I'm building a new computer for encoding! (CPU)
It's also for some heavy-yet-infrequent Photoshop CS5 work as well. (RAM)
So, for once, it's my turn for advice on this forum.
I know some of you are using newer systems than I am. So rather than guess my way through this process, I want to see what you may already know. I usually upgrade every 3-4 years -- but it's already been 6 since the last upgrade! (It's because of my medical issues; I lost years of my life.) I'm a bit outdated on what exists in 2015.
I'm currently using an AMD Phenom II 940 from 2009. For the first 5 years, it was great. Lately, it's had issues with the USB and frequent rebooting when idle. It also runs Windows XP 32-bit, and at 4gb RAM, it's starving if you load an NLE. (This used to be my main ATI capture system, but that task was split to a dedicated system back in 2012.)
My goal is not to be cheap, so "best bang for the buck" is not a factor (and I hate that phrase anyway).
Inversely, bleeding-edge ($$$$!) is not the goal either.
It must have/be:
- 4x eSATA*
- 6x SATA*
- 1x IDE*
- 10x rear USB
- 2x front USB
- 16gb RAM
- 4-5 PCI express slots may be needed, most of them 1x sized*
- ability to use 4tb drives
- no issue with SSD drives; may upgrade C: to 1tb SSD
- Windows 7 Home Premium or Pro
- fanless video card (encoding/photo system is not GPU heavy)
- Realtek onboard audio
- silent power supply (keeping the existing case)
- near-silent heatsink/fan
- system that does not run hot
- should not be a glutton with power -- aka drains UPS, runs hot
- probably Intel CPU, not AMD
Also:
- fw800 is nice bonus, but not required
- at least 2 PCI non-express slots would be safe, but not required
- onboard video will be considered
* There's more than 1 way to get SATA, eSATA, IDE, mostly using PCI Express cards.
- Example: The current Gigabyte motherboard has 7x SATA. 5 are used internally, and 2 are passed to eSATA externally via a simple bracket.
- 4-5 added USB2 ports per PCIe cards seem common
- 1x IDE via PCIe seems available, probably 2x IDE card exists as well
- 2x SATA via PCIe seem common
- 2x eSATA via PCIe seem common, some even have 2xeSATA+2xSATA
Any advice on ANY parts to get, or ANY parts NOT to get, is appreciated.
I don't expect anyone here to plan out the whole system, though that'd be appreciated as well.
Total budget is about $1000/1250/1500.
- 1000 or less is great
- 1250 is probably more realistic
- 1500 if I must -- but it'd better come with breakfast and a free lap dance at that price point!
- excludes 1tb SSD
Given my heavier use of Avisynth these days, it just makes sense to finally upgrade.
Tel me what you know...