Slickrock

Howdy.. since you want to get something to work on Adobe applications, I'd check the articles and testing at pugetsystems.com. They have testing for a variety of stuff, and you'll likely be able to get some advice that's specific to your applications.

Here's another thought... Are those coupons good for any Alienware stuff? If so, get a beastly Alienware monitor with the discount, and then buy the rest of your rig on BlackFriday. The Dell/Alienware monitors are really good.

Looks like the other issue will be RAM. I'm looking at this kit (https://www.newegg.com/g-skill-32gb-288-pin-ddr4-sdram/p/N82E16820232860) but it's 41mm high. I can't find a lower profile 3600 B-die kit with low CAS and 2x16. Of course, I don't need the RGB (it will be covered by the cooler) but I don't see another option for a 3600 speed kit. edit... this probably rules out the NZXT 710. The cooler would fit by itself, but.. moving the one fan up some to accommodate the tall ram is going to be too tight to make it worthwhile.

So I'm close settling on my build. Looking at the Aorus Master x570 board with a 3900 CPU, the Noct Chromax D15, but the question is the case... I want either the Define R6, or the NZXT 710, but I'm wondering about clearance for the cooler. Been looking at the datasheets, but it's hard to figure out what exactly the available space is once you figure in backplates and standoffs and all that. Whats's the best way to make sure everything fits?

Are you in SoCal?

Anyone have experience using NZXT-BLD to order a custom-built rig? I had given up on that option due the the poor selection of parts most of the other builders have, but this place has a pretty good selection of stuff. Prices are reasonable as well considering they're doing the work.

That's a good pragmatic view of it...

Working on alternate parts to get ready for Black Friday shopping for my first build, so.. I'm looking for recommendations for the best 2070 Super cards. (Base of system will be a 3900x on an Aorus Master). RGB is not a goal, looking for performance vs price vs reliability...

Actually.. the whole RAM thing is really confusing.. and frustrating... especially now that I'm reading about B-Die... Fair point about BF, but I at least need to be educated enough to know what good options are. (NZXT 710 is probably my one alternate case, and 2080 Super certainly is an option if the price is right... ) Yeah, didn't mean that I'd try Threadripper.. not a choice at all for my applications. I really need to get educated on PSUs and other components still...

Did some searching, no full reviews of the board yet. One mini-review showed promising results from thermals, but don't know if any of the YouTubers will review a no-RGB board. Everything else was just rewrites of the press release. I'm a bit concerned about MSI with the very bad results of some of the other MSI boards, but this one does look pretty good. I'll have to consider it.

I'm relying on the testing here: https://www.pugetsystems.com/labs/articles/Photoshop-CPU-Roundup-AMD-Ryzen-3rd-Gen-AMD-Threadripper-2-Intel-9th-Gen-Intel-X-series-1529/ https://www.pugetsystems.com/labs/articles/Lightroom-Classic-CPU-Roundup-AMD-Ryzen-3rd-Gen-AMD-Threadripper-2-Intel-9th-Gen-Intel-X-series-1592/ https://www.pugetsystems.com/labs/articles/Photoshop-GPU-Roundup-NVIDIA-SUPER-vs-AMD-RX-5700-XT-1552/ So I'm looking specifically at Photoshop and Lightroom. Of course, there are pros and cons, but the 5700XT and Radeon V II both have Adobe issues, depending on the specific software.

I am over-speccing some with hopes of some future-proofing as well. 3700/3900 may come down to BF prices. I figure I'll replace the GPU in 2 years, but do need AMD. Good tip on the eBay Win key.

Thanks, I'll look at that one. I did look at a LOT of the others, and the Master seemed to be the best overbuilt, based on all the reviews I listened too. Need to look at the ports on the MEG.

Thanks for the response! i could scale back on the storage some, but I want it fast for the Adobe work. Fast scratch disk space, and to keep up with a lot of small rewrites. Radeon VII is BAD for Photoshop/Lightroom (and the 5700XT is worse). From the testing at Puget Systems, I'll get more from putting an extra $200 into the CPU instead of the GPU, for what I'm doing...

Thanks for the reply!! Drives: I need enough fast scratch disk space for Photoshop work, and for storing current Lightroom work. I could, and may, drop one of the NVMEs. (I do have other external storage that's currently attached to my MacPro, a 4TB Gtech and and another 6TB that I only turn on to do backups.) RGB Ram: I was trying to find 2x16 3600 kits with good timing, and that was the best kit that was available in PartPicker.. If I could find that without RGB, I'd get that... PSU: I wanted legroom on it in case I added another card in the future. Black Friday: YES!!! But I do want to lock down what I actually want to get, so I'm not waffling on components come that time. Other thing that I should point out is I've been looking at the results of testing at Puget Systems: https://www.pugetsystems.com/labs/articles/Photoshop-CPU-Roundup-AMD-Ryzen-3rd-Gen-AMD-Threadripper-2-Intel-9th-Gen-Intel-X-series-1529/ https://www.pugetsystems.com/labs/articles/Lightroom-Classic-CPU-Roundup-AMD-Ryzen-3rd-Gen-AMD-Threadripper-2-Intel-9th-Gen-Intel-X-series-1592/ The testing there is what's driving the CPU and GPU choices. Generating Smart Previews in Lightroom is the single most aggravating task on my current system. (Import 300 photos, go get dinner with my wife while it works..) So that's why a 3900 and only a 2700 Super. I figure that the GPU is something that I can easily change in 2 years, while hopefully the rest of the rig is good for 4-5+ years.