Is this computer 'good enough'

[Lauren emjay]

Hey Brian,

Thanks for your time here! Really appreciate it.

So 10 yrs ago I started with a 21.5 inch Mac, had extra storage added to it from memory and it did the job, keeping in mind I didn't shoot raw. 

Im trying to get back into photography and keep making stupid choices because I lacked knowledge and go by what the jbhi fi guy says 😬 first i bought a mac book which wasn't my cup of tea and then thought my solution would be to get the same as the mac that worked years before( lesson learnt...he sold me a 21.5inch that I can't add anything to! ) so that's two waste of $ decisions iv made and getting nowhere!

After much frustration it's time to get serious as Im planning on learning raw and doing the classes and can't do that with a snail computer. I was a successful photographer in my area who taught myself and basically winged it, now I'm going back and educating myself properly. 

This is the computer I have found..well I can get it built. I would love your thoughts. What isn't needed, what extra is needed etc. I can't stuff up again this has to be it !

Here are the details.

ryzden 7 3700x

Asus prime B450M-A motherboard

Kingston 16g ddr4 can upgrade to 64 for $350

Kingston 1tb SSD nvme

Deep cool earlkase pc case 

1st player 650w power supply

WD Blue 2tb hard drive

colourful rtx 3070 Nb graphics card with 8gb vram

Windows 10 professional

 

Thoughts??? 😬

 

 

[Lauren emjay]

Price is $2880  plus $350 to upgrade to 64g

2 yr warranty 

[Brian]

17 hours ago, Lauren emjay said:

Kingston 1tb SSD nvme

WD Blue 2tb hard drive

A Big Fat "Meh" to both of these. I'd skip the WD Blue drive and purchase a WD Caviar Black 2TB Drive. I'm also a fan of Samsung SSD / NVME Drives. Kingston is cheap, low COGS which makes computers that are built cheaper for the person selling the computer. It's more profitable.

I like the good shit that lasts. Even if I have to save up for another month. Buy-It-Right...Buy-It-Once.

Of course this person will need to purchase the model of Drive Media that works best with your potential Motherboard, so the price might vary a little.

Western Digital Drives have different classes:

Green - Think Nikon D3100 - Entry Level / Consumer Grade. Pieces of shit the WD Drives are. High failure rates. I hate these damn drives. So. Many. Failures.

Blue - Prosumer Model. Think Nikon D7100. A little better than the basic entry-level model, but not as good as something like a D850 or whatever. That's the next level.

Black - These are the drives that I myself purchase. Then run fast, run cool and last a long time. Think Nikon D850 of Canon 5D Mark IV. I'm always recommending the Black Drives.

There are others like Red, Gold, Purple, but my brain is tired and I don't feel like typing more than I need to.   So let's keep things simple: While a Blue Drive I'd use in a pinch, if I was building a computer with a 7 year lifespan in mind, I'd be installing a WD Caviar Black Drive. At least a 4TB model.

17 hours ago, Lauren emjay said:

1st player 650w power supply

Junk. Cheap Chinese Power Supply. They have started creeping in local computer stores. But hey...they are available. The Steampunk line from 1STPlayer seems to do well with reviews, but chances are this may be a low-end P/S model. Also with a 3070 Graphics Card, you are looking at 850 Watts of Power Supply. 

My Gawd, for $2880...this is such a let-down. How about this, what would Brian buy?

He'd probably start off with a Digital Storm Lynx Computer and configure it, so we start with the $1587 model on the right. (Of course we would, this is me we are talking about...but there is a method to my madness.)

To start off, I'm going to pick the $1696 model and tweak a few things. Then I will do the same with the $1999 model and tweak a few things. This way I can see a two computers to compare side-by-side with different price-points.

I'm sticking with the "Basics" with this model and we already have a MUCH better system for almost the same price.

 

 

Sure, the cost is a bit more, but you do get a 4 year warranty in the process.

Now we are going to have a little fun starting with the $1999 model. THEN we are going to configure a 27" iMac, that's configured correctly, just for a comparison. Since you are already on a Mac, it makes transitioning to a new computer much easier. Going from Mac to Windows is a Pain in the Ass.

Onward!

 

[Brian]

OK, so I lied. I still went conservative because paying $4000 for a computer to run Photoshop is just plain silly. I also know we can get a WD Back Drive with a higher capacity, for less money if we just buy it and have you install it. Seriously, it's easy. Here is the build for the faster model:

 

$3611 for a faster system. Save 4 year warranty.

[Brian]

Now I'm going to configure a iMac that I would purchase today. We are starting with the 27" Model and the most expensive one. (Believe me, this is the cheaper route as you are penalized for choosing a lower-priced Mac; meaning the upgrades for things like storage/video cards and such, you pay more since you picked a lower-priced Mac. Sneaky, huh?)

Here is the config:

Basically, I upgraded the CPU, chose the middle option for the video card and upgraded the internal Mac HD to a 1TB SSD. I also upgraded the keyboard to the one that has the built in number pad, it's totally worth the extra $30.

So we are now at $3229, plus AppleCare, Tax & Shipping.

Now, I'm sure you are wondering about the RAM and why I didn't bump it up. Because I refuse to give Apple $1000 to upgrade to 64GB. THIS IS COMPLETELY STUPID. I can get the same amount of RAM, made by the same manufacturer for about $300. Yep, a $700 savings!! 

What you will need to do is purchase TWO 32GB KITS from Crucial.com. Then what you will do is remove the existing Apple RAM, and then install the Four 16GB Crucial Sticks. It's easy. Yes, you can do it yourself. No, really. There are LOTS of YouTube Videos demonstrating the process.

In the end, whatever you buy, the prices are pretty much equal with each other. You are paying around $3600 or so when it's all said and done. Personally, I think you should SKIP that computer build. For $2800-ish...it's a "Meh" system.

I'm not spending close to $3000 for "Meh."
 

[Lauren emjay]

Your a total champ! You not only give good advice you explain why and its extremely helpful!

I'm thinking of going Mac again now :)

Are you talking US dollars??

[Lauren emjay]

And Im sorry still researching, theres a mac near me for sale 1 year old $2000 saving for me. ticks every box only difference is the the  72gb 2133 MHZ DDR4. Is that going to be a big issue as its not 2666?

[Brian]

14 hours ago, Lauren emjay said:

Are you talking US dollars??

Yes. Any price I list is in US Dollars as we have members from all over the world and it's just easier for me. That, and I'm too lazy to Google to do the currency translation.  

14 hours ago, Lauren emjay said:

ticks every box only difference is the the  72gb 2133 MHZ DDR4. Is that going to be a big issue as its not 2666?

NOPE.

You are editing Photos, not editing Video. As long as it's a 27" iMac from 2017 or newer, and has a Video Card with at least 8GB of Video Memory, that other Mac should be fine. If it's used, MAKE SURE IT'S NOT LISTED WITH THAT PERSON'S ICLOUD ACCOUNT!!

[Lauren emjay]

You have no idea how thankful I am to you!