Time to build
 

So after learning that my My specs are i7 CPU 950 @ 3.07ghz 12 gb of ram and my video card is a GeForce GTX 460 with vegas 10 is no longer up to the task of editing HD without waiting forever for my render, I've decided it's time to rebuild. Certainly I could spend 4000k on a mac pro, but not this year. So this is what I've come up with. I only build out of necessity, so I don't keep up with the latest and greatest. But I have to do something about my crazy slow renders.

Fire away, I'd appreciate any input.

1
IN WIN GR one Black Black Computer Case
Item #:N82E16811108127
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
$159.99
$109.99



1
ASUS Radeon R9 290X R9290X-DC2-4GD5 Video Card
Item #:N82E16814121922
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
$389.99
$299.99



1
COOLER MASTER RR-212E-20PK-R2 120mm Sleeve CPU Cooler
Item #:N82E16835103099
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
$34.99



1
G.SKILL Ripjaws 4 series 32GB (4 x 8GB) 288-Pin DDR4 SDRAM DDR4 2800 (PC4-22400) Extreme Performance Memory Kit Model F4-2800C16Q-32GRK
Item #:N82E16820231824
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
$329.99
$289.99



1
Rosewill ARC M550 Continuous 550W@40 C degree Power Supply
Item #:N82E16817182298
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
$69.99
$59.99



1
ASUS X99-A/USB 3.1 ATX Intel Motherboard
Item #: N82E16813132516
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy

Intel Core i7-5820K 3.3GHz LGA 2011-v3 BX80648I75820K Desktop Processor
Item #: N82E16819117402
Return Policy: Replacement Only Return Policy
-$30.00 Instant
-$25.00 Combo $669.98
$614.98

Re: Time to build
 

No drives included in your list.

SSD drives have really come of age, quite affordable. I would use at least a 500GB if not 1TB SSD as my system drive. Oh my does my SSD-based system come off standby and load programs FAST!!!

Don't know what your volume of work and archive needs are, but I've come to rely on bare HDs thrown into a dock, either internal or external to the computer. Lots of bare 2TB drives and a couple portable USB drives round out the fleet here.

I wish I knew more about your video card choice - I just haven't kept up with what cards actually work with Vegas' GPU acceleration. But I'd want to be sure about that in a new build.

550w power supply seems pretty minimal; have you used one of the online power supply calculators? You have to think about all those USB-powered peripherals, as well as internal drives, the MOBO, and a thirsty processor. This is a place you don't want to scrimp. The last build I did was a 750 or 850w, such a power supply isn't going to drink more electricity than the devices demand of it, to my thinking planning for a little extra here seems like a good idea.

Re: Time to build
 

Hey Seth,

I had a 1000 watt ps I was going to switch out, but the SSD is a good idea. Right now I'm trying to come to grips with the watercooling I'll need. Since this thing is costing me so much, I wanna get the parts right. Also trying to figure out optimal ram for the mb.

As for the video card, I've been reading like crazy, might reach out to Sony if I can find my way through their support maze to actually ask them.

Re: Time to build
 

I personally avoid Rosewill PSUs, I like OCZ for the value and I stick with a minimum of 1K. You can't have too much, and I like having headroom.

PSU issues are among the most difficult to figure out and I really do not like skimping on that part.

Like GSkill RAM a lot. Good luck with your build.

Re: Time to build
 

Thanks guys, I made some adjustments after the feedback, the only thing I hope I don't regret is going with 16gb of ram vs 32gb, but I can always fix that.

Re: Time to build
 

Well, as long as you don't choose something that is capped at 16GB to mount...

I think you will, but as long as you buy (or are reusing) RAM that you can simply add to instead of replacing, its not wasted money. My understanding is that the RAM is most important for the NLE's preview window. 24-32GB recommended everywhere I look.

Re: Time to build
 

Robert, RE: Vegas I thought that RAM is most important for multitasking, not Vegas so much, and my understanding is that CPU speed is single most important thing for video preview speed in Vegas. For renderinig it's # of cores + CPU speed.

I personally can't imagine 16GB of RAM it's so barebones. It affects thumbnail preview speed and so many Windows operations. I find my 32GB is the minimum I could live with.

Re: Time to build
 

I've been wrestling with this same dilemma.

Why did you choose that particular R9 290X video card? The reviews for the major cards are all so mixed. Newegg people seem to RMA them a *lot*. I haven't found a card yet that didn't have some poor reviews (even when you filter by verified owners)

Re: Time to build
 

Hey Jeremiah,

I got that recommendation for the video card off a guy on another forum, but who's well respected in the business. I agree, video card specs for vegas is like playing the lottery, which is something I find insulting from Sony, they should give us the gospel like 99% of other software companies.

Re: Time to build
 

Hey Robert,

I can add another set of four ram sticks. Right now, my render times are horrendous, so I can always through more ram if needed.

Re: Time to build
 

For sure. I used PC Parts Picker to design a system and it ended up $1900. It's funny, every time I have decided to build a top of the line system, it's always in the same price range.

At least everyone agrees on that R9 290X chipset. Just finding the right variation. The next trick is trying to figure out if the case is big enough for those huge video cards.

Re: Time to build
 

I put it together, and yes, the video card is the size of a 70s Cadillac. A few minor hiccups on the case, but I think I can work around them. One was my ICY Dock three bay would fit, because the case has metal lips inside, don't really feel like filing them down.

Re: Time to build
 

You win Jeff, ordered the other four sticks to bump to 32

Re: Time to build
 

Steven, please post back when you've had a chance to put the video card through its paces. Does it work with Vegas GPU rendering, are there perceivable improvements in rendering time, what formats do you render to?

Good luck with the new box!

Re: Time to build
 

Hey Jeff,

So far so good, even with the 16 gb of ram. The case I ordered is pretty huge. The watercooler and case, both by Corsair, were tricky to match because they over looked (their words) that the screws were too short. lol. Other than that not too many hiccups. The speeds are so much better. I rendered that same 3 minute file in 6 minutes that took me over an hour and half the other day. I haven't tweaked anything except the bios preset for video/gaming. The machine is much quieter. I suppose I should have rebuilt last year.