Need help with specs of machine and best way to connect to monitor

[Del.]

Hello there,

Hope you're well and keeping safe!

I would love to get some help with finalising my build from people more experienced & knowledgeable than me!

This will be my first PC build ever. I have done SO much research and I understand the concepts of putting it all together but I don't know the granular details that may cause issues.

For context - my thinking for this build is that I'm trying to find the happy medium between Gaming, Video Editing (PremPro), and Productivity - so I know that I'm not going to hit peak performance in any of those categories but I'm hoping for a solid 8 out of 10 for each, if that makes sense?

I'll be hooking this up to my Alienware AW3420DW (again, a good all rounder) but had some questions on this too:

- The Alienware AW3420DW from my understanding prefers DP to DP (HDMI is v1.4, not 2.0), but would it be better to have a HDMI (output from Machine) to DP (Monitor) or just a high quality DP to DP cable?
- I also will need to plug in my work laptop, and can't decide the best solution, as wouldn't a docking station impede on the performance of both machine and monitor? If so, how can I set this up so I don't have to unplug all my peripherals when switching between machines?

Any and all advice, guidance, & questions welcome!

Please see my proposed specs below:

Case
CORSAIR CRYSTAL SERIES 280X RGB GAMING CASE
Processor (CPU)
Intel® Core™ i9 Ten-Core Processor i9-10850K (3.6GHz) 20MB Cache
Motherboard
ASUS® ROG STRIX Z490-I GAMING (Mini-ITX, LGA1200, USB 3.2) - ARGB Ready
Memory (RAM)
64GB Corsair VENGEANCE DDR4 3000MHz (2 x 32GB)
Graphics Card
8GB NVIDIA GEFORCE RTX 3060 Ti - HDMI, DP
1st Storage Drive
1TB PCS 2.5" SSD, SATA 6 Gb (520MB/R, 470MB/W)
1st Storage Drive
1TB PCS 2.5" SSD, SATA 6 Gb (520MB/R, 470MB/W)
1st M.2 SSD Drive
512GB INTEL® 660p M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD (up to 1500MB/sR | 1000MB/sW)
1st M.2 SSD Drive
512GB INTEL® 660p M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD (up to 1500MB/sR | 1000MB/sW)
Power Supply
CORSAIR 450W CV SERIES™ CV-450 POWER SUPPLY
Power Cable
1 x 1 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead)
Processor Cooling
Corsair H60 2018 Hydro Series High Performance CPU Cooler
Thermal Paste
ARCTIC MX-4 EXTREME THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY COMPOUND
LED Lighting
2x 50cm ARGB LED Strip
Extra Case Fans
1x 120mm Thermaltake TOUGHFAN 12 Case Fan
Sound Card
ONBOARD 6 CHANNEL (5.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)
Wireless Network Card
GIGABIT LAN PORT + Wi-Fi
USB/Thunderbolt Options
MIN. 2 x USB 3.0 & 4 x USB 2.0 PORTS @ BACK PANEL + MIN. 2 FRONT PORTS
Operating System
Windows 10 Home 64 Bit - inc. Single Licence [KUK-00001]
Operating System Language
United Kingdom - English Language
Windows Recovery Media
Windows 10 Multi-Language Recovery Image - Unlimited Downloads from Online Account
Office Software
FREE 30 Day Trial of Microsoft 365® (Operating System Required)
Anti-Virus
NO ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE
Browser
Google Chrome™
Warranty
3 Year Gold Warranty (2 Year Collect & Return, 2 Year Parts, 3 Year Labour)

 

[MrWilson]

Hi there. Got a couple of questions to help us spec your build.
Any reason why you've gone for an Intel build? AMD is leading the field at the moment. I am aware that there are a couple of applications that Intel is better supported with, so if that's the case let us know.

AMD Vs Intel

So some of you aren't aware of the reasons why so many people are heading away from Intel to AMD, so thought it would be important to lay that out for people to refer back to. A lot of you will go to cpubenchmark or userbenchmark to find performance metrics for CPU's. These sites are complete...

www.pcspecialist.co.uk

Secondly, what is your budget? With a £1000 monitor I'm assuming we've got a nice chunk of change to work with.

 

[Bigfoot]

What is your maximum budget? In almost all cases an AMD CPU will beat Intel. The Intel M.2 drives have a much lower number of write cycles than most other M.2 drives and are not recommended. The PSU looks underpowered. Someone with more knowledge will be able to advise you on the case and cooling and possibly on the connections to your monitor.

Edit: beaten to the punch by Mr Wilson 🙂

 

[Ash_]

HDMI 1.4 is absolutely miles behind DP 1.2 and above, so DP is your best bet.

AMD’s Ryzen 9 5900x would be the superior choice, only issue is the stock and waiting for the build.

if you give us your budget, we will be able to help you better. Also 64gb of ram is super high.

 

[Del.]

Thanks for the quick response guys! I'll answer below:

- Intel vs AMD - This is a good point, from what I have researched, I've found Intel builds tend to work better with PremPro, however another theme from the research is that rendering times are heavily dependant on core/thread count I know there's a decent 16 core 24 thread AMD that also seems great...Being totally honest I am not picky between AMD & Intel just looking for what ever will fit my requirements!
- Lol I have been saving for a little while...so when I say I have done my research, we're talking months, if not over a year 😂 I need to know details before I [pull the trigger. That being said I'd be looking to drop max £2250. Ideally I would only like to spend £2000.
- Yeah honestly I only picked the Intel NVME's because it was an Intel build. As above, so long as it doesn't break my price range I'm happy to go with whatever is best.
- Yeah I did think this too, but the PC builder said anything above 450w that wouldn't be needed...
- Regarding the case, I know this is the one I want because I have a very specific place for it and the dimensions are perfect

Hope this helps, again thanks for your speedy replies!

 

[Ash_]

Can you add the link for the build?

i can’t find that case on my selection

 

[Del.]

Can you add the link for the build?

i can’t find that case on my selection

Sure - https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/intel-z490-sff-gaming/7tHhQbM6Xk/

Also thanks for your reply on HDMI vs DP! 64gb RAM is a lot, however from what I've looked into if you want to edit and work with 4k footage this is the power needed...

 

[AgentCooper]

Can you add the link for the build?

i can’t find that case on my selection

It's one of the mini cases.

 

[Ash_]

It's one of the mini cases.

Ah, well that’s a bit of an issue then. No H115 option for a 5900x.

Maybe you’re the best person for this build 😆

 

[AgentCooper]

Maybe you’re the best person for this build 😆

Nope, what @Nursemorph came up with ticks all the boxes ☑️

 

[Del.]

Amazing - thank you all for your input!

@Nursemorph I've taken your concept and re-jigged it a bit...What do you think? I know it's a little over the max price but...🤷‍♂️

Main differences - I've reduced the RAM to 32gb but going for the 3200MHz option (for rendering times 64gb only really gives you a saving of 2 or 3 seconds over 32gb so it's not really that necessary), so that I can then afford to go for the RTX 3070, instead of the 3060.

Also changed the storage setup as I'll manage backups through external drives, because that Samsung 980 Pro SSD is just too good.

Anyway let me know what you (and anyone else still reading this) think?

Edit - I'm assuming if I ever wanted to upgrade further (waaaay down the line) it's not an issue?

Case
CORSAIR CRYSTAL SERIES 280X RGB GAMING CASE
Processor (CPU)
AMD Ryzen 9 5900X 12 Core CPU (3.7GHz-4.8GHz/70MB CACHE/AM4)
Motherboard
ASUS® ROG STRIX X570-I GAMING (DDR4, USB 3.2, Wi-Fi) - ARGB Ready!
Memory (RAM)
32GB Corsair VENGEANCE DDR4 3200MHz (2 x 16GB)
Graphics Card
8GB NVIDIA GEFORCE RTX 3070 - HDMI, DP
1st Storage Drive
2TB SEAGATE BARRACUDA SATA-III 3.5" HDD, 6GB/s, 7200RPM, 256MB CACHE
1st M.2 SSD Drive
1TB SAMSUNG 980 PRO M.2, PCIe NVMe (up to 7000MB/R, 5000MB/W)
Power Supply
CORSAIR 750W RMx SERIES™ MODULAR 80 PLUS® GOLD, ULTRA QUIET
Power Cable
1 x 1 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead)
Processor Cooling
Corsair H60 2018 Hydro Series High Performance CPU Cooler
Thermal Paste
ARCTIC MX-4 EXTREME THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY COMPOUND
LED Lighting
2x 50cm ARGB LED Strip
Extra Case Fans
1x 120mm Thermaltake TOUGHFAN 12 Case Fan
Sound Card
ONBOARD 6 CHANNEL (5.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)
Wireless Network Card
GIGABIT LAN PORT + Wi-Fi (Wi-Fi excluded on A320I-K)
USB/Thunderbolt Options
MIN. 2 x USB 3.0 & 4 x USB 2.0 PORTS @ BACK PANEL + MIN. 2 FRONT PORTS
Operating System
Windows 10 Home 64 Bit - inc. Single Licence [KUK-00001]
Operating System Language
United Kingdom - English Language
Windows Recovery Media
Windows 10 Multi-Language Recovery Image - Unlimited Downloads from Online Account
Office Software
FREE 30 Day Trial of Microsoft 365® (Operating System Required)
Anti-Virus
NO ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE
Browser
Google Chrome™
Warranty
3 Year Silver Warranty (1 Year Collect & Return, 1 Year Parts, 3 Year Labour)
Delivery
STANDARD INSURED DELIVERY TO UK MAINLAND (MON-FRI)
Build Time
Standard Build - Approximately 23 to 25 working days
Price: £2,284.00 including VAT and Delivery

Unique URL to re-configure: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/amd-sff-gaming/6kQBStPkzh/

 

[Del.]

Looks all good to me....hard drives is a personal thing, some prefer loads, others prefer fewer....personally, I have an M.2 SSD 512GB for Windows and my programmes and then a normal Samsung SSD for files etc (was my primary drive in my old system), others have 3 or more drives, some just one....as long as you are happy with those chosen that's the main thing.

As to editing down the line, yes, you can do it without affecting your wait time, assuming the item you change to has no stock issues.

And, as mentioned above, DisplayPort is the best optoin for connecting your monitor and PC, especially if you are gaming.

That’s great, thanks so much for the info and advice.
Yeah I’m happy with storage config as also I could add/upgrade if I reaaaaally needed to but I think this set up will do a great job!

Also, just wondered if you had any thoughts on this point:

- also will need to plug in my work laptop, and can't decide the best solution, as wouldn't a docking station impede on the performance of both machine and monitor? If so, how can I set this up so I don't have to unplug all my peripherals when switching between machines?

 

[Del.]

Hi All - Apologies been meaning to get back to this thread .

Just wondering if there was any update to @Nursemorph 's question around best solution for peripherals??

Also, the exact same build listed above for £2,284.00 has now increased to £2,519 which really puts it out of budget... Does anyone know why the price would have increased by so much??

 

[ubuysa]

Also, the exact same build listed above for £2,284.00 has now increased to £2,519 which really puts it out of budget... Does anyone know why the price would have increased by so much??

Prices always go up and down due to simple supply and demand. Given the current global shortage of electronic chips and the materials with which to make them I'd suggest that prices are only going to increase still further.

 

[Don Coyote]

Hi All - Apologies been meaning to get back to this thread .

Just wondering if there was any update to @Nursemorph 's question around best solution for peripherals??

Also, the exact same build listed above for £2,284.00 has now increased to £2,519 which really puts it out of budget... Does anyone know why the price would have increased by so much??

I used a monitor with two video input ports and connected the DP one to my PC and the HDMI to my laptop docking station. When using the laptop I selected that as the video source on the monitor and when using the PC I selected that as input to the monitor instead. My previous monitor would auto switch so the laptop would have to be off when using the PC and vice versa; my current monitor doesn't auto switch so I can have both running at the same time and select which I am using via the monitor. All seemed to work well with no hit on performance.

 

[Gavras]

Well, as it’s Friday 😀

If using multiple monitors and a single GPU, I would suggest downloading similar to below.

Its a handy resource to ensure you get right image on the correct screen.

 

[Del.]

Prices always go up and down due to simple supply and demand. Given the current global shortage of electronic chips and the materials with which to make them I'd suggest that prices are only going to increase still further.

Thanks for confirming this - I had my suspicions this was the case but wasn't sure as I automatically things of things like this as fixed price! Hmm in that case I may have to wait to pull the trigger on this build

 

[SpyderTracks]

Thanks for confirming this - I had my suspicions this was the case but wasn't sure as I automatically things of things like this as fixed price! Hmm in that case I may have to wait to pull the trigger on this build

It’s likely prices will continue to rise until at least the end of March as AMD and MVidia have both admitted their stocks will be very low until at least that time.

 

[Del.]

It’s likely prices will continue to rise until at least the end of March as AMD and MVidia have both admitted their stocks will be very low until at least that time.

Ah well if that's the case I will definitely need to put my plans on hold and reassess when the market (and everywhere else) is back to some sort of normality I can make do with what I have now so there really isn't any particular rush.

Just want to take another moment to thank everybody on this thread for the excellent help and support you have provided me - Really appreciate it!

 

[Harag]

This question is, unfortunately, outside of my knowledge base...laptops are just not my thing having never owned one. I would expect a docking station to impeded performance but not sure it would impeded it enough to make a major difference.

A KVM Switch might work better than a docking station...something like this perhaps:

UGREEN USB 3.0 Switch, 2 In 4 Output USB 3.0 Sharing Switcher Box KM Switch Hub for Mouse, Keyboard, Scanner, Printer with 2 Pcs of 1.5M USB 3.0 A to A Cable: Amazon.co.uk: Business, Industry & Science

UGREEN USB 3.0 Switch, 2 In 4 Output USB 3.0 Sharing Switcher Box KM Switch Hub for Mouse, Keyboard, Scanner, Printer with 2 Pcs of 1.5M USB 3.0 A to A Cable: Amazon.co.uk: Business, Industry & Science

smile.amazon.co.uk

@SpyderTracks or @Scott Any thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated as I have no clue on these things. Thanks

I use PC at home for gaming, and laptop for work (c# developer), now for the past several months I'm working from home, As I hate using the laptop K/pad, I got work to buy me this exact same switch, I have my gaming keyboard, mouse, and headphones plugged into it, and then the USB to both my PC and laptop and a simple button switch on it to switch - had it 6-8 months now and found it really useful. The Laptop I never need to open or use the screen.

As for Screens... Sounds like you ONLY have one monitor - As I'm not sure what laptop you have, or what connections it has, (guessing a newish one with HDMI) I would do the connections like this:

Desktop -- DP to DP (much better for gaming etc)
Laptop -- HDMP to HDMI -- it's work who cares (depends on your roll)

If you have a docking station and multiple monitors then you will need to look at the connections of the monitors and the ones on the desktop/laptop. You can buy cables that is from one to the other... e.g. DP to HDMI. or DP to DVI

e.g.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B015OW3P1O/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

or for an older monitor:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B014RWWWT8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I just got a new laptop / docking station from work this week and had to order new cables (at their expense) these are the 2 I needed as my 2nd monitor is an old (hdmi, dvi, vga) thing.... I just use it for outlook and ms teams mainly at work.

Hope this helps.