I'm sure 3 years later he is on a totally different build!

 

Haha, didn't see the dates lol

 

CPU cooler?

(Never trusted those that come bundled with the processor and depending on how quiet you need it to be if the user is going to be recording things in the same room as the PC etc.)

In many aspects your proposed build is similar to the one I built last year. I already had a soundcard and knew it worked without problems on Win7. I opted for a Noctua NH-D14 cooler, it's quite large but very, very quiet and keeps everything nice and cool. I'm used to hearing desktop machines and it's that quiet it was disconcerting to begin with. I began with one 8GB stick of RAM, but added another. I've thrown all manner of VST synths and FX at it and it's barely broke sweat on a single project so far. It's a joy to use something where you don't have to consider its limitations when working on projects.

 

Happened to all of us.

 

ECC memory is useless unless you are running a server.

 

Might as well max the RAM out to 64 if possible. Experimenting with multiple huge libraries while multiple 24/96 files are playing back is fun. 32 GB will work too ;-) That's, of course, just my opinion.

 

I can run the NI The Giant piano library, Output Signal, Evolution Steel Strings, Symphobia 2, two omnisphere instances and about 3 or 4 sylenths simultaneously, on an HP all in one i5 with 6gb Rams. In FL Studio 32 bit. Sure I have to bounce things down, but only AFTER I start adding effects on mixer channels, and if I just use stock effect plugins I don't have to bounce anything. You guys are using 16 and 32 gb of RAM using 64 bit version of DAWS and vst's and you're still running into trouble because of Kontakt libraries? Do you'll purge your samples? This can take a 850mb Signal preset down to under 100mb easily.

 

Best ratio between price and features (if U don't need for a full size PCIe card expansion): 550$
With Thunderbolt 3.
Truly portable and almost silent.