$1400 mid-tower/mini-itx workstation advice

[DeathPheonix]

Building a system for my friend to do 3D modeling, simulations and AutoCAD with a budget of 1400USD, not including peripherals and OS. Mid-tower would be preferred, mini-itx would be ok as well. He doesn't plan to use it for gaming just for 3D modeling, simulations. Mainly running COMSOL Multiphysics and 3ds max, Matlab, OriginLab, labview. Not sure how much memory he needs for 60 chrome tabs though, and 50mb of raw data files presumably for Matlab or OriginLab

 

BTW, is i7-7700k better for overclocking than 6700k?

 

[Max_Settings]

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: AMD - Ryzen 7 1700 3.0GHz 8-Core Processor  ($289.88 @ OutletPC) 
CPU Cooler: CRYORIG - H7 49.0 CFM CPU Cooler  ($34.89 @ OutletPC) 
Motherboard: Asus - PRIME B350-PLUS ATX AM4 Motherboard  ($83.98 @ Newegg) 
Memory: Corsair - Vengeance LPX 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3200 Memory  ($139.99 @ Amazon) 
Storage: Samsung - 960 EVO 250GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive  ($127.88 @ OutletPC) 
Storage: Western Digital - Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($47.88 @ OutletPC) 
Video Card: EVGA - GeForce GTX 1070 8GB SC GAMING ACX 3.0 Black Edition Video Card  ($444.98 @ Newegg) 
Case: NZXT - S340 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case  ($69.99 @ B&H) 
Power Supply: EVGA - SuperNOVA G2 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($89.99 @ Amazon) 
Operating System: Microsoft - Windows 10 Home OEM 64-bit  ($89.89 @ OutletPC) 
Total: $1419.35
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-07-30 16:35 EDT-0400

[Himommies]

https://pcpartpicker.com/list/wJHfzM

[Guest]

2 minutes ago, Max_Settings said:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: AMD - Ryzen 7 1700 3.0GHz 8-Core Processor  ($289.88 @ OutletPC) 
CPU Cooler: CRYORIG - H7 49.0 CFM CPU Cooler  ($34.89 @ OutletPC) 
Motherboard: Asus - PRIME B350-PLUS ATX AM4 Motherboard  ($83.98 @ Newegg) 
Memory: Corsair - Vengeance LPX 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3200 Memory  ($139.99 @ Amazon) 
Storage: Samsung - 960 EVO 250GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive  ($127.88 @ OutletPC) 
Storage: Western Digital - Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($47.88 @ OutletPC) 
Video Card: EVGA - GeForce GTX 1070 8GB SC GAMING ACX 3.0 Black Edition Video Card  ($444.98 @ Newegg) 
Case: NZXT - S340 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case  ($69.99 @ B&H) 
Power Supply: EVGA - SuperNOVA G2 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($89.99 @ Amazon) 
Operating System: Microsoft - Windows 10 Home OEM 64-bit  ($89.89 @ OutletPC) 
Total: $1419.35
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-07-30 16:35 EDT-0400

 

2 minutes ago, Himommies said:

https://pcpartpicker.com/list/wJHfzM

[Max_Settings]

Just now, deXxterlab97 said:

 

 

That is that Intel optimized? Damn

[Guest]

8 minutes ago, DeathPheonix said:

Building a system for my friend to do 3D modeling, simulations and AutoCAD with a budget of 1400USD, not including peripherals. Mid-tower would be preferred, mini-itx would be ok as well. He doesn't plan to use it for gaming just for 3D modeling, simulations, and AutoCAD. 

BTW, is i7-7700k better for overclocking than 6700k?

 

yeah the 7700k will reach 5ghz easier

[Guest]

1 minute ago, Max_Settings said:

That is that Intel optimized? Damn

No, it's single threaded optimized 

[Max_Settings]

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel - Core i7-7700K 4.2GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($308.87 @ Amazon) 
CPU Cooler: CRYORIG - H7 49.0 CFM CPU Cooler  ($34.89 @ OutletPC) 
Motherboard: MSI - Z270-A PRO ATX LGA1151 Motherboard  ($109.99 @ SuperBiiz) 
Memory: Corsair - Vengeance LPX 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3200 Memory  ($139.99 @ Amazon) 
Storage: Western Digital - Blue 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($89.88 @ OutletPC) 
Storage: Western Digital - Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($47.88 @ OutletPC) 
Video Card: Asus - GeForce GTX 1070 8GB Dual Series Video Card  ($439.99 @ Newegg) 
Case: NZXT - S340 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case  ($69.99 @ B&H) 
Power Supply: Corsair - CXM 550W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($61.99 @ Amazon) 
Operating System: Microsoft - Windows 10 Home OEM 64-bit  ($89.89 @ OutletPC) 
Total: $1393.36
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-07-30 16:42 EDT-0400

[Himommies]

1 minute ago, deXxterlab97 said:

 

snip

well the more you know

TO OP get a regular 1080 and a 7700k then.

[Guest]

Just now, Himommies said:

well the more you know

TO OP get a regular 1080 and a 7700k then.

he also doesn't game, why 1070 or 1080?

[DeathPheonix]

3 minutes ago, Max_Settings said:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel - Core i7-7700K 4.2GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($308.87 @ Amazon) 
CPU Cooler: CRYORIG - H7 49.0 CFM CPU Cooler  ($34.89 @ OutletPC) 
Motherboard: MSI - Z270-A PRO ATX LGA1151 Motherboard  ($109.99 @ SuperBiiz) 
Memory: Corsair - Vengeance LPX 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3200 Memory  ($139.99 @ Amazon) 
Storage: Western Digital - Blue 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($89.88 @ OutletPC) 
Storage: Western Digital - Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($47.88 @ OutletPC) 
Video Card: Asus - GeForce GTX 1070 8GB Dual Series Video Card  ($439.99 @ Newegg) 
Case: NZXT - S340 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case  ($69.99 @ B&H) 
Power Supply: Corsair - CXM 550W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($61.99 @ Amazon) 
Operating System: Microsoft - Windows 10 Home OEM 64-bit  ($89.89 @ OutletPC) 
Total: $1393.36
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-07-30 16:42 EDT-0400

Drop the OS and get an AIO?

[Max_Settings]

1 minute ago, DeathPheonix said:

Drop the OS and get an AIO?

Yeah that will go well, you'll have a cool CPU, but no way to use the computer

[Max_Settings]

2 minutes ago, DeathPheonix said:

Drop the OS and get an AIO?

Well do you already have an OS?

[DeathPheonix]

1 minute ago, Max_Settings said:

Yeah that will go well, you'll have a cool CPU, but no way to use the computer

We can get Windows 10 for 15 bucks through our university, so that doesn't really have to be taken account into the budget, and I think he already has a windows 10 license that he can deactivate his old laptop and use on the new system

[Guest]

1 minute ago, DeathPheonix said:

Drop the OS and get an AIO?

This is what I would get instead

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel - Core i7-7700K 4.2GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($308.87 @ Amazon) 
CPU Cooler: Noctua - NH-D15 82.5 CFM CPU Cooler  ($88.95 @ Newegg) 
Motherboard: MSI - Z270M MORTAR Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard  ($108.98 @ Newegg) 
Memory: G.Skill - Aegis 32GB (2 x 16GB) DDR4-2133 Memory  ($229.89 @ Newegg Marketplace) 
Storage: Samsung - 960 EVO 250GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive  ($127.88 @ OutletPC) 
Storage: Seagate - Barracuda 3TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($83.61 @ OutletPC) 
Video Card: Asus - GeForce GTX 1060 6GB 6GB Dual Video Card  ($289.88 @ OutletPC) 
Case: Thermaltake - Core V21 MicroATX Mini Tower Case  ($59.99 @ Amazon) 
Power Supply: BitFenix - Whisper M 450W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($66.99 @ SuperBiiz) 
Total: $1365.04
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-07-30 16:49 EDT-0400

[Max_Settings]

4 minutes ago, DeathPheonix said:

We can get Windows 10 for 15 bucks through our university, so that doesn't really have to be taken account into the budget, and I think he already has a windows 10 license that he can deactivate his old laptop and use on the new system

Oh ok then, yeah you can do that or get a GTX 1080, your pick

[Guest]

1 minute ago, Max_Settings said:

Oh ok then, yeah you can do that or get a GTX 1080, your pick

again, why a 1070 or a 1080?

[Max_Settings]

Just now, deXxterlab97 said:

again, why a 1070 or a 1080?

Doesn't CAD use GPU power at all?

[DeathPheonix]

2 minutes ago, deXxterlab97 said:

again, why a 1070 or a 1080?

I believe 3D modeling needs a beefy GPU as well?

[Guest]

Just now, Max_Settings said:

Doesn't CAD use GPU power at all?

they do, but not to the point you need to spend 100-200 more for minimal increase in performance. linus iirc uses only a 980 for gpu boost in his worsktation editing pc 6950x

 

 

[DeathPheonix]

6 minutes ago, deXxterlab97 said:

they do, but not to the point you need to spend 100-200 more for minimal increase in performance. linus iirc uses only a 980 for gpu boost in his worsktation editing pc 6950x

 

 

He's mainly running COMSOL Multiphysics and 3ds max, Matlab, OriginLab, labview. Not sure how much memory he needs for 60 chrome tabs though, and 50mb of raw data files presumably for Matlab or OriginLab

 

[Guest]

8 minutes ago, DeathPheonix said:

I believe 3D modeling needs a beefy GPU as well?

Yes. But it doesn't offer a significant difference than more RAM or better CPU offers

This is an old article but it would be somewhat similar. 

The difference between a 660 and a 680  for example is minimal

https://www.pugetsystems.com/labs/articles/AutoDesk-AutoCAD-2013-GPU-Acceleration-164/

[DeathPheonix]

Just now, deXxterlab97 said:

Yes. But it doesn't offer a significant difference than more RAM or better CPU offers

This is an old article but it would be somewhat similar. 

The difference betwwen a 660 and a 680 is minimal

https://www.pugetsystems.com/labs/articles/AutoDesk-AutoCAD-2013-GPU-Acceleration-164/

So he just told me he's using 3ds Max not AutoCAD

[Guest]

[DeathPheonix]

10 minutes ago, deXxterlab97 said:

they do, but not to the point you need to spend 100-200 more for minimal increase in performance. linus iirc uses only a 980 for gpu boost in his worsktation editing pc 6950x

 

 

He's mainly running COMSOL Multiphysics and 3ds max, Matlab, OriginLab, labview. Not sure how much memory he needs for 60 chrome tabs though, and 50mb of raw data files presumably for Matlab or OriginLab