I would appreciate advice on these two Workstation builds

[RobertA]

I am building a PC for Photoshop (large images, some over 2GB, with multiple layers) and light-ish video processing using Camtasia (typical videos 1080p and under 60 mins). I want a very silent PC as I work in a small office and PC noise is a problem for voice recording. I want this PC to last me 6+ years, so I'm willing to pay extra for quality hardware.

My budget (excluding disks as I already have these) is around $1500 - $1800

I live in Ireland and will be buying parts here, probably from www.Komplett.ie

I've used Intel CPUs in the past (i7-2600K), Corsair memories, Nvidia graphics and would prefer to stick with these unless there is a better alternative.

I will be reusing a Samsung SSD 850 Pro 512GB for the system drive, a Corsair Force 3 SSD as a scratch disk and 2 WD 4001 (4TB) drives in RAID 0 for storage (auto sync to network drive using GoodSync).

I don't plan to overclock, except for the memory.

I use 2 monitors, the main one is an Eizo CG277 (2560x1140, 10-bit) and the secondary one is an old Lacie Photon19Vision (1280x1024).

I would like to build the PC over the next 2 months, starting as soon as I have the components selected.

I will need to purchase Windows 10 Pro OEM.

The two options I currently have (with quite a bit of help already) are:

1. (my prices in Ireland would be about $1900)
CPU: AMD Ryzen 1700X
CPU Cooler: NZXT Kraken X62
Graphics Card: NVIDIA Quadro P1000
Motherboard: Asus PRIME X370-PRO ATX AM4
RAM Corsair Vengeance LPX 32GB DDR4-3200MHz 32GB DDR4 3200MHz 1.35v
Power Supply: Corsair HX750i
Case: Fractal Design R5
Windows 10 Pro OEM

2. (my prices in Ireland would be about $1700)
CPU: Intel i7-7700K
CPU Cooler: NZXT Kraken X62
Graphics Card: NVIDIA Quadro P1000
Motherboard: ASUS PRIME Z270-A
RAM Corsair Vengeance LPX 32GB DDR4-3200MHz 32GB DDR4 3200MHz 1.35v
Power Supply: Corsair HX750i
Case: Fractal Design R5
Windows 10 Pro OEM

My preference is for the AMD Ryzen 1700X build at this point, even though it's a bit over budget, as Photoshop, Camtasia etc., are highly multi-threaded. I need to use an NVIDIA Quadro because of Photoshop.

Although I have had a PC built for me in the past I have never built one myself (but I am an engineer and I have built hardware before). So I would really appreciate it if you could check my parts list to see if there is a better solution.


Many thanks!

Robert

 

[vailr]

"NVIDIA Quadro P1000" doesn't appear to be a valid model number.
If you can get by with using a non-workstation type GTX 1080/1080Ti video card, that may allow for a better performance/Euro ratio.
Otherwise, either system looks fine, except for maybe the DDR4.
I'd recommend choosing the fastest DDR4 that runs at a default 1.2 volt setting.
Example: https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?item=N82E16820313651

• DDR4 3000 (PC4 24000)
• Timing 16-16-16-36
• Cas Latency 16
• Voltage 1.2V

 

[RobertA]

"NVIDIA Quadro P1000" doesn't appear to be a valid model number.
If you can get by with using a non-workstation type GTX 1080/1080Ti video card, that may allow for a better performance/Euro ratio.
Otherwise, either system looks fine, except for maybe the DDR4.
I'd recommend choosing the fastest DDR4 that runs at a default 1.2 volt setting.
Example: https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?item=N82E16820313651

• DDR4 3000 (PC4 24000)
• Timing 16-16-16-36
• Cas Latency 16
• Voltage 1.2V

====================

Thanks for your advice!

The NVIDIA Quadro P1000 is just being released now. It uses the new Pascal architecture and is significantly faster than the Quadro K1200 (http://www.nvidia.com/object/quadro-graphics-with-pascal.html). I need a Quadro as Photoshop doesn't work very well with the GTX cards (no Open CL, rendering not as good for images).

For the i7 7700K I need to run 1.35v memories, as per: https://ark.intel.com/products/97129/Intel-Core-i7-7700K-Processor-8M-Cache-up-to-4_50-GHz

I can't find figures for the 1700X yet and I'm not even sure if the memory I've selected would be suitable or not ... it's rather early days on the 1700X!

The Corsair RAM has timings of 16 18 18 36 which isn't bad I guess. But thanks for the suggestion of going for faster memories. Do you know what the fastest 8GB DDR4 RAM available is at the moment?

Cheers,

Robert

 

[vailr]

For the i7 7700K I need to run 1.35v memories, as per: https://ark.intel.com/products/97129/Intel-Core-i7-7700K-Processor-8M-Cache-up-to-4_50-GHz

You're mis-reading the specification. That 7700K CPU can use either: DDR4 or DDR3L, but only if the motherboard is also specified to support it. DDR3L is the "low voltage" DDR3, which is specified as 1.35 volts. Most (if not every) Z270 Kabylake motherboard cannot run DDR3L memory at all.
There are a few Skylake Z170 motherboards that could run the 7700K CPU & DDR3L memory, but such a system would be unable to run "normal voltage" 1.50 volt DDR3.
There are no Skylake/Kabylake motherboards that can run both memory types: it's a choice that must be made at the time of purchase.
However, DDR4 has a lower "normal voltage" specification of 1.2 volts. DDR4 rated at 1.35 volts would actually be "above normal" voltage for DDR4.

 

[RobertA]

You're mis-reading the specification. That 7700K CPU can use either: DDR4 or DDR3L, but only if the motherboard is also specified to support it. DDR3L is the "low voltage" DDR3, which is specified as 1.35 volts. Most (if not every) Z270 Kabylake motherboard cannot run DDR3L memory at all.
There are a few Skylake Z170 motherboards that could run the 7700K CPU & DDR3L memory, but such a system would be unable to run "normal voltage" 1.50 volt DDR3.
There are no Skylake/Kabylake motherboards that can run both memory types: it's a choice that must be made at the time of purchase.
However, DDR4 has a lower "normal voltage" specification of 1.2 volts. DDR4 rated at 1.35 volts would actually be "above normal" voltage for DDR4.

I think I understand you .... the DDR4 would normally be a 1.2v at the standard clock but this may need to go up to 1.35v (or higher) when overclocked, correct? So if the memory is rated at, say 2000MHz at 1.2v and 3000 at 1.35v that means that the supplier warrants that it will operate correctly at up to 1.35 volts. Correct?

Your recommendation then is to get a DDR4 which has a high clock and low CL at the base frequency (and which is certified to go to 1.35v, say, if overclocking is anticipated and one is willing to pay the extra price).

On that basis it seems to me that the GSkill PC4-25600 CL14 (around $300 for 32GB) looks pretty good, would you agree?:

F4-3200C14D-32GTZ
Memory Type DDR4
Capacity 32GB (16GBx2)
Multi-Channel Kit Dual Channel Kit
Tested Speed 3200MHz
Tested Latency 14-14-14-34-2N
Tested Voltage 1.35v
Registered/Unbuffered Unbuffered
Error Checking Non-ECC
SPD Speed 2133MHz
SPD Voltage 1.20v
Fan lncluded No
Height 44 mm / 1.73 inch
Warranty Limited Lifetime
Features Intel XMP 2.0 (Extreme Memory Profile) Ready

Cheers,

Robert

 

[vailr]

Not exactly. As stated previously, the best solution would be to use non-overclocked DDR4 that runs at the stock setting of 1.2 volts, without any kind of tinkering with the bios voltage settings at all.
Just plug in the memory sticks, at let it run at the stock settings.
Among the fastest DDR4 memory that runs at the stock 1.2 volt setting is the DDR4 3000 (PC4 24000) version listed previously in this thread.
The Intel article that you linked to didn't quite make it clear that the 1.35 volt memory was referring only to the DDR3L memory type, and not to DDR4.
Note: obviously, you'd also want to check with the motherboard's support web site, in order to be assured of getting compatible memory.

 

[RobertA]

Not exactly. As stated previously, the best solution would be to use non-overclocked DDR4 that runs at the stock setting of 1.2 volts, without any kind of tinkering with the bios voltage settings at all.
Just plug in the memory sticks, at let it run at the stock settings.
Among the fastest DDR4 memory that runs at the stock 1.2 volt setting is the DDR4 3000 (PC4 24000) version listed previously in this thread.
The Intel article that you linked to didn't quite make it clear that the 1.35 volt memory was referring only to the DDR3L memory type, and not to DDR4.
Note: obviously, you'd also want to check with the motherboard's support web site, in order to be assured of getting compatible memory.

I'm sorry for being so dense, but I just don't get it. Here are the specs on the True Delta memories you mentioned:

Data transfer bandwidth
DDR4 2400: 19,200MB/s (PC4 19,200)
DDR4 3000: 24,000MB/s (PC4 24,000)
DDR4 3200: 25,600 MB/s (PC4 25,600)

CL-value
DDR4 2400: CL15-15-15-35 / CL15-17-17-35
DDR4 3000: CL16-16-16-36 / CL16-18-18-38
DDR4 3200: CL16-16-16-36

Capacity
DDR4 2400: 4GB*2 / 8GB*2 / 16GB*2
DDR4 3000: 4GB*2 / 8GB*2 / 16GB*2
DDR4 3200: 8GB*2

Working voltage
1.2V (2400)
1.35V (3000/3200)

So the PC4 24000 is shown at 1.35 volts. If you calculate a performance index as frequency/CL, the DDR4 3000 comes in at 187. As against this, the GSkill memory I mentioned has a performance index of 228, so it's at least in theory much faster.

If both these memories are run at 1.2v then the performance would be significantly lower, so why would you buy a memory that is rated at a higher clock speed and run it at a lower one? Why not just buy a cheaper memory like the PC4 19200?

 

[vailr]

Don't get the cart before the horse (so to speak).
Pick the motherboard first, then decide on the specific memory via checking on what's listed on the motherboard's compatibility list.
All I'm saying is: it's better to pick the fastest memory sticks that will also run okay without requiring any sort of intervention via bios fine tuning or voltage adjustment. The faster that the DDR4 memory can run at only 1.2 volts, the better chance of being able to later adjust via adding some extra voltage and overclock the system, if that's what you were planning to do.
DDR4 is specified to run at only 1.2 volts; any voltage above that is technically "out of spec".
So: some motherboards may balk at even booting up to the bios setup screen, if 1.35 volt DDR4 is attempted being used. Motherboard bios updates are often issued to try and accommodate such scenarios.

 

[RobertA]

Don't get the cart before the horse (so to speak).
Pick the motherboard first, then decide on the specific memory via checking on what's listed on the motherboard's compatibility list.
All I'm saying is: it's better to pick the fastest memory sticks that will also run okay without requiring any sort of intervention via bios fine tuning or voltage adjustment. The faster that the DDR4 memory can run at only 1.2 volts, the better chance of being able to later adjust via adding some extra voltage and overclock the system, if that's what you were planning to do.
DDR4 is specified to run at only 1.2 volts; any voltage above that is technically "out of spec".
So: some motherboards may balk at even booting up to the bios setup screen, if 1.35 volt DDR4 is attempted being used. Motherboard bios updates are often issued to try and accommodate such scenarios.

Fair point ... but as you can see at the top of the post I have picked the Asus X270-A for the i7-7700K and the GSkill memory is on the QVL for this board https://www.gskill.com/en/product/f4-3200c14d-32gtz, tested at 3200MHz and with a latency of 14-14-14-34-2N. So I'm reasonably confident that it will work at this frequency and 1.35v. But I will most likely run it at the SPD of 2133MHz and 1.2v ... I would just like to be able to overclock it if I need to.

For the Ryzen 1700X or 1800X it's too soon to tell ... I will hold off for a couple of months to let the dust settle.

Cheers

Robert