New Gaming/Video Editing Rig - I'm Not sure about Storage.

[kylewileman368]

Just made an order for a massive upgrade from my old desktop.
(AMD FX-8350 with GTX 960 2GB.)
However, I am not too sure about the storage. Currently, I have 2 HDD's at work in my old desktop which have served me well over the past few years.
I want to use M.2 SSD's because I want no bottlenecks with reading, writing and loading times. However, I have heard that SSD's aren't as reliable as the classic HDD's. For now, I will be storing everything on the one M.2 SSD and eventually make the upgrade to a second M.2 SSD where I can store all of my projects files. Will this be an issue 2/3 years down the line? Many thanks!

Case
CORSAIR SPEC-DELTA RGB MID TOWER GAMING CASE
Processor (CPU)
AMD Ryzen 5 3600X Six Core CPU (3.8GHz-4.4GHz/36MB CACHE/AM4)

Get 3 Months of XBOX Game Pass for PC w/ select AMD Ryzen CPUs

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Motherboard
ASUS® ROG STRIX X570-F GAMING (USB 3.2 Gen 2, PCIe 4.0) - RGB Ready!
Memory (RAM)
16GB Corsair VENGEANCE DDR4 3200MHz (2 x 8GB)
Graphics Card
6GB NVIDIA GEFORCE RTX 2060 - HDMI, DP - VR Ready!
1st M.2 SSD Drive
2TB INTEL® 660p M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD (upto 1800MB/sR | 1800MB/sW)
Power Supply
CORSAIR 650W VS SERIES™ VS-650 POWER SUPPLY
Power Cable
1 x 1 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead)
Processor Cooling
Corsair H80i V2 Hydro Cooler w/ PCS Ultra Quiet Fans
Thermal Paste
COOLER MASTER MASTERGEL MAKER THERMAL COMPOUND
LED Lighting
2x 50cm RGB LED Strip
Extra Case Fans
1x 120mm Black Case Fan (configured to extract from rear/roof)
Sound Card
ONBOARD 6 CHANNEL (5.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)
Wireless/Wired Networking
WIRELESS 802.11 AC1200 867Mbps/5GHz, 300Mbps/2.4GHz PCI-E CARD
USB/Thunderbolt 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 [KK3-00002]
Operating System Language
United Kingdom - English Language
Windows Recovery Media
NO RECOVERY MEDIA REQUIRED
Office Software
FREE 30 Day Trial of Microsoft® Office® 365 (Operating System Required)
Anti-Virus
NO ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE
Browser
Microsoft® Edge (Windows 10 Only)

 

[Oussebon]

I want to use M.2 SSD's because I want no bottlenecks with reading, writing and loading times. However, I have heard that SSD's aren't as reliable as the classic HDD's.

That's not true. SSDs are very reliable.

Whatever kind of storage you have, you'll want to back up important data of course.

Anything electronic can kick it without you expecting it but it takes quite a lot to kill modern SSDs.

For now, I will be storing everything on the one M.2 SSD and eventually make the upgrade to a second M.2 SSD where I can store all of my projects files. Will this be an issue 2/3 years down the line? Many thanks!

Not at all, you can add an SSD any time you like. But that's not necessarily the best plan?

When you say 'storing everything', what do you mean, specifically?

Archived projects, your personal media collection, etc don't need to be on an SSD.

Also, you could just buy 2 SSDs now, and divide your project files up onto that already. e.g. SSD1 OS, software, games.. SSD 2 Project Files, Scratch, Cache.

Adobe Premiere Pro CC 2015.4 Storage Optimization

More than almost any other hardware component, the advice you will often see concerning how many and what kind of storage drive to use along with the best way to configure them is based either on anecdotal evidence or information that is vastly out of date. In this article, we will be...

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Or getting a smaller SSD now, using HDDs for mass storage, and investing what you save into a better platform. Since adding storage in the future is more cost effective than replacing a CPU/RAM/GPU

What's your budget? And what price did the above spec come to?

I have a few concerns:
- expensive mobo
- R7 CPU would be preferable for video editing
- only 16gb RAM (perfect for gaming but 32gb may be more appropriate for video editing)
- single, large, expensive SSD
- case has poor design for airflow
- TXm PSU preferable
- GPU choice - what monitor do you game on?

 

[kylewileman368]

I used to be a big follower in tech about 5 years ago but things have changed since then. My modern knowledge is quite rusty.
I have heard SSD's deteriorate over time. But if they are reliable, and will last me the next 5 years then I'm happy.

- Mobo: I went for the pricier mobo as it has the newer X570 chipset. The X570 Chipset is designed to best accommodate the requirements of AMD's new 3rd gen Ryzen CPU's. However, since you pointed out it's expensive (which it is) I might swap it out for the Gigabyte X570 Gaming X, and use the extra cash towards a Ryzen 7 3700X.

- CPU: As mentioned above, I was spending wayyy too much money on the motherboard and instead I will swap out the Ryzen 5 3600X for the Ryzen 7 3700X, and as you mentioned, this will cope better with video editing too.

- RAM: I've been using 16GB for the past few years and from my personal experience, I've never had an issue with it. Also, I don't fancy spending the extra cash on 32GB if it's not essential. However, there is always a possibility to upgrade in the future.

- SSD: I plan to completely remove the HDD. However, SSD's are quite expensive at the moment which is why I only went for the single SSD for now, then installed another lower capacity M.2 SSD in the future.

- Case: As you can see I am quite ignorant when it comes to the latest pc components, even worse when it comes to choosing a case. I went for the Corsair case thinking airflow would be decent and it will look good while doing it. It has the 3 intake fans at the front, and the H80i V2 CPU cooler with dual fans exhausting out the back, alongside the two extra fans exhausting out the top of the case. Could you please educate me on a better case?
EDIT: I have been looking at the options available on here, would the Coolermaster Masterbox MB530P be a better option with the aggressive intake design?

- PSU: My plan was to go for a cheaper PSU with a trusted brand, so I went for the Vs. however, since I have raised my budget, I may go for the Txm with the quieter fan and semi-modular design.

- GPU: I recently brought 2 MSI Optix MAG241C. Curved, 1080p, 144Hz with Freesync (Which is now compatible with G-Sync). I went for the RTX 2060 because I'm only looking at gaming at 1080p, high/ultra settings at 60FPS with no issues. Only going to be using the one monitor for gaming. I purchased two 144Hz monitors for productivity and I love the way 144Hz looks. (Yes I know it sounds petty).

My total build NOT including Monitors cost me £1,601. However, from reading your response, I might be a little lenient and lift my budget to £1,700 and go with the cheaper mobo and more expensive Ryzen 7 3700X.

Thank you for the response, it has helped get another perspective on the build.

 

[SpyderTracks]

The First Gen SSD's were hampered with reliability issues, but that's all been ironed out now and SSD's are incredibly reliable these days.

 

[kylewileman368]

The First Gen SSD's were hampered with reliability issues, but that's all been ironed out now and SSD's are incredibly reliable these days.

That's good news. Makes me feel better about putting everything on SSD's now 😎

 

[Oussebon]

The X570 Chipset is designed to best accommodate the requirements of AMD's new 3rd gen Ryzen CPU's.

That doesn't actually mean anything. The X470 Plus would be more than fine. You're not going to see a performance difference. The VRMs shouldn't be an issue. It's not like you're stuffing an overclocked R9 into the cheapest B350 board you can find.

If you do want X570 e.g. for PCIe 4.0 then go with the X570-PLUS. As it has USB 3.2 Gen 2, unlike the Gaming X (which despite what PCS's configurator listing says, doesn't). Only £6 more.

- SSD: I plan to completely remove the HDD. However, SSD's are quite expensive at the moment which is why I only went for the single SSD for now, then installed another lower capacity M.2 SSD in the future.

So what I'm saying is:

Instead of 1 x 2TB SSD, go for 2 x 1TB SSD. So you can split up project files, scratch, etc between drives and improve performance. Same price, and you won't need to buy another SSD to achieve this in the future.

Or, just go for a 1TB SSD and put other things on an HDD to save cash which you can invest elsewhere in the build (e.g. CPU). Since archived material or your media collection gains 0 benefit from being on an SSD. You don't need to move away from HDD completely, and for some files there is no point in doing so.

That's good news. Makes me feel better about putting everything on SSD's now 😎

Why does everything need to go on SSDs?

I can't say without knowing what you're storing but the odds are it really doesn't.

- Case: As you can see I am quite ignorant when it comes to the latest pc components, even worse when it comes to choosing a case. I went for the Corsair case thinking airflow would be decent and it will look good while doing it. It has the 3 intake fans at the front,

Look at the front of the case. it's solid plastic, with a slit the size of half a fan at the bottom and a tiny vent at the top. So most of the fans don't really have access to fresh air.

Relying on extra fans acting as exhausts to try to mitigate that is a bad idea because
- you shouldn't be buying something you need to mitigate
- instead of buying a case + extra fans to compensate, just buy a better case that doesn't need the extra fans
- poor front intake fans and reliance on exhaust fans = negative pressure = suboptimal airflow (air being pulled in through any crack possible) and a dustier PC because the air isn't being pulled in through a dust filter.

Just get a better case. Corsair 460X is only £17 more once you factor in the fact you don't need to buy MOAR FANS, and gives you tempered glass ,and RGB like the Spec Delta.

As for the PSU, yes, go with the TXm. If you want a budget PSU, get the 550W VS series. If you're spending enough on the PSU to go for the more expensive 650W PSU, you might as well get the much better quality, more efficient, and modular (and apparently quieter) TXm.

The RTX 2060 is appropriate for the monitor spec.

 

[kylewileman368]

That doesn't actually mean anything. The X470 Plus would be more than fine. You're not going to see a performance difference. The VRMs shouldn't be an issue. It's not like you're stuffing an overclocked R9 into the cheapest B350 board you can find.

If you do want X570 e.g. for PCIe 4.0 then go with the X570-PLUS. As it has USB 3.2 Gen 2, unlike the Gaming X (which despite what PCS's configurator listing says, doesn't). Only £6 more.

So what I'm saying is:

Instead of 1 x 2TB SSD, go for 2 x 1TB SSD. So you can split up project files, scratch, etc between drives and improve performance. Same price, and you won't need to buy another SSD to achieve this in the future.

Or, just go for a 1TB SSD and put other things on an HDD to save cash which you can invest elsewhere in the build (e.g. CPU). Since archived material or your media collection gains 0 benefit from being on an SSD. You don't need to move away from HDD completely, and for some files there is no point in doing so.

Why does everything need to go on SSDs?

I can't say without knowing what you're storing but the odds are it really doesn't.

Look at the front of the case. it's solid plastic, with a slit the size of half a fan at the bottom and a tiny vent at the top. So most of the fans don't really have access to fresh air.

Relying on extra fans acting as exhausts to try to mitigate that is a bad idea because
- you shouldn't be buying something you need to mitigate
- instead of buying a case + extra fans to compensate, just buy a better case that doesn't need the extra fans
- poor front intake fans and reliance on exhaust fans = negative pressure = suboptimal airflow (air being pulled in through any crack possible) and a dustier PC because the air isn't being pulled in through a dust filter.

Just get a better case. Corsair 460X is only £17 more once you factor in the fact you don't need to buy MOAR FANS, and gives you tempered glass ,and RGB like the Spec Delta.

As for the PSU, yes, go with the TXm. If you want a budget PSU, get the 550W VS series. If you're spending enough on the PSU to go for the more expensive 650W PSU, you might as well get the much better quality, more efficient, and modular (and apparently quieter) TXm.

The RTX 2060 is appropriate for the monitor spec.

Interesting, I will be making a few adjustments to my spec sheet right away! I will be taking your advice and I am happy I asked because I thought I had a good spec but I didn't know the flaws. Thank you for the support! 😊

 

[Oussebon]

Cool, glad it helped

Also, I forgot to mention, go with the H100x over the H80i. It's a better cooler, and the H80i isn't really cheaper enough to win a value argument. I'm not really sure what the point of the H80 is really. Maybe for cases that don't fit a 240mm radiator? But then why buy an expensive AIO and a cheap case...

 

[kylewileman368]

Cool, glad it helped

Also, I forgot to mention, go with the H100x over the H80i. It's a better cooler, and the H80i isn't really cheaper enough to win a value argument. I'm not really sure what the point of the H80 is really. Maybe for cases that don't fit a 240mm radiator? But then why buy an expensive AIO and a cheap case...

That's brilliant, spent like almost all day trying to spec this PC to create a good balance that's within budget. I think I will go with the 2TB M.2 SSD for my games, OS and Programs. And put my old HDD in to store all my project files, videos and other media for my YouTube videos.
This is the final result 😅

Case
COOLERMASTER MASTERBOX MB530P RGB GAMING CASE
Processor (CPU)
AMD Ryzen 7 3700X Eight Core CPU (3.6GHz-4.4GHz/36MB CACHE/AM4)

Get 3 Months of XBOX Game Pass for PC w/ select AMD Ryzen CPUs

The Outer Worlds -OR- Borderlands 3 & XBOX Game Pass w/ select AMD Ryzen CPUs
Motherboard
ASUS® TUF X570-PLUS GAMING (USB 3.2 Gen 2, PCIe 4.0, CrossFireX) - RGB Ready!
Memory (RAM)
16GB Corsair VENGEANCE DDR4 3200MHz (2 x 8GB)
Graphics Card
6GB NVIDIA GEFORCE RTX 2060 - HDMI, DP - VR Ready!
1st M.2 SSD Drive
2TB INTEL® 660p M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD (upto 1800MB/sR | 1800MB/sW)
Power Supply
CORSAIR 550W TXm SERIES™ SEMI-MODULAR 80 PLUS® GOLD, ULTRA QUIET
Power Cable
1 x 1 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead)
Processor Cooling
Corsair H100x Hydro Cooler w/ PCS Ultra Quiet Fans
Thermal Paste
COOLER MASTER MASTERGEL MAKER THERMAL COMPOUND
LED Lighting
2x 50cm RGB LED Strip
Extra Case Fans
2x 120mm Black Case Fan (configured to extract from rear/roof)
Sound Card
ONBOARD 6 CHANNEL (5.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)
Wireless/Wired Networking
WIRELESS 802.11 AC1200 867Mbps/5GHz, 300Mbps/2.4GHz PCI-E CARD
USB/Thunderbolt 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 [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® Office® 365 (Operating System Required)
Anti-Virus
NO ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE
Browser
Microsoft® Edge (Windows 10 Only)

Once again thanks for the help. If anyone has more feedback it will be appreciated. Better get my order cancelled before it's built and replace it with this one instead. Came to an extra £100 but heyy, I think I'm getting much more value with this new build. 😁

 

[Oussebon]

Looking good

Drop the extra case fans. 3 front fans, 1 rear fan, plus 2 up top with the H100x. Uses all the mount points so couldn't fit any more even if there were any benefit to doing so

You should be able to amend the order rather than cancel and resubmit I think, as the changes can all be made within the same configurator.

 

[Oussebon]

When you say project files, do you mean ones you've finished with, or ones that you are working on?

 

[kylewileman368]

Looking good

Drop the extra case fans. 3 front fans, 1 rear fan, plus 2 up top with the H100x. Uses all the mount points so couldn't fit any more even if there were any benefit to doing so

You should be able to amend the order rather than cancel and resubmit I think, as the changes can all be made within the same configurator.

I’m glad you mentioned the case fans. My thinking was if I put the 2x extra case fans on the order, the PC might get built with the radiator front mounted so it takes advantage of the induction fans. Then I’ll have 1 case fan exhausting on the rear and the x2 extra case fans mounted at the top exhausting airflow too. 🤔

 

[kylewileman368]

When you say project files, do you mean ones you've finished with, or ones that you are working on?

It will be both, I like to store all my data. That way if I need to make any changes to a project I have already completed, all the original files have been saved.

I think an external drive would be better for this kind of storage but I’ll probably get one later down the line if I do any travelling.

 

[Oussebon]

I'd keep the radiator up top personally so you're not blowing warm air off the CPU over the graphics card.

You can always reconfigure the radiator and fans to be extractor / intakes depending on what you find preferable.

But tbh this is making a mountain out of a molehill. It's capable hardware, but not extreme by any stretch and the stock cooling should be more than adequate.

It will be both, I like to store all my data. That way if I need to make any changes to a project I have already completed, all the original files have been saved.

Read that Puget article I linked to. You don't want active project files on an HDD. But you do ideally want them on a separate SSD to the OS and Software. Hence the suggestion for 2 x 1TB SSDs.

Or to save money, putting project files not currently being worked on onto an HDD, and going with a smaller SSD.

 

[kylewileman368]

Okay I’ll keep that in mind, and I’ll have a good read into that article too. Again many thanks for your knowledge, it’s been really help. And yes definitely making a mountain out of it, I think I’m just over thinking it. 🙏🏼