Looking to build a new rig for photoshop, lightroom, premiere and after effects

[Maximus96]

1) Main use will be photoshop CS6, Lightroom 4, Premiere CS5 and After effects CS5. No gaming.
2) Budget is around $1000 but can go higher if needed
3) Buying from US/Amazon
4) Prefer to build an intel i7-2600K rig
5) I will keep my SSD and storage drives
7) I want to overclock using air coolers
8) Resolution will be two 1920x1080 monitors (I think that is the standard resolution right?)
9) I plan to buy and build by next week.

x) no need for software

I have a couple components in mind, mainly the i7-2600K and HAF 912 case. I picked the i7 because I read that it will be better for video over an i5. However, the video work will be very minimal compared to photo work. Perhaps an i5 3570k would work just as well but the added cost of the i7 is minimal.

I’d like recommendations on the mobo, ram (16GB), PSU, and cooler. Can I run my dual monitors off the built-in graphics or do I need a video card as well?

 

[Ken g6]

i7-2600K is the right processor for your needs. How hard do you want to overclock? 120mm hard or 2x140mm hard?

Good, cheap, high-overclocking Z68 boards (which should be better than Z77 at this power level) are getting hard to find these days. Ones with built-in graphics ports are even harder to find. Here's a nice Asus for $180+. I think dual monitors will work off the built-in graphics.

With Sandy Bridge, cheap RAM is as good as expensive RAM. Searching for 16GB kits turned up this real gem, 2x8GB DDR3-1333 for $90, so you still have 2 slots left!

PSU depends on video card, and video card largely depends on whether you intend to use CUDA acceleration in Premiere. (Or if you have the rare CUDA-enabled plugin for Photoshop.) An Antec Earthwatts 650W isn't a bad hedge at $80, although it doesn't come with a power cord.

If you decide you need a discrete card, the latest generation's double-precision floating-point failings might be a problem. a ~$250 GTX570 would be very good. At which point you could get a board without onboard video.

 

[lehtv]

All priced from Amazon.com:

CPU i7-2600K $300 + Thermalright HR-02 Macho $53
Mobo Biostar TZ77B $100
RAM Corsair 2x8GB 1600Mhz CL11 $100
GPU Integrated. The mobo has HDMI+DVI outputs so you can run two monitors off of the iGPU.
SSD Crucial M4 128GB $110 or 256GB $211 (system files + partition for current project files or a cache partition?)
HDD Seagate 2TB 7200 $110
DVD Burner $22
PSU XFX 450W $47
Case Corsair 550D $130

= $972 (128gb ssd)

This is a pretty quiet setup even under full CPU load (140mm fan at 1300RPM max). A loud workstation wouldn't be very enjoyable. You can optionally add more fans on the 550D and buy a fan controller to further improve airflow and noise. You can get by with a cheaper case, but I picked the 550D as it fits your budget. A good case can last many builds over a long period of time which makes an expensive case actually quite good bang for buck over time.

The PSU will power any graphics card that requires a single PCIe connector, so you can still get some benefit from CUDA, or expand the rig for some gaming, if need be.

 

[mfenn]

All priced from Amazon.com:

CPU i7-2600K $300 + Thermalright HR-02 Macho $53
Mobo Biostar TZ77B $100
RAM Corsair 2x8GB 1600Mhz CL11 $100
GPU Integrated. The mobo has HDMI+DVI outputs so you can run two monitors off of the iGPU.
SSD Crucial M4 128GB $110 or 256GB $211 (system files + partition for current project files or a cache partition?)
HDD Seagate 2TB 7200 $110
DVD Burner $22
PSU XFX 450W $47
Case Corsair 550D $130

= $972 (128gb ssd)

This is a pretty quiet setup even under full CPU load (140mm fan at 1300RPM max). A loud workstation wouldn't be very enjoyable. You can optionally add more fans on the 550D and buy a fan controller to further improve airflow and noise. You can get by with a cheaper case, but I picked the 550D as it fits your budget. A good case can last many builds over a long period of time which makes an expensive case actually quite good bang for buck over time.

The PSU will power any graphics card that requires a single PCIe connector, so you can still get some benefit from CUDA, or expand the rig for some gaming, if need be.

The OP doesn't need any drives, so you can cut $220 off that build. I'd either pocket the extra cash or grab a GTX 560 Ti for its CUDA capabilities.

 

[Ken g6]

I worry about a Z77 with a 2600K. Can it really put out the 150+ watts necessary for a high overclock?

 

[lehtv]

The OP doesn't need any drives, so you can cut $220 off that build. I'd either pocket the extra cash or grab a GTX 560 Ti for its CUDA capabilities.

Oops, missed that. Yeah, I'd pocket the cash as well, see how it performs and then buy a CUDA card only when more performance is needed and when certain that it'll make make a real difference.

The PSU could be a bit bigger for graphics cards that need 2x power connectors like 560 ti... Corsair CX600 V2 $60 or Antec HCG-620M $85, for example.

I worry about a Z77 with a 2600K. Can it really put out the 150+ watts necessary for a high overclock?

Well, there's an 8-pin CPU power connection and 6-phase power so I'd expect yes... Asrock Z68 Pro3, for instance only has 4-phase power and it can achieve a decent OC on 2500K/2600K. If the OP is looking for an extreme OC, a motherboard designed for such a thing will be worse bang for buck anyway, and the electricity bill won't be pretty.

 

[Maximus96]

update, i've decided on the following:

i7-3770k
asus p8z77 sabertooth or p8z77-v pro
corsair ax650w psu
corsair 550d case
corsair vengenance lowprofile 2x8gb ram
noctua nh-d14

i need to decide on the mobo before heading to microcenter this weekend to pick up the cpu/mobo combo. i like the sabertooth for the gimmicky thermo armor. i'd use my current radeon 5750 video card if i go with this one. the the p8z77-v pro is cheaper with built in video. which would you guys go with? price is close enough to be a wash


edit: that NZXT Phantom 410 mid tower case is also looking pretty spiffy

 

[lehtv]

CPU Good since you're getting it at MC.

Mobo What do you want from a motherboard? If it's just a stable and overclockable Asus, get P8Z77-V LE

PSU Overkill. PCP&C MK III 600W $57 AR AP is powerful enough for any OC'ing you might want to do and will handle any single GPU with OC. If you're aiming to have a silent rig (meaning minimal OC, 500RPM fan speeds throughout), get Seasonic X-460.

Case Good

RAM Price?

Cooler HR-02 is nearly as good for $30-40 less. However I would OC in moderation just to ensure 24/7 stability. Encoding and applying effects on HD video for example can take a while even with a fast setup, I'd want to make sure it's stable first. So a super good air cooler isn't that necessary.

 

[Maximus96]

MC has the P8z77-v pro for $159 when purchased when the 3770k, the sabertooth is $189.

ram wise is there a significant difference between 1600 and 1333?

 

[lehtv]

MC has the P8z77-v pro for $159 when purchased when the 3770k, the sabertooth is $189.

Yep, and P8Z77-V LE is $115 when purchased with 3770K. Right?

ram wise is there a significant difference between 1600 and 1333?

No

 

[Maximus96]

Yep, and P8Z77-V LE is $115 when purchased with 3770K. Right?

not sure about that, i only saw the Pro and Sabertooth listed in their ad.

 

[lehtv]

You should still check with them. I think it applies to all Z77 boards. Of course in ads they will try to market the more expensive boards.