Video Editing System Builders

Budget:
4,500 or less

My current editing machine:
Razer Blade 15 2018 model
i7-8750 - GTX 1070 Max Q - 32gb ram

Expectations:
Need to edit in real-time 4k-6k footage on 720-1080p sequence timelines on premier pro and after effects. No lag!

Usage:
Premier pro, after effects, photoshop, Lightroom,
Luminar

Special Needs:
I need a workstation that can edit flawlessly, in real-time this type of footage above. Tired of lag and having to pre-render changes as I go along.

First stab at configuration (over budget)
Velox - quatro 4000 - amd thread-ripper 24 cores

I would love this build I’ve created but it’s a bit over budget. Any other recommendations that would churn out my workflow flawlessly at a cheaper prince point/config?

Thanks!

Edited by Kmdeco creatives - 20 Dec 2020 at 9:25pm

Originally posted by Cretae Okay, I'm a gamer only, but I do know my way around the Configurator. Are you aware of the $400 discount you score by going past $4000? You didn't post your config #, but when I ran your specs, not adding anything else but a 500GB Firecuda NVMe SSD for Windows OS/Applications drive, I got $4939 in the Velox case; NET $ 4539. That's with the 24 core TR and the Quadro 4000; 64GB of RAM. Not much storage. If you had put some more parts in there, you gain some budget room with a Slade case. I duped that set-up in a Slade for $4270 NET. You could sub a 2GB 960 EVO SSD for the HDD for $262, total $4532. Here is that config:        3662182     To see it, copy and paste to "Load Config" in upper right main page. Take $400 off. It seems you're closer than you think, unless there are more parts you didn't mention that are essential. Be sure to get a Firecuda for the OS and apps. It's 5 times faster than the DS SATA M.2 for only $6 more! Hope it helps.

Thanks for these details! Good to know about the Firecuda drives, will absolutely include as I progress through config!

Here is the setup I had made previously: 3661577

My main concern now/what’s driving the costs are the processor and GPU config. Since my workload is video editing (mostly 4k-6k) and photo editing as described not sure what would perform better based on what i am used to getting with my current Razer Blade 15. Not being able to test drive a workflow in Premier Pro makes the decision all the more difficult for me since this will be my first high end editing rig.

Debating on AMD Ryzen 9 3950x or the 24 core Threadripper paired with either a Quadro 4000 or one of the GTX cards like the RTX 3080. Since can’t test drive I have no idea what the better way to go is for my purposes, Quadro or RTX.

Sounds like if I went with the Quadro 400 and Ryzen 9 3950x it would both bring the price point down and also crush what I’m
Currently running, Nvidia GTX 1070 Max Q with an i7-8750.

Just thinking out loud here!
Thanks for the help so far!

Video editor here. You'd certainly enjoy the luxury of all those cores on a Threadripper, but unless you're doing high end graphics or VFX work, it's probably overkill. I haven't received my DS rig yet, but here's what I just purchased for $3K (with discount):

Chassis Model: Digital Storm Slade Studio Workstation
Processor: Intel Core i9-10900K (5.3 GHz Turbo) (20-Thread) (10-Core) 3.7 Ghz
Motherboard: ASUS ProART Z490-CREATOR 10G (Thunderbolt) (Z490) (Up to 2x PCI-E) (No SLI Support)
System Memory: 64GB DDR4 3200MHz Digital Storm Performance Series
Power Supply: 850W Digital Storm Performance Series (Modular) (80 Plus Gold)
Storage Set 1: 1x SSD M.2 (1TB Samsung 970 EVO PLUS) (NVM Express)
Storage Set 2: 1x Storage (2TB Seagate / Toshiba / Hitachi)
Graphics Card(s): 1x GeForce RTX 3080 10GB (Performance Edition) (VR Ready)

If you prefer an AMD CPU, the 5950X looks nice and would run you +$500 for a similar setup. The only catch is you're looking at a bit of a wait for that chip...

Originally posted by outon45th Video editor here. You'd certainly enjoy the luxury of all those cores on a Threadripper, but unless you're doing high end graphics or VFX work, it's probably overkill. I haven't received my DS rig yet, but here's what I just purchased for $3K (with discount): Chassis Model: Digital Storm Slade Studio Workstation Processor: Intel Core i9-10900K (5.3 GHz Turbo) (20-Thread) (10-Core) 3.7 Ghz Motherboard: ASUS ProART Z490-CREATOR 10G (Thunderbolt) (Z490) (Up to 2x PCI-E) (No SLI Support) System Memory: 64GB DDR4 3200MHz Digital Storm Performance Series Power Supply: 850W Digital Storm Performance Series (Modular) (80 Plus Gold) Storage Set 1: 1x SSD M.2 (1TB Samsung 970 EVO PLUS) (NVM Express) Storage Set 2: 1x Storage (2TB Seagate / Toshiba / Hitachi) Graphics Card(s): 1x GeForce RTX 3080 10GB (Performance Edition) (VR Ready) If you prefer an AMD CPU, the 5950X looks nice and would run you +$500 for a similar setup. The only catch is you're looking at a bit of a wait for that chip...

Great to have some input from a fellow video editor/creator! After more research I think you are right. My workflow is 90% in premier pro editing 4K-6K footage with a ton of essential graphics/overlays etc. I sometimes do some animation work with AE as well but seldom compared to the PP work and nothing crazy high end unless editing an existing AE template.

Since I’m coming from a Razer Blade GTX 1070 Max Q with an i7-8750h I think you are totally right, this DS build I'm generating will def be a dramatic upgrade for my work wether I go with the 5950X or a TR ... the 5950x with 16 cores compared to my current i7 with 6 will likely be MORE than enough for my workflow and bring the price down as well. Not sure if I’ll pair with the Quadro 4000 or an RTX, leading more towards the Quadro since I’m really not gaming at all on the machine aside from some occasional Sim City or Diablo lol.

Your workstation is a beast! I just wish we could test drive systems like cars before deciding lol. I def want to stay with an AMD CPU system, but do you think it’s better to pair the 5950x with a Quadro or similar RTX card like yours based on what I will be doing?

This is so great you got some real advice from a user I didn't even know we had here! I hope I didn't steer you too far off course. I thought DS could serve you well. All best wishes that you get the upgraded experience you hope for at the right price. Merry Christmas!   

Originally posted by outon45th All of the bigger shows I work on rent machines for me. (For instance, the show I'm currently on sent me a maxed out Mac Pro trashcan.) This machine will be for the smaller projects and any projects of my own that I work on between the big shows. And while I've been a console gamer my whole life, I'd be lying if I said I didn't choose the 3080 with gaming in mind. If this was purely a workstation, I'd probably have gone with a Xeon or the 5950X and a Quadro or Radeon GPU. The Quadros/Radeons are specifically designed for working with Adobe/AVID, so they're super reliable in that dept.

Always good to sneak in a little game time to relax between edits hahaha!

I’ve always been an Nvidia guy so haven’t humored combining an AMD cpu and GPU.

Have had my eyes on the Quadro 4000 and AMD 5950x as the final decision here although VERY tempting to move up to the TR 3960x combined with the Quadro. This could be overkill though with more cost for what I actually need based on my work.

Based on your expertise as a fellow creator where do you think I should land GPU/CPU-wise? Again I’m editing 4k footage on 720 + 1080p timelines using Premier Pro with a ton of essential graphics/overlays. My sequences are setup with Pro-res 422hq so the render times are super fast on final exports because I use the preview cache rendered files...the real issue I hate and want this upgrade for is for a lag-free better live editing process. I hate making some edits then pre-rendering in chunks to see playback only to repeat a million times along the way. Also don’t want to use proxies. All the videos are 5 minutes or less for marketing firm and for my aerial photography business.

Let me know what you think? Thanks so much for the help! You rock! Happy Holidays!

Originally posted by outon45th Originally posted by Kmdeco creatives Have had my eyes on the Quadro 4000 and AMD 5950x as the final decision here although VERY tempting to move up to the TR 3960x combined with the Quadro. This could be overkill though with more cost for what I actually need based on my work. Based on your expertise as a fellow creator where do you think I should land GPU/CPU-wise? Again I’m editing 4k footage on 720 + 1080p timelines using Premier Pro with a ton of essential graphics/overlays. The thing is, Premiere won't make full use of a Threadripper. Here's a handy reference from Adobe:https://helpx.adobe.com/premiere-pro/kb/hardware-recommendations.html#:~:text=Fast%20clock%20speed%20at%20least,98%25%20efficiency%20with%208%20cores If you go with a 5950X (which I would if I was going AMD) there are likely other places to look for any bottlenecks. For instance, make sure you get a motherboard with USB-C inputs, 64 GB of RAM (128 GB if your budget can afford it), take advantage of a 4th gen NVMe for your boot drive, and go with the Quadro 4000. Something like this: https://www.digitalstorm.com/configurator.asp?id=3670231https://www.digitalstorm.com/configurator.asp?id=3670231 Good luck and Happy Holidays!

Wow! Had no idea that PP favored 8 cores etc. the TR would absolutely be overkill on PP and a waste of money for my needs, better to throw it at the other components you’ve listed in conjunction with the article recommendations.

My final question to you as someone with real world experience is why you personally did not go with an AMD chip in your rig? On paper the more cores/threads and cheaper price point seem the way to go for better editing performance. I’ve been an intel boy since the beginning of time so making this leap into AMD territory for my needs, and with such a larger investment, makes me a bit more nit-picky.

Thanks so much again, it’s great to speak with someone with real world similar workflow whom also is a fan of this company and their builds!

Once again, solid advice from someone who knows. Very pleased you got that.

Just one comment, just because I know the ropes here. If you wanted to go with outon45th's build, you might look at bumping up the storage or the RAM a bit. Reason being, so close to the $4000 mark, you could score another $100 discount to help pay for the extra upgrade. Just a thought.

Elsewhere, we have been told the supply of 5000 series CPU from AMD has been unexpectedly small, so you should probably ask DS when they might realistically expect to fill an order now for a 5950X. They might have a backlog that could overwhelm even a healthy supply in January.

All the best, and Merry Christmas!