High Spec Desktop for Multi Tasking but NOT Gaming

[alatay854]

I need a new Desktop PC for general use, but not at all for gaming. I do edit large video files and want to run many applications at the same time. But do i need a 4K monitor to edit 4 K files in the future (not at the moment though) ?
I also need as many USB ports as possible - 8 external USB drives!
Any thoughts much appreciated.

Case
GAME MAX FALCON BLACK GAMING CASE (RGB LED)
Processor (CPU)
Intel® Core™ i7 Six Core Processor i7-7800X (3.5GHz) 8.25MB Cache
Motherboard
ASUS® PRIME X299-A: ATX, USB 3.1, SATA 6 GB/s, RGB Ready
Memory (RAM)
32GB Corsair VENGEANCE DDR4 2133MHz (4 x 8GB)
Graphics Card
1GB NVIDIA GEFORCE 710 - DVI, HDMI, VGA
1st Hard Disk
500GB WD Blue™ 3D NAND 2.5" SSD, (upto 560MB/sR | 530MB/sW)
2nd Hard Disk
4TB WD BLACK 3.5" WD4004FZWX, SATA 6 Gb/s, 64MB CACHE (7200rpm)
DVD/BLU-RAY Drive
16x BLU-RAY WRITER DRIVE, 16x DVD ±R/±RW & SOFTWARE
Memory Card Reader
USB 3.0 EXTERNAL SD/MICRO SD CARD READER
Power Supply
CORSAIR 550W VS SERIES™ VS-550 POWER SUPPLY
Power Cable
1 x 1 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead)
Processor Cooling
INTEL SOCKET 2011/2066 STANDARD CPU COOLER
Thermal Paste
STANDARD THERMAL PASTE FOR SUFFICIENT COOLING
Sound Card
Creative Sound Blaster® Audigy™ FX OEM
Wireless/Wired Networking
WIRELESS 802.11 AC1200 867Mbps/5GHz, 300Mbps/2.4GHz PCI-E CARD
USB Options
2 PORT (2 x TYPE A) USB 3.1 PCI-E CARD + STANDARD USB PORTS
Operating System
Genuine Windows 10 Home 64 Bit - inc. Single Licence
Operating System Language
United Kingdom - English Language
Windows Recovery Media
Windows 10 Multi-Language Recovery Image - Unlimited Downloads from Online Account
Office Software
NO OFFICE SOFTWARE
Anti-Virus
NO ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE
Browser
Microsoft® Edge (Windows 10 Only)
Monitor
ASUS MX279H 27" Full HD AH-IPS LED DISPLAY
Monitor Cables
2 x 2 METRE GOLD PLATED V1.4 HDMI CABLE
Keyboard & Mouse
LOGITECH® MK520 WIRELESS KEYBOARD & MOUSE COMBO
Headsets
LOGITECH® STEREO HEADSET H110 - IDEAL FOR CALLS, MUSIC & GAMES
Warranty
3 Year Standard Warranty (1 Month Collect & Return, 1 Year Parts, 3 Year Labour)
Home Installation
Technician Assisted Installation & Set-Up + Wi-Fi + Family Surf Control
Delivery
TIMED DELIVERY TO UK MAINLAND - MON-FRI, PRE-NOON
Build Time
Standard Build - Approximately 8 to 10 working days
Quantity
1

Price £2,109.00 including VAT and delivery

 

[Oussebon]

But do i need a 4K monitor to edit 4 K files in the future

Technically, no you don't, but you can't actually watch the footage at 4k res without a 4k monitor. So really, yes, you do want a 4k monitor.

What's your budget (and does the budget include a 4k monitor?), and what software will you be using?

 

[alatay854]

Thanks for the reply. So far, i have been using AVS suite of programs for dealing with video. But when i get a better PC, i may try some more professional software. I was hoping to keep the cost down to near £2000 as possible. For the current one, i have only selected an ASUS 27" HD Monitor. I can always upgrade to a 4K monitor later if i start using 4K videos a lot.

 

[Oussebon]

The i7 7800x is basically obsolete (and it didn't make much sense versus the competition even when it wasn't). The i7 8700k on the Z370 platform is just faster. While AMD's Ryzen offerings have more cores.

Although you're not gaming, you will want a fairly powerful GPU as a lot of video editing software will make substantial use of this.

You don't need the sound card, and onboard audio is quite decent anyway. Most if not all high end mobos have 7.1 sound. I suggest you try out the onboard audio and only then consider options like USB DACs.

Home Installation
Technician Assisted Installation & Set-Up + Wi-Fi + Family Surf Control

This is £102 and gets you:

Technician Assisted Installation & Set-Up + Wireless Internet + Family Surf Control
Unpack PC, connect plugs and power supply.


Unpack wireless router and connect to the existing internet connection.


Connect the network to up to 3 wireless ready PCs.


Set up e-mail accounts (must already be purchased).


Secure the wireless network, set up security updates and demonstrate key security features.


Connect up to 3 peripherals (printer/fax/camera etc.).This includes a maximum of one printer.


Set-up surf control for family members.

i.e. you get help plugging it in, setting up the wifi, logging into your email account, and family surf control.

Windows has various family features:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/help/12413/microsoft-account-what-is-family
https://www.howtogeek.com/201606/completely-protect-your-windows-pc-with-microsoft-family-safety/

You edit videos and therefore use relatively complicated software, and have no real problem connecting up loads of external devices, so you don't seem particularly shy about computers I'm not sure it's worth £102 for you.

ASUS MX279H

£240 for a 1080p 60hz screen feels like kinda of a ripoff, when you can buy 1440p IPS panels for that kind of money. If you want an IPS monitor that's 1080p and 27" consider the AOC I2769VM 27" which is ~£60 cheaper.

The WD Black HDDs are horrifically expensive. A 5TB regular 7200rpm HDD will be plenty fast and is £50 cheaper.

The WD Black SSDs, though not as good as the Samsung 960/961 series, are at least faster than the WD Blues by a fair margin.

I'd also get a better quality and modular PSU to feed everything.

As an AMD Ryzen option, something like:


Case
GAME MAX FALCON BLACK GAMING CASE (RGB LED)
Processor (CPU)
AMD Ryzen 7 1800X Eight Core CPU (3.6GHz-4.0GHz/20MB CACHE/AM4)
Motherboard
ASUS® CROSSHAIR VI HERO (DDR4, 6Gb/s, CrossFireX/SLI) - RGB Ready!
Memory (RAM)
32GB Corsair VENGEANCE DDR4 3000MHz (2 x 16GB)
Graphics Card
6GB NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX 1060 - DVI, HDMI, 3 x DP - GeForce GTX VR Ready!
1[SUP]st[/SUP] Hard Disk
5TB SATA-III 3.5" HDD, 6GB/s, 7200RPM, 128MB CACHE
1[SUP]st[/SUP] M.2 SSD Drive
512GB WD Black™ M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD (up to 2050MB/s R | 800MB/s W)
DVD/BLU-RAY Drive
16x BLU-RAY WRITER DRIVE, 16x DVD ±R/±RW & SOFTWARE
Power Supply
CORSAIR 650W TXm SERIES™ SEMI-MODULAR 80 PLUS® GOLD, ULTRA QUIET
Power Cable
1 x 1 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead)
Processor Cooling
CoolerMaster MasterLiquid Lite 240 High Performance Liquid Cooler
Thermal Paste
STANDARD THERMAL PASTE FOR SUFFICIENT COOLING
Sound Card
ONBOARD 6 CHANNEL (5.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)
Wireless/Wired Networking
10/100/1000 GIGABIT LAN PORT (Wi-Fi NOT INCLUDED)
USB Options
MIN. 2 x USB 3.0 & 2 x USB 2.0 PORTS @ BACK PANEL + MIN. 2 FRONT PORTS
Operating System
Genuine Windows 10 Home 64 Bit - inc. Single Licence
Operating System Language
United Kingdom - English Language
Windows Recovery Media
Windows 10 Multi-Language Recovery Image - Unlimited Downloads from Online Account
Office Software
NO OFFICE SOFTWARE
Anti-Virus
NO ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE
Browser
Microsoft® Edge (Windows 10 Only)
Monitor
AOC I2769VM 27" IPS Monitor - 5ms, 1920x1080, D-Sub, HDMI, DP
Keyboard & Mouse
LOGITECH® MK520 WIRELESS KEYBOARD & MOUSE COMBO
Headsets
LOGITECH® STEREO HEADSET H110 - IDEAL FOR CALLS, MUSIC & GAMES
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 8 to 10 working days
Quantity
1

Price £2,141.00 including VAT and delivery

Unique URL to re-configure : https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/amd-am4-pc/aYr2XfJx2x/

Note that the Crosshair mobo is bristling with USB ports:

 

[Oussebon]

For an Intel build:

Case
GAME MAX FALCON BLACK GAMING CASE (RGB LED)
Processor (CPU)
Intel® Core™i7 Six Core Processor i7-8700k (3.7GHz) 12MB Cache
Motherboard
Gigabyte Z370 AORUS Ultra Gaming: ATX, LG1151, USB 3.1, SATA 6GBs - RGB Ready
--FREE entry to win one of FIVE GIGABYTE Fan Bundles!
Memory (RAM)
32GB Corsair VENGEANCE DDR4 3000MHz (2 x 16GB)
Graphics Card
6GB NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX 1060 - DVI, HDMI, 3 x DP - GeForce GTX VR Ready!
1[SUP]st[/SUP] Hard Disk
5TB SATA-III 3.5" HDD, 6GB/s, 7200RPM, 128MB CACHE
1[SUP]st[/SUP] M.2 SSD Drive
512GB WD Black™ M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD (up to 2050MB/s R | 800MB/s W)
DVD/BLU-RAY Drive
16x BLU-RAY WRITER DRIVE, 16x DVD ±R/±RW & SOFTWARE
Power Supply
CORSAIR 650W TXm SERIES™ SEMI-MODULAR 80 PLUS® GOLD, ULTRA QUIET
Power Cable
1 x 1 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead)
Processor Cooling
CoolerMaster MasterLiquid Lite 240 High Performance Liquid Cooler
Thermal Paste
STANDARD THERMAL PASTE FOR SUFFICIENT COOLING
Sound Card
ONBOARD 6 CHANNEL (5.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)
Wireless/Wired Networking
10/100/1000 GIGABIT LAN PORT (Wi-Fi NOT INCLUDED)
USB Options
2 PORT (2 x TYPE A) USB 3.1 PCI-E CARD + STANDARD USB PORTS
Operating System
Genuine Windows 10 Home 64 Bit - inc. Single Licence
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® Office® 365
Anti-Virus
BullGuard™ Internet Security - Free 90 Day License inc. Gamer Mode
Browser
Microsoft® Edge (Windows 10 Only)
Monitor
AOC I2769VM 27" IPS Monitor - 5ms, 1920x1080, D-Sub, HDMI, DP
Keyboard & Mouse
LOGITECH® MK520 WIRELESS KEYBOARD & MOUSE COMBO
Headsets
LOGITECH® STEREO HEADSET H110 - IDEAL FOR CALLS, MUSIC & GAMES
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 8 to 10 working days
Quantity
1

Price £2,113.00 including VAT and delivery

Unique URL to re-configure : https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/intel-z370-pc/h0vbvJ7XJs/

 

[alatay854]

Thanks for all your comments, really appreciated. I would still like an Intel based PC as you have detailed. A few more questions if you have the time:
Can you tell me your starting point as i went with Extreme Computers and so many options you suggest were not available for selection.
What is the M2 SSD, not come across the M2 before.
Is the idea to put the O/S, Windows 10 on the SSD to make that the fastest access or what is the SSD generally used for (my PC is now 9 years old!).
I have 8 external hard drives (6 x 5TB and 2 x 4TB), all WD and all working fine. Previously had Seagate and other drives that failed, so i like to stick with WD as a rule just from experience.
I agree with the PSU you suggest, especially if it is quiet, very important.
Not familiar with the Crosshair mobo for USB ports (probably me being stupid!)
I am OK with most software but putting hardware together is difficult for me, thats why i went foir the installation option, so all the basics would be working after delivery.
Many thanks agai,
Alan

 

[Oussebon]

Can you tell me your starting point as i went with Extreme Computers and so many options you suggest were not available for selection.

The i7 8700k on the Z370 chipset. You can find it in various configurators, or by clicking the link in my post

What is the M2 SSD, not come across the M2 before.

M.2 is a different connection type from Sata. Originally it helped make SSDs smaller, which was useful for laptops. But these days it also supports PCIe NVMe SSDs which are far, far faster than Sata SSDs.

Is the idea to put the O/S, Windows 10 on the SSD to make that the fastest access

Yes. Plus programs, and any project files you're working on. Regular data and archived projects just live on the HDD.

I have 8 external hard drives (6 x 5TB and 2 x 4TB), all WD and all working fine. Previously had Seagate and other drives that failed, so i like to stick with WD as a rule just from experience.

That's just luck of the draw. My WD network HDD failed, but all my seagate USB HDDs are fine. The WD Blacks aren't just regular HDDs, they're HDDs aimed at prosumers with a giant price markup. If you have a limited budget, better to spend the cash on just about anything else.

Not familiar with the Crosshair mobo for USB ports (probably me being stupid!)

It's the picture I posted. It shows the mobo has a lot of USB ports (coded by colour - 8 USB 3.0 ones, 4 USB 2.0, 1 USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type A, 1 USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type C). Plus any from the case.

I am OK with most software but putting hardware together is difficult for me, thats why i went foir the installation option, so all the basics would be working after delivery.

PCS will have built the system and set up Windows + appropriate drivers. To set the PC up, literally all you need to do in terms of hardware is plug it into the wall, plug the monitor into the wall, plug the HDMI (or whatever) cable from the monitor to the PC, plug in your KB + Mouse. Press the on button. It's very plug-and-play.

 

[alatay854]

Thanks, that is really helpful. I will start again with your suggestions and see where i end up.
Thanks again.