Hello,
I would like to put together an audio PC in the near future.
My budget is around 1500€. I have a Fractal case and would continue to use it. I also have a graphics card and would like to continue using it. So I would need CPU, motherboard, RAM, power supply.
What parts would you guys recommend?
Thanks.

 

Hi @Polomo,
The SSDs i have in my actually PC i would like to put in the new PC so there is no need for that.
So i be around 1000€ ... thats good

 

My cpu - i5 10600k (Ryzen could be better... I chose Intel purely out of habit)

Mobo - MSI MPG Z490 Gaming Edge Wifi ATX

RAM - 16GB DDR4 Crucial 3200MHz

Power - Antec 650 VP

Extra cooler - Cooler Master Hyper 212X Premium

I think all this will fit in your budget.

It runs like a dream. Multiple tracks running cpu heavy effect plugins in Cubase.

All the best!

 

Last edited: Jul 26, 2021

13947
https://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu.php?cpu=Intel+Core+i5-10600+@+3.30GHz&id=3750
39549
https://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu.php?cpu=AMD+Ryzen+9+5900X&id=3870

It´s a synthetic bench so in real world it's not times 3 the power but the Ryzen is in nearly every scenario the more powerful choice
and with a budget of 1500 why should someone go beneath the best you can get for the money

 

Being that the current generation of both Intel Rocket Lake & AMD Zen3 CPUs are at end-of-life status and, you have to build this year, I would suggest a workstation (creator) or workstation/server motherboard that has good USB separation for the USB ports. Also a board with the fastest USB-C/USB 3 standard or Thunderbolt 3/4 (whish is compatible with ISB-C 3.2 2x2). This will ensure that you have a system that will perform & survive Windows 10/11 and, any new audio devices (standardized USB 3/4 or Thunderbolt with bi-directional 20GBs transfer).

Look at ASUS, ASRock Rack & Gigabyte.

If also buying new DDR4 memory, make sure you get tight timings:
14-14-14-3?
15-15-15-3?
16-16-16-3?

DDR4 3200, 3600, 3800 for Zen 3
DDR4 3200 for Rocket Lake (i5-400 to i9-1100).

G-Skills has a good track record with Zen 2, Zen 3 & the current Intel Rocket Lake CPUs.

Also keep in my that putting your graphics card into a x8 slot is good enough for audio production. this will free up an extra 8 PCIe lanes for another device.

Hopefully you are building a system with dedicated audio production in mind, not gaming.

 

If you need Thunderbolt
https://se.pcpartpicker.com/list/FVWz4d

If don't
https://se.pcpartpicker.com/list/LTM4z7

If need 64GB RAM, change to this
https://se.pcpartpicker.com/products/memory/#m=12&Z=65536002&sort=price&page=1&S=3466,5100

 

Last edited: Jul 26, 2021

32 gigs ram is fine 5900x is great for both music streaming and gaming also dont listen to quacore hes being a tool your not going toi get any sort of workstation build for you budget sorry but you can however build a really nice gameing set that can be used as a production set up instead all gameing boards do come with the main aspects of workstaion boards anyway.

 

Last edited: Jul 26, 2021

A fast SSD where the DAW caches and loads of RAM. Don't let people tell you it won't use it all. The more RAM you have the better it runs. If you want a DAW you won't replace for a while 64GB, 32GB minimum. If 32GB, get a mainboard with 4x RAM slots so you can add another 2x16GB chips later if desired.

CPU - The key advantage of Intel i7 chips involves Hyper-Threading, essentially a way of doing more tasks simultaneously – that, together with more cache memory (for storing system data where it can be quickly accessed), gives them an advantage over Intel i5 chips (some i5 laptop chips support Hyper-Threading, but the i5 desktop chips don't). Both families of processors are available with similar clock speeds and run four or six cores, though i7 configurations will often be higher-end.

While you can put together a seriously capable machine with an Intel i5 processor, the very top hardware options make use of Intel i7. You can crunch through video encoding and play the best games with a premium i5 chip and have an acceptable DAW; but videos will encode faster at higher resolutions, and those games are likely to hit higher frame rates, and DAW's run better with multiple plugins and sound libraries with an i7 .

 

That´s wrong

384,36
https://geizhals.de/amd-ryzen-threadripper-2920x-yd292xa8afwof-a1867624.html?hloc=at&hloc=de
244,77
https://geizhals.de/asrock-x399-phantom-gaming-6-90-mxb9b0-a0u-a1941199.html?hloc=at&hloc=de
127,87
https://geizhals.de/g-skill-aegis-dimm-kit-32gb-f4-2400c15d-32gis-a1393909.html?hloc=at&hloc=de
129,87
https://geizhals.de/be-quiet-straight-power-11-850w-atx-2-4-bn284-a1753725.html?hloc=at&hloc=de
56,95
https://geizhals.de/be-quiet-dark-rock-4-bk021-a1794867.html?hloc=at&hloc=de

943,82

Advantage of this Build
more PCIe lines
more USB
more slots for RAM

Disadvantage
Slower CPU (and not best Value )
Hotter CPU so maybe more noise

with a Budget of 1500 an i9 would be possible
but intel is still not the Bang for the buck winner
so totally wasted of money just to get an Intel (the 11600K would be the only choice, but this would be in an 800€ build and not 1500)


(and if this question comes the 2920x I used for the Workstation build is not on list just because it's priced with 679,99 and mine cost only 384,36 )

 

A link to help you learn, understand & grow your knowledge of Intel technology.

Intel Product Specifications

 

I'd go for a NVMe system drive and then a largish SSD for samples/libraries/recording.

Don't forget a spare drive for backups! If you can swing it then a decent sized HDD is fine, also external USB drives can be had for cheap.

 

At the moment the RAM memory prices are very high, it is advisable to wait a few days or weeks!

Mainboard - 175 €
- ASUS ROG Strix B550-F Gaming Mainboard Sockel AM4 (ATX, Ryzen, PCIe 4.0, Intel 2,5 Gbit/s-Ethernet, 2x M.2 mit Kühlern, SATA 6Gbit/s, USB 3.2 Gen 2, Aura Sync)

CPU - 385 €
- AMD Ryzen 7 5800X, 8C/16T, 3.80-4.70GHz, boxed ohne Kühler (100-100000063WOF)

CPU Cooler - 66 €
- be quiet! Dark Rock 4 CPU-Kühler - 135mm

RAM - 349 € ( x 2 ) 698 €
- CORSAIR CMK16GX4M2K4400C19 ver4.31 2x 8GB 4400

Netzteil - 179 €
- be quit DARK POWER 12 750W

Mainboard - 175 €
CPU - 385 €
CPU Cooler - 66 €
RAM - 698 €
Netzteil - 179 €
-------------------------
1503 €

 

????
181,90€
32 GB
https://www.alternate.de/G-Skill/DI...tner=DeGeizhals&campaign=DDR4/G.Skill/1747255
(Lagernd)(in store)

Even if it had to be 4400s i can't understand why you think that RAM are very high ATM

or with the same timing
108,89
16 GB
https://geizhals.de/patriot-viper-steel-dimm-kit-16gb-pvs416g440c9k-a1978524.html?hloc=at&hloc=de

 

ROG STRIX B550-F GAMING - Recommended storage

Hyper X HX446C19PB3K2/16 2x 8GB 4600 4600 SS Samsung 19-26-26-45 1.5 1,2
CORSAIR CMK16GX4M2K4400C19 ver4.31 2x 8GB 4400 4400 SS Samsung 19-19-19-39 1.4 1,2
G.SKILL F4-4400C19D-16GTZSW 2x 8GB 4400 4400 SS Samsung 19-19-19-39 1.4 1,2
G.SKILL F4-4400C19D-16GTZSKK 2x 8GB 4400 4400 SS Samsung 19-19-19-39 1.4 1,2
G.SKILL F4-4400C18D-16GTZRS 2x 8GB 4400 4400 SS Samsung 18-19-19-39 1.4 1,2
G.SKILL F4-4400C18D-16GTZRG 2x 8GB 4400 4400 SS Samsung 18-19-19-39 1.4 1,2
G.SKILL F4-4400C18D-16GTZR 2x 8GB 4400 4400 SS Samsung 18-19-19-39

more: https://rog.asus.com/de/motherboards/rog-strix/rog-strix-b550-f-gaming-model/helpdesk_qvl_memory

 

True but I stated an i7. The thing is we can all look at specifications but we all do the same thing which is to speak from what served us best in most cases.
My i7 has never crashed and provided a stable DAW environment and it's not top of the range. But I have fast SSD's, large HDD's and a load of RAM with a decent GPU. He could buy my system for his money give or take $100 either side of his budget. It handled 52 tracks with inserts without flinching.

 

Hackintosh ?
Intel mandatory (ppl saying Ryzen work talk bullsh1t : a lot of software dont work on it. Like Adobe and more)

If not, it is a matter of CPU/motherboard price / perf balance
Whatever ppl say about Ryzen, sometimes Intel is cheaper performance ratio wise.

Especially in AUDIO domain, SINGLE CPU performance is MORE important than MULTI CORE performance.

Try second hand market for GPU, CPU, RAM and Mobo.
You will save a LOT

 

Two very recent boards that are ready for the next/last generation of Zen 3 Ryzen 5,7 & 9.

ASUS ProArt B550-CREATOR
https://www.asus.com/uk/Motherboards-Components/Motherboards/ProArt/ProArt-B550-CREATOR/
https://www.asus.com/fr/Motherboards-Components/Motherboards/ProArt/ProArt-B550-CREATOR/
https://webshop.asus.com/de/komponenten/mainboards/workstation/3643/mb-asus-proart-b550-creator

Gigabyte X570S AERO G (rev. 1.0)
https://www.gigabyte.com/Motherboard/X570S-AERO-G-rev-10#kf
https://www.gigabyte.com/fr/Motherboard/X570S-AERO-G-rev-10#kf
https://www.gigabyte.com/de/Motherboard/X570S-AERO-G-rev-10#kf