Help with a custom Computer build
 

Needs to work fast, Photoshop #1 use (installed not in the cloud).
Running Dual monitors.
Looking at http://www.digitalstorm.com and http://www.ecollegepc.com, but not locked in to any site.
Want to keep it under $2k.
I have additional storage available so that's not an issue.

Thanks in advance for any help.

So you aren't building it yourself?

The units on the collegepc site you link are bare-bones, running last year's cpu, don't include solid state memory, mediocre graphics card.

DigitalStorm is very customer friendly; I considered buying from them a few months ago before deciding to go the build route.. If you are considering them I recommend you go to their call their Community Forum and Config Help. Also if you call them and tell them what you are doing they are very helpful in helping you configure.
However they are a gaming builder, not sure what they do for Photoshop requirements?

Thanks for the input.

Got ya. I just built my first two gaming rigs and am configuring a third build now. I'm pretty sure photo editing and gaming require the same components but I'll let the board experts speak.

I'm sure either Fish or Pants or Big Richard etc. can help you once they notice this thread. Good luck.

*edit* one thing i can tell you is you want a 1080 gpu and Intel i7 cpu, preferably 7th gen. (Kaby Lake).

I don't know if you'll find anyone who can recommend a good site because everyone builds their own.

It literally takes like 4 hours max and will cost you drastically less.

Good luck.

Digger, let me build it for you. I can put together any system you want for cheaper than what they will charge you.

No need for a 7th gen, they are exactly the same as the 6th gen.

However, you may consider looking at broadwell-e (6800k) over skylake (6700k) as you will lose about 10 % of single core speed but gain about 30% in multi threaded applications like photoshop. If you are saying 'its for photoshop!' but care more for games, then a 6700k is the right choice.

Compare something like

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-6800K 3.4GHz 6-Core Processor ($408.58 @ OutletPC)
CPU Cooler: Corsair H100i v2 70.7 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($99.99 @ B&H)
Motherboard: ASRock X99M Extreme4 Micro ATX LGA2011-3 Motherboard ($169.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 32GB (4 x 8GB) DDR4-3000 Memory ($209.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Corsair Force LE 960GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($274.97 @ Jet)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($69.89 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 1080 8GB Superclocked Gaming ACX 3.0 Video Card ($559.89 @ B&H)
Case: Fractal Design Define S ATX Mid Tower Case ($59.99 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA G3 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($89.99 @ B&H)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Pro OEM 64-bit ($94.00 @ Amazon)
Total: $2037.28
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-02-12 15:38 EST-0500

This will absolutely SLAY photoshop.

vs

something that is high up in the digital storm line, over $1200 more for LESS of a PC. I chose this as an example because its the same 'sort' of setup.

BEST
Level 3
$3,118
OR $260/MONTH*
CUSTOMIZE

Specs:
- Intel Core i7 6800K CPU They advertise 'basic' OC at this price, that takes about 5 minutes to do
- 32GB DDR4 2666MHz Memory compare to 3000mhz above
- GeForce GTX 1080 8GB This is a reference card compared to OCed/ACX cooler card
- CPU Liquid Cooling Similar part here, but theres is no-name, self built uses Corsair
- 500GB Samsung 850 EVO SSD Half as much SSD space
- 2TB 7200RPM Storage HDD Generic HDD
- X99 Chipset Motherboard Similar mobos
- 1000W EVGA GQ PSU Good, but way more than you need. 9 and 10x Nvidia cards take about half as much wattage as they used to, no need for 1000 it just sounds good cause its a big number
- DVD-R/RW/CD-R/RW ZzzZz
- Microsoft Windows 10

https://www.digitalstorm.com/configu...asp?id=1239337

Configured to match the self built PC - nearly $3400 for 2000 worth of retail parts.

If you can wait it out for a bit, I think the next line AMD cpus are gonna hit in March and will have good performance at a much lower cost.

Intel has really artificially inflated the market lately.

This too. Regardless of what happens with the new Ryzen CPUs, it will drive the cost down of intel products, AND Ryzen looks to be a lot higher multi-threaded performance per dollar than intel chips. That = more power in photoshop for less money~

The entire pc builder world is waiting for ryzen before they do anything. This includes my suspended personal build.

http://www.ecollegepc.com/intel-kabylake.html
CPU: Intel Core i& 7700K 4.2Ghz 8MB Cache Quad-Core
Mobo: GIGABYTE GA-B250M-D3H (Intel B150, HDMI, PCI-E, 6xSATA, 4xDDR4)
Mem: 32GB (8GBx$) PC4 17000 DDr4 2133Mhz
SSD: 256GB Intel 600p M.2 NVMe PCTe 3.0 X4
SSD2: 256GB Intel 600p M.2 NVMe PCTe 3.0 X4
HD:1TB 7200RPM 64MB Cache SATA3 6Gbps Toshiba P300
HD2:1TB 7200RPM 64MB Cache SATA3 6Gbps Toshiba P300
Optical drive: 24X LG SATA Dual Layer DVD /-RW/CDRW
OS: Win 10 home 64bit
Power: 430watt EVGA 100-W1-0430-KR 80
$1312

This has more storage than I think I need.
The two M.2 SSD
one for OS
one for scratch disk space

The video on the motherboard is what for this setup I'm not sure about.
Do I need to have one or more video cards?

Vailpass can attest to this, building you're own computer these days is not that daunting. It'll take you a day/half-day for you to build your own and you'll save a ton of money.

For photoshop use you'll want -

i7 processor
lots of ram (I'd go 32gb)
lots of HD space (Photoshop files can take up a lot of space, though not as bad as video editing)

You'll want a decent video card. You don't need a top of the line 1080 or anything like that though. 1060, 1070, or the AMD RX 480 would all be fine.

I agree about holding off until AMDs new release if you can.

Here is a computer i threw together on PCpartpicker.com that is a ton better/higher quality than the one you just listed and its about the same price.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-6700 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($299.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: MSI Z170-A PRO ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($101.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 32GB (2 x 16GB) DDR4-3200 Memory ($208.97 @ Amazon)
Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($97.88 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 3TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($92.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Video Card: MSI Radeon RX 480 8GB GAMING X Video Card ($244.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Fractal Design Define R5 w/Window (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($79.99 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA G2 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($88.89 @ OutletPC)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($17.98 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Pro OEM 64-bit ($94.00 @ Amazon)
Total: $1327.66
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-02-12 16:43 EST-0500

Have you heard anything about Optane coming closer to market?

You could go that way. I would also get a cooler, and a K CPU for ocing.