New PC

[Ireland_r]

Hello Brian.  It's time to upgrade, I can't hold out any longer. Could you take a look at these specs for me and see if I missed anything? I'm getting a $100 discount so the total is 1996.00.  Any feed back our recommendations would be much appreciated.

[Brian]

"Close but no Cigar!!!"

I love the Digital Storm Lynx. Here is what I would purchase:

Basically a Intel i9 is really overkill for Photoshop. In fact, I have a feeling you are going to have more Photoshop issues with a lower-end Video Card in your configuration.

What I would do is take the savings on getting a i7, and put those settings towards a BETTER VIDEO CARD. The current versions of Photoshop really utilize the VIDEO CARD WITH DEDICATED VIDEO MEMORY now more than ever. I know everyone has been so hung up on the CPU, which is the primary "Speed" thing for the last 30-40 years, but in reality, the current versions of Photoshop really are taxing Video Cards. 4GB of VRAM is just not enough; you want 8GB at a minimum, with 16GB not out of the question. I find that a NVIDIA GTX 3070 8GB Video Card is the "Best Bang for your Buck" Model, and is my go-to recommendation.

The other thing I would do, is bump up the RAM to 32GB. But you can do that later if money is tight.

[Brian]

You can add hard drives and other things over time with that computer. You could technically lower the Power Supply to 700 Watts or 750 if you wanted to. That would save a few dollars too.

I tried using the "Customize" version of the Lynx, and you get better hardware, but the cost jumps up to at least $2500-ish, which sounds out of your budget. You might just want to stick with picking the Lynx on the left and choosing the $1699 version.

Click "View Configs" under the $999 Model and then scroll down to the bottom. You should see the $1699 version.

For those wondering, go here: Digital Storm - Lynx.

[Ireland_r]

You are awesome! Thank you so much! I almost didn’t ask and just bought this last night. So glad I didn’t. However I’d rather get what I need now, so if I have to spend 2500 I will. I plan on taking a new direction and painting in photoshop. Does this change your recommendations at all? 

[Brian]

Alright, I had a little fun and built a system that you could grow into. So far I'm up to $3064 and can keep going. If you want to spend that kind of money, I can share the specs that I would pick for me. Otherwise, the $1699 is a good deal for what it is. It just sucks to be in the market right now for a new computer, though...prices have come down. That $1699 system would be closer to $3000 in 2020/2021.

[Brian]

Here is the specs that I chose:

• i9 CPU
• ASUS Prime Z690-A (Intel Z690 Chipset) (Up to 3x PCI-E Devices) (No SLI) (DDR5)
• 32GB DDR5 5200MHz FURY Beast
• Power Supply left at 850 Watts.

• Upgraded the SSD m.2 Drive to a Samsung 970 EVO Plus verion instead of generic.

• Selected the GeForce RTX 3070 8GB

 

Downgraded the OS to Windows 10 Professional 64-bit. I will upgrade to Windows 11 in 2025, waiting for it to "Cook" in the oven for a few more years. Windows 10 Pro is worth the extra $50. When things go wrong, it's easier to fix things since it stays out of your way. You could select Windows 10 Home 64-bit though. Up to you.

That configuration will cost you $3064 before shipping and tax. I could add more, but honestly? I can buy a 2nd HD off of Amazon and install it. Here is a Western Digital Black 10TB Version. You can add this at a later date. I would use this HD just for storage of my image files / data. I could help you install the drive, it's actually really easy to do. Windows 10 Pro makes it really easy to setup as well. Takes about 20-30 minutes, depending on your skill level.

[Brian]

You could also upgrade to this Motherboard, the ASUS ROG Maximus Z690 Hero. Which is a "Better" Motherboard, but the cost increases. This is what that config would look like:

Of course, the new cost is $3379.

It's all about money. If you would like, give Digital Storm a call or setup a Chat Meeting. Tell them what you are doing and see what they recommend. As of right now, I think the $1699 is the "Best Bang for your Buck" model. It's the "$999 PC" from several years ago, or it's equivalent. Of course, you'll need to either use an exiting Keyboard and Mouse and have a IPS Display on hand. If you need those things, it adds to the cost. (Most Gamers like using their own keyboards and such, Digital Storm makes "Gaming" PCs, hence not having keyboards/mice as a standard option. Honestly? You could head to Best Buy or whatever and buy a Keyboard and Mouse for like $40 or so. Or again, if you have a Keyboard/Mouse that you like and works for you, and is USB based, save yourself some cash.

[Ireland_r]

I was hoping not to go above 2500. So I think I’ll stick with the 1699. Again, thank you so much for your time and help on this. I really appreciate it.

[Brian]

Yeah, once you start wanting “faster” components in attempts to not be obsolete sooner rather than later, the cost really jumps up. I still think the $1699 model will work well for you. 

I’d buy it.