CPU (platform) for Workstation

[David Svehla]

Good day,

I am building my new workstation and cant decide which platform to choose. I am working in Adobe ecosystem (After Effects 40% / Premiere Pro 40% / Lightroom 15% / Photoshop, Illustrator, Audiotion... 5%). AE and PP is main focus for me but I also need versatile machine for exporting lots of RAW images from LR, compressing files etc. Also I am starting working more with 3D (Cinema4D, Houdini). Gaming isnt important for me, I play sometimes but I am sure ever option will be great.

 

I read all recommendation and benchmarks from Pugetsystems, I saw hours of reviews and tests on GamerNexus, Linus media and all over other places and I know how my current machine works and what I need from new one. Unfortunately each application I am using needs different things. AE likes lots of RAM and fast single core performance. PP, 3D apps and LR likes more cores and while I multitasking alot I need lot of RAM. Quick Sync isnt that important for me because I am working with different video footage.

 

So I think I have 3 options:

AMD Ryzen 9 3900X + 32GB RAM (I want 64GB but I read Ryzen dont like 4 slots full of RAMs)

Intel Core i9-9900KS + 64GB RAM

Intel Core i9-9920X + 64GB RAM (maybe later go for 128GB)

 

Price for this setups is simmilar in our contry so key factor will be performance. RAMs are quite expensive here so I will go for 3200CL14 or 3600CL16. Other componets will be same so it doesnt metter (RTX2070 Super, M2 drives + SSDs). Only if I go with X570 I will buy Gen4 M2 SSD but this isnt deal breaker for me. I am sure that 970 EVO Plus will be great option with Gen3 PCIe.

 

Also how strong PSU will be best for selected setup + RTX2070S + 2x M2 + 2x SSD?

 

I am exhausted from all the informations I already absorb and I cant decide what is the best choice. I was already decided to go for 3900X but than I read about not good experience with lots of RAMs. So to be sure I really like to hear some advice from experienced guys in this community.

Thank you very much in advance.

 

[DoctorNick]

I vote for 3900X - for memory don't know if you need more than 32gb of memory - You could start with that and see how it plays out.

[Princess Luna]

8 minutes ago, David Svehla said:

I am working in Adobe ecosystem (After Effects 40% / Premiere Pro 40% / Lightroom 15% / Photoshop, Illustrator, Audiotion... 5%). AE and PP is main focus for me

This makes me positive the best experience would come from the i9 9900K, I would not bother with the KS however as it's really not worth the extra money if you ask me... the 9900KS has a tiny bit lower IPC due to new micro-code for hardware level security fixes so performance wise it almost evens out with a stock 9900K... which can easily be OC'd to 5ghz either ways with proper motherboard and cooling.

 

Adobe is coded in such way it favors Intel's hyper low latency Ring Bus and it has a lot of instances it can use Quicksync to further it's performance, it also is more stable as Intel and Adobe really works hand on hand.

 

You can also get a 3200mhz CL16 kit with the i9 and call it a day.

 

an i9+2070S system would require about 550W, 650W if you want to be on the safe side, you're highly advised to make an individual PSU thread on the proper section.

[Clarkius]

In this case I would also go with a 9900K, no real need to spend extra on a KS. I'm also sure you would be fine with 32GB of RAM, but obviously it won't hurt to have 64

[David Svehla]

Thank you guys for your comments. I am little bit surprised nobody is talking about 9920X. I read multiple times that if I need lot of RAM and fast response only good way is HEDT and Quad channel DDR. So Intel X series looks very interesting with recent price drop.

[brob]

Puget Systems has a number of articles with hard data on cpu performance in various programs. The data and analysis are worth looking at as performance of the I9-9900K and 3900X is often close enough that cost may be a deciding factor.

 

If memory serves, the I9-9920X has better performance in Premiere but worse in After Effects.

 

There are z390 and x570 motherboards that support 32GB memory modules allowing for up to 128GB of memory. Corsair and Crucial offer memory kits.

[David Svehla]

2 hours ago, brob said:

Puget Systems has a number of articles with hard data on cpu performance in various programs. The data and analysis are worth looking at as performance of the I9-9900K and 3900X is often close enough that cost may be a deciding factor.

I know I studied them all but it has some misteries for me. Every Premiere Pro render benchmark on Puget is tested with QuickSync On (with 1 pass encode) but I dont use it. I use 2 pass rendering for better quality so the Intel advantage is gone. It is very hard to compare all the benchmarks around internet because I dont know how was set the render. Also QuickSync is supported only with H264 and H265 but I am sometimes working with high bitrate ProRes, CinemaDNG RAWs where you need raw power which Ryzen have more. Overall it seems Ryzen has advantage in every export / render / encode and i9 is better for "work" (playback in PP, ram previews in AE). I only want to know what is the ratio for this diference. If I can gain 25% render / export times and loose 3% work performance I will go for it. But if it will be 25% gain in export and 20% loose in workflow that will be terrible choice. Best "active work performance" is main goal for me.

 

 

[brob]

My perception is that in general the two cpu offer very similar performance. 

[agent2]

Dude if you're interested in HEDT then the only way to go is Threadripper 3000. It will bury Intel's Cascade-Lake X in IPC and power consumption. Going Intel HEDT or Intel at all it just a waste of money. Both Ryzen and Ryzen Threadripper have due to the PCIe 4 capabilities tons of more lanes and therefore I/O. It's still your choice but you'd be very happy for going Threadripper. I know that you've watched enough videos, but check out Tom from Moore's Law Is Dead, he makes good videos about Threadripper 3000 vs Intels HEDT lineup. So here's my two cents. 

Good luck with your decision!