High End Workstation for Photoshop and occasional Video Editing

[Karl_Guttag]

I'm running on a 6-year-old i7-4790K CPU @ 4.00GHz, Quad Core with an Nvidia Quadro P4000 graphics card with 32GB of system RAM with two SSD SATA drives and 3GB WD Black hard drive. The Motherboard is an MSI Z97A Gaming.

While this was a moderately high-end PC 6 years ago, it is now lagging with my R5 RAW files. I'm 6 years out of date on what to get in a good PC. While I built my last PC, I'm leaning toward a built one (I'm getting old)

I want to get something that will make Photoshop, DXO PL6, and Topaz AI Sharpening zip a bit. I occasionally do video editing and some 3-D CAD.

My Key Component Considerations

• CPU i9 or i7 gen 12 or 13; would also consider AMD
• Mid-Tower -- would like to have at least two free expansion slots available after the graphics card is installed. Would like a few extra SATA connections.
• Nvidia 3070 or better GPU
• At least 32GB DDR5 (would 64 GB if it would help)
• 2TB M.2 NVMe4 SSD
• 8TB internal hard drive
• At least 2 USB-C ports and many USB-A
• Would like an optical drive, but could use an external one

I'm willing to spend $4k to $5K if necessary, to get a machine I will be happy with for years.

I'm looking for general advice on a PC builder and specific advice on the key components above.

 

[Austinian]

I'm running on a 6-year-old i7-4790K CPU @ 4.00GHz, Quad Core with an Nvidia Quadro P4000 graphics card with 32GB of system RAM with two SSD SATA drives and 3GB WD Black hard drive. The Motherboard is an MSI Z97A Gaming.

While this was a moderately high-end PC 6 years ago, it is now lagging with my R5 RAW files. I'm 6 years out of date on what to get in a good PC. While I built my last PC, I'm leaning toward a built one (I'm getting old)

I want to get something that will make Photoshop, DXO PL6, and Topaz AI Sharpening zip a bit. I occasionally do video editing and some 3-D CAD.

My Key Component Considerations

• CPU i9 or i7 gen 12 or 13; would also consider AMD
• Mid-Tower -- would like to have at least two free expansion slots available after the graphics card is installed. Would like a few extra SATA connections.
• Nvidia 3070 or better GPU
• At least 32GB DDR5 (would 64 GB if it would help)
• 2TB M.2 NVMe4 SSD
• 8TB internal hard drive
• At least 2 USB-C ports and many USB-A
• Would like an optical drive, but could use an external one

I'm willing to spend $4k to $5K if necessary, to get a machine I will be happy with for years.

I'm looking for general advice on a PC builder and specific advice on the key components above.

I'll leave the hardware details to others (my build is five years old), but if I didn't want to build my own and had a budget that large, I'd consider Puget Systems as a possibility; as far as I can tell it seems to have a good reputation and publishes useful tests.

Homepage

Puget Systems specializes in tailor-made computing solutions for all business needs. We build quality workstations and servers for your unique workflows.

www.pugetsystems.com

 

[BobKnDP]

I'm old myself, but I haven't given up on building yet. I can't suggest a custom builder from personal experience.

Intel is just before (20 October) offering their Gen13 CPUs for sale. It may be worth waiting for those, if you're prepared to buy their highest end model. That'll be the I9-13900K, which has 24 cores (8 performance plus 16 efficient), and can do 32 threads. (The best 12th gen model is the I9-12900K: 8 performace plus 8 efficent, 24 threads. The 13900K would have better performance for multithreaded tasks.)

That would match a 700 series motherboard. Maybe this one: Asus RoG Strix , which is a high mid-range board.

DDR5 RAM. The I9-13900K officially supports DDR5 5600. The I9-12900k only supported DDR5 4800. (That's mainly a warranty issue. Intel regards running higher speeds than the officially supported one as overclocking, which voids the CPU's warranty. I've had sad personal experience with that.)

For the M.2 drive, get PCIe 4.0. Depending on your timing, PCIe 5.0 M.2 drives maybe available (twice the theoretical bandwidth as 4.0), but the price premium may be high for a while.

I use a Seagate Ironwolf 8TB (NAS) SATA drive for my data drive. My hope is that it'd be slightly more reliable than a (cheaper) drive that isn't advertised as for NAS duty. And perhaps a bit quieter.

If you want really high end, I believe that Intel is supposed to have HEDT (high end desktop) models before the end of 2022. Those would include quad channel RAM. (The current Gen13 models have dual channel RAM.) If memory serves, the last time HEDT models were offered was in Gen 10.

AMD already has HEDT systems using the Threadripper and Threadripper Pro CPUs. The latter have 8 channel RAM (!). Not 2022/2023 tech, though, and very expensive.

 

[sygnus21]

As a system builder myself I feel those Puget's PCs are overpriced. They're only (maybe) worth it if one doesn't want to deal with the hassle of building a PC.

With a budget of 4K one could build a system superior to a Pudget system, especially where "quality" parts are concerned.

Read this article to get an idea of what 4K may get you. The point is in the quality of the parts - mainly (and most importantly) motherboard, storage devices, PS, GPU, RAM. Here the parts are about the vendor - Brand X motherboard is not the same as Gigabyte, Asus, MSI. Brand X memory is not Corsair, G-Skill, or even Crucial. Then there's the case and fans where quality makes all the difference in noise levels.

Extreme gaming PC build 2022 | PC Gamer

And you can also get a better system with quality parts for less than. I build high end gaming systems, which also perform very well with Adobe LR/PS subscription products (I'm also a photographer show only shoots in RAW and use professional grade cameras).

In the end it just comes down to researching what you want and how much you're willing to pay for particular parts.

 

[Carey Brown]

If you are even considering Puget then I'd take a close look at Digital Storm. DS lets you select your choice of high end components whereas Puget doesn't let you choose. I find that DS is significantly less expensive than Puget for approximately the same build. I'm also adamant about using liquid cooling which Puget doesn't offer at all.

 

[Austinian]

As a system builder myself I feel those Puget's PCs are overpriced. They're only (maybe) worth it if one doesn't want to deal with the hassle of building a PC.

That's why I specified "if I didn't want to build my own and had a budget that large." The OP asked about builders, and the feedback I've read about Puget has been quite positive.

(If upgrading, I'd only replace motherboard, memory, CPU, and watercooler on my existing PC. The rest is fine.)

 

[BobKnDP]

If you are even considering Puget then I'd take a close look at Digital Storm. DS lets you select your choice of high end components whereas Puget doesn't let you choose. I find that DS is significantly less expensive than Puget for approximately the same build. I'm also adamant about using liquid cooling which Puget doesn't offer at all.

Puget

Just under $4491. Seems high.

 

[Austinian]

If you are even considering Puget then I'd take a close look at Digital Storm. DS lets you select your choice of high end components whereas Puget doesn't let you choose. I find that DS is significantly less expensive than Puget for approximately the same build. I'm also adamant about using liquid cooling which Puget doesn't offer at all.

Puget

Just under $4491. Seems high.

Indeed. Image editing overkill IMO with that 3090Ti.

If I was going to pay more to avoid the hassles of doing it all myself, I'd be happy with their recommended Photoshop PC.

https://www.pugetsystems.com/recommended/Recommended-Systems-for-Adobe-Photoshop-139

And add more storage myself; that's easy and cheap.

 

[BobKnDP]

If you are even considering Puget then I'd take a close look at Digital Storm. DS lets you select your choice of high end components whereas Puget doesn't let you choose. I find that DS is significantly less expensive than Puget for approximately the same build. I'm also adamant about using liquid cooling which Puget doesn't offer at all.

Puget

Just under $4491. Seems high.

Indeed. Image editing overkill IMO with that 3090Ti.

If I was going to pay more to avoid the hassles of doing it all myself, I'd be happy with their recommended Photoshop PC.

https://www.pugetsystems.com/recommended/Recommended-Systems-for-Adobe-Photoshop-139

The $4491 was with an I9-12900k, an RTX 3070ti, a 2TB M.2 SSD, and an 8TB Seagate Ironwolf spinner. The choices didn't stick in the link.

The "workstation" is the same, except it has a 512GB M.2 drive, and a 1TB SATA SSD as a data drive.

Alternately, here's a parts list: NewEgg

My suggestions may not agree with anyone, but I'd say the $4491 Puget system has roughly $3kUS worth of components. Maybe the services they offer are worth the extra, but not for me.

 

[sygnus21]

As a system builder myself I feel those Puget's PCs are overpriced. They're only (maybe) worth it if one doesn't want to deal with the hassle of building a PC.

That's why I specified "if I didn't want to build my own and had a budget that large." The OP asked about builders, and the feedback I've read about Puget has been quite positive.

(If upgrading, I'd only replace motherboard, memory, CPU, and watercooler on my existing PC. The rest is fine.)

Right but the OP specifically said.... "While I built my last PC, I'm leaning toward a built one (I'm getting old)" And why I said what I said.

And yeah, I upgrade my PC as needed... usually just the motherboard, CPU, RAM. When warranted GPU, drives, and other parts.

Lastly as both a photographer and "gamer" this is where a high-end GPU comes into play - gaming, not photo editing.

 

[Austinian]

If you are even considering Puget then I'd take a close look at Digital Storm. DS lets you select your choice of high end components whereas Puget doesn't let you choose. I find that DS is significantly less expensive than Puget for approximately the same build. I'm also adamant about using liquid cooling which Puget doesn't offer at all.

Puget

Just under $4491. Seems high.

Indeed. Image editing overkill IMO with that 3090Ti.

If I was going to pay more to avoid the hassles of doing it all myself, I'd be happy with their recommended Photoshop PC.

https://www.pugetsystems.com/recommended/Recommended-Systems-for-Adobe-Photoshop-139

The $4491 was with an I9-12900k, an RTX 3070ti, a 2TB M.2 SSD, and an 8TB Seagate Ironwolf spinner. The choices didn't stick in the link.

Ah.

Minor thought: If I was going to spend the extra for the i9, I'd want to wait for the 13th gen i7 (ETA Oct.20), and I'd do my own storage upgrades, but that's, as we say, just me.

 

[Austinian]

Lastly as both a photographer and "gamer" this is where a high-end GPU comes into play - gaming, not photo editing.

The OP's existing graphics card, Nvidia Quadro P4000, suggested to me that they're not a high-end gamer.

 

[BobKnDP]

If you are even considering Puget then I'd take a close look at Digital Storm. DS lets you select your choice of high end components whereas Puget doesn't let you choose. I find that DS is significantly less expensive than Puget for approximately the same build. I'm also adamant about using liquid cooling which Puget doesn't offer at all.

Puget

Just under $4491. Seems high.

Indeed. Image editing overkill IMO with that 3090Ti.

If I was going to pay more to avoid the hassles of doing it all myself, I'd be happy with their recommended Photoshop PC.

https://www.pugetsystems.com/recommended/Recommended-Systems-for-Adobe-Photoshop-139

The $4491 was with an I9-12900k, an RTX 3070ti, a 2TB M.2 SSD, and an 8TB Seagate Ironwolf spinner. The choices didn't stick in the link.

Ah.

Minor thought: If I was going to spend the extra for the i9, I'd want to wait for the 13th gen i7 (ETA Oct.20), and I'd do my own storage upgrades, but that's, as we say, just me.

An excellent point.

The I7-13700K looks similar to the I9-12900K, and significantly superior to the I7-12700k. (13700k has 8 p cores, 8 e cores, 24 threads.) And it's cheaper than the I9-12900k.

Builders commonly seem to overcharge (IMHO) for RAM and drive upgrades. If the buyer can handle those, that'd be an easy savings.

 

[BobKnDP]

Lastly as both a photographer and "gamer" this is where a high-end GPU comes into play - gaming, not photo editing.

The OP's existing graphics card, Nvidia Quadro P4000, suggested to me that they're not a high-end gamer.

Still, the primary offerings from Puget are RTX 3000 series cards. (Gaming.)

I wish that I was competent to consider the differences between the "gaming" and "workstation" cards. The latter seem to have more VRAM, and support some OpenGL features that may be absent in the "gaming" cards.

 

[Austinian]

Builders commonly seem to overcharge (IMHO) for RAM and drive upgrades.

"Builders commonly seem to overcharge" covers it for me, but I understand a reluctance to build as time goes on. A decade ago I'd never have believed I'd still be using a five-year-old build with no immediate plans to upgrade.

If the buyer can handle those, that'd be an easy savings.

Since the OP has built in the past, those upgrades should be trivially easy.

 

[Austinian]

Lastly as both a photographer and "gamer" this is where a high-end GPU comes into play - gaming, not photo editing.

The OP's existing graphics card, Nvidia Quadro P4000, suggested to me that they're not a high-end gamer.

Still, the primary offerings from Puget are RTX 3000 series cards. (Gaming.)

I do see Nvidia workstation cards, costing up to over $4K available in some builds.

I wish that I was competent to consider the differences between the "gaming" and "workstation" cards. The latter seem to have more VRAM, and support some OpenGL features that may be absent in the "gaming" cards.

As I understand it, workstation cards and their drivers are also often certified to work on certain high-end applications, for advanced design software, etc. But I've never bought one, so that's only from other sources.

 

[sygnus21]

Lastly as both a photographer and "gamer" this is where a high-end GPU comes into play - gaming, not photo editing.

The OP's existing graphics card, Nvidia Quadro P4000, suggested to me that they're not a high-end gamer.

No kidding! However, that doesn't mean things don't change. Thus, the suggestions.

And everything I post isn't specifically addressed to one person, but those looking to build in general.

 

[Austinian]

Lastly as both a photographer and "gamer" this is where a high-end GPU comes into play - gaming, not photo editing.

The OP's existing graphics card, Nvidia Quadro P4000, suggested to me that they're not a high-end gamer.

No kidding! However, that doesn't mean things don't change. Thus, the suggestions.

And everything I post isn't specifically addressed to one person, but those looking to build in general.

In this thread, I'm being OP-specific. For most users, IMO an off-the-shelf PC from a major maker is more sensible in terms of price/performance for image editing than a high-end workstation, but that's what the OP requested.

 

[Karl_Guttag]

If you are even considering Puget then I'd take a close look at Digital Storm. DS lets you select your choice of high end components whereas Puget doesn't let you choose. I find that DS is significantly less expensive than Puget for approximately the same build. I'm also adamant about using liquid cooling which Puget doesn't offer at all.

Thanks,

I must say, after struggling through the MSI, Puget, HP, Dell, Falconi, etc. websites, I'm in love with the simple basic structure of the Digital Storm Website. They tell you right there how many bays, slots, etc. come with their chassis and motherboard. They let you pick the CPU (including picking say a Gen 13 i7 over a Gen12 i9 as has been suggested) and Graphics card at will rather than getting junk I don't want (like a 2TB hard drive).

On my first experimental pass, it came out about $1,000 cheaper than the others for a system that, on the first pass (I need to go back and make sure I am looking at a 1 to 1 comparison) seems as good or better.

DS made a great first impression. Do they have a great reputation?

 

[sygnus21]

No kidding! However, that doesn't mean things don't change. Thus, the suggestions.

And everything I post isn't specifically addressed to one person, but those looking to build in general.

In this thread, I'm being OP-specific. For most users, IMO an off-the-shelf PC from a major maker is more sensible in terms of price/performance for image editing than a high-end workstation, but that's what the OP requested.

So am I in addressing options the OP may or may not have considered. If the OP feels it's not applicable that's fine.

Thanks.