Workstation configuration

[anitaa]

HI,

I Am an architect and planning to purchase parts to assemble a workstation.The softwares i use frequently are 3ds max with v-ray, photoshop and sketchup with v-ray.

 

i am confused whether to go for i7-5820k or i7-6800k or i7-6850k,which cpu is better ?

also,I am providing the details of the rest of my configuration.Please let me know whether the parts i mention below are compatible with these processors and if the parts below are good choices.

 

Motherboard: ASUS x99 pro

Memory: corsair vengeance 32GB ddr4-2400 memory (4 x 8GB)

Storage: samsung 850 pro 512GB SSD

Storage: Hitachi ultrastar 2TB 3.5" 7200 RPM Internal Hard Drive

Video Card: ASUS GeForce GTX 1080 8GB ROG STRIX OC Edition Graphic Card

case: corsair carbide 400c ATX Mid tower Case

I have no knowledge on what cpu cooler and power supply to go for so please suggest the suitable ones.

EVGA is not available in my country.

 

Thank you

[ramon acha]

This website is quite good to check compatibility and prices:

https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/

and this one for cpu comparison:

https://www.cpubenchmark.net/high_end_cpus.html

[Nikolaos M]

The system is fine.

Go for the i7 6800K imo. 6850K would just give 12 pcie lanes more, which in your case (and since you're using vray) won't be of any importance.

Look for a 650-750W psu at the most. Pick one with golden efficiency and at least 5 years of warranty. Choose something among these:

Cooler Master V650/750

Corsair RM650/750 (x or i)

Super Flower Leadex Gold 650/750W

As for the cpu cooler, look at a liquid AIO from the start. These processors are quite hot for air-coolers to handle in demanding use.

I don't know what's available in your country, but some good options are the Corsair H110GTX, the NZXT X61 Kraken, the Cryorig A80 and a couple more.

[Dimitris Tolios]

The part selection is good. The corsair 400C/400Q line is beautiful.

PSU is "easy" as Nikolaos suggests.

 

For cooling I don't know if I would go for a CLC (water) if you don't plan on overclocking. Too much hassle for little or no benefit.

If you want to go for the novelty of having a "water cooled pc", sure. I actually used a Arctic Liquid Freezer 240 in my latest build (s1150, but does 2011-3 too) and I think its better value than Corsair / NZXT equivalents (thicker rad = more surface area, 4x push-pull PWM fans included for push-pull, no software gimmick to control it).

 

That said, I think that the "classic" Noctua NH-D15 or the likes of Phanteks PH-TC14PE & Be Quiet! Dark Rock Pro 3 will work just fine with any stock or mildly clocked s2011-3 CPU, and are generally more reliable (fewer parts to fail, nothing to leak).

[Nikolaos M]

Hey Dimitri.

 

I've recently set up a 5960X based system with a relative of mine and used a Noctua U12S in push-pull to cool it. Unfortunately it was no good for anything above 4.0GHz. Even at stock speeds, the minimums were quite high for me to accept (~40°). Maybe the case wasn't appropriate either (Cooler Master 652S), so I can't blame the Noctua for everything. I just think that air-coolers are not enough for the extreme socket. Only the monstrous dual towers can suffice (D15, Cryorig R1 etc) but I'm not so excited about having a 1.5-2Kg beast of an air-cooler sticking out of the motherboard. A good AIO is always a good investment I think. Of course, if oc is out of the question, it's different, but for the extreme socket I would just pick a relatively cheap AIO (240mm or 120/140mm) anyway and have it running in silent mode. Much cleaner looks, better airflow, no RAM compatibility issues etc.

Besides, a good-looking case like the small 400C "yells" for an AIO in front

[Dimitris Tolios]

There is no issue with the weight of the cooler on motherboards due to the bracket on the back that is supplied with most towers spreading all the stress. Especially for the s2011 that the socket itself is a sandwich of steel on both sides and doesn't even need a bracket.

 

Now, I have no doubt that a Noctua U12S or a CM 212 EVO or any other compact air cooler will have issues with an overclocked 6-core, furthermore a 8-core like the 5960X. But I do think there are zero issues when the CPUs are not overclocked even with those "small" by today's standards and universally not very loud air coolers. People use them for all kinds of s2011 builds, from i7 to 12C or bigger Xeons without any issues. Remember, the stock requirements are always 130-140W, which is nothing special to keep cool.

 

Twin towers can even hold up with mild overclocking, but that again is subject to what's the max temps you want to sustain, and that is an issue: intel sets the Tmax @ 100oC, after which thermal throttling occurs. Yet users go bonkers if they see 60oC or something like that (forgive my exaggeration).

 

Similarly with GPUs, especially the semi-passive cooled ones that have conservative fan curves: the GPUs don't even care to start spinning their fans before 65oC out of the box, and casually go to 80-90oC at full load with the factory fan curves, yet everybody "knows better" and cranks them up to run cooler...

 

The Dell T5810 tower I am writing this on now, which doesn't even have a fan attached on the silly aluminum cooler over that s2011 Xeon E5 V3...that's a 140W CPU that relies on a single 120mm fan in the front and one at the back of the case to casually cool it down, after it warms up...the fans typically don't even run unless I am rendering as CPU utilization is a joke with 1-2 threads the typical design workflow requires.

 

 

As someone that has been through all of that, and built a couple open WC loops that do indeed keep everything @ 40oC or less even at ~50% or more OC over stock (at the expense of hundreds of extra $), I think temps are unimportant, especially when overclocking is not even mentioned by the OP. Yes, I "extreme cool" my personal rigs, but its for fun mostly...