Powerful desktop for memory intense applications

[PAO13]

Hi all,

This is my first design. I will use this PC to run memory intense simulations (Ansys, FEA, etc) so I chose intel CPU mainly due to its four memory channels.
Maximum available budget is less than £2500.
My monitor is 1920 x 1080 pixels, 60Hz, 1msec response time.

Case
CORSAIR 4000D AIRFLOW TEMPERED GLASS GAMING CASE
Processor (CPU)
Intel® Core™ i9 12 Core Processor i9-10920X (3.5GHz) 19.25MB Cache
Motherboard
ASUS® PRIME X299-A II: ATX, USB 3.2, SATA 6 GB/s, ARGB Ready
Memory (RAM)
128GB Corsair VENGEANCE DDR4 3000MHz (4 x 32GB)
Graphics Card
8GB AMD RADEON™ RX 580 - HDMI, DP - DX® 12
1st Storage Drive
2TB SEAGATE BARRACUDA SATA-III 3.5" HDD, 6GB/s, 7200RPM, 256MB CACHE
1st M.2 SSD Drive
1TB SAMSUNG 970 EVO PLUS M.2, PCIe NVMe (up to 3500MB/R, 3300MB/W)
Power Supply
CORSAIR 750W TXm SERIES™ SEMI-MODULAR 80 PLUS® GOLD, ULTRA QUIET
Power Cable
1 x 1 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead)
Processor Cooling
PCS FrostFlow 150 Series High Performance CPU Cooler
Thermal Paste
STANDARD THERMAL PASTE FOR SUFFICIENT COOLING
Extra Case Fans
2x 120mm Black Case Fan (configured to extract from rear/roof)
Sound Card
ONBOARD 8 CHANNEL (7.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)
Network Card
10/100/1000 GIGABIT LAN PORT
Wireless Network Card
WIRELESS INTEL® Wi-Fi 6 AX200 2,400Mbps/5GHz, 300Mbps/2.4GHz PCI-E CARD + BT 5.0
USB/Thunderbolt Options
MIN. 2 x USB 3.0 & 6 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
BullGuard™ Internet Security - Free 90 Day License inc. Gamer Mode
Browser
Microsoft® Edge (Windows 10 Only)
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 15 to 17 working days
Price: £2,381.00 including VAT and Delivery

Unique URL to re-configure: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/intel-x299-pc/YPjg!Wd46H/

Any feedback would be appreciated.
Thanks.

 

[Deleted member 17413]

What do you mean by Intel having four memory channels?

 

[Citrus_9]

Hi all,

This is my first design. I will use this PC to run memory intense simulations (Ansys, FEA, etc) so I chose intel CPU mainly due to its four memory channels.
Maximum available budget is less than £2500.
My monitor is 1920 x 1080 pixels, 60Hz, 1msec response time.

Case
CORSAIR 4000D AIRFLOW TEMPERED GLASS GAMING CASE
Processor (CPU)
Intel® Core™ i9 12 Core Processor i9-10920X (3.5GHz) 19.25MB Cache
Motherboard
ASUS® PRIME X299-A II: ATX, USB 3.2, SATA 6 GB/s, ARGB Ready
Memory (RAM)
128GB Corsair VENGEANCE DDR4 3000MHz (4 x 32GB)
Graphics Card
8GB AMD RADEON™ RX 580 - HDMI, DP - DX® 12
1st Storage Drive
2TB SEAGATE BARRACUDA SATA-III 3.5" HDD, 6GB/s, 7200RPM, 256MB CACHE
1st M.2 SSD Drive
1TB SAMSUNG 970 EVO PLUS M.2, PCIe NVMe (up to 3500MB/R, 3300MB/W)
Power Supply
CORSAIR 750W TXm SERIES™ SEMI-MODULAR 80 PLUS® GOLD, ULTRA QUIET
Power Cable
1 x 1 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead)
Processor Cooling
PCS FrostFlow 150 Series High Performance CPU Cooler
Thermal Paste
STANDARD THERMAL PASTE FOR SUFFICIENT COOLING
Extra Case Fans
2x 120mm Black Case Fan (configured to extract from rear/roof)
Sound Card
ONBOARD 8 CHANNEL (7.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)
Network Card
10/100/1000 GIGABIT LAN PORT
Wireless Network Card
WIRELESS INTEL® Wi-Fi 6 AX200 2,400Mbps/5GHz, 300Mbps/2.4GHz PCI-E CARD + BT 5.0
USB/Thunderbolt Options
MIN. 2 x USB 3.0 & 6 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
BullGuard™ Internet Security - Free 90 Day License inc. Gamer Mode
Browser
Microsoft® Edge (Windows 10 Only)
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 15 to 17 working days
Price: £2,381.00 including VAT and Delivery

Unique URL to re-configure: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/intel-x299-pc/YPjg!Wd46H/

Any feedback would be appreciated.
Thanks.

Just go for AMD, why even bother with Intel nowadays...

 

[PAO13]

Hi,

Intel i9-10920X has four channels with RAM so it has better memory bandwidth (94 GB/s).

Intel® Core™ i9-10920X X-series Processor (19.25M Cache, 3.50 GHz) Product Specifications

Intel® Core™ i9-10920X X-series Processor (19.25M Cache, 3.50 GHz) quick reference guide including specifications, features, pricing, compatibility, design documentation, ordering codes, spec codes and more.

ark.intel.com

AMD Ryzen 9 3950X has two channels and memory bandwidth (48GB/s).

AMD Ryzen 9 3950X - GadgetVersus

AMD Ryzen 9 3950X processor benchmarks and specs, with the number of cores, threads, cache, max PCIe lanes, the power consumption, the maximum RAM memory capacity, as well as the performances.

gadgetversus.com

For my application that require a lot of memory (I have selected 128GB of RAM) I preffer intel.

Thanks.

 

[Martinr36]

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

 

[sck451]

What do you mean by Intel having four memory channels?

The 10920X supports quad-channel memory, giving a wider memory bus, which has a speed advantage in certain applications.

If quad-channel memory really is what you need (and I'm a little sceptical that it's worth the various compromises Intel entails), I can see why you might want to go there. That said, a Threadripper system would blow it out of the water and would undoubtedly be the stronger option.

My biggest concern with your system, @PAO13, is that you've gone super-expensive with your CPU and RAM but kind of budget on everything else, from the motherboard to the cooler to the case to the power supply to the graphics card. It feels very unbalanced and I can't help but think you'll struggle enormously with thermal throttling under heavy loads.

 

[PAO13]

The 10920X supports quad-channel memory, giving a wider memory bus, which has a speed advantage in certain applications.

If quad-channel memory really is what you need (and I'm a little sceptical that it's worth the various compromises Intel entails), I can see why you might want to go there. That said, a Threadripper system would blow it out of the water and would undoubtedly be the stronger option.

My biggest concern with your system, @PAO13, is that you've gone super-expensive with your CPU and RAM but kind of budget on everything else, from the motherboard to the cooler to the case to the power supply to the graphics card. It feels very unbalanced and I can't help but think you'll struggle enormously with thermal throttling under heavy loads.

Thanks for your feedback I will try to upgrade some of the mentioned components.
I agree Threadripper would be the best option but if I go for Threadripper I need to reduce the memory not to blow my budget.
Thanks.

 

[jamiephillips909]

Thanks for your feedback I will try to upgrade some of the mentioned components.
I agree Threadripper would be the best option but if I go for Threadripper I need to reduce the memory not to blow my budget.
Thanks.

Yeah the cooling really needs looking at !

 

[sck451]

Thanks for your feedback I will try to upgrade some of the mentioned components.
I agree Threadripper would be the best option but if I go for Threadripper I need to reduce the memory not to blow my budget.
Thanks.

Yeah, it's a challenging scenario. Your budget is not a huge one for a HEDT. You will probably end up making compromises one way or another.

The question really is what is going to be your best option in terms of performance at a given price. I'm not confident enough in the software you're using to say for sure, but it would seem foolish to me to choose a cheap cooling solution in order to get more RAM, and certainly to get a wider memory bus.

One thing I would consider if you stick with Intel: use the Z299 Workstation configuration tool to get more appropriate options. The desktop versions are not suitable for this kind of build.

 

[PAO13]

Yeah, it's a challenging scenario. Your budget is not a huge one for a HEDT. You will probably end up making compromises one way or another.

The question really is what is going to be your best option in terms of performance at a given price. I'm not confident enough in the software you're using to say for sure, but it would seem foolish to me to choose a cheap cooling solution in order to get more RAM, and certainly to get a wider memory bus.

One thing I would consider if you stick with Intel: use the Z299 Workstation configuration tool to get more appropriate options. The desktop versions are not suitable for this kind of build.

Hi, I have only found this link:

PCSPECIALIST - Custom Computers and Laptops Built to Order

PCSpecialist is a manufacturer of high quality custom computers and laptops. Configure your ideal computer in just a few simple steps with a broad range available.

www.pcspecialist.co.uk

Is this the workstation you are talking about?
Thanks.

 

[Scott]

I don't really have anything to add, only to re-affirm. For this level of operation the budget would need to be higher to do it properly. The budget just isn't there for a competent 128GB quad channel system.

I don't even think that Intel would make use of the bandwidth as the capacity is based on the highest core count, rather than the lower end chips. It's easy to get caught up in numbers etc though.

AMD would be a far better number cruncher, but again the budget would need to be increased to accommodate a decent level of all round system.

 

[PAO13]

Hi again,

I tried to upgrade cooling, motherboard and GPU. Motherboard will be available next month (ETA1/5/21)

PCSPECIALIST - Custom Computers and Laptops Built to Order

PCSpecialist is a manufacturer of high quality custom computers and laptops. Configure your ideal computer in just a few simple steps with a broad range available.

www.pcspecialist.co.uk

Thanks

 

[Ash_]

I believe if you finance it, you can get it interest free for the first year and pay it all off within the 12 months, for just an admin fee.

Would it be possible for you to do it that way and just finance a TR build? As AMD really will destroy intel in this area, plus i’m pretty certain that cooler is going to be completely overwhelmed - i’ve seen i9-10th gen’s hitting over 100 degrees with better coolers.

I always look at it this way with workstation builds (or even uni builds)... buy nice or buy twice. And they aren’t something you want to buy twice.

 

[PAO13]

Hi again guys, thanks for the advice.
I understand that i need a balanced design so I went for AMD Ryzen 9 3900X

Case
COOLERMASTER MASTERCASE H500 ARGB GAMING CASE
Processor (CPU)
AMD Ryzen 9 3900X 12 Core CPU (3.8GHz-4.6GHz/70MB CACHE/AM4)
Motherboard
ASUS® ROG STRIX X570-F GAMING (USB 3.2 Gen 2, PCIe 4.0) - ARGB Ready!
Memory (RAM)
128GB Corsair VENGEANCE DDR4 3000MHz (4 x 32GB)
Graphics Card
8GB AMD RADEON™ RX 580 - HDMI, DP - DX® 12
1st Storage Drive
2TB SEAGATE BARRACUDA SATA-III 3.5" HDD, 6GB/s, 7200RPM, 256MB CACHE
1st M.2 SSD Drive
1TB SAMSUNG 970 EVO PLUS M.2, PCIe NVMe (up to 3500MB/R, 3300MB/W)
Power Supply
CORSAIR 750W 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
STANDARD THERMAL PASTE FOR SUFFICIENT COOLING
Sound Card
ONBOARD 6 CHANNEL (5.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)
Network Card
10/100/1000 GIGABIT LAN PORT
Wireless Network Card
WIRELESS INTEL® Wi-Fi 6 AX200 2,400Mbps/5GHz, 300Mbps/2.4GHz PCI-E CARD + BT 5.0
USB/Thunderbolt Options
MIN. 2 x USB 3.0 & 2 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
BullGuard™ Internet Security - Free 90 Day License inc. Gamer Mode
Browser
Microsoft® Edge (Windows 10 Only)
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 12 to 15 working days
Price: £2,315.00 including VAT and Delivery

Unique URL to re-configure: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/amd-am4-gen3-pc/XMGS9fRtgX/

What do you think?
Thanks.

 

[AgentCooper]

If the budget is still £2,500 I’d make a few minor changes, definitely getting the 5900X involved...

Case
COOLERMASTER MASTERBOX TD500 MESH ARGB GAMING CASE
Processor (CPU)
AMD Ryzen 9 5900X 12 Core CPU (3.7GHz-4.8GHz/70MB CACHE/AM4)
Motherboard
ASUS® ROG STRIX X570-F GAMING (USB 3.2 Gen 2, PCIe 4.0) - ARGB Ready!
Memory (RAM)
128GB Corsair VENGEANCE DDR4 3000MHz (4 x 32GB)
Graphics Card
6GB NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX 1660 SUPER - HDMI, DP - GeForce GTX VR Ready!
1st Storage Drive
2TB SEAGATE BARRACUDA SATA-III 3.5" HDD, 6GB/s, 7200RPM, 256MB CACHE
1st M.2 SSD Drive
500GB SAMSUNG 980 PRO M.2, PCIe NVMe (up to 6900MB/R, 5000MB/W)
1st M.2 SSD Drive
1TB PCS PCIe M.2 SSD (2000 MB/R, 1100 MB/W)
Power Supply
CORSAIR 850W RMx SERIES™ MODULAR 80 PLUS® GOLD, ULTRA QUIET
Power Cable
1 x 1 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead)
Processor Cooling
Corsair H115i ELITE CAPELLIX RGB Hydro Series High Performance CPU Cooler
Thermal Paste
STANDARD THERMAL PASTE FOR SUFFICIENT COOLING
Sound Card
ONBOARD 6 CHANNEL (5.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)
Network Card
10/100/1000 GIGABIT LAN PORT
Wireless Network Card
WIRELESS INTEL® Wi-Fi 6 AX200 2,400Mbps/5GHz, 300Mbps/2.4GHz PCI-E CARD + BT 5.0
USB/Thunderbolt Options
MIN. 2 x USB 3.0 & 2 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
Firefox™
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 - Subject to stock availability on pre-order products
Price: £2,453.00 including VAT and Delivery

Unique URL to re-configure: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/amd-am4-gen3-pc/uTE8HdWefC/

 

[PAO13]

If the budget is still £2,500 I’d make a few minor changes, definitely getting the 5900X involved...

Case
COOLERMASTER MASTERBOX TD500 MESH ARGB GAMING CASE
Processor (CPU)
AMD Ryzen 9 5900X 12 Core CPU (3.7GHz-4.8GHz/70MB CACHE/AM4)
Motherboard
ASUS® ROG STRIX X570-F GAMING (USB 3.2 Gen 2, PCIe 4.0) - ARGB Ready!
Memory (RAM)
128GB Corsair VENGEANCE DDR4 3000MHz (4 x 32GB)
Graphics Card
6GB NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX 1660 SUPER - HDMI, DP - GeForce GTX VR Ready!
1st Storage Drive
2TB SEAGATE BARRACUDA SATA-III 3.5" HDD, 6GB/s, 7200RPM, 256MB CACHE
1st M.2 SSD Drive
500GB SAMSUNG 980 PRO M.2, PCIe NVMe (up to 6900MB/R, 5000MB/W)
1st M.2 SSD Drive
1TB PCS PCIe M.2 SSD (2000 MB/R, 1100 MB/W)
Power Supply
CORSAIR 850W RMx SERIES™ MODULAR 80 PLUS® GOLD, ULTRA QUIET
Power Cable
1 x 1 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead)
Processor Cooling
Corsair H115i ELITE CAPELLIX RGB Hydro Series High Performance CPU Cooler
Thermal Paste
STANDARD THERMAL PASTE FOR SUFFICIENT COOLING
Sound Card
ONBOARD 6 CHANNEL (5.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)
Network Card
10/100/1000 GIGABIT LAN PORT
Wireless Network Card
WIRELESS INTEL® Wi-Fi 6 AX200 2,400Mbps/5GHz, 300Mbps/2.4GHz PCI-E CARD + BT 5.0
USB/Thunderbolt Options
MIN. 2 x USB 3.0 & 2 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
Firefox™
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 - Subject to stock availability on pre-order products
Price: £2,453.00 including VAT and Delivery

Unique URL to re-configure: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/amd-am4-gen3-pc/uTE8HdWefC/

Hi, thanks for your help.
The 5900X is pre order only.
Do you think that will delay the delivery considerbly?