It's never too early to plan for your next PC...or is it?

[mz-s]

I just built my new PC for photo/video/gaming/general work...specs as below. Let me know if anyone has any questions!

 

-AMD Ryzen 7 7700x

-DDR5 6000MHz 32GB (2x16GB)

-ASUS Prime B650 Plus motherboard

-AMD RX 6750XT 12GB Graphics Card

-be Quiet! Shadow Rock 3 CPU Cooler

-be Quiet! Dark Base Pro 900 Rev. 2 case

-be Quiet! Pure Power 11 FM 750W power supply

-Crucial 2TB P5 Plus NVMe SSD (also carried over a 2TB rust drive from previous build)

-LG Blu-Ray burner optical drive (yes, I still insist that all my desktops have an optical drive)

 

As you can see I am a big fan of AMD and Be Quiet products.

[pierces]

Well, I bought a new computer!

 

Fast connectivity, awesome dual processors, all kinds of storage options, AI built in and a high-resolution 3.2" touch screen!

 

Yeah...it's a camera. The decision to upgrade my camera this year postponed my next computer build until early next year. One of the decision points for the camera vs. computer purchase was the mishmash of release dates and availability of the various components I wanted for the build. Waiting until next year will see the PCIe 5.0 components mature and DDR5 memory prices and performance stabilize further.

 

The current machine is humming along nicely, I haven't overloaded the storage and it is still very fast processing images. I have only done major editing on a few 60MP images from the A7rV and they definitely take longer than the 24MP ones from A7III. Nothing I can't live with for a while. 

 

I guess I'll start looking at the Meteor Lake processors and Z890 chipset motherboards as they start to appear...and keep an eye on how the A7rV might impact storage decisions.

 

 

Dave

[pierces]

I'm about ready to start publishing my detailed what/why choices for the chosen components for the new computer to be assembled this spring. A lot of the new component tech has matured. Prices have come down and availability actually exists. The 14th generation Intel chips offer a major performance increase but exhibit the same difference between the i7 and i9 series as they have before with the 25% price variance for a 10% performance bump. It's not impossible that I would choose the i9 "just because", but I still can't really justify it in a price/performance argument. Generation 5 SSDs are pretty remarkable (4x as fast) but still pricey, so the mix of Gen 5 for operating system and Gen 4 for working storage (catalogs, imported image files, etc.) seems to be the best answer for now. DDR5 memory has dropped in price and is now a viable option. An internal rotational hard drive may be replaced by network attached storage, but the jury is still out on that.

 

It looks like I will be replacing everything except the case and the old components will live on as a PC in a new case and be bequeathed to my eldest granddaughter who is graduating college this year with a computer science degree. Seems like a good fit.

 

 Upgrades are usually fun. You get new stuff and everything runs faster. Not every upgrade is as fun as it could be. My monitor started flickering about a week ago and the flickering soon became that diagonal mishmash that you used to see in old cartoons when a TV went on the fritz. Scrambled display. Turn it off. Turn it on. It would work for an hour. Turn it off. Turn it on. It would work for another hour. Not conducive to a stable work environment and since I work from home, the 2-day delivery of a new monitor was a real sanity saver. I ended up with 43" Gigabyte AORUS FV43U. It's the same size as the one it's replacing, but the color and refresh rate are significantly better (pretty fantastic, actually) and that served to lessen the pain of a sudden replacement becoming necessary during Christmas season. The increased demand/availability of large monitors and general tech maturity brought it home for about $200 less than the old one, which was nice. If you are looking for more real estate to edit photos on or want to replace a dual monitor system, this model is amazing. If for some reason you also wanted to run games on your PC or use it as a monitor for a game console, it is especially amazing.

 

Do I absolutely need to upgrade my computer this year? Probably not. However, the four-year rule for replacing hardware due to probable lifespan limits and general increases in performance across the industry is past due. The old PC is entering its fifth year and while it's running fine and the potential for a sudden catastrophic change in that status is still low, it increases with every year. 

 

I should also mention that the godzilla-sized files from the a7rV are having an impact and tilting the decision scale. My choice, and while it's worth every extra second it takes to process them, I want those seconds back!

 

Dave

 

[dwc13]

On 1/11/2023 at 8:05 AM, mz-s said:

I just built my new PC for photo/video/gaming/general work...specs as below. Let me know if anyone has any questions!

 

-AMD Ryzen 7 7700x

-DDR5 6000MHz 32GB (2x16GB)

-ASUS Prime B650 Plus motherboard

-AMD RX 6750XT 12GB Graphics Card

-be Quiet! Shadow Rock 3 CPU Cooler

-be Quiet! Dark Base Pro 900 Rev. 2 case

-be Quiet! Pure Power 11 FM 750W power supply

-Crucial 2TB P5 Plus NVMe SSD (also carried over a 2TB rust drive from previous build)

-LG Blu-Ray burner optical drive (yes, I still insist that all my desktops have an optical drive)

 

As you can see I am a big fan of AMD and Be Quiet products.

 

It's been almost a year since your post. How is the AM5 platform working out for you? Did you upgrade any components? How about a new 4K monitor? 

 

I decided not to build an AM5-based desktop this round. Instead, I opted for an HP EliteBook 845 G10 laptop powered by a Ryzen 7 7840U mobile CPU and Radeon 780M GPU. At just over 3lbs it's light enough for travel, which was a major consideration (and why I decided against a gaming laptop). The EliteBook 845 G10 also has USB-C PD and an HDMI port, so connecting it to a hotel / cruise ship TV is a possibility. I haven't installed Cities Skylines 2 yet, as I'm waiting for a few more patches from Colossal Order before taking the plunge. It will be interesting to see if integrated graphics can run the game at acceptable detail / frame rates.  

 

[dwc13]

9 hours ago, pierces said:

I'm about ready to start publishing my detailed what/why choices for the chosen components for the new computer to be assembled this spring. A lot of the new component tech has matured. Prices have come down and availability actually exists. The 14th generation Intel chips offer a major performance increase but exhibit the same difference between the i7 and i9 series as they have before with the 25% price variance for a 10% performance bump. It's not impossible that I would choose the i9 "just because", but I still can't really justify it in a price/performance argument. Generation 5 SSDs are pretty remarkable (4x as fast) but still pricey, so the mix of Gen 5 for operating system and Gen 4 for working storage (catalogs, imported image files, etc.) seems to be the best answer for now. DDR5 memory has dropped in price and is now a viable option. An internal rotational hard drive may be replaced by network attached storage, but the jury is still out on that.

 

It looks like I will be replacing everything except the case and the old components will live on as a PC in a new case and be bequeathed to my eldest granddaughter who is graduating college this year with a computer science degree. Seems like a good fit.

 

<snip>

 

Dave

 

 

 

Are you getting a Mr. Fusion to power the i7-14700K or i9-14900K? 

 

 

[mz-s]

5 hours ago, dwc13 said:

 

It's been almost a year since your post. How is the AM5 platform working out for you? Did you upgrade any components? How about a new 4K monitor? 

 

I decided not to build an AM5-based desktop this round. Instead, I opted for an HP EliteBook 845 G10 laptop powered by a Ryzen 7 7840U mobile CPU and Radeon 780M GPU. At just over 3lbs it's light enough for travel, which was a major consideration (and why I decided against a gaming laptop). The EliteBook 845 G10 also has USB-C PD and an HDMI port, so connecting it to a hotel / cruise ship TV is a possibility. I haven't installed Cities Skylines 2 yet, as I'm waiting for a few more patches from Colossal Order before taking the plunge. It will be interesting to see if integrated graphics can run the game at acceptable detail / frame rates.  

 

 

AM5 is working great, thanks for asking! I built the machine exactly as I described - and I'm glad I built it when I did because a few months after I built, beQuiet released new cases and discontinued the case I bought. The new model has some features I don't want and removes some I do (like 5.25" bays).

 

I had some stability issues with AM5 in the beginning, BSODs - but a few BIOS updates took care of that no problem. Frankly that's to be expected with a new platform, and the ASUS motherboard makes BIOS updates dead simple.

 

I am using a 27" 4K Dell Ultrasharp which is working well. But honestly I think I am about to upgrade to a 43" 4K TV. Someone at work just put a 43" TV on their desk and it's super nice to have that much space, even at the same resolution as a monitor. I am an elder millennial now so bigger fonts are definitely welcome. Plus TVs have built in speakers so that's one less thing needed on the desk. And big TVs are so much cheaper than big monitors for some reason!

 

My new desktop is running Cities Skylines 2 quite well, although I don't have any big cities in the game yet. I know with the original that was really when you started to notice performance issues, once population started to rise. It is on Game Pass so if you are a Game Pass member (or if you want to sign up) it doesn't cost anything to install it and try it out!

[pierces]

6 hours ago, dwc13 said:

 

 

Are you getting a Mr. Fusion to power the i7-14700K or i9-14900K? 

 

 

 

Both draw less that the Gen13 equivalents and only hit about 250w at max. I have an 850w uranium pellet bed reactor now and won't likely move to fusion until they solve the magnetic field failure issues. 😉

 

Dave

[pierces]

1 hour ago, mz-s said:

I think I am about to upgrade to a 43" 4K TV.

If you do any photo/video editing or gaming, consider a dedicated monitor rather than a TV. The Gigabyte AORUS I mentioned above. The color is incredible and didn't need to be recalibrated out of the box (came with a calibration results sheet). 

 

Dave

[dwc13]

13 hours ago, mz-s said:

 

AM5 is working great, thanks for asking! I built the machine exactly as I described - and I'm glad I built it when I did because a few months after I built, beQuiet released new cases and discontinued the case I bought. The new model has some features I don't want and removes some I do (like 5.25" bays).

 

I had some stability issues with AM5 in the beginning, BSODs - but a few BIOS updates took care of that no problem. Frankly that's to be expected with a new platform, and the ASUS motherboard makes BIOS updates dead simple.

 

I am using a 27" 4K Dell Ultrasharp which is working well. But honestly I think I am about to upgrade to a 43" 4K TV. Someone at work just put a 43" TV on their desk and it's super nice to have that much space, even at the same resolution as a monitor. I am an elder millennial now so bigger fonts are definitely welcome. Plus TVs have built in speakers so that's one less thing needed on the desk. And big TVs are so much cheaper than big monitors for some reason!

 

My new desktop is running Cities Skylines 2 quite well, although I don't have any big cities in the game yet. I know with the original that was really when you started to notice performance issues, once population started to rise. It is on Game Pass so if you are a Game Pass member (or if you want to sign up) it doesn't cost anything to install it and try it out!

 

Glad to hear the build is a success and it's up to the task running Cities Skylines 2. Any new platform is going to have some growing pains. I didn't want to pay high prices for AM5 motherboards and higher latency DDR5 modules in addition to constantly updating firmware and drivers (or occasionally editing Windows registry). For now, my R7 3700X gets the job done. Well, at least until 5800X3D prices get lower.

 

I've been thinking about getting a 40"-43" 4K 120Hz TV to use with one of my desktop PCs. Cities Skylines 2 might be the incentive I need to go that route. Agree with you about the low cost of 4K TVs compared with similar size computer monitors. As a bonus, TV speakers are generally much better than speakers that come with a monitor (if any). Not as good as a soundbar, though...

 

I don't play FPS / arena games that often anymore; my reflexes and eyesight aren't what they used to be 30 years ago, but my competitiveness hasn't waned much. Not a good combination for online battle, lol. 

 

[dwc13]

12 hours ago, pierces said:

 

Both draw less that the Gen13 equivalents and only hit about 250w at max. I have an 850w uranium pellet bed reactor now and won't likely move to fusion until they solve the magnetic field failure issues. 😉

 

Dave

 

I don't think 253w under load is the ceiling for those Gen 14 CPUs. Regardless, there is no doubt i7-14700K and i9-14900K are capable of hitting high frequencies and putting up very impressive single thread and multi thread numbers.

 

BTW, I Googled the 43" Gigabyte AORUS monitor you mentioned. Interesting, even has a built-in KVM.

[mz-s]

16 hours ago, dwc13 said:

 

Glad to hear the build is a success and it's up to the task running Cities Skylines 2. Any new platform is going to have some growing pains. I didn't want to pay high prices for AM5 motherboards and higher latency DDR5 modules in addition to constantly updating firmware and drivers (or occasionally editing Windows registry). For now, my R7 3700X gets the job done. Well, at least until 5800X3D prices get lower.

 

I've been thinking about getting a 40"-43" 4K 120Hz TV to use with one of my desktop PCs. Cities Skylines 2 might be the incentive I need to go that route. Agree with you about the low cost of 4K TVs compared with similar size computer monitors. As a bonus, TV speakers are generally much better than speakers that come with a monitor (if any). Not as good as a soundbar, though...

 

I don't play FPS / arena games that often anymore; my reflexes and eyesight aren't what they used to be 30 years ago, but my competitiveness hasn't waned much. Not a good combination for online battle, lol. 

 

 

Thankfully, I haven't needed to edit the Registry in probably decades at this point. Other than the BIOS updates and BSODs I had for the first month or so, it's been rock-solid and stable since, running Windows 11. And the beQuiet components make the machine nice and quiet, even under heavy load. My old build was in a low-end NZXT case with no sound deadening and was annoyingly loud from day 1 - otherwise I would have kept that case and just upgraded the interior. Now that I'm happy with my case, I hope it'll last me for many years of upgrades.

[dwc13]

3 hours ago, mz-s said:

 

Thankfully, I haven't needed to edit the Registry in probably decades at this point. Other than the BIOS updates and BSODs I had for the first month or so, it's been rock-solid and stable since, running Windows 11. And the beQuiet components make the machine nice and quiet, even under heavy load. My old build was in a low-end NZXT case with no sound deadening and was annoyingly loud from day 1 - otherwise I would have kept that case and just upgraded the interior. Now that I'm happy with my case, I hope it'll last me for many years of upgrades.

 

Rock solid, stable and quiet are good things for a PC build. No Windows registry edits is a bonus. Enjoy!

 

I have my own version of a case that wasn't constructed with sound dampening as a priority: the Antec Three Hundred. Can't complain about airflow, though, which is why I bought it years ago. The build it was originally intended for never happened and it remained boxed for ~10 years. I finally ended up using it for the Ryzen 3700X build. Next build I'll get a new case.

[mz-s]

3 minutes ago, dwc13 said:

 

Rock solid, stable and quiet are good things for a PC build. No Windows registry edits is a bonus. Enjoy!

 

I have my own version of a case that wasn't constructed with sound dampening as a priority: the Antec Three Hundred. Can't complain about airflow, though, which is why I bought it years ago. The build it was originally intended for never happened and it remained boxed for ~10 years. I finally ended up using it for the Ryzen 3700X build. Next build I'll get a new case.

 

I have fond memories of working with Antec cases in the early 00's. When is your next PC build considering you just got a laptop?

[pierces]

21 hours ago, dwc13 said:

BTW, I Googled the 43" Gigabyte AORUS monitor you mentioned. Interesting, even has a built-in KVM.

 

Fantastic monitor. Lightroom and Photoshop colors are rich and accurate. My Xbox Series X thinks it was a personal gift.

 

My current favorite case is the Thermaltake P3. Open, wall mounted, with a glass front. No case fans needed. It is 100% silent, even with a 360mm AIO radiator and an RTX 2070 Super with three fans each. Ok. It is mounted on the wall of a storage closet behind my desk with all the connections fed through a 2" tube. Makes for a very tidy setup on the desk and sound isn't an issue.

 

Since it is in a closed space, it stays perfectly clean. A real blessing since we live in a dry climate with what seems like half the State's dust delivered regularly from the High Desert by the Santa Ana winds.

 

Dave

[donaldsc]

On 1/1/2024 at 11:18 PM, dwc13 said:

 

It's been almost a year since your post. How is the AM5 platform working out for you? Did you upgrade any components? How about a new 4K monitor? 

 

I decided not to build an AM5-based desktop this round. Instead, I opted for an HP EliteBook 845 G10 laptop powered by a Ryzen 7 7840U mobile CPU and Radeon 780M GPU. At just over 3lbs it's light enough for travel, which was a major consideration (and why I decided against a gaming laptop). The EliteBook 845 G10 also has USB-C PD and an HDMI port, so connecting it to a hotel / cruise ship TV is a possibility. I haven't installed Cities Skylines 2 yet, as I'm waiting for a few more patches from Colossal Order before taking the plunge. It will be interesting to see if integrated graphics can run the game at acceptable detail / frame rates.  

 

 

You sound as if you know what you are talking about.  I may need to replace my heavy 17" gaming laptop soon.  What do you think about buying one of those higher end micro computers.  You can stuff a lot of stuff into them including multiple hard drives into them and they are really small.  I could even buy a large external SSD for it if I need a lot of drive space.

 

The reason that I need portability is that I have 2 homes and I am tired of hauling stuff back and forth.  I have screens and keyboards at both places so all I would have to haul is the micro computer.  

 

If I was totally crazy I could buy a small keyboard and a portable screen so I could take my full home computer any place I go.  The cost for all of this might be around $1500.

 

I should add that I do not run any programs that involve high level graphics.  Does any of this make any sense.

 

DON

[dwc13]

On 1/3/2024 at 6:46 PM, mz-s said:

 

I have fond memories of working with Antec cases in the early 00's. When is your next PC build considering you just got a laptop?

 

I'm going to wait at least until Zen 5 is released -- and the future of AM5 becomes more settled -- before seriously thinking about a new build. If Zen 5 is the end of the line for AM5, I might have to push out the build until the next platform arrives. In the interim, upgrading the ancient RX 580 graphics card in my 3700X build is at the top of the list (thanks to Flight Simulator 2020 and Cities Skylines 2). That probably also means a 5800X3D or 5700X drop-in CPU replacement.   

 

In addition to the EliteBook 845 G10, I also picked up an inexpensive used ThinkPad T480s from eBay for travel. The T480s is 3lbs, has USB-C charging, and a full-size SD card reader, making it very useful for quickly backing up photos while on travel. Cellular service and wi-fi is often sketchy at best in many national parks and other remote locations, so uploading to the cloud can be problematic. And since it already has a few road warrior scars, I won't mind if/when it gets dinged up a bit more.

 

[dwc13]

23 hours ago, pierces said:

 

Fantastic monitor. Lightroom and Photoshop colors are rich and accurate. My Xbox Series X thinks it was a personal gift.

 

My current favorite case is the Thermaltake P3. Open, wall mounted, with a glass front. No case fans needed. It is 100% silent, even with a 360mm AIO radiator and an RTX 2070 Super with three fans each. Ok. It is mounted on the wall of a storage closet behind my desk with all the connections fed through a 2" tube. Makes for a very tidy setup on the desk and sound isn't an issue.

 

Since it is in a closed space, it stays perfectly clean. A real blessing since we live in a dry climate with what seems like half the State's dust delivered regularly from the High Desert by the Santa Ana winds.

 

Dave

 

Very nice build! I haven't seen many cases where the sides are open so I was initially looking for fan openings, lol. Seasonic Focus Platinum -- excellent PS. I have an older Seasonic PS powering an i5-4670K and Nvidia GTX 750 build, all housed in a Lian Li case. That desktop is relegated to handling income tax filings these days. 

 

I take lots of pictures and video while traveling but I don't do much post-processing in Photoshop, Lightroom or Premiere. That's a skillset on its own. For the most part, good enough is good enough for me when it comes to photography. Sounds like you use PS & Lightroom regularly. The 43" monitor probably makes editing images easier than a smaller 27" one. 

[pierces]

5 minutes ago, dwc13 said:

I take lots of pictures and video while traveling but I don't do much post-processing in Photoshop, Lightroom or Premiere. That's a skillset on its own. For the most part, good enough is good enough for me when it comes to photography. Sounds like you use PS & Lightroom regularly. The 43" monitor probably makes editing images easier than a smaller 27" one. 

I have over 200k images from 20+ years of digital photography. 40+ cruises since  going digital, a dozen family weddings and countless family events. I have used PS and Lightroom since the early 2000s to satisfy my image quality related OCD and can say that the additional real estate of the 43" monitors is a real boon. Not so much for editing, but for scanning thumbnails. It also makes Starfield seem more like a documentary than a game. 🙂

 

Dave

[dwc13]

8 hours ago, donaldsc said:

 

You sound as if you know what you are talking about.  I may need to replace my heavy 17" gaming laptop soon.  What do you think about buying one of those higher end micro computers.  You can stuff a lot of stuff into them including multiple hard drives into them and they are really small.  I could even buy a large external SSD for it if I need a lot of drive space.

 

The reason that I need portability is that I have 2 homes and I am tired of hauling stuff back and forth.  I have screens and keyboards at both places so all I would have to haul is the micro computer.  

 

If I was totally crazy I could buy a small keyboard and a portable screen so I could take my full home computer any place I go.  The cost for all of this might be around $1500.

 

I should add that I do not run any programs that involve high level graphics.  Does any of this make any sense.

 

DON

 

 

Hi Don - 

 

The others in this thread -- @pierces and @mz-s -- have also built their own gaming rigs / desktop computers. They're every bit as knowledgeable and qualified to weigh in on the matter. Hopefully between the 3 of us, we can provide you with things to consider. 

 

Off the top of my head:

 

1. You indicated you currently have a heavy 17" gaming laptop but at the same time you don't run any programs that involve "high level graphics". What types of programs & games do you plan on running? Is Linux support required?

 

2. By 'higher end micro computers' are you talking about an Intel NUC or similar type device? For example, are you looking at something similar to the following devices?

 

https://www.amazon.com/Intel-NUC-12-Enthusiast-NUC12SNKi72-Serp/dp/B0BZ1RG2Z1/?tag=pcgamesn-20&th=1

 

https://www.amazon.com/MINISFORUM-Venus-Series-UM773-Lite-Mini-/dp/B0BXWHGFH1/?tag=pcgamesn-20&th=1

 

https://www.amazon.com/Beelink-SER3-Mini-PC-AMD-Ryzen-7-3750H-P/dp/B0B3ML3FXT/?tag=pcgamesn-20

 

3. If you are considering a NUC / similar device, the build itself is usually pretty straight-forward (if needed); however, sometimes driver support is lacking. Make sure you understand what you're getting, as many of these devices are sold 'bare-bones' so you have to provide memory, storage, operating system, etc. Also do your diligent research, as there are some relatively unknown companies offering these devices; after purchase service / support from some of these vendors if needed might prove challenging.

 

4. The obvious advantage of a new laptop (perhaps a smaller, lighter one) over a NUC / similar device is it can still be used without bringing additional items when you are away from your 2 homes, while a NUC / similar device can't. In addition, some laptops will have more powerful GPUs than can be found in the best NUC / similar device (if that is important). Size and weight usually favor the NUC / similar device. Cooling, not so much, so a power-hungry CPU that generates excessive heat isn't a plus. 

 

5. Some newer laptops can be powered by smaller, lighter-weight USB-C chargers, which is great when traveling. I'm guessing your current gaming laptop has a heavy charging brick. 

 

6. NUC / similar devices are often mounted on the back of monitors, signs or another surface, or left freestanding on a desk. It's unclear to me how durable these devices are and how well they will hold up if they're often being transported.

 

7. Check the types and version and placement of USB, HDMI, Display, and Ethernet ports and other connections. NUCs and similar devices typically have some located on the front and others on the back side. Are there enough and are they conveniently located? Check the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth version. 

 

Dave

 

 

Edited January 5 by dwc13

[mz-s]

17 hours ago, donaldsc said:

 

You sound as if you know what you are talking about.  I may need to replace my heavy 17" gaming laptop soon.  What do you think about buying one of those higher end micro computers.  You can stuff a lot of stuff into them including multiple hard drives into them and they are really small.  I could even buy a large external SSD for it if I need a lot of drive space.

 

The reason that I need portability is that I have 2 homes and I am tired of hauling stuff back and forth.  I have screens and keyboards at both places so all I would have to haul is the micro computer.  

 

If I was totally crazy I could buy a small keyboard and a portable screen so I could take my full home computer any place I go.  The cost for all of this might be around $1500.

 

I should add that I do not run any programs that involve high level graphics.  Does any of this make any sense.

 

DON

 

Don,

 

What all do you use your PC for? If you don't need high level graphics I certainly wouldn't buy another gaming laptop.

 

What I recommend for most everyday PC users is a Chromebook. Do you think a Chromebook would do all you need to do? If not, there are plenty of other choices in the marketplace obviously. Give us some details as to what you need your computer for and we'l make some recommendations.

[pierces]

19 hours ago, donaldsc said:

The reason that I need portability is that I have 2 homes and I am tired of hauling stuff back and forth.  I have screens and keyboards at both places so all I would have to haul is the micro computer.  

 

If I was totally crazy I could buy a small keyboard and a portable screen so I could take my full home computer any place I go.  The cost for all of this might be around $1500.

 

I should add that I do not run any programs that involve high level graphics.  Does any of this make any sense.

 

DON

 

You may want to consider a smaller lightweight laptop. If you don't need discrete graphics and a lot of processing power, you can pick up a 14" unit with 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD for $600 - $700 at Costco or Amazon. Add a 4TB external SSD for $250 or so and you have a light, portable package you can use with the larger screens and keyboards at the houses or directly wherever you are.

 

Dave

[pierces]

Preliminary componentry. Subject to change, but I have a good idea of where I'm going. 

 

Still waffling about the i9 vs. i7, but I still have a couple of months to work that out.

 

 

Feels like 3-4 years of future-proofing.

 

Still working out a choice for network attached storage. I want reliable remote access, so there's still some research needed.

 

Dave

[dwc13]

3 hours ago, pierces said:

Preliminary componentry. Subject to change, but I have a good idea of where I'm going. 

 

Still waffling about the i9 vs. i7, but I still have a couple of months to work that out.

 

 

Feels like 3-4 years of future-proofing.

 

Still working out a choice for network attached storage. I want reliable remote access, so there's still some research needed.

 

Dave

 

 

96GB RAM??!? Are you running multiple VMs? My EliteBook 845 G10 came with 64GB RAM installed. I only bought that model because the 32GB model (and 16GB model -- not that it was even considered) was far more expensive. Go figure, right? I also bought 2 Crucial T500 2TB NVMe drives (1 for a backup) but haven't yet installed in the laptop; on the to do list. Good to see an old rust drive in your build, lol.  

 

Nvidia is expected to announce additions to the RTX 40 series GPUs at CES on January 8th. I'll put you down for a 4080 Super. 

 

I have used Synology NAS for a long time starting with the Disk Station DS207. Currently have a 4 bay DS916+ installed. No problems at all, other than the 3TB WD Red drives I purchased years ago are half full now. The Synology DSM software is solid, user friendly, has lots of features and is continuously updated. On the flip side, Synology hasn't always been cutting edge on the hardware side. If you're looking to use the NAS as a media server, also look at QNAP and Asustor. Or check out TrueNAS Core (formerly FreeNAS) and build your own. I thought it would be like running my own mail server (PITA to maintain), which is why I didn't go that route and went with the DS916+. 

[mz-s]

I can't even fathom how an end user could utilize 96GB of RAM in a desktop. I already thought the 32 I put in my desktop was overkill and it mostly is.

[pierces]

1 hour ago, mz-s said:

I can't even fathom how an end user could utilize 96GB of RAM in a desktop. I already thought the 32 I put in my desktop was overkill and it mostly is.

 

I actually copied the wrong line from Amazon... I had intended to do 48GB (down from the 64GB I have on the current build). A 12-image stack of files from the A7rV will drive usage up to 36GB-38GB, so 48 isn't out of the question. I once upon a time needed vast amounts of memory for SQL projects and am stuck in the more-is-better mindset for RAM, but I'm getting over it. Then again...I may want to try my hand at video and rendering takes a ton of RAM, so maybe I'll just leave that 96 number there for now. 😉

 

Dave