New Linux Workstation Build for Programming

[Gobinath]

Hi, I wanna build a workstation after using laptops for years.

Budget: CDN$ 2000 (max). The less the better but if the money I invest can stretch the lifetime of the machine, I don't mind spending up to 2k.

Location: Toronto, Canada

Aim:

• Android Development
• Large Java & Scala Projects (e.g.: compiling TinoDB)
• Virtual Machines of different Linux distributions with GUI & Windows to test my software (I don't run multiple instances at the same time. Maximum of two instances is good enough)
• All other (comparatively smaller) development in Java, Python, Docker.
• Light video editing to prepare programming tutorials.
• This machine will be my Plex media server
• Other day to day stuff like browsing, watching movies/Youtube
• I don't play games at all.

Monitor: Already have Dell U3818dw (3840 x 1600 resolution). I don't have any plan to upgrade the monitor in the near future. In case if required down the line, I may add an extra monitor but that's unlikely.

Peripherals: Already have the following:

• Wireless keyboard
• Wireless mouse
• Wireless & BT headsets
• WiFi adapter
• Dell U3818dw monitor and quite satisfied with the built-in speaker of my monitor

OS: Linux Mint 20.2 (No dual booting)

Why am I upgrading: My 6 years old laptop with i7-6700HQ CPU @ 2.60GHz and 8G ram struggles to handle Android Studio and couple of Firefox tabs. Launching IntelliJ Idea is taking minutes. Building large Java projects takes 20-30 minutes. Still I would squeeze more from my current laptop if I can but looks like building a new PC would save me lot of compiling time and let me browse while coding.

RAM: Need at least 32G. At the moment, memory is one of the bottleneck with my laptop. I don't expect to keep upgrading the machine so I expect it to handle anything I throw at it for the next 6-7 years without any upgrades. After I utilize it to its full extent, I will go for a new build.

RGB: Not my taste. I do prefer a nice looking casing but don't want the fancy RGB stuff. If the case has good ventilation and if possible Type C ports, I'd prefer them.

 

I'm gonna build a PC after 10-15 years. So please bare with my lack of knowledge with the hardware stack. This is what I've chosen using a PC builder app.

 

• AMD Ryzen 7 5800X 8-core, 16-thread unlocked desktop processor without cooler AM4: CDN$ 498
  • Looks like I need to get a cooler for this processor and read about heat issues. Should I choose something else?
• Asus ROG Strix X570-E Gaming ATX Motherboard: CDN$ 389
  • Don't need RGB or built-in WiFi but prefer Asus over other brands
• ASUS GeForce GT 1030 2GB GDDR5 HDMI DVI Graphics Card (GT1030-2G-CSM) CDN$ 139
  • I hope it can handle light video editing. Also need at least HDMI to use my Dell U3818DW with the speaker. Didn't go for expensive GPUs since I don't play games.
• Corsair Vengeance LPX 32GB (2 X 16GB) DDR4 3600 (PC4-28800) C18 1.35V Desktop Memory - Black: CDN$ 230
• XPG SX6000 Lite 1TB PCIe 3D NAND PCIe Gen3x4 M.2 2280 NVMe 1.3 R/W up to 1800/1200MB/s SSD (ASX6000LNP-1TT-C) CDN$ 156
  • Not sure if the brand is good or bad. Your advice is much appreciated.
• EVGA 450 BR, 80+ Bronze 450W, 3 Year Warranty, Power Supply 100- BR-0450-K1: CDN$ 39
  • Picked by the pc builder app. Not sure how good it is.
• Cooler Master MasterBox MB600L ATX Mid-Tower, Sleek Design with Red Side Trim and Acrylic Side Panel: CDN$ 59
  • Picked by the pc builder app. Not sure how good it is.

According to amazon.ca, current total price is CDN$ 1510. I hope this build can give me good performance for 6-7 years (Please correct me if I'm expecting too much). As I mentioned earlier, I don't mind spending up to CDN $2000 if the value for that money is justifiable. I'd like to get your feedback on how good this setup is and if there is something I can adjust to get the best value for the money without compromising the performance a lot. Thanks in advance.