Workstation for 3D Generalist - Animation, Rendering, Video Editing, Motion Graphics

[Crispiis]

Hello, I am building my first PC and I want it to be a workstation monstrosity.

Budget - up to 10K (but obviously the lower the better) (have already spent $1600 on 2 RTX 3080s)

I am a 3D Generalist so it basically means I do a bit of everything the main meat being Animation and Rendering then Video Editing and Motion Graphics
Software I plan to run is Cinema 4D, Redshift, Adobe Suite

I'm not looking to upgrade soon, want to build it so that it lasts a long time

Based in USA

Bellow is the list that was provided to me by the PC Builder tool. I have added notes on changes I want to make but want to get advice on. Thank you in advanced for the feedback.

CGDirector.com Parts List: https://www.cgdirector.com/pc-builder/?=6NcQm

CPU: Intel i9 10900X 3.7GHz 10-Core Processor ($584.04) - Is it worth switching this to an Intel i9 12900K?

CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D15 chromax.Black ($109.95) - I'd like a water cooler, i know another option was the Corsair H150i Pro is this a good option or is there something else with better performance that's worth the price? 3 fans is ideal.

Motherboard: GIGABYTE X299-WU8 XL-ATX LGA2066 ($788.86) - Here is where I need the most guidance, I want something that will really optimize the 2 RTX 3080s I bought. I was looking through the motherboard guide and I saw there was an important section that talked about PCIe x16 being able to run on two lanes and not just on one.

GPU: 2 Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 (already purchased)

Memory: 128GB (8 x 16GB) Corsair Vengeance RGB Pro DDR4-3200 C16 ($1169.99) - 128 GB is ideal as well, not sure why it's suggesting to buy 8, I'm assuming most MB only have up to 4 slots for memory, either way I've heard good things about Corsair Vengeance but I'd just like to confirm

Storage PCIe-SSD: Samsung 970 EVO 1TB M.2 Solid State Drive ($205.00) - have also heard good things about this, not sure if this is the most recent tech though. Does it matter? Is the storage something I can go back 1 generation for to get a better price?

Add. Storage - this isn't mandatory but would like some guidance on additional storage. working with 3D often creates large project files so I want to be able to have an additional hard-drive to store all that on. SSD is ideal I'd like something I can integrate into the PC and not something external that I have to plug in with a USB or something like that.

Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA 1600 G2 80+ GOLD 1600W ($437.61) - I know with all of the power I want to put into this it's going to be really hungry want something reliable

Case: Fractal Design Define XL R2 Titanium Big Tower Case ($445.00) - Is the titanium version better in any way than the normal black one, I was already planning on buying the Define XL but in Black with the Dark Glass Side cover.


All help is appreciated, I really want to do this right the first time (that's why the budget is so big lol) Thank you!!!

 

[Jerry James]

Is it worth switching this to an Intel i9 12900K?

If you're handling active workloads, like working within a viewport etc, yes. A more modern setup will be noticeably snappier. I'd recommend going with a Ryzen 9 5950X / 5900X if power consumption is a consideration. Else, an Intel Core i9 12900K is great too. It's just quite a power hog if your workloads hit all the cores consistently.

I'd like a water cooler, i know another option was the Corsair H150i Pro is this a good option or is there something else with better performance that's worth the price? 3 fans is ideal.

You can't go wrong with any decent 360mm AIO, tbh. There's a delta of only a few degrees between the best ones and mediocre ones. Arctic Freezer is a popular choice. EVGA's stuff is another good option. I'd say check what options you get for a good deal and settle on one from that list.

Here is where I need the most guidance, I want something that will really optimize the 2 RTX 3080s I bought. I was looking through the motherboard guide and I saw there was an important section that talked about PCIe x16 being able to run on two lanes and not just on one.

All good on that front with this motherboard. HEDT platforms grant you far more PCIe lanes to play with, so there won't be any bandwidth limitation.
(If you're switching the CPU to something else, this needs to change as well)

128 GB is ideal as well, not sure why it's suggesting to buy 8, I'm assuming most MB only have up to 4 slots for memory, either way I've heard good things about Corsair Vengeance but I'd just like to confirm

The workstation motherboard in the build allows you to install up to 8 sticks of memory

have also heard good things about this, not sure if this is the most recent tech though. Does it matter? Is the storage something I can go back 1 generation for to get a better price?

Most professionals go with Samsung EVO or PRO depending on budget due to their reliability and long warranties. You can switch this out to better value options as well, but you do compromise here and there.

I know with all of the power I want to put into this it's going to be really hungry want something reliable

Understandable I'd recommend giving this a quick read and picking one recommended there- https://www.cgdirector.com/power-supply-guide/#CG_Director_PSU_Recommendations_for_Workstations

Is the titanium version better in any way than the normal black one, I was already planning on buying the Define XL but in Black with the Dark Glass Side cover.

Nah, anything that's able to fit all your hardware and provide enough airflow is good enough when it comes to PC cases