Building PC Workstation for 3D Modeling, 2D/3D Animation, and Illustration

[ZomWaffles]

Hi everyone!

I'm completely new to building computers but over the past two weeks I've hunkered down up trying to come up with a parts list that can handle the myriad of software I'll be using on it. This site was instrumental in helping me understand what's what, but I'd love some advice on what I have planned so far before I make my wallet cry.

The focus of the build is mostly 3D modeling, animation, and illustration. Programs for work and study I'll be using include ZBrush, Blender, Maya, 3ds Max, ToonBoom Harmony, Unity, Adobe Substance Painter and the Creative Cloud. My PC won't be geared towards rendering, but I do have some questions about GPU compatibility in that event regardless.

My current configuration:

• Intel Core i7-12700K 3.6 GHz 12-Core Processor
• Noctua NH-D15 82.5 CFM CPU Cooler
• MSI MAG Z690 TOMAHAWK WIFI DDR4 ATX LGA1700 Motherboard
• Patriot Viper Steel 64 GB (2 x 32 GB) DDR4-3600 CL18 Memory
• XFX Radeon RX 6800 XT 16 GB Speedster MERC 319 CORE Video Card
• Seagate FireCuda 530 1 TB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive
• Enermax Revolution D.F. 850 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply
• Fractal Design Define R5 ATX Mid Tower Case
• Dell UltraSharp 27 4K USB-C Hub Monitor - U2723QE (or 27"-32" 4k ASUS ProArt monitor of similar caliber)

PC part-picker link for reference

The only part I have so far is the Intel Core i7-12700K CPU - everything else is adjustable. My budget is flexible, around or under $3000 but I will be purchasing several pieces secondhand (for less risky parts) which brings down the overall cost. I'm buying in the United States.

I know several renderers aren't compatible with AMD GPUs - while I don't focus on rendering I imagine I might have to render out tests or small clips. Do you think using AMD-compatible software could suffice for my limited needs? I heavily considered going with a RTX 3080 Nvidia card but I couldn't determine if the lower VRAM and higher cost would be worth it given the encouraging performance reviews of the RX 6800 XT that I've read. Thoughts? Is an Nvidia video card worth an extra few hundred dollars? If you've got alternative AMD video card recommendations I'd also be interested in hearing them.

I added up the wattage and the parts come up to ~750 or so. I intend to try and maintain the majority of parts but upgrade and add storage over time. Would getting a 1000 W power supply off the bat be a better long term decision? Would overclocking also be safer on a power supply with more wiggle room?

The mid-tower case I have picked out was recommended and has a lot of internal drive slots which I appreciate, but are there benefits to having a full tower case? Is it worthwhile for cooling or future part upgrades, or for a typical animator/creative workspace will the space of a mid tower suffice most of the time?

I'll eventually be getting a dual-monitor setup, but at the moment I think just one is all I have the budget for. I'm open to alternative design monitor recommendations as well!

I have a million other questions but I'll cut myself off here. Thank you!

 

[Jerry James]

Do you think using AMD-compatible software could suffice for my limited needs? I heavily considered going with a RTX 3080 Nvidia card but I couldn't determine if the lower VRAM and higher cost would be worth it given the encouraging performance reviews of the RX 6800 XT that I've read. Thoughts? Is an Nvidia video card worth an extra few hundred dollars? If you've got alternative AMD video card recommendations I'd also be interested in hearing them.

Kinda depends if you're already heavily invested in a CUDA-based renderer. If not, you could probably find workarounds that use Radeon GPUs. Check out ProRender.
PS. If you'll need any kind of RT acceleration, go Nvidia.

I added up the wattage and the parts come up to ~750 or so. I intend to try and maintain the majority of parts but upgrade and add storage over time. Would getting a 1000 W power supply off the bat be a better long term decision? Would overclocking also be safer on a power supply with more wiggle room?

Yes and yes. It makes upgrading to more powerful parts an easy swap out if you have the PSU to support it. But on workstation systems, we recommend no overclocking because of the instability it introduces. It's just not worth it for minor performance gains.

The mid-tower case I have picked out was recommended and has a lot of internal drive slots which I appreciate, but are there benefits to having a full tower case? Is it worthwhile for cooling or future part upgrades, or for a typical animator/creative workspace will the space of a mid tower suffice most of the time?

A mid-tower is fine unless you have really specific requirements. One of the most common reasons is to accommodate multiple GPUs. For single GPU systems, a mid-tower should do the job as long as it meets your storage device needs.

I'll eventually be getting a dual-monitor setup, but at the moment I think just one is all I have the budget for. I'm open to alternative design monitor recommendations as well!

Great monitor choices. Can't go wrong with either of those tbh

I have a million other questions but I'll cut myself off here. Thank you!

Fire away!