$1500 Video Editing/Gaming Rig

[anandsap123]

Hey guys! I am an avid video editor with a hobby for gaming! I edit in Adobe Premiere Pro CC (which has great optimization for Nvidia CUDA) and the most intensive video editing thing I do is editing 4k footage from my Panasonic GH4.
BUT, I do have a hobby for gaming! I have two identical 1080p 60 Hz monitors. I want to max out settings on games like BF4 at 1080p and get 60 fps.
After posting these requirements in many many forums and getting builds from all sorts of people, and then putting those builds through the forums again and seeing what comes out, I have been left with this:
http://pcpartpicker.com/user/anandsap123/saved/QFx2FT
This build was edited by a super-member here and he recommended that I post his edit of my build here and see how it does.

Couple things to keep in mind:
I will attempt to OC my CPU to 4.5 GHz
By this time next year, I will add 16 MORE GB of RAM (for a 32 GB RAM system) AND I will add a second identical GPU for SLI graphics.
If I have any left over money from the above purchases, I will add a second SSD and HDD.

If I have extra money along the way (after making the two upgrades above), I will probably add studio monitors, 1440p 120 Hz monitor, and a gaming mouse.

 

[rtwjunkie]

Very nice build! Welcome to TPU.

 

[OneMoar]

welcome to tpu

 

[patrico]

Hi anandsap123 Welcome!


your build looks good! nothing to wrong with anything there

 

[GhostRyder]

Welcome to TPU

Your build looks good, but if you are willing to wait you can grab the new i7 4790K in just a short amount of time.

Also if your using CS6 like I am OpenGL works so you can get a nice performance off an AMD card as well so just throwing out you can get an R9 290 for about the same price as the GTX 7704gb. However Cuda does have some MPE effects only on Cuda so it depends on what your needs are, but I use the 290X cards in my machine and its pretty nice.

 

[anandsap123]

The new Adobe CC that went live today is now optimized for 4k footage (which I edit) and SLI configs.

 

[Vario]

Build looks good but IMO instead of a 770 4GB either go up to a 290 or a 780 or down to a 770 2GB.

 

[OneMoar]

Build looks good but IMO instead of a 770 4GB either go up to a 290 or a 780 or down to a 770 2GB.

hes going to be working with 4k video primarily you don't want less vram ...

 

[RCoon]

hes going to be working with 4k video primarily you don't want less vram ...

He intends to game on 1080p, therefore the extra VRAM is not an issue, as Premiere does not store 4K renders in VRAM.

EDIT: only the mercury engine uses the VRAM (if available) and on the preview mode, 2-3GB is acceptable.

 

[CJCerny]

4 thoughts:
1) I would go with Corsair 200 for the case. Much cheaper without sacrificing anything.
2) SLI can be a real hassle. I would skip it and just get the fastest single video card you can afford unless you enjoy tinkering with hardware/software a lot. If you just want to spend your time editing videos and playing games, skip it.
3) Asus Z97-A is a great motherboard and also less expensive.
4) If you are content to use just 1 video card, your power supply does not need to be more than about 600 watts at the most.

 

[TheWorldForgotten]

As was mentioned in this thread, I would much rather get AMD Radeon R9 290 4GB than GTX 770 / 780, unless you are certain that OpenGL won't work for your add-ons. It delivers much higher value. For 60FPS Battlefield 4 using 1920x1080, it is a necessity.

Otherwise, you will need the Intel Core i7 4790K, the Devil Canyon refresh of Haswell, that lets you overclock the CPU to 5GHz on air in some instances. I would also consider creating a RAM disc if you got that much RAM. The way it works, is that you only use that RAM for processing the task, and not to run your computer on. The data being processed is lost during a short-circuit, so you want a backup battery so that you can write the cycles over to a SSD in case of such a thing happening, for permanent storage. In terms of workflow, it is definitely worth it.

I'd pick something like this.

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/fRtqBm

 

[BarbaricSoul]

While I could make a different build, there is nothing really wrong with your build. The only change I can suggest that would actually make a difference is with your wireless adapter. Get a adapter that is wireless AC compatiple. I suggest this- http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FJTGRE0/?tag=tec06d-20

 

[OneMoar]

amd suck for anything related to pro level video rendering nuff said
he looked at the 400r and didn't like it
and he doesn't know HOW to overclock hes going to need to LEARN also devils canyon would require a bios update if the board he gets doesn't come with a updated version..well the system may not post to allow him to update given hes gonna order this stuff within the next 3 weeks yea no ...

ram disk's are gigantic wastes of time and memory hes going to be encoding projects that take several HOURS to render and hes gonna trust that to a ram disk yea again ... no

I been on ts3 with the guy hes a "noob" he needs to go with the simplest best performing build for his application not waste countless hours fussing over what chips overclock ~200Mhz more or whether he needs a ram disk
also hes not gonna be ordering a second gpu for SLI right away thats gonna be next year
hes also running multiple monitors

 

[TheWorldForgotten]

Nuff said, because it is not true. If he does not utilize CUDA specific add-ons, then there is native support for OpenGL, and an AMD card would perform better.

Learning to overclock is a matter of following a guide online step-by-step. You make it sound like an outrageous mastery, that needs years of mastering. Getting 5GHz instead of 4,3GHz is a big deal in this case.

RAM discs are a gigantic waste of time if you do not know how to use them. Unless you live in an area with frequent power outages, they deliver massive performance gains. It's not a recommendation though, just a valid offer worth thinking about.

I get the feeling that you made this setup for him, which is why you approach the corrections like this. SLi is most definitely not the way to go. Microstutter, triple investments, increased emissions. It's been a long, long while since SLi was anywhere near beneficial for single-monitor gaming.

 

[GhostRyder]

AMD do just fine at video rendering in Adobe Premiere Pro on the OpenCL playing field... I do it all the time...

The new Adobe CC that went live today is now optimized for 4k footage (which I edit) and SLI configs.

At 4k, even just rendering its not going to be a night and day difference to cram more ram on a GTX 770. An r9 290 if your spending 400 already is a better option for the budget, video editing, and gaming area. As for the SLI later down the line, its up to you if you want to try and rely on that in the video editing area because I have not seen to much luck on that field yet but have not experienced it personally so cannot say.

 

[OneMoar]

Nuff said, because it is not true. If he does not utilize CUDA specific add-ons, then there is native support for OpenGL, and an AMD card would perform better.

Learning to overclock is a matter of following a guide online step-by-step. You make it sound like an outrageous mastery, that needs years of mastering. Getting 5GHz instead of 4,3GHz is a big deal in this case.

RAM discs are a gigantic waste of time if you do not know how to use them. Unless you live in an area with frequent power outages, they deliver massive performance gains. It's not a recommendation though, just a valid offer worth thinking about.

I get the feeling that you made this setup for him, which is why you approach the corrections like this. SLi is most definitely not the way to go. Microstutter, triple investments, increased emissions. It's been a long, long while since SLi was anywhere near beneficial for single-monitor gaming.

I agree I talked him out of going SLI right now because its a waste of time he could save ~150 if he forgot about the possibility all together
I also recommended he drop the haf x for the 400r
hes only going with 16gb to start and then another 16gb later

as for the AMD nvidia/debate I don't use CS pro so I can't speak for the performance but AMD's drivers are crap mantle is a disappointment so far amd is batting 0
on the hardware side the 290 is a faster card wether or not amd's crappy drivers can keep up is another story

 

[TheWorldForgotten]

This has always baffled me about people being stuck at ancient sentiments. How can an AMD card have average higher performance, if the drivers are crap? Haven't experienced that at least since the HD 4xxx series. Fact remains AMD performs better at a much lower price point.

As for the case, he would be best to opt for the Fractal Design Define R4. The HAF X is as flamboyant as a pink bentley. Tell him that.

 

[GhostRyder]

This has always baffled me about people being stuck at ancient sentiments. How can an AMD card have average higher performance, if the drivers are crap? Haven't experienced that at least since the HD 4xxx series. Fact remains AMD performs better at a much lower price point.

As for the case, he would be best to opt for the Fractal Design Define R4. The HAF X is as flamboyant as a pink bentley. Tell him that.

My thoughts exactly...
The 290 should be a good option over a GTX 770 4gb in this since ADobe has also embraced OpenCL with open arms. But I guess that my computer must just be the luckiest on the planet because my system renders very well in adobe using OpenCL.

If the OP would rather stick with Nvidia, thats all fine and dandy it just would feel like money could be better spent than on a 4gb 770 since almost 400 is a bit high for that card.

 

[RCoon]

as for the AMD nvidia/debate I don't use CS pro so I can't speak for the performance but AMD's drivers are crap mantle is a disappointment so far amd is batting 0

But Mantle isn't used for Adobe CC, and it's pretty irrelevant for games anyway. So who cares about mantle when this build is primarily for editing movies, and has gaming as a secondary objective?

Besides Mantle (which is so pointless there's no point in factoring it in), the AMD cards have the better VRAM, and aren't copiously overpriced. Their drivers are relatively average, and seem to work OK with single GPU's. I think their xfire is relatively irritating along with SLI, so while I have no issue with NVidia's drivers currently, I have no beef with AMD's right now either.
As for CS Pro performance, OpenGL support is good, if not just as relevant as CUDA acceleration. Hell, in Photoshop the only thing that is CUDA accelerated is filters, which most people don't use unless they're 14 years old and trying to make somebody look like Shrek.

amd suck for anything related to pro level video rendering nuff said

It slightly worries me that you're giving this kind of advice in this thread, to someone who is quite into their video editing, especially when you don't actually know how AMD performs in "pro level video rendering". I mean it's cool that you're helping out the OP, but maybe be a bit more concious before you give advice that is quite literally based on nothing? (Except your personal hate for AMD)

 

[CJCerny]

OP, I think you should forget about the overclock, unless it is risk you want to take and something you want to spend time learning about. Sounds like your hardware skillset is very low at this point in time and an OC isn't something for someone with that current skillset. Not trying to offend, just pointing out that an OC requires some additional care and feeding that you might not have the skill or patience for or want to spend the time learning. If you want a stable and care free PC that just lets you work and game without any headaches, keep it very simple. Keeping it very simple means no overclock and only 1 video card.

What it really comes down to is this: are you looking to buy a tool to play games and edit videos or are you looking for a new hobby? If you just want a maintenance free tool, forget the overclock and the SLI. If you want to spend time not gaming and not editing videos and just tinkering, by all means, get yourself some hardware that you can tinker with.

 

[OneMoar]

if he wasn't intending on going multi-gpu-multi monitor eventually and if it was strictly a gaming machine I would recommend a AMD Card is the R9 290 faster Yes by about 5-8FPS in most gaming tests. to get that 5FPS you end up tolerating amd's "average" drivers and finicky Xfire these problems are fixable I know.

but, what you don't get is nvidia's proprietary tech that's pretty much everyware. do I agree with nvidia's business tactics no I don't. but results are results they are hands down better all around for user experience

nvidia+intel has been the gold standard for anything relating to video production for YEARS there is a reason for it it Just-Works

do I use AMD for openCL work my self no I don't. not very often at least.. Am I aware of the problems and limitations of it absolutely.(amd take a fair performance hit with double precision calculations because their pipe is a simpler one this is great for single precision stuff like luxmark but bad for video filters)
also you can use either openCL or CUDA on nvidia they support both
I built two intel + amd rigs in the past 6 months one was for friends/family was a i5 and 265x and one was a i7 with a 280x for a customer both had the following issues

1. running flash video would cause a BSOD with hardware acceleration enabled via chrome/flash

2. the screen would flicker when the gpu was scaling frequency

3. the 280x machine would display a black screen coming out of sleep because the gpu didn't wake up
4. battfield 4 was causing BSOD's on map change for awhile their before they implemented mantle/amd's crash fix driver hotfix

AMD has had these EXACT problems on pretty much every card they made in the last 4 years and yet it still hasn't been permanently fixed the problem with AMD's is there driver team is incompetent I am not saying the Op could not go with a AMD card if he wanted to but if it was me I would't simply because I know the op isn't experience enough to trouble shoot the trival bs amd has with their drivers because most of the time the fix is simple enough but the symptoms tell another story

 

[anandsap123]

If I stick to single GPU, I can save on the PSU and Case. That will give me about $100 more to put into the graphics card. What Nvidia card under $500 do you guys recommend?

 

[OneMoar]

If I stick to single GPU, I can save on the PSU and Case. That will give me about $100 more to put into the graphics card. What Nvidia card under $500 do you guys recommend?

you can get a 780 for that

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130942
if you switch to a carbine 400R http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811139008&cm_re=400r-_-11-139-008-_-Product
and this psu (the 750w model)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151095
you can always go with a non SLI motherboard and save another 30 or 50



http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157508
or
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128713

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157508 < best sub 120.00 pick

 

[GhostRyder]

If I stick to single GPU, I can save on the PSU and Case. That will give me about $100 more to put into the graphics card. What Nvidia card under $500 do you guys recommend?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814133525&cm_re=GTX_780-_-14-133-525-_-Product
Or any GTX 780, just pick your favorite company/cooler/price point and your good if your going Nvidia.

But again you can also get a 290X for about that price or lower

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202079&cm_re=R9_290X-_-14-202-079-_-Product

That and on both 780's 290X's and even 780tis there are some nice open box deals on newegg.

 

[TheWorldForgotten]

AMD has had these EXACT problems on pretty much every card they made in the last 4 years and yet it still hasn't been permanently fixed the problem with AMD's is there driver team is incompetent I am not saying the Op could not go with a AMD card if he wanted to but if it was me I would't simply because I know the op isn't experience enough to trouble shoot the trival bs amd has with their drivers because most of the time the fix is simple enough but the symptoms tell another story

See, here is the issue. You confuse personal bad experiences and statistics. I have owned a mix of GPUs a long long time, and nowadays, I notice no difference between AMD and nVIDIA when it comes to stability. Regardless of software. Stating that every card AMD has on the market, got these issues, is ignorant at best. They don't. Most of them don't have any trace of it. Just like most of nVIDIA's do not. I incline you to check out what Mac Pro uses these days. The R9 290 performs on level with GTX 780, for 70-80 dollars less.