# 2,200/$2,400 PC Build in 2022?



## JimDiGritz (Aug 20, 2022)

My 6+ year old PC is creaking under the pressure and I've been saving up for a new PC. 

I've got a budget of around £2,200 ($2,400) and my requirements are a combination of heavy DAW usage, along with some light gaming and video editing. I'd also like to future proof over saving a few £ now and having to replace motherboards/CPU in the next few years.

I have several TBs of SSDs and an RTX 2060 which I'm still fine with, though I think I specced an RTX3060 in the link below. I don't have any NvME's and my RAM is currently DDR3 - so don't want to reuse that. I also have a Scarlett 2i2 USB interface which I'm also currently using as an external audio card. I also use headphones almost exclusively so am not aiming for a silent PC build, though any cheap/simple options are great.

I can cannibalize whatever is left over and hand down to my replace/upgrade my young daughters PC.

Here's a custom build which (slightly over budget) was along the lines I was thinking of: https://www.box.co.uk/create-your-o...83793,3572824,3225904,2003575,1931338,3836501

I've built many PCs from parts over the years, but frankly for a 'reasonable' premium I'm happy to let someone else deal with that - hence the link to a PC builder.

I'd love any thoughts/feedback and had a specific audio question:

I'm pretty happy with my Scarlett 2i2 and use it for Mic and Guitar recording. As a soundcard it's fine but I'm concerned about USB and latency. Are there any good INTERNAL interfaces that have XLR in and phono out, or does everyone use an external interface?

Thanks


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## Berdinskikh (Aug 20, 2022)

So, there are some good examples based on USB as well. And the reason is simple: while someone does use usual XMOS with it's own drivers, only under another GUI with some logotype, other people (a less common rest of them, actually) make their custom FPGA solutions, making drivers right from the ground up. If you're about to do right choices here, you may rest with external solutions — though those are might be a bit expensive.

As of PCIe world, you probably want to look into the RME HDSPe AIO/AIO Pro and the Lynx L-22/44 side, every single of which doesn't provide you with mic inputs (only line on XLR), surely, but overwise does fit into what's requested.


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## MarcusD (Aug 20, 2022)

I’d hold fire until the end of the month when AMD announce their 7000 series pricing.


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## puremusic (Aug 20, 2022)

Yup, both AMD (video cards) and Intel (cpus) are due to have out their next gen shortly.


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## Pictus (Aug 20, 2022)

I would use a case with better airflow like Phanteks P500a + a big radiator.


The Thermal Grizzly pastes are not much durable...
Go for Thermalright TFX or Zezzio ZT-GX, the new Halnziye HY-P16
probably is the most durable and higher efficiency.

GPUs with bigger heat sinks/more fans will be more silent.

I would get a cheaper Windows 11 OEM key








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For PSU the Corsair RMx (2021) 850 W 80+ Gold is better.
It is semi-passive and +- up to 410W the fan is off
https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/corsair-rm850x-2021-power-supply-review





I also recommend get the Thermalright 12th Gen Correction Frame


https://www.overclock.net/threads/i-installed-the-thermalright-12th-gen-correction-frame-i-am-beyond-impressed.1799520/




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## dzilizzi (Aug 20, 2022)

Is your computer in a non-bedroom? I have a clear plastic sided case and it gets bright in the dark. I know gamers like them, though. Also maybe Windows 10 Pro. I think I found it for less than $40. Though really they've taken away a lot of the advantages to pro over home. 

Otherwise, it looks pretty good to me. Price seems a little high compared to my last build about 9 months ago, but then everything is higher now. And I didn't bother with the graphics card because they were still hard to get and it was for my second VEP computer.


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## EanS (Aug 20, 2022)

I'd get a better interface than the scarlett, my PC is a 4th gen Intel i7 - 8 cores (4 real), and by having an RME babyface + upgrading from 16 to 32 RAM + changing mechanical for SSD and it's still here handling everything. It's USB 2.0 still and well, RME. Best driver on windows ever. But it's expensive so go for an Audient id 14, they have a great guitar DI and good mic and headphone preamps.

All the money you could spend on a video card, unless you edit video too, you can save having a GTX 10X0 series which is enough, mine is a 750 Ti and no issues. 
So first and foremost, there's no issues on USB 3.0 (I run my RME on a 3.0) and there's no need to get Thunderbolt because there is a few Motherboards with Thunderbolt that will match cpu and ram sometimes.

Latency is 1.9ms on a NeuralDSP plugin at 48kHz, 256 samples. If I disable the plugin, it's 0.


(below 48kHz is the latency specified in the pic)


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## JimDiGritz (Aug 21, 2022)

EanS said:


> I'd get a better interface than the scarlett, my PC is a 4th gen Intel i7 - 8 cores (4 real), and by having an RME babyface + upgrading from 16 to 32 RAM + changing mechanical for SSD and it's still here handling everything. It's USB 2.0 still and well, RME. Best driver on windows ever. But it's expensive so go for an Audient id 14, they have a great guitar DI and good mic and headphone preamps.
> 
> All the money you could spend on a video card, unless you edit video too, you can save having a GTX 10X0 series which is enough, mine is a 750 Ti and no issues.
> So first and foremost, there's no issues on USB 3.0 (I run my RME on a 3.0) and there's no need to get Thunderbolt because there is a few Motherboards with Thunderbolt that will match cpu and ram sometimes.
> ...


Nice - but where do I plug my guitar into the Babyface? - can only see XLR inputs...


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## Technostica (Aug 21, 2022)

JimDiGritz said:


> Nice - but where do I plug my guitar into the Babyface? - can only see XLR inputs...



"You can plug any instrument, line or high impedance, into Babyface Pro’s jack inputs 3 & 4. Record your guitar on the go, with no additional hardware required."



RME Babyface Pro


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## JimDiGritz (Aug 21, 2022)

Technostica said:


> "You can plug any instrument, line or high impedance, into Babyface Pro’s jack inputs 3 & 4. Record your guitar on the go, with no additional hardware required."
> 
> 
> 
> RME Babyface Pro


Thanks - I completely missed those inputs...


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## EanS (Aug 21, 2022)

JimDiGritz said:


> Nice - but where do I plug my guitar into the Babyface? - can only see XLR inputs...


Check the manual Babyface Pro (FS). Mic inputs 1 & 2 are XLR Microphone Inputs indeed.

Inputs 3 & 4 are DI / Instrument inputs. They are on the side next to the 2 headphone outputs.


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## rgames (Aug 21, 2022)

I'd focus on choosing components for video editing because choice of PC components doesn't make a difference for DAW use these days. 6-8 cores with 32 BG RAM and SSDs is perfectly fine for DAW use. I'd go with 64 GB if you're using orchestral libs. Internal vs. external sound card doesn't matter as of about 5-6 years ago. USB 2.0 is perfectly fine.

As far as noise goes, get a few long cables and put the machine in another room. That's both the cheapest and most effective way to eliminate noise. You can spend $1000 on cases and other mods and you'll never get anywhere close to the same amount of noise reduction. Even fanless designs produce electrical noise (e.g. coil whine from a power supply). But put it on the other side of a wall.... voila!


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## LA68 (Aug 21, 2022)

rgames said:


> I'd focus on choosing components for video editing because choice of PC components doesn't make a difference for DAW use these days. 6-8 cores with 32 BG RAM and SSDs is perfectly fine for DAW use. I'd go with 64 GB if you're using orchestral libs. Internal vs. external sound card doesn't matter as of about 5-6 years ago. USB 2.0 is perfectly fine.
> 
> As far as noise goes, get a few long cables and put the machine in another room. That's both the cheapest and most effective way to eliminate noise. You can spend $1000 on cases and other mods and you'll never get anywhere close to the same amount of noise reduction. Even fanless designs produce electrical noise (e.g. coil whine from a power supply). But put it on the other side of a wall.... voila!


Nice suggestion. I really like that way of reducing noise :D Doesn't get any more cost effective than that.

Think depending on what you're trying to do even a quad core with 16 gigs can be enough, though. One of my PCs has a i3-10100F and most plugins barely even tickle the CPU. Probably even less so with the newer gens.


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## Jrides (Aug 21, 2022)

you are worried about the 2i2 and latency. Have you tried to see how well the sound card handles low latency? I temporarily dug out an old Steinberg/Yamaha firewire into face as I am setting up and laying out my room. maybe a little over 12 years old? I can hit 32 samples latency all day long. Keep in mind it’s running off of a $15 no-name FireWire PCI card I got off Amazon. Honestly, I was just curious to see if the thing still worked. Lol. Had no idea I would end up using it.

you would be surprised, how often we create problems that aren’t really problems.


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## Technostica (Aug 21, 2022)

rgames said:


> As far as noise goes, get a few long cables and put the machine in another room. That's both the cheapest and most effective way to eliminate noise. You can spend $1000 on cases and other mods and you'll never get anywhere close to the same amount of noise reduction. Even fanless designs produce electrical noise (e.g. coil whine from a power supply). But put it on the other side of a wall.... voila!


That’s a good idea but not an option for many people.
It doesn’t cost much extra to build a DAW that is effectively silent.
I spent about £175 in total on a case, power supply, CPU heatsink and fans.
I would only have saved about £30 if I hadn’t optimised it.

A quiet video editing rig is harder to build if you are using a CPU that is pulling 150W for extended periods, along with a GPU that is using more.


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## Pictus (Aug 22, 2022)

It can be 100% silent if use a custom water kit for the CPU/GPU and place the radiator/pump into a another room.








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Just need to make sure to buy a GPU that has a compatible radiator.





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I prefer this way than using longer cables...


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## Vokes (Aug 22, 2022)

EanS said:


> I'd get a better interface than the scarlett, my PC is a 4th gen Intel i7 - 8 cores (4 real), and by having an RME babyface + upgrading from 16 to 32 RAM + changing mechanical for SSD and it's still here handling everything. It's USB 2.0 still and well, RME. Best driver on windows ever. But it's expensive so go for an Audient id 14, they have a great guitar DI and good mic and headphone preamps.
> 
> All the money you could spend on a video card, unless you edit video too, you can save having a GTX 10X0 series which is enough, mine is a 750 Ti and no issues.
> So first and foremost, there's no issues on USB 3.0 (I run my RME on a 3.0) and there's no need to get Thunderbolt because there is a few Motherboards with Thunderbolt that will match cpu and ram sometimes.
> ...


How big of an impact made by upgrading from 16 to 32 gb ram?
I have i5 9400 6cores X 6 threads processor with 16gb ram, and one slot empty, do you think it will be a good upgrade performance wise?


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## dzilizzi (Aug 22, 2022)

Vokes said:


> How big of an impact made by upgrading from 16 to 32 gb ram?
> I have i5 9400 6cores X 6 threads processor with 16gb ram, and one slot empty, do you think it will be a good upgrade performance wise?


It depends on how many VIs you use. If your DAW is freezing/crashing, it could help a lot. But you need to verify your motherboard can support 32gb RAM.


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## EanS (Aug 22, 2022)

Vokes said:


> How big of an impact made by upgrading from 16 to 32 gb ram?
> I have i5 9400 6cores X 6 threads processor with 16gb ram, and one slot empty, do you think it will be a good upgrade performance wise?


Not exaggerating, night & day. Just pay attention to the speed and CAS latency to match, if it's higher, system will match down. 

All Kontak libraries loaded faster, loading projects now can handle easy hmmm 20 tracks with instruments (Haven't had more so far, find waste of time stressing systems) with no issues. Loading, savings rendering etc... faster too.

Seems that the first 8- 12 RAM are mostly used by the system (considering that you aren't using shared memory, or it is more), so the rest is indeed free to be used instead of sharing it due to the lack of. 

Once installed, let Windows manage your ram or disable page file.


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## JimDiGritz (Aug 22, 2022)

I'm aiming for 128gb of DDR5 to future proof, my 32Gb regularly gets used up in my bigger templates and whilst I can bounce tracks it gets pretty tedious.

Don't care about noise since I monitor on headphones. Though as I mentioned sensible and cost effective noise reduction suggestions welcome! 

My 2i2 gets as low as 4ms roundtrip at 96000/64samples but obviously that's only used for recording guitar. I'm forced to run 48000/768 samples to get even a modest number of tracks playing simultaneously at the moment


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## LA68 (Aug 22, 2022)

Vokes said:


> How big of an impact made by upgrading from 16 to 32 gb ram?
> I have i5 9400 6cores X 6 threads processor with 16gb ram, and one slot empty, do you think it will be a good upgrade performance wise?


Do you have problems because the 16 GB aren't enough?
If no, it won't improve your performance at all.


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## liquidlino (Aug 22, 2022)

LA68 said:


> Do you have problems because the 16 GB aren't enough?
> If no, it won't improve your performance at all.


I just went from 16gb to 64gb on windows 10. I didn't think I had a ram issue, no audio issues and could run at 4ms latency, but noticed I always had quite a high "committed" ram size in task manager, that far exceeded what task manager said reaper was using. So prior to upgrade, loading all four instruments from embertone intimate strings would be about 8gb reported ram usage by reaper. Post upgrade, reaper now reports 15gb usage. And the system feels a lot snappier and responsive. So, my experience has been very positive. YMMV. Plus, I now load mics with wild abandon. All mics fully loaded in CSS is now 18gb reported ram usage.


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