# PC Build Part List Analysis



## Nate Johnson (Apr 7, 2020)

So this would be my first PC build. I think I've got the jist of whats necessary for components. I've decided to build around the Ryzen 3700x; 8 cores is huge leap from where I am now and reviews seem favorable. I'm not running huge orchestral templates or cpu hungry synths. DAW will be Bitwig. 

My biggest preference would be for the quietest system possible. Beyond that, I'd *like* to keep it around $1500. 

This is my list so far: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/bYjYwh

Processor: AMD Ryzen 7 3700x
Cooler: Be Quiet! Dark Rock Slim
Motherboard: ASRock X570 Pro4
Ram: G.skill Ripjaws V series 32gb ram (2x16gb)
System Drive: Samsung 970 Evo Plus m.2 1tb NVME ssd
Samples Drive: Samsung 2tb 2.5" Evo 860 (for now - I already have this)
GPU: Asus Radeon RX570 4GB ROG Strix
Power: Seasonic FOCUS 750w 80+Gold
Case: Fractal Design Meshify C ATX Mid-Tower

I use a 2 channel usb audio interface and 2 usb controllers. I already have a monitor. I'll be running a hard line for internet.

Budget-wise, I'm where I want to be. Am I missing or confusing anything? Will this be super quiet/silent? I'd be willing to spend more to that end.

Thanks!


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## easyrider (Apr 7, 2020)

Go for a better motherboard with a better VRM should you wish to upgrade to a 3900x or 4900x

*X570 AORUS ELITE (AMD AM4) DDR4 X570 CHIPSET ATX MOTHERBOARD*


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## youngpokie (Apr 7, 2020)

Are you planning to save projects on the systems drive, along with the OS? In my own build, I use a dedicated drive for "My Documents" in Windows and "Cubase Projects", so in case I need to reset the OS, I don't have to worry about moving those files. This SSD doesn't have to have super fast read/write capability. My samples drive was chosen for fastest read speed (at the expense of write speed, since I don't write/install new samples often).

Also, even though you say you're not planning for RAM-intensive libraries, it is wise to at least have room for expansion in the future. With 4 memory slots, your current setup will max out at 64, no? 

In my case, I went for cheaper power supply (half price of yours), cheaper m2 for Windows drive (two thirds cheaper than yours), on board graphics without a cooler, and then I put those savings into a faster CPU, more memory and a dedicated SSD for My Docs/Cubase Projects.


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## Nate Johnson (Apr 7, 2020)

youngpokie said:


> Are you planning to save projects on the systems drive, along with the OS? In my own build, I use a dedicated drive for "My Documents" in Windows and "Cubase Projects", so in case I need to reset the OS, I don't have to worry about moving those files. This SSD doesn't have to have super fast read/write capability. My samples drive was chosen for fastest read speed (at the expense of write speed, since I don't write/install new samples often).
> 
> Also, even though you say you're not planning for RAM-intensive libraries, it is wise to at least have room for expansion in the future. With 4 memory slots, your current setup will max out at 64, no?
> 
> In my case, I went for cheaper power supply (half price of yours), cheaper m2 for Windows drive (two thirds cheaper than yours), on board graphics without a cooler, and then I put those savings into a faster CPU, more memory and a dedicated SSD for My Docs/Cubase Projects.



Typically, my active projects are housed on my system drive. On my current system, I’m archiving older projects onto my samples drive (the evo 860). I suppose that’s not the best practice, but it works. So I guess my new ssd layout ought to be tweaked. I don’t mind spending extra $$ there. I’ve been operating under the assumption that the m.2 format is the most desirable - right?

That motherboard can handle up to 128gb of ram, so I figure if/when I need to upgrade from 32gb, I could either add another 2x16gb for 64gb total, or swap em all 4x32gb for 128gb. 

I get your thought pattern for your build - but since you went cheaper on power supply and graphics card, are you sacrificing noise? Or does it still run quiet? It’s tough for me, because my current system is 100% silent, and I’m in a quiet room, working on mostly quiet music. 


easyrider, I’ll check out that mobo - thanks!


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## easyrider (Apr 7, 2020)

Sorry for the large font...it was a copy and pasted from the net...

I have the Gigabyte X570 Ultra and cant fault it...


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## barteredbride (Apr 7, 2020)

Buy more RAM. You'll max out 32gb in no time. 

Maybe save the money buy buying crucial mx500 SSD drives instead of the m.2

You don't want a sh it hot system but have to disable tracks etc . Its annoying !


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## José Herring (Apr 7, 2020)

I like it.

Yes separate drives for projects especially if you are using SSD for your system drive. I personally would use a Hybrid drive for your C drive and another for your project drive. Keep the sample streaming drives SSD for sure.

I'm not convinced of the longevity of the SSD just quite yet. It has a limited number of writes before it goes bad. But that just may be old data.

Here's an article that is good news for SSD's:






SSD Lifespan: How Long do SSDs Last | Ontrack Blog


Ontrack discusses SSDs, physical faults, malfunctioning controller and storage chips, and hazards of recovering data with data recovery software.




www.ontrack.com


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## Nate Johnson (Apr 7, 2020)

josejherring said:


> Yes separate drives for projects especially if you are using SSD for your system drive.



I dunno man, its been YEARS since I've run projects on a separate drive from my OS drive. Never had a problem. I thought that mentality went out with spinning drives! This of course is all in reference to Apple hardware...maybe PC is different. Still worth investigating though.


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## Nate Johnson (Apr 7, 2020)

barteredbride said:


> Buy more RAM. You'll max out 32gb in no time.
> 
> Maybe save the money buy buying crucial mx500 SSD drives instead of the m.2
> 
> You don't want a sh it hot system but have to disable tracks etc . Its annoying !



I'll check out those Crucial drives...I was just continuing the Samsung collection I've already started.

Amount of RAM - I've been making it work with 8gb for quite some time now. 32gb is 4 times that! But your point is still completely valid, and worth considering!


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## Nate Johnson (Apr 7, 2020)

easyrider said:


> Sorry for the large font...it was a copy and pasted from the net...



oh, and here I was just thinking you were really REALLY into that idea  lol


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## easyrider (Apr 7, 2020)

tomorrowstops said:


> oh, and here I was just thinking you were really REALLY into that idea  lol




Just a note, Keep you OS drive separate from evening else. Not only is this professional practice. Its quicker more secure and easier to manage.

My config is

NVME 1 TB for OS and apps.
2 TB SSD for Projects and samples
2 TB SSD for samples

All backed up


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## Technostica (Apr 7, 2020)

josejherring said:


> I'm not convinced of the longevity of the SSD just quite yet. It has a limited number of writes before it goes bad. But that just may be old data.


The endurance (how much data you can write to them) of even cheaper SSDs is absolutely fine for general usage and for Sample Libraries which are mainly Reads it's even less of an issue.
For scratch disks as used for video editing it can be an issue.
The bigger question is how long they can maintain data integrity when not powered on.
They aren't ideal for that at all and better to use a HDD for that.
They are much harder to recover data from but a robust backup scheme should make that a moot point.


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## Pictus (Apr 8, 2020)

tomorrowstops said:


> Budget-wise, I'm where I want to be. Am I missing or confusing anything? Will this be super quiet/silent? I'd be willing to spend more to that end.
> 
> Thanks!



My take https://pcpartpicker.com/list/3zYFWb

-Changed the CPU cooler to the most silent/efficient you can have for the AMD Ryzen 7 3700x.



-Changed the RAM to 3600Mhz, see why





Ryzen Memory testing for audio, does it make an impact?







www.scanproaudio.info






-Added one 140mm fan to be placed at the top of the case for throwing air over the RAM sticks.







-Changed the PSU to a more silent model, up to +-250W the fan is off and up to
+- 600W the RPM/Noise is very low.








Corsair RM850x V2 PSU Review: Smaller And Quieter!


Corsair upgraded its best-selling line RMx family with new models featuring smaller dimensions and quieter operation. And despite limited PCB space, performance remains similar from one generation to the next.




www.tomshardware.com









-Get a Windows 10 Enterprise 64 key for $6.20
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Windows-10-Enterprise-32-64-bit-Activation-Key-1-PC-Genuine-/153876192699

-Some tweaks you may like





Nvidia Driver, no latency anymore?


Hi all! We all know that AMD drivers have from far, less latency than Nvidia drivers, and for that reason we all recommand an AMD graphic card for audio working. But recently i have dealt with a new install on a PC with an Nvidia graphic card. And when i updated to the latest driver i saw an...




vi-control.net


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## Nate Johnson (Apr 9, 2020)

Pictus said:


> My take https://pcpartpicker.com/list/bdJwHB
> 
> -Changed the CPU cooler to the most silent/efficient you can have for the AMD Ryzen 7 3700x.
> 
> ...




WOW, thank you so much! I'll start looking at all this stuff!


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## Nate Johnson (Jun 10, 2020)

Getting closer to actually building this thing. I have a couple of questions.

Should I be looking at cheaper graphics cards? There's obviously a huge range in price. I will not be working with video, or if I do it will be in the most basic-not-in-daw-whatever-the-windows-equivalent-to-imovie-is. But really, it's not a priority. However, if going cheaper sacrifices overall system efficiency to a point of introducing noise, I'll spend the extra.

And @Pictus - whats the deal with the $6 Windows 10 Enterprise keys on ebay? Is this legit? Is there anything i need to know about Enterprise vs Home?

PCpartpicker seems to coral market data to find the best deal for each component. Is this the best way purchase, or are there other sources I should be comparing prices with?


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## Pictus (Jun 10, 2020)

*New build with parts currently available...*





System Builder







pcpartpicker.com





If do not plan to use Thunderbolt, this build has a better motherboard





System Builder







pcpartpicker.com





Still lower than $1500 and you can upgrade the CPU





System Builder







pcpartpicker.com





The GPU you selected was semi-passive, the fans only turn on when hot
like doing game/3D, this one now is 100 passive.
Some tweaks you better check at https://vi-control.net/community/threads/nvidia-driver-no-latency-anymore.87448/#post-4489683

The key is legit https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/63821099
The Enterprise have more freedom








Windows 10 Enterprise vs. Pro: What Is the Difference? | Lakeside


Ready to make the switch to Windows 10? Here are the key differences between Windows 10 Pro and Windows 10 Enterprise.




www.lakesidesoftware.com




But you can go to the PRO








Compare Windows 10 Home vs Pro | Microsoft Windows


Get reassurance on which Windows 10 version to buy. Compare Windows 10 Home vs. Pro with Microsoft’s comprehensive checklist and feel confident in your choice!




www.microsoft.com





PCpartpicker is the choice!

The RAM/case is now even better, the cooler still very good and lowered the PSU wattage.


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## Nate Johnson (Jun 10, 2020)

Pictus said:


> *New build with parts currently available...*
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Dude, you are the best! You must really like making lists🤓 thank you!!!


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## Vin (Jun 10, 2020)

tomorrowstops said:


> So this would be my first PC build. I think I've got the jist of whats necessary for components. I've decided to build around the Ryzen 3700x; 8 cores is huge leap from where I am now and reviews seem favorable. I'm not running huge orchestral templates or cpu hungry synths. DAW will be Bitwig.
> 
> My biggest preference would be for the quietest system possible. Beyond that, I'd *like* to keep it around $1500.
> 
> ...



This is already a good machine, but if you're willing to spend a bit more you can get the 3900X which is 12C/24T - it will be much more future-proof. I agree with previous posts, it's better to add a HDD, either for backup, projects, or both. Also, you can get legitimate Windows 10 license on eBay for much less, so you could use the money to upgrade the CPU.

ASrock motherboards are rock solid (solid ASRock heh) in my experience. Zalman CNPS17X is on par and even better than Noctua's coolers which are my favorite, so you can overclock your CPU without any problems. Also, 650W Seasonic 80+ PSU is plenty for this, you don't need a 750W PSU.

Here's my take: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/X3TnV7

If you don't care about gaming/rendering, you can save $100 on GPU as well.


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## Nate Johnson (Jun 10, 2020)

Vin said:


> This is already a good machine, but if you're willing to spend a bit more you can get the 3900X which is 12C/24T - it will be much more future-proof. I agree with previous posts, it's better to add a HDD, either for backup, projects, or both. Also, you can get legitimate Windows 10 license on eBay for much less, so you could use the money to upgrade the CPU.
> 
> ASrock motherboards are rock solid (solid ASRock heh) in my experience. Zalman CNPS17X is on par and even better than Noctua's coolers which are my favorite, so you can overclock your CPU without any problems. Also, 650W Seasonic 80+ PSU is plenty for this, you don't need a 750W PSU.
> 
> ...



Thank you! I'm definitely going to consider the 12 core, and most likely I'll add another ssd for projects. I'll check out that cooler and good tip on the power supply!


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## Nate Johnson (Jun 11, 2020)

@Pictus - you recommended the Scythe Ninja 5 for cooling with the 3700x build, I see you went with the Be Quiet Dark Rock for the 3900x - is that intentional?

Not sure if I’ll go this route, but is there any reason any of this hardware wouldn’t be appropriate for a hackintosh running Mojave?


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## Pictus (Jun 11, 2020)

Because the Ninja/Fuma doubled the price... :(
And I think the be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 4 or Noctua NH-D15 is a better choice for the 3900x.
I have no idea about hackintosh or Mojave.


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## Nate Johnson (Jun 12, 2020)

Alright, here's my latest version: 






System Builder







pcpartpicker.com





I doubled the ram (64gb), cuz why not and added a second 1tb ssd for projects. There will be a third drive (2tb ssd sata) for samples, which I already own.


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## Pictus (Jun 12, 2020)

tomorrowstops said:


> Alright, here's my latest version:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



The crucial MX500 M.2 is a SATA drive, not a FAST NVMe

ALL X570 motherboards works best with *2 RAM sticks, not 4!*
With 4 at default settings I bet they will not work at 3600MHz, but
tweaking the voltages(RAM/SOC) you may be able to run the 4 at
3600MHz, but you need at least better RAM chips like Crucial(Micron E-die).
1usmus DRAM Calculator for Ryzen








NEW!!! DRAM Calculator for Ryzen™ 1.7.3 (overclocking...


AMD Ryzen Memory Tweaking & Overclocking Guide https://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/AMD/Ryzen_Memory_Tweaking_Overclocking_Guide/ MEMbench 0.6 README https://www.overclock.net/forum/27960952-post4412.html HOW USE MEMTEST in MEMbench https://www.overclock.net/forum/28069030-post5047.html...




www.overclock.net


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## brek (Jun 12, 2020)

Pictus said:


> The crucial MX500 M.2 is a SATA drive, not a FAST NVMe
> 
> ALL X570 motherboards works best with *2 RAM sticks, not 4!*
> With 4 at default settings I bet they will not work at 3600MHz, but
> ...



Piggybacking on the OP's build since I am looking to build a similar PC.

Main difference: I was looking to go with 4x32GB ram. How much of a performance hit is this going to cause? What's the effect of going 3x32?


Thanks for all the helpful comments in this thread. It's making my head spin less.


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## Pictus (Jun 12, 2020)

I am glad to help, the Ryzen X570 motherboards has a dual channel memory controller
and the operation is interleaved between the RAM sticks, because it is in Daisy Chain topology
it is optimized for two RAM sticks, I never used with 3 RAM sticks...


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## Nate Johnson (Jun 12, 2020)

Pictus said:


> The crucial MX500 M.2 is a SATA drive, not a FAST NVMe
> 
> ALL X570 motherboards works best with *2 RAM sticks, not 4!*
> With 4 at default settings I bet they will not work at 3600MHz, but
> ...



Ok, got it. I switched the ram to 32gb sticks x2

And I’ll go Nvme on the ssd. I’m going to do more research myself, but I might come back with additional ssd questions!

Thank you!


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## brek (Jun 12, 2020)

Pictus said:


> I am glad to help, the Ryzen X570 motherboards has a dual channel memory controller
> and the operation is interleaved between the RAM sticks, because it is in Daisy Chain topology
> it is optimized for two RAM sticks, I never used with 3 RAM sticks...




Thanks a lot, that helped wrapped my head around the issue. So after a fair amount of Googling, I'm struggling to find examples of x570 machines with 128GB of RAM. Maybe best to move on to Intel or Threadripper if that is a necessity?


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## Pictus (Jun 13, 2020)

brek said:


> Thanks a lot, that helped wrapped my head around the issue. So after a fair amount of Googling, I'm struggling to find examples of x570 machines with 128GB of RAM. Maybe best to move on to Intel or Threadripper if that is a necessity?





I am glad to help, it works, but to try to achieve 3600MHz with 4 RAM sticks:

-Get the RAM(Micron E-die) that tax less the CPU memory controller





Choose Memory







pcpartpicker.com





-Tweak the RAM settings








Gearspace.com - View Single Post - AMD Ryzen 3000 series


Post 14749920 -Forum for professional and amateur recording engineers to share techniques and advice.



www.gearslutz.com





-Motherboard with 8 PCB layers have better memory signalling
Gigabyte X570 Extreme (revision 1.*1* has Thunderbolt header)
Asus X570 Crosshair/Formula
MSI X570 Godlike


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## Nate Johnson (Jun 13, 2020)

System Builder







pcpartpicker.com





I think I'm there. My only SSD question is in regards to my current sample library drive - a 2tb Samsung 860 Evo 2.5" SATA:

*A:* This will fit and work with the selected motherboard, right? It's not an M.2, which is fine as those two slots are taken by the 970s. 

*B:* Would the 860 be better used as the project drive and use one of the 970s as the sample drive instead? 1tb is _plenty_ for my libraries (not adding any!)


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## Pictus (Jun 13, 2020)

tomorrowstops said:


> System Builder
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Why two 1TB Samsung 970 EVO plus for $400 total?
I would get one 2TB NVMe SSD, the Corsair MP510 1.92 TB for $319.99
If really want 2 drives, one Samsung 970 EVO plus 256GB($75) or 512GB($120) for BOOT
and for the second drive, 2TB ADATA XPG SX8200 Pro for $260
Why, read here.

For SATA vs NVMe read here

BTW, something got my attention!
If you plan to use 128GB in the future, change the motherboard to 6 or 8 layer PCB model:
-8 Layer PCB Asus ROG Crosshair VIII Hero
6 Layer PCB:
-Gigabyte X570 AORUS PRO WIFI (revision 1.*1* has Thunderbolt header)
-Asus TUF GAMING X570-PLUS (WI-FI) (*better price than 4 PCB Gigabyte Elite*)


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## Nate Johnson (Jun 13, 2020)

Pictus said:


> Why two 1TB Samsung 970 EVO plus for $400 total?
> I would get one 2TB NVMe SSD, the Corsair MP510 1.92 TB for $319.99
> If really want 2 drives, one Samsung 970 EVO plus 256GB($75) or 512GB($120) for BOOT
> and for the second drive, 2TB ADATA XPG SX8200 Pro for $260
> ...



Wait, so you’re saying a single Nvme ssd is fine for OS/projects/samples? I was only getting the two drives because someone wagged their finger at me for not wanting to separate OS and projects (which I haven’t done since switching to SSDs years ago). And then I was going to use my third ssd for samples. But if one 2tb Nvme works, I’m totally down for that!

And of course, I’ll say I’m not planning on going up to 128gb of ram, buuuut I’ll look at those boards anyways!


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## Pictus (Jun 13, 2020)

tomorrowstops said:


> Wait, so you’re saying a single Nvme ssd is fine for OS/projects/samples?


YES! (for TLC/MLC not QLC)
No loss of performance for audio workloads...
For video editing it is another history...


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## Nate Johnson (Jun 13, 2020)

Pictus said:


> YES! (for TLC/MLC not QLC)
> No loss of performance for audio workloads...
> For video editing it is another history...



INNNNteresting! 🔥


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## Nate Johnson (Sep 25, 2020)

Alright, I'm back to thinking about this project and have refined my parts list a little bit. 



https://pcpartpicker.com/list/LZwbYH



Again, the goal is quiet, 12 core Ryzen/64gb ram system which I decided to take @Pictus' advice and run a mobo that can handle 128gb for futureproofing. I will also be experimenting with running a NVME ssd for everything (os/projects/samples) based on the posts above. For my style of use it might work just fine. Worst case, I'll continue to run the Samsung 860 I have for samples. For a PC based DAW, I'll be running Bitwig to start and may evolve to adding Cubase. Interface is just the cheapy NI Komplete Audio unit, which I'm sure will work. 

Right now everything I need comes in at just under $1700, which is doable. I am wondering however, if it might be worth waiting until the big holiday sales start. I'm not in a rush (clearly), and I assume like every other retail category, computer parts go on sale after Thanksgiving.


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## Pictus (Sep 25, 2020)

Maybe wait for the Vermeer series








AMD Next Generation 'Vermeer' Processors To Be Called Ryzen 5000 Series, May Max Out At 12 Cores Instead Of 16


According to a leak by an unknown source (via Videocardz), AMD will be utilizing 5000 series naming instead of 4000 series naming for its upcoming Zen-3 based Vermeer series of processors. This is something that makes a lot of sense considering AMD already has Ryzen 4000 series on mobility...




wccftech.com





My take today https://pcpartpicker.com/list/3zYFWb

Changed:

The RAM, I prefer the Crucial, but is expensive and this will work fine.








G.Skill TridentZ NEO DDR4 3600 MHz (2x32GB) review


We review what I find to be one of the better looking and properly fast DDR4 memory kits ever. G.Skill TridentZ NEO DDR4, now nicely dense up at 32GB per DIMM module. This TridentZ NEO 64GB (x2 32G... A double data-rate introduction




www.guru3d.com





The motherboard, this one does not have the pesky chipset fan and have
Thunderbolt header, if want Thunderbolt ports change to the Gigabyte B550 VISION D.


The case fans



BTW, do not forget the tweaks!





Nvidia Driver, no latency anymore?


Hi all! We all know that AMD drivers have from far, less latency than Nvidia drivers, and for that reason we all recommand an AMD graphic card for audio working. But recently i have dealt with a new install on a PC with an Nvidia graphic card. And when i updated to the latest driver i saw an...




vi-control.net


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## shponglefan (Sep 25, 2020)

One thing I would look out for in studio PC builds is coil whine. It wasn't something I considered when I built my Intel 9900k system. I wound up getting a lot of coil whine from the CPU, which would be audible through the various ports (e.g. USB). Literally, you could put your ear up to a USB port and you'd hear audible electrical noise. The more active the processor was, the louder the noise.

This also has translated to ground loop noise when attaching any audio interfaces. I've managed to mitigate it via cable management and some BIOS settings. But it's something to consider when shopping for a CPU/MB combo.


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