# I'm Switching from Mac to PC, I can't do it without you! Please Help!



## Jshippjr (Jun 15, 2020)

Hello my fellow composers.

The time has come and I have decided to give my studio computer a full upgrade. Mac has treated me well for the past 5 years but their prices has gone outside of my budget and I've decided to take the leap into a PC build. (Very scared about potential compatibility issues)

Forgive the long list, but I would like to paint my situation out in detail to try to mitigate as many issues as possible.

My current setup

Hardware
-Macbook Pro (mid 2012), 2.6Ghz i7, 16GB ram
-Thunderbolt Display - (Willing to sell and upgrade if thunderbolt 1 options are not available on new pc build)
-Lacie little big disk thunderbolt 1 external SSD (1TB) (Willing to sell and upgrade if thunderbolt 1 options are not available on new pc build)
-Pro tools HD Native thunderbolt card. (Willing to sell and upgrade if thunderbolt 1 options are not available on new pc build)
-Pro tolls HD OMNI audio interface (Willing to sell and upgrade to a more PC friendly Audio interface)
-NI Maschine MK1 (Willing to sell and upgrade)
-Euphonix artist mix (x2)(Willing to sell and upgrade)

Software
-Pro tools HD 12.5 (I plan on upgrading to latest version with the new PC)
-EW Hollywood Orchestra, symphonic orchestra
-Spitfire solo and chamber strings
-OT M ark 1 and 2
-cinesamples brass and wood sections
-NI komplete 8
-Eduardo Tarilonte ERA II
-8DIO libraries

The purpose of this build would be to do what we do. Compose, edit and mix music to video. Ideally, I would like to have a 2 monitor setup with the video I'm composing to on a 3rd monitor/TV. Secondary purpose would be to play world of warcraft at max settings. 

My budget for this build is $2500. I'm open to stretching this budget if its necessary.


Here are my preferences:

Cpu - Something in the i7-i9 range 8-10 cores.
Motherboard - I don't know enough to make an educated decision (possibly something to house my thunderbolt 1 equipment?)
Memory - 64-128G for fast playback of my Large sample libraries / Large composing template with 100s of tracks preloaded with samples.
GPU - I would need something that can handle low latency video playback as I'm writing music, Connectivity for 3-4 Monitors, and handle high graphics on games.
Hard drive - 2-4TB of SSD
Case - I don't know enough to make an educated decision :(
Power supply - I don't know enough to make an educated decision :(






System Builder







pcpartpicker.com





The above is where I'm at so far. Would love to hear your thoughts and recommendations.

Thank you in advance


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## Damarus (Jun 15, 2020)

You'll get some good replies that will go into more detail here, but just from a quick look..

The NV 2080S is overkill. At 1440p, I believe you can max that game out with a GTX1070 even. so something like a 2060S might allow you to allocate more power elsewhere.


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## Pictus (Jun 15, 2020)

Premiere Pro 14.2 H.264 and H.265 Hardware Encoding Performance


In the 14.2 version of Premiere Pro, Adobe has added support for GPU-based H264/H.265 (HEVC) hardware encoding with both NVIDIA and AMD GPUs. How well does this feature work, and how much faster is it than the previous hardware encoding that utilized Intel Quicksync?




www.pugetsystems.com













Premiere Pro CPU performance: Intel Core 10th Gen vs AMD Ryzen 3rd Gen


When AMD released their Ryzen 3rd Gen CPUs in 2019, they were able to match (or beat) Intel at most price points. Will Intel's new 10th Gen lineup allow them to take back the Premiere Pro performance crown?




www.pugetsystems.com










Test Labs | Scan Pro Audio







www.scanproaudio.info






For PSU Corsair RMx (2018), up to +-250W the fan is off and
up to +-600W, the RPM/noise is very low.
https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/corsair-rm850x-v2-psu,5568-5.html


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## ookami (Jun 15, 2020)

Jshippjr said:


> Hello my fellow composers.
> 
> The time has come and I have decided to give my studio computer a full upgrade. Mac has treated me well for the past 5 years but their prices has gone outside of my budget and I've decided to take the leap into a PC build. (Very scared about potential compatibility issues)
> 
> ...



We went with the Ryzen R3950X CPU which runs 16 Cores, at fairly high Clock Speeds, we are Super happy with the Performance so far, maybe You could also look into this direction, too. 😅


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## Solarsentinel (Jun 16, 2020)

I suggest an seasonic focus + 650w for rhe psu over the corsair. (O db mode are also present) and a new fractal design R7 or the R6 for the quiet case.


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## Prockamanisc (Jun 16, 2020)

I just wanna say: stay Mac. Bite the bullet, save an extra few months, and get the Mac Pro. Just upgrade the hard drive to 1TB and you can spend $6400 on it. If you sign up for Business Pricing, it's $6016. Upgrade RAM and such over time. You'll just be happier, and that means a lot. It's a difference of $3430, which over 5 years, means $1.88/day. Is it worth $1.88/day to be happy in your workspace? Be an Apple sheep. Stay happy and warm.


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## MartinH. (Jun 16, 2020)

Prockamanisc said:


> I just wanna say: stay Mac. Bite the bullet, save an extra few months, and get the Mac Pro. Just upgrade the hard drive to 1TB and you can spend $6400 on it. If you sign up for Business Pricing, it's $6016. Upgrade RAM and such over time. You'll just be happier, and that means a lot. It's a difference of $3430, which over 5 years, means $1.88/day. Is it worth $1.88/day to be happy in your workspace? Be an Apple sheep. Stay happy and warm.



Can't tell if that's sarcasm or not. 




Jshippjr said:


> Power supply - I don't know enough to make an educated decision :(



I usually buy a BeQuiet Dark Power Pro. Edit: but if you can get one that leaves the fan off until its needed, that could be a good investment. I'm not sure if the current BeQuiet PSUs offer that feature. I haven't looked in a long while.




Jshippjr said:


> GPU - I would need something that can handle low latency video playback as I'm writing music, Connectivity for 3-4 Monitors, and handle high graphics on games.


All gaming GPUs are "fast" enough to not cause latency on video playback. But there were some threads about audio latency caused by GPU drivers, and I'm not sure if/how the situation on what's better - amd or nvidia - has changed. Might be worth doing some research.
I always buy nvidia because I need CUDA and I don't care that much about audio latency.

For display latency, you need to look most carefully at your screen. Those can have "input lag" in the range of 2 to 3 frames @ 60hz, that is between ~ 30 and 50 ms. The ms numbers they advertise on the box and spec sheets of screens usually are the "response time" for switching a pixel from grey to grey for example, that's something else. You need to look at professional monitor reviews to learn about the real input lag compared to a CRT screen.


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## Prockamanisc (Jun 16, 2020)

MartinH. said:


> Can't tell if that's sarcasm or not.


It's not sarcasm, but I tried to convey the message of "yes, I know it's absurd, yes, I'm an Apple sheep." But I meant everything I said. If you like Mac, then stay on Mac. I got a slave a few years ago because the prices were so bad with the new Trashcan Mac, and I should have just gotten the Trashcan. I hate Windows.


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## Symfoniq (Jun 16, 2020)

MartinH. said:


> Can't tell if that's sarcasm or not.



It shouldn’t be. I left the Mac for several years while Apple sold crippled hardware. Windows 10 is certainly capable enough, but now that the Mac Pro 7,1 is released, I’m back on macOS and glad to be home.


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## nolotrippen (Jun 16, 2020)

Prockamanisc said:


> It's not sarcasm, but I tried to convey the message of "yes, I know it's absurd, yes, I'm an Apple sheep." But I meant everything I said. If you like Mac, then stay on Mac. I got a slave a few years ago because the prices were so bad with the new Trashcan Mac, and I should have just gotten the Trashcan. I hate Windows.



I have to agree. Play on Steam and everyone else has a PC and usually a self-built machine and the whining never ends (nor the crashing). I tell them I'm playing L4d2 on a Mac and they all laugh. Not me.


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## MartinH. (Jun 16, 2020)

Prockamanisc said:


> It's not sarcasm, but I tried to convey the message of "yes, I know it's absurd, yes, I'm an Apple sheep." But I meant everything I said. If you like Mac, then stay on Mac. I got a slave a few years ago because the prices were so bad with the new Trashcan Mac, and I should have just gotten the Trashcan. I hate Windows.



Oh, ok. Well if it makes you happy I guess it _is _worth it. For me personally nothing made me appreciate windows more than trying to switch to osx once. The "apple way" just isn't for me.


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## iggyigoe (Jun 16, 2020)

Pictus said:


> Premiere Pro 14.2 H.264 and H.265 Hardware Encoding Performance
> 
> 
> In the 14.2 version of Premiere Pro, Adobe has added support for GPU-based H264/H.265 (HEVC) hardware encoding with both NVIDIA and AMD GPUs. How well does this feature work, and how much faster is it than the previous hardware encoding that utilized Intel Quicksync?
> ...





All I can say is listen to this guy.. He helped me with my PC build and I've never looked back!


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## ynwtf (Jun 16, 2020)

I recently built my PC using the Silverstone Grandia GD08 case. It's pricey compared to a lot of options, but it's solid, attractive, spacious, and is capable of rack-mounting with the purchase of the add-on ears. The case has up to three 120mm fan mounts on the bottom, under the drive cage (2 spaces, if you use the optional cable box which takes up the third fan mount). There are two 120mm mounts on the side, and two 80mm mounts on the back for exhaust. Two USB 3 ports are up front for quick access. If you don't rack it, it can sit horizontally with four cylindrical feet to lift it roughly half an inch for air intake if you'd rather leave it on a desk or shelf. It looks sharp and doesn't scream, "OMGERSH LOOK AT ME WITH MY SPINNY WHEEL GLOWY STUFFS!" But that last bit is totally subjective, of course.


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## dzilizzi (Jun 16, 2020)

Prockamanisc said:


> It's not sarcasm, but I tried to convey the message of "yes, I know it's absurd, yes, I'm an Apple sheep." But I meant everything I said. If you like Mac, then stay on Mac. I got a slave a few years ago because the prices were so bad with the new Trashcan Mac, and I should have just gotten the Trashcan. I hate Windows.


This. I'm a PC. But this makes a lot of sense. You may want to go the Hackintosh route if you can't afford a full Mac Pro. There are differences in how things work between the two and if you've never used a PC you will be frustrated (It goes the opposite way as well. I tend to find Macs annoying at times) So you will use a lot of time learning the system. I want to say some of the PT shortcuts are different. I tend to have problems with a few when I switch between the systems, but that could just be me. 

However, if you have used a PC and are comfortable with it. I would switch, as you do get much more bang for your buck. You will need to reformat all your library drives and reload everything back onto them. Unfortunately, the file formats are not compatible. This is something that can take some time also.


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## ghobii (Jun 16, 2020)

I made this switch last week. Had been on Mac for the last 12 years, though I'd switched between Mac and PC before that. I ended up with the AMD Ryzen 3900, on an ASUS 570 board, a nVidia 2060S GPU, and a Fractal Define 5 Case. So far I'm extremely happy. Very fast system, and very quiet considering it's sitting on the desk besides me with the sides still off as I'm still adding hard drives.

At first Windows seemed incredibly clunky, as I had a lot of muscle-memory type ways of moving around the mac. But one-by one I've found the Windows equivalent, or something similar and it's getting more comfortable. I also haven't noticed any big latency issues with the nVidia card yet.

If you have a bunch of files on Mac formatted hard drives like I did, there's a program called HFS+ by Paragon software that can read Mac drives. They have a 7 day free demo, which is enough time to transfer everything, or it's only $29 to keep.


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## Pictus (Jun 16, 2020)

For lower audio latency AMD GPUs are better, the drives are less bloated
and it is easy to disable unnecessary services(the bloat).
Nvidia GPUs are better for video, but got bloated drivers...
The tweaks fix things, a must for NVIDIA users




__





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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## ookami (Jun 18, 2020)

Pictus said:


> For lower audio latency AMD GPUs are better, the drives are less bloated
> and it is easy to disable unnecessary services(the bloat).
> Nvidia GPUs are better for video, but got bloated drivers...
> The tweaks fix things, a must for NVIDIA users
> ...



The Guys from Cubase recomended Nvidia for optimal Performance in Cubase, so we went this Road and had no issues yet 😊


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## classified_the_x (Jun 28, 2020)

my current setup:

Intel 9700k oc'ed to 4,6ghz
Gigabyte Aorus I Z390 Mini Itx 
Corsair Vengeance 2x16gb 3000mhz
Samsung 970 PRO
Corsair SF450 small form factor PSU
Corsair H90 Watercooler 

I'm getting more NVME drives atm... 

I have absolutely no reasons to upgrade atm but I was enticed by some Ryzen offerings. Intel advantage over AMD is built in GPU which can deliver enough for DAWs. (set higher memory for IGPU @ BIOS). Had a Sapphire 570 GPU but I realized it was making the NVME drivers run hotter, plus I needed the PCI-E slot for one more. With the pci-e slot the Gigabyte board will give you 3 m.2 slots...

Can't you drop the gaming? If you only use desktop apps the onboard GPU will be enough. I strongly recommend going mini ITX (with good cooling) and going Gigabyte for MOBO...


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## gsilbers (Jun 28, 2020)

Jshippjr said:


> Hello my fellow composers.
> 
> The time has come and I have decided to give my studio computer a full upgrade. Mac has treated me well for the past 5 years but their prices has gone outside of my budget and I've decided to take the leap into a PC build. (Very scared about potential compatibility issues)
> 
> ...




first of .... and This goes for everyone who has already posted here...

That’s. 2012 MacBook Pro you coming from !!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!
more exclamation for dramatic effect
!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!

i can barely load anything on that same one I don’t use anymore cuz how slow it is.

I have a 2009 macpro and it still blows it out the wazooo

in 2020 whatever you get will work way way way way better.
even the cheapest video card will be great.

As for windows...

If you are in Mac, why not get a 2013
Mac Pro trash can ...
Or even better...
The new Mac mini.
You can get it for about that price and everything just works

You can see in the duc for those using large pro tools sessions with the Mac mini.

Here is a macpro for that budget 








Apple Mac Pro A1481 Desktop - ME253LL/A (October, 2013) for sale online | eBay


Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Apple Mac Pro A1481 Desktop - ME253LL/A (October, 2013) at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!



www.ebay.com


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## Wunderhorn (Jun 28, 2020)

If I was getting a PC today I would look into Deltatronic. They custom build whatever you want but the special thing is that their workstations are based on passive cooling only. In other words it is a complete silent PC, and no deterioration of your components by means of dust or moving parts. Silent equioment is heaven for musicians. Even Apple is way behind this innovation.


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## classified_the_x (Jun 28, 2020)

classified_the_x said:


> my current setup:
> 
> Intel 9700k oc'ed to 4,6ghz
> Gigabyte Aorus I Z390 Mini Itx
> ...



read OP again and realized you need Thunderbolt. A lot of people seem to be using Gigabyte Designare for Hackintosh builds, so you will need that and it's not mini ITX, for your build:









Z390 DESIGNARE (rev. 1.0) Key Features | Motherboard - GIGABYTE Global


Lasting Quality from GIGABYTE.GIGABYTE Ultra Durable™ motherboards bring together a unique blend of features and technologies that offer users the absolute ...




www.gigabyte.com


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## classified_the_x (Jun 28, 2020)

gsilbers said:


> first of .... and This goes for everyone who has already posted here...
> 
> That’s. 2012 MacBook Pro you coming from !!!!!!!!!!
> !!!!!!!!!!!
> ...



I might be wrong, but the processor in that Mac Pro is pretty outdated. It's also a very cheap processor standalone nowadays...

My main computer has always been a PC due to non-music related software that I needed that ran only on PCs. But I had a 2014 Mac Mini and a Macbook Air inbetween and I could not use them, too slow for me... 

I have no idea why you guys struggle with Apple speed and prices, is it for Logic? jk... PC crashes a lot indeed and sometimes my data is in jeopardy lol...I get it, but it's faster.


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## ptram (Jun 29, 2020)

classified_the_x said:


> I have no idea why you guys struggle with Apple speed and prices, is it for Logic?


If one uses Logic on the Mac, the cost of the DAW should be included in the spending plan. I don't know for how long Logic users have had free major updated, but a very long time. Compare it with the costs of upgrading the other DAWs, and add it to the cost of a PC.

Repeat the same with any other Apple software you use and will have to replace.

Paolo


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## classified_the_x (Jun 29, 2020)

ptram said:


> If one uses Logic on the Mac, the cost of the DAW should be included in the spending plan. I don't know for how long Logic users have had free major updated, but a very long time. Compare it with the costs of upgrading the other DAWs, and add it to the cost of a PC.
> 
> Repeat the same with any other Apple software you use and will have to replace.
> 
> Paolo



Yea, the cost of upgrading Ableton for me sometimes is a bit annoying. I'm holding off from 10 ATM...

I'm not anti Apple by any means, I use the Ipad and love it, I think it's pretty fast. But their computers not so much. I read a comparison between Macos and Windows at PCMag and Windows emerges as the clear winner. That Mac taskbar annoyed me so much, plus everything is a bit slow and folders are messed, unless you spend a ton on the Pro stuff...


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## merlinhimself (Jun 29, 2020)

Prockamanisc said:


> I just wanna say: stay Mac. Bite the bullet, save an extra few months, and get the Mac Pro. Just upgrade the hard drive to 1TB and you can spend $6400 on it. If you sign up for Business Pricing, it's $6016. Upgrade RAM and such over time. You'll just be happier, and that means a lot. It's a difference of $3430, which over 5 years, means $1.88/day. Is it worth $1.88/day to be happy in your workspace? Be an Apple sheep. Stay happy and warm.



PC User but theres so much truth to this. PC route cheaper and more powerful, but has a ton of hurdles that tbh sometimes arent worth going over. I've had multiple system failures in the middle of projects from faulty hardware. They arent fun at all. Im prepared for them now with backup MB and CPU etc, but honestly I feel like a doomsday prepper waiting.


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## Nick Batzdorf (Jun 29, 2020)

classified_the_x said:


> I read a comparison between Macos and Windows at PCMag and Windows emerges as the clear winner.



I read a comparison in Penis Enthusiast Magazine, and my wife emerges as the clear winner therefore I'm keeping her.

Seriously, how can anyone take an unserious article like that seriously? This is a debate that's been going on since the stone ages!


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## classified_the_x (Jun 29, 2020)

Nick Batzdorf said:


> I read a comparison in Penis Enthusiast Magazine, and my wife emerges as the clear winner therefore I'm keeping her.
> 
> Seriously, how can anyone take an unserious article like that seriously? This is a debate that's been going on since the stone ages!



that was such an uninformed comment I shouldn't even answer, but PCMag is about the only serious old school computer magazine left. It's a trusted source, you would know if you searched for security software and the like... Here's a link to the article: https://www.pcmag.com/news/macos-vs-windows-which-os-really-is-the-best

There are tons of PC review websites, and some are good like Tom's Hardware and Anandtech but there's so much crap out there...



merlinhimself said:


> PC User but theres so much truth to this. PC route cheaper and more powerful, but has a ton of hurdles that tbh sometimes arent worth going over. I've had multiple system failures in the middle of projects from faulty hardware. They arent fun at all. Im prepared for them now with backup MB and CPU etc, but honestly I feel like a doomsday prepper waiting.



I recently had to reformat my PC. It was my fault really, I was deleting stuff on drive C and accidentally deleted the WindosApps folder. Since then I'm running a weekly backup from Windows itself and Easeus Todo Backup... better safe than sorry


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## Nick Batzdorf (Jun 29, 2020)

classified_the_x said:


> that was such an uninformed comment I shouldn't even answer



Actually it's better informed than you might think. I've been the editor of two tech magazines and written literally hundreds of articles (back when that was a thriving business), and I know very well that you have to take everything you read as a guide, not as a definitive opinion.

I'm not suggesting that you disregard everything you read, I'm saying that an article that tells you PCs are better than Macs is not to be taken seriously. Or one that tells you Macs are better (never mind that troubleshooting Windows tends to be a lot harder in my experience).


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## Jeremy Gillam (Jun 29, 2020)

My experience with Pro Tools on Windows has been...terrible. I recently bought a Mac mini and the Pro Tools performance is pretty decent and with fewer utterly bizarre bugs and crashes. I'm now using my very stable and snappy i9 9900k PC build as a VEP server. The cost of both machines is still less than a spec'd Mac Pro.


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## classified_the_x (Jun 29, 2020)

Nick Batzdorf said:


> Actually it's better informed than you might think. I've been the editor of two tech magazines and written literally hundreds of articles (back when that was a thriving business), and I know very well that you have to take everything you read as a guide, not as a definitive opinion.
> 
> I'm not suggesting that you disregard everything you read, I'm saying that an article that tells you PCs are better than Macs is not to be taken seriously. Or one that tells you Macs are better (never mind that troubleshooting Windows tends to be a lot harder in my experience).



Apple is just abusive nowadays, we should not take it for granted. I mean, I don't like the Apple Dock, like the writer mentions in the article. I don't find it easier to handle files or install things on a Mac neither.

They are absolutely gearing for the premium user, soon Apple will only sell computers to Jay-z and friends... And we regular ppl should find alternatives, not just take for granted that it's better. Someone is making a lot of money out of our sweat (Apple shareholders). I won't get started on Iphone or Ipads. I own them but I'd love to not buy one again. The fact they try to lock us in there with the App Store is just outrageous too.

edit: I know it's hard to talk ppl out of Apple. My wife wants a Macbook and that is why I was reading that article in the first place


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## Buz (Jun 29, 2020)

Windows and Mac fanaticism are both silly. All the vendors run OEM equipment and while Apple might have good support (I really don't know) it's just another brand of PC running less open software that many people prefer for whatever reason.

No matter how much HP, Apple, or Alienware spend on their marketing they still don't run on pixie dust, and no matter whether someone believes otherwise the performance and long-term usability are simply a function of their components and design. All of which is factored into the initial purchase decision, along with (for most people) a consideration of price.


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## vitocorleone123 (Jun 30, 2020)

My home assembled PC doesn’t crash. My MBPs have had more problems over the years. One is not superior to the other at a high level - both have trade offs, strengths, and weaknesses. Switching due to pricing is totally legitimate - you can introduce more hardware instability because you have the freedom to put together the components you want ... but those don’t come tested together like an Apple.

From the threads I’ve read on CPU builds, Pictus has been consistently reliable. I don’t even bother giving suggestions at this point because Pictus is fast and accurate (in my view) and says pretty much what I would.


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## dzilizzi (Jun 30, 2020)

When you use something like www.pcpartpicker.com you don't have the problem of incompatible parts. You just check the box show only compatible parts and it all works great. It really takes a lot of the problems out of building your own computer. I remember my first build. We didn't have that available then. Fortunately, there also weren't the choices available either.


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## classified_the_x (Jun 30, 2020)

I was shopping for SSDs and found these:

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/cyberpowerpc-gaming-desktop-intel-core-i9-9900k-16gb-memory-nvidia-geforce-rtx-2080-super-1tb-ssd-black/6362436.p?skuId=6362436
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/pc-gaming/gaming-desktops/pcmcat287600050002.c?id=pcmcat287600050002
OP needs a GPU and these came pre assembled. Seem nice... ITX though and 32gb would be cool


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## Solarsentinel (Jun 30, 2020)

vitocorleone123 said:


> My home assembled PC doesn’t crash. My MBPs have had more problems over the years. One is not superior to the other at a high level - both have trade offs, strengths, and weaknesses. Switching due to pricing is totally legitimate - you can introduce more hardware instability because you have the freedom to put together the components you want ... but those don’t come tested together like an Apple.
> 
> From the threads I’ve read on CPU builds, Pictus has been consistently reliable. I don’t even bother giving suggestions at this point because Pictus is fast and accurate (in my view) and says pretty much what I would.


Pictus is the one for pc build advices.


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## Nick Batzdorf (Jun 30, 2020)

classified_the_x said:


> I was shopping for SSDs and found these:



Am I the only curmudgeon who finds "gaming" next to every PC part annoying? And "extreme?"

Why would I want to buy something designed for pimply teenage boys sitting at a computer playing dipshit shooting games when they should be out shagging?


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## Tim_Wells (Jun 30, 2020)

merlinhimself said:


> PC User but theres so much truth to this. PC route cheaper and more powerful, but has a ton of hurdles that tbh sometimes arent worth going over. I've had multiple system failures in the middle of projects from faulty hardware. They arent fun at all. Im prepared for them now with backup MB and CPU etc, but honestly I feel like a doomsday prepper waiting.


I'm very sorry for the troubles you've had, but this is not even a remotely typical experience. I've been on Windows machines for over 20 years and they've been very reliable and trouble free.


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## classified_the_x (Jun 30, 2020)

Nick Batzdorf said:


> Am I the only curmudgeon who finds "gaming" next to every PC part annoying? And "extreme?"
> 
> Why would I want to buy something designed for pimply teenage boys sitting at a computer playing dipshit shooting games when they should be out shagging?




he said gaming on the OP, plus video for 4 monitors... that would require onboard video or two gpus...

gamers are setting a benchmark for high end pcs, somehow. current gpus are really powerful and expensive. it doesn't feel "pro" for music production though, having a pc full of leds. unless videogame music is in the cards lol


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## Nick Batzdorf (Jun 30, 2020)

^ That's an extreme gaming post!

(My comment is just general wind-passing, nothing to do with this thread. I'm the guy who finds ads that say "finally" annoying too - just generally irritable.)


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## vitocorleone123 (Jun 30, 2020)

I do game on my PC sometimes, but I specifically went out of my way not to assemble a “gaming PC”. Not a single LED is enabled. Alas, I couldn’t avoid having some frivolously festooned on some parts.


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## dzilizzi (Jun 30, 2020)

What I find annoying is when ultimate gaming PCs have 8 GB RAM. Because I guess you don't need RAM for an online gaming system. I use to ask at the store for computers with more than 16GB RAM and they look at me like I'm crazy. Nobody needs 16 GB RAM, why would you want more???? Its been a frustration for me for years. 

It is much better now.


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## brek (Jun 30, 2020)

dzilizzi said:


> What I find annoying is when ultimate gaming PCs have 8 GB RAM. Because I guess you don't need RAM for an online gaming system. I use to ask at the store for computers with more than 16GB RAM and they look at me like I'm crazy. Nobody needs 16 GB RAM, why would you want more???? Its been a frustration for me for years.
> 
> It is much better now.


Funny you say that. I recall recently reading that exact reaction in one of the PC build threads over at gearsultz.


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## dzilizzi (Jun 30, 2020)

brek said:


> Funny you say that. I recall recently reading that exact reaction in one of the PC build threads over at gearsultz.


Well, synths don't need a lot of RAM I guess....


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## ynwtf (Jun 30, 2020)

It's been like that _synths_ I can rememb..... Eh. No. I've not been here long enough for puns. Pretty sure I read that in the rules.

Nevermind.


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## Jay Panikkar (Jul 1, 2020)

Jshippjr said:


> Hello my fellow composers.
> 
> The time has come and I have decided to give my studio computer a full upgrade. Mac has treated me well for the past 5 years but their prices has gone outside of my budget and I've decided to take the leap into a PC build. (Very scared about potential compatibility issues)
> 
> ...



Imo, bump the processor up to a 10700k and get a cheaper Z490 motherboard to offset.



dzilizzi said:


> What I find annoying is when ultimate gaming PCs have 8 GB RAM. Because I guess you don't need RAM for an online gaming system. I use to ask at the store for computers with more than 16GB RAM and they look at me like I'm crazy. Nobody needs 16 GB RAM, why would you want more???? Its been a frustration for me for years.
> 
> It is much better now.



It's because videogames don't use much RAM. They rely on VRAM, which is the memory system present on graphic cards. Anything over 16GB is still very much "niche," not only for gaming but in general.

RAM prices have dropped a lot these days and it's much easier to get high capacity kits (apart from COVID-19 related supply issues).



classified_the_x said:


> it doesn't feel "pro" for music production though, having a pc full of leds. unless videogame music is in the cards lol



LEDs are like valve amps. I like having multiple strips of LEDs pointed directly at my audio interface for that warm vintage tone.

I read it on the internet, so it must be true.


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## dzilizzi (Jul 1, 2020)

There is an MSI laptop that will take 64gbs RAM and you can change it out yourself which is nice. I got one and upgraded to 32gbs because at that time RAM had suddenly gotten really high in price.


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## classified_the_x (Jul 1, 2020)

Jay Panikkar said:


> Imo, bump the processor up to a 10700k and get a cheaper Z490 motherboard to offset.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



don't mind them LEDs either. tbh most of the big manufactures nowadays, with the exception of Intel and Lenovo are focused on gamers. Like Gigabyte, Asus, ASRock, Msi. Indeed too much RAM is overkill for gaming. But let's face it, the value proposal in those gamer PCs is good, specially for someone not willing to assemble the build.

for those looking at notebooks, these MSI laptops are seriously sick, expensive too:

https://us.msi.com/laptops


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## dzilizzi (Jul 1, 2020)

And some of the MSI laptops also allow for one m.2 drive and an SSD drive. Great for making music. The only downside is they are on the heavy side.


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## topaz (Nov 17, 2021)

Jshippjr said:


> Hello my fellow composers.
> 
> The time has come and I have decided to give my studio computer a full upgrade. Mac has treated me well for the past 5 years but their prices has gone outside of my budget and I've decided to take the leap into a PC build. (Very scared about potential compatibility issues)
> 
> ...


Are you sorry you asked :-(


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## waveheavy (Feb 13, 2022)

The OP probably has his new build by now, but this is some suggestions for anyone doing a future build:

I've been on Windows since 3.1, and built several PCs over the years. I have a 3 rack unit Windows 7 PC built by VisionDaw, and it's been solid, except for the CPU cooler that comes with Intel. More than one Intel cpu fan has crapped out on my builds over the years. I recommend scrapping it for a better one during a build. Can't recall the one I replaced it with, from China, but it has a lot of copper expansion tubes on it, and the fan is extremely quiet. Had to remove the motherboard though to mount it.

My son prefers the AMD stuff because he's a gamer and likes to experiment. I like stability, no overclocking, and I've had the best luck with Intel CPUs for being stable. Seagate SSDs, Gigabyte MB, and SeaSonic power supplies.

Avid Pro Tools recommends at minimum a Quadro graphics card. 

Some build tips. 
If you want to keep static spikes at lowest, get an anti-static work mat with wrist band. That's pretty much a standard work procedure in a lot of the industry. A friend bragged that he put his CPU and board together in his living room on the carpet, and didn't believe in using a mat, said I was superstitious. His CPU crapped out not long after that. If you're doing a rebuild, keep your power cord plugged into the outlet, but turn your PC power in the back off. The cord should still keep ground, and as long as your arm or hand is touching the case metal, your body will be grounded away from static discharges. Go away and rub your clothes around the house and come back, make sure you touch the case metal before working into the unit though.

Put a gob of thermal grease in the center of your CPU during the install, and let the tightening down part of the procedure spread it, for the best cooling. When I first applied it in a new build, I thought the grease needed to be spread evenly around the CPU before installing. Nope, each time I did that it would get hot and I had to redo it with the spot method.

Cable routing inside the unit. Actually pretty important, can help cooling in the unit. Use ESD rated zip ties or straps.


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## AudioLoco (Feb 13, 2022)

Best decision you will ever make regarding your studio.
Enjoy!


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