Video editing build

[dulcificum]

Hi guys, seems like I need an upgrade..

CPU
Intel Core i5 4670 or Intel Core i7 4770. Maybe worth splashing out on the i7 as I'm already running a i3 2120 @ 3,3Ghz and the main reason I'm upgrading is for easily-parallelisable tasks like video encoding and speeding up video editing. Main use of the system is massive multi-tasking (hundreds of tabs/processes across dozens of programs). Won't be overclocking. Really want silence.

CPU cooler
I want silent. Thermalright AXP-140 or Cogage MST-140, whichever's cheaper and fits in the case.

RAM
I want 16GB or 32GB if it's going to be affordable soon. Whatever the cheapest is, I care only about amount and price not speed.

Case
Small is good. I'm running a mini-ITX at the moment but willing to go bigger if it means it's easier to make it silent. No fans at all if possible.

Must have room for 2.5" SSD, 3.5" HDD (can survive w/o maybe) and optical drive.

Mobo
Don't really care. Don't need onboard wifi. e-SATA and USB 3.0 would be nice as would dual ethernet but I really don't need any of this.

Has to be able to handle at least two monitors that have display port/DVI-D/VGA outputs. My projector will be DVI-D or HDMI so not needing extra cable or simple switching is a plus.

(Related to graphics. I'm inclined to use onboard graphics only as long as there's not a graphics card that's a) cheap, b) silent, c) can support my monitors.)

GPU
As above. Skip it?

PSU
I have a novatech PowerStation 400W I could reuse but otherwise whatever will get the job done for the cheapest.

Boot drive
Crucial CT240M500SSD1 2.5-inch 240GB.

Budget
Eeek. Lower the better but willing to spend a bit more to make it last and to keep it quiet.

Opinions and comments gratefully received. Am I missing anything obvious? Am I doing this sensibly?

[dulcificum]

Any ideas for a mobo/case combo that will allow me to use these coolers or another cheap completely fanless option?

[herulach]

Complete fanless is going to be expensive, but also unneccessary unless you mount the thing next to your ear. A decent 140mm fan based cooler in any mitx case that fits it, together with a decent quality PSU will be as near as silent as makes no never mind. You might wish to consider a deadened case to help with HDD noise.

Define R4 is the most common choice, but there are plenty of deadened smaller cases.

Are you sure your software doesn't (couldn't) make use of either CUDA or OpenCL? If so you might find the performance gains from a GPU outweigh the difference in cost to upgrade.

[dulcificum]

Running the CPU fanless should be fine according to what other people say. Then I'll either go for a decent efficient and quiet PSU ~£40 or a fanless one for ~£100.

I was going to go for a completely budget case but am just not sure about which will fit my cooler in easily without being massive on the outside. Deadened seems a bit of a waste as I can do it myself for cheaper and in any case I'll be using a silent SSD.

I'm pretty set on upgrading anyway so will go for it.

Thanks,

[dacads]

I would go with a Samsung 840 Evo 250GB SSD. Also that PSU doesn't sound too good grab yourself a XFX 450w.

[herulach]

Can you realistically do any form of video editing on a 240GB disk? 'Silent' cases are worth the premium imo simply for the fact that you're not as likely to have to chuck the fans out.

[Biscuit]

Rather than upgrading everything why not just look to put a better CPU in your current mobo. You could get a hyperthreaded 1150 Xeon (depending on compatibility) and the differences between haswell and IVB will be minimum for what you do. Don't worry about a low speed fan on a big cooler, will be next to silent. Same for a decent power supply, won't be noticeable.

[dulcificum]

Can you realistically do any form of video editing on a 240GB disk? 'Silent' cases are worth the premium imo simply for the fact that you're not as likely to have to chuck the fans out.

My RAID-6 fileserver is in another room.

[dulcificum]

Rather than upgrading everything why not just look to put a better CPU in your current mobo. You could get a hyperthreaded 1150 Xeon (depending on compatibility) and the differences between haswell and IVB will be minimum for what you do. Don't worry about a low speed fan on a big cooler, will be next to silent. Same for a decent power supply, won't be noticeable.

I'm currently running a ASUS P8H67-I deluxe. Can I get anything good on that? I'm still pretty keen on a fresh start, tbh.

My current heatsink/fan was fine but after a couple of years is now super noisy. Seeing as it's only about £25 more expensive, I'd rather go fanless on the CPU cooler to avoid that issue in the future.

[Biscuit]

You still have plenty of choice!

http://www.asus.com/Motherboards/P8H.../HelpDesk_CPU/

It lists the E3-E1230 (hyperthreaded 3.3GHz quad for less than £200!) as supported which would be a superb upgrade but you could also go for the consumer 3*** i7 and i5 CPUs. Cost per performance wise, thats much more efficient than Haswell IMO.

How about just changing the Fan on your cooler? If you buy a good quality fluid baring they will keep going for a long time before they get noisy.

[Bonebreaker777]

My current heatsink/fan was fine but after a couple of years is now super noisy. Seeing as it's only about £25 more expensive, I'd rather go fanless on the CPU cooler to avoid that issue in the future.

Can only support your choice of fanless coolers. Can go either with noFAN coolers sold by scan OR eBay Xigmatek's Thor's Hammer (in my PC description). With 3x case FANs I have absolutely no temperature issues (even 12h under load with IBT reached only 50-55 degrees). Otherwise I have 30-35 core temperature. Right now my noisest part is the PSU under minimal load...

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

Upgrade your current rig as indicated before. What motherboard and PSU do you have ATM??

[MrRockliffe]

Hard drives will be louder than most fans. Without fans, they do get toasty. Could get a xeon E3 (whichever model you can afford). Power supply would be noisy as it's cheap. Better off going with a 350w be quiet. GPU might help with cuda or open cl if your software supports it.

[Bonebreaker777]

Hard drives will be louder than most fans. Without fans, they do get toasty. Could get a xeon E3 (whichever model you can afford). Power supply would be noisy as it's cheap. Better off going with a 350w be quiet. GPU might help with cuda or open cl if your software supports it.

Unless you choose 2.5" HDDs :-) even 4x stacked close to each other and top of each other in a SilverStone 5.25" bay under long term load with no direct FANs cooling them they will not exceed 40 degrees. Tested with 4x 7200RPM HDDs.

[MrJim]

Can only support your choice of fanless coolers. Can go either with noFAN coolers sold by scan OR eBay Xigmatek's Thor's Hammer (in my PC description). With 3x case FANs I have absolutely no temperature issues (even 12h under load with IBT reached only 50-55 degrees). Otherwise I have 30-35 core temperature. Right now my noisest part is the PSU under minimal load...

I just had a search for Xigmatek Thor's Hammer, & it's not easy to find on sale - I found just one eBay vendor who had it for £55. I can vouch for the Thermalright Macho - it's basically silent (& can be used passively, with good system airflow), but it is big; not all cases can accommodate it.

[Bonebreaker777]

I just had a search for Xigmatek Thor's Hammer, & it's not easy to find on sale - I found just one eBay vendor who had it for £55. I can vouch for the Thermalright Macho - it's basically silent (& can be used passively, with good system airflow), but it is big; not all cases can accommodate it.

WHAT??? £55? Man, too bad all new sold out when eBay had em for £15.99... wow