$2280 USD Mini ITX Desktop Supercomputer-Like PC

[jordancondi]

So I am upgrading from my old desktop which has Intel i5 3570, Radeon R9 270X, 8GB DDR3-1600 and a whole bunch of other stuff, to a new mini ITX system and I would like to know your thoughts and how I could (preferably!) reduce the cost of the system without compromising on performance. I will be building the system in June. The computer case has already been bought and received.


PCPartPicker part list: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/HmhW3b
Price breakdown by merchant: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/HmhW3b/by_merchant/
CPU: AMD - Ryzen 7 2700X 3.7GHz 8-Core Processor ($319.00 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Asus - ROG STRIX X470-I GAMING Mini ITX AM4 Motherboard ($209.99 @ B&H)
Memory: G.Skill - Ripjaws V Series 32GB (2 x 16GB) DDR4-3200 Memory ($356.99 @ Newegg Business)
Storage: HP - EX920 512GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive ($175.99 @ Newegg Business)
Storage: Western Digital - Black 1TB 2.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($62.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Video Card: EVGA - GeForce GTX 1080 Ti 11GB SC Black Edition Video Card ($929.90 @ Amazon)
Case: DAN Cases - A4SFXV2-S Mini ITX Desktop Case (Purchased For $0.00)
Power Supply: Corsair - SF 600W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular SFX Power Supply ($114.00 @ Amazon)
Case Fan: Noctua - NF-A9 PWM 46.4 CFM 92mm Fan ($16.59 @ OutletPC)
Other: Asetek 545LC 92mm AIO CPU Liquid Cooler + AM4 Bracket ($92.00)
Total: $2277.45
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2018-05-06 07:29 EDT-0400

• The Asetek 545LC AIO is a necessity
• The system is meant for 4K video editing, running videogames at native 4K resolution, though I am unsure that 32GB RAM is a necessity
• The computer case supports only a dual slot, up to 303mm long video card
• I have a maximum spending budget of $2280 USD.
• I will be purchasing the monitor I want separately.
• The inflated video card and system memory prices really makes me sad D:

 

[dave_the_nerd]

I'd probably take the hit with a 5400rpm drive and try to find a 2TB model. $20-30 more bucks, double the storage.

Costwise, nah, you're screwed:

For video editing, I'd say you want the extra RAM, usually. I doubt prices will ever drop enough to make buying a 16GB kit now and a 32GB kit to replace it later worthwhile.

You could buy a less interesting GPU for the time being - the 10x0 series is already pretty long in the tooth and it's probably worth waiting to see what happens next. For video editing, a 1050Ti will be indistinguishable, and it will chug along ok gaming at 1080p in the interim. <$200 used on eBay, you only need it to not catch fire for most of a year, and you'll probably be able to sell it for most of what you paid for it. See what price/performance looks like when Volta drops and Black Friday happens.

 

[jordancondi]

I'd probably take the hit with a 5400rpm drive and try to find a 2TB model. $20-30 more bucks, double the storage.

Costwise, nah, you're screwed:

For video editing, I'd say you want the extra RAM, usually. I doubt prices will ever drop enough to make buying a 16GB kit now and a 32GB kit to replace it later worthwhile.

You could buy a less interesting GPU for the time being - the 10x0 series is already pretty long in the tooth and it's probably worth waiting to see what happens next. For video editing, a 1050Ti will be indistinguishable, and it will chug along ok gaming at 1080p in the interim. <$200 used on eBay, you only need it to not catch fire for most of a year, and you'll probably be able to sell it for most of what you paid for it. See what price/performance looks like when Volta drops and Black Friday happens.

I'm not wasting money on a video card not even 2x faster than the one I currently use. R9 270X I currently own is roughly equivalent to the GTX 1050 non Ti. I also should mention I don't live in America, I live in Australia and I'll be in Taipei for Computex which is when I'm buying the parts as I can get them for cheap.

I can't spend more than $2280 USD, I converted $3000 Australian dollars to it and that's what I have to spend so yeah. If GTX 1180 doesn't release in June then I'll just have to buy a 1080Ti which will still be 4.5x faster than my old video card.

 

[TheELF]

Yeah for 4k video editing you will need 32Gb and even that will feel like not enough.

 

[jordancondi]

Yeah for 4k video editing you will need 32Gb and even that will feel like not enough.

Not enough? Really??

 

[dave_the_nerd]

I'm not wasting money on a video card not even 2x faster than the one I currently use. R9 270X I currently own is roughly equivalent to the GTX 1050 non Ti. I also should mention I don't live in America, I live in Australia and I'll be in Taipei for Computex which is when I'm buying the parts as I can get them for cheap.

I can't spend more than $2280 USD, I converted $3000 Australian dollars to it and that's what I have to spend so yeah. If GTX 1180 doesn't release in June then I'll just have to buy a 1080Ti which will still be 4.5x faster than my old video card.

Then just keep using the 270X.

 

[TheELF]

Not enough? Really??

You can calculate bitrate times seconds to get a rough estimate of how far you can skip back or forth with 16Gb before you will have to hit the scratch disk,if there is nothing else running.
Not to mention filters and transitions and so on,you should really ask in a video editing forum though to get more detailed info from people that know.

 

[jordancondi]

Then just keep using the 270X.

and then what, don't upgrade until next year?

 

[dave_the_nerd]

and then what, don't upgrade until next year?

Basically.

Or, at least later this year. The rumor sites I'm reading are saying that the next Nvidia gpus will be released in the fall.

Honestly, it's just a really crappy time to be building a new machine.

 

[jordancondi]

Basically.

Or, at least later this year. The rumor sites I'm reading are saying that the next Nvidia gpus will be released in the fall.

Honestly, it's just a really crappy time to be building a new machine.

I live in Australia. It's cheaper for me to buy now as I can get GTX 1080Ti SC Black for $869 USD as opposed to what it would cost me in Australia ($940 USD equivalent).

The only things that are super expensive are SDRAM and video cards. RAM prices aren't going anywhere by Autumn (America / Europe zone) and, as I will mention again, I am purchasing everything in June. Autumn is in September. 3 months later.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

I live in Australia. It's cheaper for me to buy now as I can get GTX 1080Ti SC Black for $869 USD as opposed to what it would cost me in Australia ($940 USD equivalent).

The only things that are super expensive are SDRAM and video cards. RAM prices aren't going anywhere by Autumn (America / Europe zone) and, as I will mention again, I am purchasing everything in June. Autumn is in September. 3 months later.

Hey, if you don't think you can wait, don't. But I'm not going to tell you that spending twice too much on a GPU right before new ones come out is a good idea. That would be nerd-malpractice.

Also, I should have caught that - I apologize for the northern hemisphere seasons-bias.

 

[jordancondi]

Hey, if you don't think you can wait, don't. But I'm not going to tell you that spending twice too much on a GPU right before new ones come out is a good idea. That would be nerd-malpractice.

Also, I should have caught that - I apologize for the northern hemisphere seasons-bias.

You claim new GPUs are coming out very soon right?

3 months / 90 days is not "right before new ones come out". It is a very long time. But I suppose we have different opinions on what constitutes "right before" in terms of computer technology.

Not to mention you have no evidence $860 USD is "twice as much" as what the next gen video card equivalent will cost.

 

[lakedude]

You claim new GPUs are coming out very soon right?

3 months / 90 days is not "right before new ones come out". It is a very long time. But I suppose we have different opinions on what constitutes "right before" in terms of computer technology.

Not to mention you have no evidence $860 USD is "twice as much" as what the next gen video card equivalent will cost.

Buddy dave is just trying to help you. Also, I think he means the current cards will drop in price once the new cards come out, not that the new cards will be half price.

 

[Nashemon]

4K video takes up a lot of space, too. Unless I'm missing something, that 1TB drive isn't going to go very far. For that $180, you can get an 8TB external HDD...in the US anyway.

Personally I pretty much agree with Dave. I would wait (or go smaller) on the GPU and get the 32GB RAM now, but I'd really hate to be building a PC right now. And believe me, I have a real need to build at least two PCs right now. One similar to yours for gaming and one HTPC, but can't justify the prices at the moment. I predict crypto currency to crash and prices to normalize. Might be years, but I'll take my chances.

 

[jordancondi]

Buddy dave is just trying to help you. Also, I think he means the current cards will drop in price once the new cards come out, not that the new cards will be half price.

Mmm yeah. Typically video cards tend not to drop in price for new, unused quality. They just end up as EOL in production eventually.

 

[jordancondi]

4K video takes up a lot of space, too. Unless I'm missing something, that 1TB drive isn't going to go very far. For that $180, you can get an 8TB external HDD...in the US anyway.

Personally I pretty much agree with Dave. I would wait (or go smaller) on the GPU and get the 32GB RAM now, but I'd really hate to be building a PC right now. And believe me, I have a real need to build at least two PCs right now. One similar to yours for gaming and one HTPC, but can't justify the prices at the moment. I predict crypto currency to crash and prices to normalize. Might be years, but I'll take my chances.

Well I do have a 5TB external Seagate drive already which I could probably use in the meantime as well. It's just that it's pointless for me to consider spending less for a slower video card. If I'm doing that, might as well stick with my Radeon HD 7870 because I did want a video card at least 5x faster than the GTX 1080Ti and predicted specs of the GTX 1180 put it slower than the GTX 1080Ti

 

[thecoolnessrune]

Wouldn't this be more productive if we knew what video applications you're using? For all we know it might be more beneficial to have a pro card in the system as well. I'm not sure who we're trying to convince here. Multiple people have said that they feel it's a bad time to buy a graphics card in their opinion. You disagree. If you are doing 4K gaming, then you pretty much need all the GPU you can throw at it. If you're going to go ahead and buy it, then do so. Other suggestions have been made regarding your original topic, so what else are you looking for from us?

 

[jordancondi]

Wouldn't this be more productive if we knew what video applications you're using? For all we know it might be more beneficial to have a pro card in the system as well. I'm not sure who we're trying to convince here. Multiple people have said that they feel it's a bad time to buy a graphics card in their opinion. You disagree. If you are doing 4K gaming, then you pretty much need all the GPU you can throw at it. If you're going to go ahead and buy it, then do so. Other suggestions have been made regarding your original topic, so what else are you looking for from us?

Vegas Pro 14 edit.

Those multiple people must not have read the bit where I wrote I am buying in June then. I'm not waiting any longer.

 

[lakedude]

Vegas Pro 14 edit.

Those multiple people must not have read the bit where I wrote I am buying in June then. I'm not waiting any longer.

That is one of the questions they like to have answered around here and you answered it, firmly. You even gave a good reason, your trip. Maybe as a compromise you could buy most of the stuff while you are on your trip and wait on the video card? No one can guarantee what will happen in the future, but it does look like a bad time to buy with the crypto coin inflation and the new cards around the corner.

I thought I had a deal on a GTX 1070 but now I'm waiting for the above stated reasons. My 1050ti is fine until we set up a VR room.

 

[jordancondi]

That is one of the questions they like to have answered around here and you answered it, firmly. You even gave a good reason, your trip. Maybe as a compromise you could buy most of the stuff while you are on your trip and wait on the video card? No one can guarantee what will happen in the future, but it does look like a bad time to buy with the crypto coin inflation and the new cards around the corner.

I thought I had a deal on a GTX 1070 but now I'm waiting for the above stated reasons. My 1050ti is fine until we set up a VR room.

How's VR, is it any good? I never really had much of an incentive to try it out.

 

[lakedude]

VR is horrible and amazing at the same time.

The Bad:

The effective resolution is very low creating a "screen door" appearance.
It ain't cheap.
You need a clunky tether cable or a special separate $300 wireless package to get the video and sound to the headset.

The Good:

The immersion and the experience is fantastic in spite of the resolution. My buddy had me in some kind of magical VR room. Now in real life I'm in a bare naked room but the display is showing all kinds of fantastic items. I take a potion or something and I'm shrunk down to where the edge of a book looks huge. At some point later I'm kneeling down to look at something on a table and when I'm ready to stand back up I try to put my hand on the table but of course nothing is there in real life! Almost fell over.

VR is hugely different than looking at things on a flat screen, it is like you are there, hence the name I suppose.

Maybe you could check it out somehow without purchasing thousands in hardware? Of course you would just need a $500 Vive once you build your fancy system so you will be 3/4 of the way there already...