[New Build] Photo Editing/Processing & Music Recording/Editing

[FX4]

My suggestions:

1. CPU: Core i7 2600
2. Larger boot drive, so that you can install your programs on it as well. I recommend the Intel 510 120GB.
3. Larger storage drive. With video, audio and images, the 500GB will fill up way too fast. I'd go with a WD Black 2TB
4. Corsair TX750 instead of the Antec
5. Windows 7 64-bit Pro instead of Home premium

For vendors, I prefer mwave. Not sure if these will fit in your budget; it may be worth it to save up for at least a larger SSD and better PSU. The rest can be easily upgraded in the future.

I like your list but given his budget I would probably skip the SSD. And because he wants rock solid I would just go with an Intel MB. The 2TB Caviar Black is a very fast mechanical drive. The speed gains from SSD don't justify the price "yet". I agree the i7 2600 is plenty for this project and will build a screaming fast machine and and save $50.00 or so over the i7 2600k.

 

[benj1290]

- GPU: Don't need it unless you want to game. You can definitely get the GPU later.

I'm going to disagree with this just to the mere fact that the GPU is utilized in the High DPI and also in just overall rendering of the canvas of CS5, also if you want to play with the other programs like lightroom (from my understanding) you will want a GPU. You don't need a high end like a GTX560 or higher, but i would recommend something small so it will take the work load off of the CPU. IMO.

I had to bring in my home PC because my work PC couldn't handle a 1600 DPI canvas i was making for a mouse pad, and when i looked at the performance logs of the PC when working in the program, a lot of the performance came from the GPU. and i have a GTX260.

And also its nice just to have one if you ever want to play around with any video editing software as well.

*Edit*: didn't see I.M.O.G's post and is basically the same thing

 

[chino3]

well now I am looking at what I could possibly hope to get out of my old comp (would $400 be ridiculous to hope for?) if so, I am thinking about just taking both hard drives out and maybe get a few bucks in spare parts lol. which would leave me with the following:

$129.99 ASUS P8Z68-V LX Intel Z68 Express Motherboard:
$319.99 Intel Core i7-2600K 3.40 GHz Quad-Core Unlocked*
-$24.99 instant rebate
-$10.00 MIR
$74.99 Corsair GS500 PSU 500w
-$10.00 MIR
$99.99 Windows 7 64 bit OEM
$39.99 CORSAIR CAFA70 120mm A70 Dual-Fan CPU Cooler
$2.83 tax
-$10.00 MIR
$99.99 LIAN LI Lancool PC-K59 Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
-$30.00 instant rebate
$4.97 tax
-$14.00 MIR
$89.99 CORSAIR Vengeance 16GB (4 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model CMZ16GX3M4A1600C9B
$6.38 tax

total would be $770.12
my hard drives would be:
velociraptor 150gb 10000 rpm
WD 1tb 7200 rpm

down the line if SSD prices become more reasonable I will hop on and upgrade.

but now its looking like I will need a video card of some sort. what would be something cheap that will help me out in this build (remember, gaming is the LEAST thing I am interested in).

 

[diaz]

Fantastic choice for a case!

SSD choice to wait is reasonable, maybe next time

GPU-wise... GTX550 would do fine..
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130625

Or if you want to save even more:
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125366

With the cheaper one you get about half the GPU power.

-D

 

[hafa]

Good choice on the Lian-Li case. You might want to consider the Gigabyte GA-Z68AP-D3 motherboard; you'll save ~$30 which you could put toward upgrading the PSU to a CMPSU-650TX. The GT440 that diaz linked to will be adequate to your needs; FWIW, it's $4 less at mwave.

 

[diaz]

He doesnt need 650 watts.. His machine, if using a low end GPU will never even hit 250watts at full load.

Here is the gtx550ti's system power consumption at the wall according to this review (using i7 965):
http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/graphics/2011/03/15/nvidia-geforce-gtx-550-ti-1gb-review/10

~250watts at the wall roughly translates to 200watts from the power supply if the PSU is about 80% efficient.