2025 Upgrade

[maotoast]

Budget (including currency): TBD, adjustable. 1.5-2.5k ballpark.

Country: USA

Games, programs or workloads that it will be used for: Heavy audio production and sound design, light video editing. No games.

Other details (existing parts lists, whether any peripherals are needed, what you're upgrading from, when you're going to buy, what resolution and refresh rate you want to play at, etc): 

Will be replacing an existing X99 PC in a recording studio. It's served faithfully for 9 years, 2025 will be year 10, so it's time to start planning.

MUST HAVES:
- High quantity of SATA ports is a must, looking for at least 8 onboard for a mobo. Minimum of 2 M.2 slots as well.
- Lots of I/O. My usage has gone down a bit over the years but I still use 8-10 USB ports regularly.
- RAID
- Intel preferred
- QUIET case with vent filters. Big fan of Fractal. Originally built the current one in an R5 and swapped for a BeQuiet and was unimpressed. Looking to go back to Fractal. NO WINDOW, NO TEMPERED GLASS, PLEASE.
- DDR5

EXISTING PARTS WILL BE KEEPING:
- GPU: RTX 2070 (sitting in a closet, will be replacing an aging and now "quirky" GTX970)
- Entire drive array. All of the drives are very healthy and currently storing a fair amount of mission-critical data. Can upgrade those down the road but not particularly interested right now.
--- current drive array: C Drive: 2x SATA SSD in Raid 1. D Drive: 2x SATA SSD in Raid 1. E drive: 2x SATA HDD in Raid 1. F drive: single M.2 SSD. G Drive: Single SATA SSD. Yes, this separation is on purpose.
- Peripherals.
- CPU Cooler: NH-D15

PARTS I AM LOOKING FOR:
- CPU

- MOBO
- RAM
- PSU
- Case

PRIORITY: Quiet performance, low maintenance, high longevity is a must. Willing to spend more to get parts from reputable brands if it means peace of mind when. Sits in a spot that makes it difficult to access for frequent opening/cleaning/tinkering. Want to be able to fire it up and get to work quickly with no fuss.

 

[Zephtech]

Couple of qs - for usb is it okay to use a pcie usb card? If so usb 3 necessary/type c? - when you say at least 8 sata - is 8 sata enough?

Do you prefer full or mid tower cases? 

How much ram is necessary?

AMD is a no go? - only thinking this considering problems with 13th and 14th gen - even if meant to be fixed - and short life of platform

Consumer grade preferred?

Initial list goes 

Component		Selection		Price
CPU			AMD Ryzen 9 7950X 4.5 GHz 16-Core Processor	$477.00	Buy
Motherboard			ASRock X670E Taichi EATX AM5 Motherboard	$495.20	Buy
Memory			Crucial Pro 64 GB (2 x 32 GB) DDR5-5600 CL46 Memory	$148.99	Buy
Memory			Crucial Pro 64 GB (2 x 32 GB) DDR5-5600 CL46 Memory	$148.99	Buy
Case			Fractal Design Define 7 XL ATX Full Tower Case	$224.99	Buy
Power Supply			SeaSonic VERTEX PX-1200 1200 W 80+ Platinum Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply	$299.99

[jaslion]

8x onboard FUNCTIONAL sata is gone. Also please don't motherboard hardware raid thats a terrrrrrrible idea these days. I mean has been always.

 

Dunno about your storage situation but it sounds like maybe a nas makes a TON of sense here in your case? Can just reuse the old pc for that if you want. Or like a 100$ used office computer.

 

Since it's audio production I'd actually go amd here since then you won't end up with the mess of having to deal with P cores and E cores.

 

Whats heavy in your case? Also since your current rig is near a decade what hardware does it have? Just makes it easier to know where you are coming from and what to look out for.

 

Don't forget to buy the nhd15 adapter plate for the platform you are moving to. If it's an old one you WILL need it.

 

A computer will be as quiet as it can be as long as the fans aren't too loud and the temps are in control. Since intel runs STUPID hot that second part is not real possible unless you go with the new core 200 series which are slower than last gen and the gen before that. They also behave a bit strange and are an avoid for now.

 

24 minutes ago, mishatoast said:

Sits in a spot that makes it difficult to access for frequent opening/cleaning/tinkering.

Just do a yearly blowout and call it good for maintenance!

 

 

[PDifolco]

51 minutes ago, mishatoast said:

Budget (including currency): TBD, adjustable. 1.5-2.5k ballpark.

Country: USA

Games, programs or workloads that it will be used for: Heavy audio production and sound design, light video editing. No games.

Other details (existing parts lists, whether any peripherals are needed, what you're upgrading from, when you're going to buy, what resolution and refresh rate you want to play at, etc): 

Will be replacing an existing X99 PC in a recording studio. It's served faithfully for 9 years, 2025 will be year 10, so it's time to start planning.

MUST HAVES:
- High quantity of SATA ports is a must, looking for at least 8 onboard for a mobo. Minimum of 2 M.2 slots as well.
- Lots of I/O. My usage has gone down a bit over the years but I still use 8-10 USB ports regularly.
- RAID
- Intel preferred
- QUIET case with vent filters. Big fan of Fractal. Originally built the current one in an R5 and swapped for a BeQuiet and was unimpressed. Looking to go back to Fractal. NO WINDOW, NO TEMPERED GLASS, PLEASE.
- DDR5

EXISTING PARTS WILL BE KEEPING:
- GPU: RTX 2070 (sitting in a closet, will be replacing an aging and now "quirky" GTX970)
- Entire drive array. All of the drives are very healthy and currently storing a fair amount of mission-critical data. Can upgrade those down the road but not particularly interested right now.
--- current drive array: C Drive: 2x SATA SSD in Raid 1. D Drive: 2x SATA SSD in Raid 1. E drive: 2x SATA HDD in Raid 1. F drive: single M.2 SSD. G Drive: Single SATA SSD. Yes, this separation is on purpose.
- Peripherals.
- CPU Cooler: NH-D15

PARTS I AM LOOKING FOR:
- CPU

- MOBO
- RAM
- PSU
- Case

PRIORITY: Quiet performance, low maintenance, high longevity is a must. Willing to spend more to get parts from reputable brands if it means peace of mind when. Sits in a spot that makes it difficult to access for frequent opening/cleaning/tinkering. Want to be able to fire it up and get to work quickly with no fuss.

 

Ryzen 9 are really better at productivity, way more efficient, no crap degradation...

You could get a 9950X but price is really bad compared to a 7950X, less than 10% more performance for a price ...40% higher

Big good aircooler for no maintenance, and should perform well up to 220W

Put an old style big Phanteks case, should fit your needs, and a board with tons of USB (X670E for more lanes)

 

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 7950X 4.5 GHz 16-Core Processor  ($477.00 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE ARGB 66.17 CFM CPU Cooler  ($35.90 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASRock X670E PG Lightning ATX AM5 Motherboard  ($199.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: Patriot Venom 64 GB (2 x 32 GB) DDR5-6000 CL30 Memory  ($153.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Phanteks Enthoo Pro 2 ATX Full Tower Case  ($135.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: be quiet! Straight Power 12 850 W 80+ Platinum Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply  ($124.90 @ Amazon)
Total: $1127.77
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2024-11-17 15:01 EST-0500

 

[brob]

1 hour ago, mishatoast said:

Budget (including currency): TBD, adjustable. 1.5-2.5k ballpark.

Country: USA

Games, programs or workloads that it will be used for: Heavy audio production and sound design, light video editing. No games.

Other details (existing parts lists, whether any peripherals are needed, what you're upgrading from, when you're going to buy, what resolution and refresh rate you want to play at, etc): 

Will be replacing an existing X99 PC in a recording studio. It's served faithfully for 9 years, 2025 will be year 10, so it's time to start planning.

MUST HAVES:
- High quantity of SATA ports is a must, looking for at least 8 onboard for a mobo. Minimum of 2 M.2 slots as well.
- Lots of I/O. My usage has gone down a bit over the years but I still use 8-10 USB ports regularly.
- RAID
- Intel preferred
- QUIET case with vent filters. Big fan of Fractal. Originally built the current one in an R5 and swapped for a BeQuiet and was unimpressed. Looking to go back to Fractal. NO WINDOW, NO TEMPERED GLASS, PLEASE.
- DDR5

EXISTING PARTS WILL BE KEEPING:
- GPU: RTX 2070 (sitting in a closet, will be replacing an aging and now "quirky" GTX970)
- Entire drive array. All of the drives are very healthy and currently storing a fair amount of mission-critical data. Can upgrade those down the road but not particularly interested right now.
--- current drive array: C Drive: 2x SATA SSD in Raid 1. D Drive: 2x SATA SSD in Raid 1. E drive: 2x SATA HDD in Raid 1. F drive: single M.2 SSD. G Drive: Single SATA SSD. Yes, this separation is on purpose.
- Peripherals.
- CPU Cooler: NH-D15

PARTS I AM LOOKING FOR:
- CPU

- MOBO
- RAM
- PSU
- Case

PRIORITY: Quiet performance, low maintenance, high longevity is a must. Willing to spend more to get parts from reputable brands if it means peace of mind when. Sits in a spot that makes it difficult to access for frequent opening/cleaning/tinkering. Want to be able to fire it up and get to work quickly with no fuss.

 

 

I too would suggest considering an AMD build.

 

PCPartPicker Part List

 

CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 9950X 4.3 GHz 16-Core Processor ($649.00 @ Best Buy) 

CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D15 82.5 CFM CPU Cooler (Purchased For $0.00) 

Motherboard: MSI MPG X670E CARBON WIFI ATX AM5 Motherboard ($441.71 @ Amazon) 

Memory: Corsair Vengeance 96 GB (2 x 48 GB) DDR5-6000 CL30 Memory ($358.99 @ Amazon) 

Storage: MSI SPATIUM M570 HS 2 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 5.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive ($239.99 @ Amazon) 

Video Card: NVIDIA Founders Edition GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER 8 GB Video Card (Purchased For $0.00) 

Case: Fractal Design North XL ATX Full Tower Case ($179.99 @ B&H) 

Power Supply: Corsair RM850x (2024) 850 W Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($149.99 @ Amazon) 

Custom: Noctua NM-M1-MP83, CPU Cooler Mounting-Kit for AMD AM5/AM4 and Intel LGA1851/LGA1700/LGA1200 ($21.90) 

Custom: 4 Port SATA III PCIe Expansion Card 6Gbps SATA 3.0 to PCI-e 1X Controller Card PCI Express Adapter Converter with Bracket ($25.90)

Total: $2067.47

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

Generated by PCPartPicker 2024-11-17 15:45 EST-0500

 

But if you really want an Intel build it would be a bit less expensive.

 

PCPartPicker Part List

 

CPU: Intel Core i9-14900K 3.2 GHz 24-Core Processor ($435.78 @ Amazon) 

CPU Cooler: ARCTIC Liquid Freezer III 420 72.8 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($98.55 @ Amazon) 

Motherboard: Asus ProArt Z790-CREATOR WIFI ATX LGA1700 Motherboard ($439.99 @ Amazon) 

Memory: Corsair Vengeance 96 GB (2 x 48 GB) DDR5-6000 CL30 Memory ($329.99 @ Amazon) 

Storage: Samsung 990 Pro 2 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive ($159.00 @ iBUYPOWER) 

Video Card: NVIDIA Founders Edition GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER 8 GB Video Card (Purchased For $0.00) 

Case: Fractal Design North XL ATX Full Tower Case ($179.99 @ B&H) 

Power Supply: Corsair RM850x (2024) 850 W Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($149.99 @ Amazon) 

Total: $1793.29

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

Generated by PCPartPicker 2024-11-17 16:11 EST-0500

[Why_Me]

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: *Intel Core Ultra 7 265K 3.9 GHz 20-Core Processor  ($384.99 @ B&H) 
Motherboard: *MSI MAG Z890 TOMAHAWK WIFI ATX LGA1851 Motherboard  ($239.99 @ Amazon) 
Memory: *Patriot Viper Venom 64 GB (2 x 32 GB) DDR5-6400 CL32 Memory  ($164.99 @ Amazon) 
Case: *Montech AIR 903 BASE ATX Mid Tower Case  ($59.88 @ Newegg) 
Power Supply: *be quiet! Pure Power 12 M 750 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply  ($99.90 @ Amazon) 
Total: $949.75
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
*Lowest price parts chosen from parametric criteria
Generated by PCPartPicker 2024-11-18 03:06 EST-0500

 

https://www.montechpc.com/en/products_detail.php?nid=356  

 

https://www.techpowerup.com/review/montech-air-903-base/  

 

https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/MAG-Z890-TOMAHAWK-WIFI

 

https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/products/sku/241063/intel-core-ultra-7-processor-265k-30m-cache-up-to-5-50-ghz/specifications.html

[maotoast]

I'm seeing recommendations here for MSI and Asrock. Is ASUS not great anymore?

I also saw a request for my current build.

Current build:
CPU: Intel Core i7-5820k
Mobo: ASUS X99-Pro
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D15
RAM: 8x 4GB DDR4-2400 (32GB total)
GPU: GTX970
Case: garbage bequiet bullshit pure base 500, idk, will replace, it's absolutely awful acoustically.

When I say I need quiet, I mean I don't want to hear the pc at all. Right now, I can hear it. When it was in the R5, even if the fans ramped up a little, I couldn't really hear it. This case is garbage and I will probably go Fractal R7 or R5 again.
 

23 hours ago, jaslion said:

8x onboard FUNCTIONAL sata is gone. Also please don't motherboard hardware raid thats a terrrrrrrible idea these days. I mean has been always.

 

Dunno about your storage situation but it sounds like maybe a nas makes a TON of sense here in your case? Can just reuse the old pc for that if you want. Or like a 100$ used office computer.

 

Since it's audio production I'd actually go amd here since then you won't end up with the mess of having to deal with P cores and E cores.

 

Whats heavy in your case? Also since your current rig is near a decade what hardware does it have? Just makes it easier to know where you are coming from and what to look out for.

 

Don't forget to buy the nhd15 adapter plate for the platform you are moving to. If it's an old one you WILL need it.

 

A computer will be as quiet as it can be as long as the fans aren't too loud and the temps are in control. Since intel runs STUPID hot that second part is not real possible unless you go with the new core 200 series which are slower than last gen and the gen before that. They also behave a bit strange and are an avoid for now.

 

Just do a yearly blowout and call it good for maintenance!

 

 

I've never had issues with motherboard hardware RAID. Not once.

I do have an old core2quad PC I'm already using as a NAS.

Since the only thing I'm really moving over to a new build is my storage, the current PC will actually be given a new SSD and relegated to my personal office for general productivity and photoshop crap to replace an aging 2011 laptop that is ready to retire to a life of live recording captures (a task that can still be managed on a potato).

I must be severely out of the loop. P and E cores? Fair question on the heavy question. In this case, my studio frequently finds itself running multiple simultaneous project sessions, each with multiple instances of CPU-hungry virtual instruments, 200+ tracks, etc. Most projects this current build can still manage fine enough, but some plugins are loading slower as they update (UAD Native, Slate/SSL, Waves, Neural, Amplitube, STL Amp Hub, Izotope are still playing nicely but anything needing ARA is starting to lag harder and harder, and any plugins wanting OpenGL are causing what I would call minor hiccups in productivity), which is naturally a bit frustrating when clients are paying by the hour.

If an adapter plate is needed, would it make more sense to spend a few extra bucks and just get a whole new D15? Big fan (no pun intended) of this cooler.

[brob]

12 minutes ago, mishatoast said:

I'm seeing recommendations here for MSI and Asrock. Is ASUS not great anymore?

 

Asus has had a few recent stumbles but still demands a price premium. The competition has improved and often offers more value.

 

14 minutes ago, mishatoast said:

If an adapter plate is needed, would it make more sense to spend a few extra bucks and just get a whole new D15? Big fan (no pun intended) of this cooler.

 

Seems wasteful unless you plan to repurpose the original system. 

 

16 minutes ago, mishatoast said:

When I say I need quiet, I mean I don't want to hear the pc at all. Right now, I can hear it. When it was in the R5, even if the fans ramped up a little, I couldn't really hear it. This case is garbage and I will probably go Fractal R7 or R5 again.

 

A quiet case is not necessarily truly quieter than one that offers better airflow. Cases like the R5 and R7 tend to have higher internal temperatures which forces higher speed from the fans. High airflow cases can run fans at lower speeds to achieve the same cooling. 

 

Keep in mind that current high-end Intel CPU can dump > 250W of heat when loaded. Comparable AMD run a bit cooler.

 

[maotoast]

33 minutes ago, brob said:

 

Asus has had a few recent stumbles but still demands a price premium. The competition has improved and often offers more value.

 

 

Seems wasteful unless you plan to repurpose the original system. 

 

 

A quiet case is not necessarily truly quieter than one that offers better airflow. Cases like the R5 and R7 tend to have higher internal temperatures which forces higher speed from the fans. High airflow cases can run fans at lower speeds to achieve the same cooling. 

 

Keep in mind that current high-end Intel CPU can dump > 250W of heat when loaded. Comparable AMD run a bit cooler.

 

Benchmarks I'm looking at do show the 14900k still outperforming the 9900x. I suppose the power draw would be less efficient on the power bill, and I'm not sure if I really need that dramatic of a speed increase.

As far as quiet, I do measure ambient noise in my control room with fans on silence, fans on full, and look at averages. It was quieter with the R5, so I'm looking at returning to that or even opting for a Define 7.

Here's a possible build:

CPU: Ryzen 9 9900X
Mobo: MSI MAG B650 Tomahawk (fulfills my SATA and USB I/O needs); the Monster Hunter would have even more USB but is considerably more expensive.
RAM: Kingston Fury Beast 2x16GB (I only need 32 at max right now, and can upgrade to 64 down the road if need be).
GPU: Zotac Gaming Twin Fan RTX 2070 Super (again, it's what I have in my closet and will be dropping into the build, no gaming happening, will honestly just be driving a pair of 4k monitors).
PSU: Corsair RMX850x
Case: Fractal Design Define 7

Total: $1146

[brob]

14 minutes ago, mishatoast said:

Benchmarks I'm looking at do show the 14900k still outperforming the 9900x. I suppose the power draw would be less efficient on the power bill, and I'm not sure if I really need that dramatic of a speed increase.

As far as quiet, I do measure ambient noise in my control room with fans on silence, fans on full, and look at averages. It was quieter with the R5, so I'm looking at returning to that or even opting for a Define 7.

Here's a possible build:

CPU: Ryzen 9 9900X
Mobo: MSI MAG B650 Tomahawk (fulfills my SATA and USB I/O needs); the Monster Hunter would have even more USB but is considerably more expensive.
RAM: Kingston Fury Beast 2x16GB (I only need 32 at max right now, and can upgrade to 64 down the road if need be).
GPU: Zotac Gaming Twin Fan RTX 2070 Super (again, it's what I have in my closet and will be dropping into the build, no gaming happening, will honestly just be driving a pair of 4k monitors).
PSU: Corsair RMX850x
Case: Fractal Design Define 7

Total: $1146

 

Did you considered the 9950X?

 

Make sure the RM850X is the 2024 model that is ATX 3.1 compliant.

 

Currently for maximum stability upgrading from 2x16GB would mean replacing the two sticks with a 2x32GB or 2x48GB kit. Simply adding a second memory kit can be problematic with DDR5.

 

[maotoast]

50 minutes ago, brob said:

 

Did you considered the 9950X?

 

Make sure the RM850X is the 2024 model that is ATX 3.1 compliant.

 

Currently for maximum stability upgrading from 2x16GB would mean replacing the two sticks with a 2x32GB or 2x48GB kit. Simply adding a second memory kit can be problematic with DDR5.

 

The steeply diminished return on the cost difference between the 9900x and the 9950x is a no-go for me.

How is adding more memory problematic?

[maotoast]

I am also curious, if I go the AMD route. The BH650 Tomahawk might need a bios update before it can take the new CPU. Can this be done before installing the CPU? Forgive my ignorance.

ALSO: I did just read an article from 2 months ago stating that AMD's newest CPUs like to break PACE iLok software, and I'm not seeing if a fix has been issued yet. Supposedly PACE issued an update with a flash fix but plugin vendors have to update their software to make it work, so a lot of plugins aren't working on Zen 5 systems. Supposedly AMD is working on a firmware update for the Zen 5 chips as well. Anyone know anything about this?

Also considering noise/heat/power efficiency:

CPU: I also went back and re-reviewed the TDP on the 14900k vs the 9900x and it looks like the 14900k is only 5W higher at 125W, which is actually 15W lower than my current 5820k.

GPU: Current EVGA GTX 970 SSC TDP = 145W and usually runs 55-60C powering 2x 4K monitors. New 2070 runs 175W but would probably run fanless most of the time and only sit around 30-40C for what I'm doing, pulling less power and running quiet and cooler. TDP: 30W higher than current. Thermals anticipated 15-25C cooler.

General conclusions regarding cases are the Define 7 is quieter than the Define R5.

So if I go 14900k with a 2070, on paper I'd be seeing a 15-20W higher overall system TDP (accounting for mobo and ram usage as well), but due to the dramatic increase in performance capability, would likely see an overall lower power draw and cooler temps, and quieter operation, which is huge for me considering my rack equipment already generates enough heat on its own.

Z790 tomahawk would also need a bios update but can be done via flashback without cpu.

AI analysis of the two builds shows the new one should run about 5C cooler internal case temps under load with acoustic output being about 5dBA quieter.

Sorry for the thread, looks like I'm going the 14900k / Z790 Tomahawk / Define 7 route here. And at a much lower cost than anticipated. Order placing now.

[brob]

42 minutes ago, mishatoast said:

How is adding more memory problematic?

 

To assure dual channel operation the sticks have to be electrically matched. That may not be the case using 2 memory kits. Also, memory speeds will likely be lower running two sticks per channel, see the motherboard specification.

 

1 hour ago, mishatoast said:

I am also curious, if I go the AMD route. The BH650 Tomahawk might need a bios update before it can take the new CPU. Can this be done before installing the CPU? Forgive my ignorance.

 

Yes. That motherboard, like most good AMD motherboards, can update the BIOS using a USB stick and just power to the motherboard.

[maotoast]

1 minute ago, brob said:

 

To assure dual channel operation the sticks have to be electrically matched. That may not be the case using 2 memory kits. Also, memory speeds will likely be lower running two sticks per channel, see the motherboard specification.

 

 

Yes. That motherboard, like most good AMD motherboards, can update the BIOS using a USB stick and just power to the motherboard.

If I were to buy a 2nd kit down the road it would be identical to the first kit.

[brob]

Just now, mishatoast said:

If I were to buy a 2nd kit down the road it would be identical to the first kit.

 

No, it would be the same part number. That doesn't mean that the components are identical.  In a mature tech like DDR4 it likely wouldn't be an issue. But DDR5 is relatively young, subject to frequent manufacturing tweaks. And, the memory controllers are at best 2nd generation.

[maotoast]

5 minutes ago, brob said:

 

No, it would be the same part number. That doesn't mean that the components are identical.  In a mature tech like DDR4 it likely wouldn't be an issue. But DDR5 is relatively young, subject to frequent manufacturing tweaks. And, the memory controllers are at best 2nd generation.

Good to know. I'm honestly fine with 32GB. I seldom see more than 17-18GB of usage at a time. Very rarely it'll break 20.