present desktop is about 7 years old, and the fans were getting noisy. So I picked up a new chassis fan for $5 and a nearly new power supply for $30. I was able to swap out both without too much excitement. It's so nice to have a very quiet desktop again.

Then I tore apart the original power supply. The fan in it is still available new for $10 so I ordered one of them. When it comes in it'll go into the power supply so it will become a known good spare.

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

Sounds pretty painless (as such things go) so far... almost(!) makes me consider doing the same for my next main PC... though I'm hoping my current 5-yo, 4th(?) gen core i7 Dell XPS 8700 will last me another 5 years or so (after upgrading the RAM... and HDD to a couple TB SSDs... plus a basic, networked RAID drive for nearline archival storage)...

I've found enough of Dell's machines to be good enough compromises for value and expandability for me to not go back to the complete DIY route over the last couple decades... but then again, I haven't needed to upgrade the graphics hardware during most of that time so haven't done anything to push my Dell machines' upgradability.

Kudos! And enjoy your new build!

Well, didn't think I'd actually do it again, but going 4K for video has finally pushed me to (hopefully) one last DIY build...

I actually almost pulled the trigger on a new Dell XPS 8930 SE w/ i7-9700K during last Monday's doorbuster, but now looking at going DIY Ryzen 7 3800x direction instead -- the CPU actually even just arrived superfast from my B&H order yesterday... ahead of all the other parts both ordered and yet-to-order...


Pat, I just noticed you went w/ the Phantek case I'm considering for this build. How did you like it? Has it being a plastic case been an issue? Never had a plastic case before (other than typical front panels that is). Wishing there's also an option w/ front panel USB-C 10Gbps/PD-capable port. Can the Phantek's front panel ports be replaced w/ 3rd party one? Ideally, I might even go for something w/ CF-express multi-card reader...

I'll probably also be getting (the RTX version of) a similar EVGA GeForce card -- the RTX 2070 Super XC. Actually not a gamer, but there aren't really great alternatives for NLE video processing/editing at this budget level (though I suppose I could consider AMD's competing Radeon offering)... so I guess I may check out a few games (and bother my son, who's the gamer away in college ) while I'm at it, including the free bundle that currently comes w/ the Ryzen CPU.

_Man_

 

[Todd Erwin]

Just finished a custom build myself, first one in several years. I wanted a PC with a large enough case for expansion and optical drives, no added junk, and the ability to add/upgrade devices with ease. I found it almost impossible with nearly every off the shelf or build to order PC available.

Here is what I went with:

ASUS TUF Z390-Plus mobo with wi-fi
Intel i7-9700k Coffee Lake 8-core 3.6 GHz cpu
16GB RAM (GSkill TridentZ DDR4)
Crucial P1 500GB PCIe M.2 SSD
2x Seagate 2TB 7200 RPM HDD (RAID 1)
CORSAIR RM850x Power Supply
Cool Master Hyper 212 Black CPU fan
Rosewill TYRFING V2 ATX Mid Tower

I'll add a dedicated video card and possibly more RAM later on when I eventually add Adobe Premiere CS.

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

CORSAIR RM850x Power Supply

I also just settled on this PSU after debating w/ the Seasonic Focus+ and EVGA SuperNova G+.

I'll add a dedicated video card and possibly more RAM later on when I eventually add Adobe Premiere CS.

Probably a good idea to hold off til it's needed since the mid-to-high-end video card market seems to change very fast to the benefit of those who can be patient...

I'm actually debating if I might hold off for a little bit as well to see if the cheap, old ATI/AMD card in my 6-yo Dell XPS might suffice for now -- it doesn't see much of any use in my old PC, and the Ryzen 7 CPU (unlike most/all Intel CPUs) I chose doesn't come w/ any integrated graphics... I might also consider the used market if I can get something like GTX 1660Ti or maybe RTX 2060 Super at say sub-$200 level...

_Man_

 

[Todd Erwin]

What I found interesting is that my Intel UHD Integrated Graphics will not support 3840x2160 resolution.

 

[Todd Erwin]

What I found interesting is that my Intel UHD Integrated Graphics will not support 3840x2160 resolution.

Correction - it must be a setting on the front HDMI port on my Denon receiver. I plugged the HDMI from the PC directly into my TV, and it's 3840x2160.

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

This is what I settled on for the new build:

CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 3800X 3.9 GHz 8-Core Processor ($339.99 @ B&H)
Motherboard: ASRock X570 Taichi ATX AM4 Motherboard ($299.00 @ B&H)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LPX 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR4-3600 Memory ($152.41 @ Corsair)
Storage: Samsung 970 Evo 500 GB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive ($79.99 @ B&H)
Storage: Samsung 860 Evo 2 TB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($229.99 @ B&H)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER 8 GB XC GAMING Video Card ($519.99 @ B&H)
Case: Phanteks Enthoo Pro ATX Full Tower Case ($108.85 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: Corsair RMx (2018) 850 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($141.52 @ Best Buy)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Pro OEM 64-bit ($142.99 @ B&H)

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

I'll probably just move my existing LG WH16NS40 16x BDR(W) drive from the old Dell XPS to this new build. Probably also move at least one of the SDDs (either 512GB or 1TB) from the old PC -- I do also already have a low-end Synology external RAID unit w/ 4x WD 3TB Red NAS HDDs for archival storage.

Also likely to get this for use w/ the SSD(s) I'll be using w/ the Ninja V I recently bought for shooting in high bitrate ProRes format (though I did already get a cheap StarTech USB 3.0 one):

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1339576-REG/angelbird_c_sata.html

And probably either upgrade the Phanteks case's front I/O panel or add another to support USB 3.1 Gen 2 USB-C port and maybe multi-card reader, especially if/when something supporting high speed CF-express/XQD becomes available, hopefully in the near future...

_Man_

 

[Todd Erwin]

Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Pro OEM 64-bit ($142.99 @ B&H)

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

I'll probably just move my existing LG WH16NS40 16x BDR(W) drive from the old Dell XPS to this new build.

Are you putting the old Dell out to pasture? If so, you may not need to purchase a copy of Windows 10 if the old Dell came with Windows 7 installed. I downloaded Windows 10 from Microsoft, used a Windows 7 license key from a dead PC of mine, and it installed without issues.

 

[Patrick Sun]

Pat, I just noticed you went w/ the Phantek case I'm considering for this build. How did you like it? Has it being a plastic case been an issue? Never had a plastic case before (other than typical front panels that is). Wishing there's also an option w/ front panel USB-C 10Gbps/PD-capable port. Can the Phantek's front panel ports be replaced w/ 3rd party one? Ideally, I might even go for something w/ CF-express multi-card reader...

_Man_

Wow, this thread lives!!!

I'm not near my PC due to holiday travels, so I don't know about swapping out the front panel of that case. It is annoying to have to use the USB-C port on the backside of the PC due to it being located there on the motherboard back plane panel.

For the longest time I did have this weird issue with the Win10 OS pausing while it discovered the realtek audio hardware from time to time. But back in October, I looked around the Asus website for updated BIOS, and found that there was updated BIOS, installed it, and now my PC doesn't pause much anymore, so that annoyance is finally gone.

My newest upgrade is getting into the NAS game finally, the NAS I ordered during a black Friday sale finally shipped yesterday, so I'll be stuffing it with four 8TB hard drives and going from there. The other fortuitous bit was someone sent me a B&H gift certificate and I was able to apply to the NAS order from last month since it hadn't shipped yet.

I enjoy seeing other people's DIY builds popping up in this thread, gives me other ideas to do minor upgrades myself...

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

Are you putting the old Dell out to pasture? If so, you may not need to purchase a copy of Windows 10 if the old Dell came with Windows 7 installed. I downloaded Windows 10 from Microsoft, used a Windows 7 license key from a dead PC of mine, and it installed without issues.

Not planning to retire the old Dell XPS as it's still plenty capable... just not good enough for video editing. Probably relegate it to shared family/common area/duty going forward replacing the dying(?) old one. That other old one was a reclamation machine from when my former employer junked my old work PC, but I don't think I have its Win 7 Pro license key anymore... unless it's on one of the authenticity(?) stickers -- maybe I'll check when I return home in a few days.

I guess I could also try reclaiming the Win 10 Pro license off my few-yo Dell XPS 15 laptop that seems to have died recently... but not sure I actually have the key as I bought it used off eBay...

... so I don't know about swapping out the front panel of that case. It is annoying to have to use the USB-C port on the backside of the PC due to it being located there on the motherboard back plane panel.

Yeah... hopefully, there's a better option than merely using one of external drive bays...

I guess one could also opt for a USB-C hub instead...

Otherwise, the case does seem very nice and not nearly as plasticky as I feared.

Saw a couple YouTube reviews w/ complete teardown, but neither actually tried to detach the front I/O panel...

My newest upgrade is getting into the NAS game finally, the NAS I ordered during a black Friday sale finally shipped yesterday, so I'll be stuffing it with four 8TB hard drives and going from there. The other fortuitous bit was someone sent me a B&H gift certificate and I was able to apply to the NAS order from last month since it hadn't shipped yet.

I guess I might upgrade my low-end external RAID unit (w/ bigger HDDs) in a year or two as well... especially if I do shoot a lot in ProRes video format.


BTW, Todd, I decided to give Cyberlink's PowerDirector 360 a go, instead of Premiere Pro CC.

I was only using Premiere Elements before and not yet convinced of Premiere Pro's value for what I do as a hobby of sorts. Yeah, I'm already spending quite a chunk for the new PC build on top of various other gear just for this hobby... so maybe I shouldn't quibble much about the cost of Premiere Pro... but seems like PowerDirector has become quite promising and possibly beats Premiere Pro in some areas while costing much less...

There's also the alternative of DaVinci Resolve if I go w/ something higher end and avoid the subscription model...

_Man_

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

Oh, BTW, I ended up switching the RAM to G.Skill Ripjaws V DDR4-3600 instead of the Corsair Vengeance LPX:

https://pcpartpicker.com/product/zc...2-x-16-gb-ddr4-3600-memory-f4-3600c16d-32gvkc

Cost about the same, but faster timings than the Corsair (CL16 vs CL18). Might also have a bit more headroom for overclocking me thinks...

I was also tempted to go w/ AMD Radeon VII for the graphics card (for similar price as the RTX 2070 Super) as it seems like it might perform somewhat better for video editing, but it's a power hog w/ very noisy fans... and the diff might not matter at all for what I do -- noticed it might do 10-bit color, which you can't get from Nvidia's GTX/RTX gaming-oriented card, but don't think I actually need that though since I'm not looking to output in 10-bit (even though source footages from Nikon Z6 could be 10-bit-plus)...

_Man_

 

[Todd Erwin]

I've got to say that both the CORSAIR RM850x Power Supply and Cool Master Hyper 212 Black CPU fan are both whisper quiet compared to my old PC.

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

IF you're planning to use Davinci Resolve, seems like the now-discontinued Radeon VII is your best option for GPU...

https://www.pugetsystems.com/labs/a...-Roundup-NVIDIA-SUPER-vs-AMD-RX-5700-XT-1563/

Kinda wish I had jumped on one for under $500 little more than a week ago when NewEgg seemed to be clearing their XFX branded inventory out...

Many savvy users seem to undervolt (and I guess underclock) the Radeon VII to minimize the power/heat/fan-noise issue(s)... though not sure if the likely performance hit would be worth it -- well, seems like it should still perform like a beast for Davinci Resolve given those Puget benchmarks... but probably not for gaming and most other NLE software...

Also saw a tempting open box Asus RTX 2080 Super for ~$650 from B&H, but couldn't bring myself to pull the trigger (for what amounts to extra ~$130 or ~25% cost premium for ~19% increase in raw CUDA performance)... Think I might just get another RTX 2070 Super to pair up w/ the current EVGA one if/when I actually need the (much higher?) performance boost and the prices come down a lot instead... A single RTX 2070 Super seems like should be good enough for my 1440p display setup.

_Man_

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

And then, there's this inevitability I suppose...

https://www.tweaktown.com/news/69629/nvidia-ampere-gpu-50-faster-turing-half-power/amp.html

_Man_

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

Well, just got the barebones of the new PC build up and posting (w/ RAM OCed to its rated spec that's technically 400MHz higher than officially supported by AMD)... and now installing Win 10 (Pro?) using an old Win 7 Pro license key from a reclaimed old work PC.

Gotta love doing (superfast) install w/ nothing but solid state storage, ie. SD card over USB to the NVME SSD...

_Man_

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

Not planning to retire the old Dell XPS as it's still plenty capable... just not good enough for video editing. Probably relegate it to shared family/common area/duty going forward replacing the dying(?) old one. That other old one was a reclamation machine from when my former employer junked my old work PC, but I don't think I have its Win 7 Pro license key anymore... unless it's on one of the authenticity(?) stickers -- maybe I'll check when I return home in a few days.

Well, that went smoothly enough...

Thanks for pointing that out, Todd.

Now, to return the new Win 10 Pro kit to B&H for refund...

I've got to say that both the CORSAIR RM850x Power Supply and Cool Master Hyper 212 Black CPU fan are both whisper quiet compared to my old PC.

I can't really tell about the Corsair PSU... since the rest of my build runs pretty loud compared to my old Dell XPS.

Of course, I haven't reinstalled the 2 side panels on the Phanteks case yet... and it does have much beefier (AMD branded) CPU heatsink fan plus the EVGA RTX 2070 Super (instead of an old, fan/noiseless, cheap solution) and additional large-ish case fans in front and back...

Not completely sure if I need to tweak the setup a bit to cut down the various fan speeds/utilitization... Might also want to try to throttle down the CPU voltage some as the BIOS indicates ~1.45v, which was previous noted by a Tom's Hardware review for the ASRock mobo as likely causing the system to run a bit hot... though the mobo monitor seems to show very reasonable temps w/ casual usage/loads so far...

I do see peculiar timing values for the Memory tab in CPU-Z ID software tool though -- much higher latencies than the SPD tab indicates (as what I chose)... but its basic benchmark tool does not show any unexpected performance degradation from that...

Maybe I'll try out Puget systems' Davinci Resolve benchmark at some point to give it a good, fairly heavily loaded test run... though not sure if I need the full/paid Studio version of Resolve for that...

_Man_

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

I can't really tell about the Corsair PSU... since the rest of my build runs pretty loud compared to my old Dell XPS.

Of course, I haven't reinstalled the 2 side panels on the Phanteks case yet... and it does have much beefier (AMD branded) CPU heatsink fan plus the EVGA RTX 2070 Super (instead of an old, fan/noiseless, cheap solution) and additional large-ish case fans in front and back...

Not completely sure if I need to tweak the setup a bit to cut down the various fan speeds/utilitization... Might also want to try to throttle down the CPU voltage some as the BIOS indicates ~1.45v, which was previous noted by a Tom's Hardware review for the ASRock mobo as likely causing the system to run a bit hot... though the mobo monitor seems to show very reasonable temps w/ casual usage/loads so far...

Well, just played around w/ the mobo's various fan curve settings. A tad confusing... maybe partly because of the way I connected them... though ASRock's Windows-based utility doesn't completely match the BIOS in how the fans are labeled, etc... but was ultimately able to dial all of them back some w/ less aggressive curves -- ASRock's fan curves seemed pretty aggressive by default.

I do see peculiar timing values for the Memory tab in CPU-Z ID software tool though -- much higher latencies than the SPD tab indicates (as what I chose)... but its basic benchmark tool does not show any unexpected performance degradation from that...

Heh... apparently, I did not actually set the mobo to use the proper XMP profile to yield the desired timings, so it seemed to just conjure up some extremely conservative timings to go w/ my 3600Mhz setting. Had mistakenly thought it was already chosen in the BIOS. Now, CPU-Z ID shows the expected timings under the Memory tab. Doesn't seem to impact that utility's basic benchmark tool though...

_Man_

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

Ok, just some finishing touches left w/ this build, so here's a snap before I finish up and slap on the side panels, etc... and perhaps run some real world stress tests (or not)...

I must admit I find all the RBG light show thing that seems pervasive nowadays a tad silly and over-the-top... but whadaya gonna do, but just enjoy it for what it is?

Makes me wonder though about the extra bit of power consumption and heat generation... though I guess that's probably just a rather trivial nitpick...

_Man_