Mini ITX build - Opinions please

[adrianL]

Hey All

JUst wanted to get a second opinion on this one. I am building it for audio and plan to use an external soundcard which I will choose later. Also on board graphics and wi fi are fine for me and I don't want an optical drive. Also not overclocking as the CPU enters turbo mode I believe (4.4Ghz) when needed.

• BitFenix Prodigy Mini-ITX Cube Case
• ASRock Z97E-ITX/AC
• Intel Core i7 4790K
• 16GB (2x8GB) Corsair DDR3 Vengeance Pro Series Silver, PC3-17066 (2133)
• 250Gb Samsung 840 EVO
• 430W be quiet! Pure Power L8, Hybrid Modular, 80 PLUS Bronze, 1x120mm, ATX v2.31, PSU

 

[MichaelAwkward]

If you're not overclocking, using onboard graphics and don't want an optical drive - I don't see any point in getting an unlocked K CPU, a Z series motherboard and in putting it all in a relatively massive case like the Prodigy.

How about this?

Even that might be overkill for your needs.

 

[Legion]

Hey All

JUst wanted to get a second opinion on this one. I am building it for audio and plan to use an external soundcard which I will choose later.

Is this a DAW or just something you want to use for quality digital audio playback and general computing use?
If it isn't a DAW the spec is massively OTT. drop down to a cheap i3, 8gb ram and a H81 motherboard and use the savings to invest in a good DAC!

 

[mrham4321]

If you're not overclocking, using onboard graphics and don't want an optical drive - I don't see any point in getting an unlocked K CPU, a Z series motherboard and in putting it all in a relatively massive case like the Prodigy.

How about this?

Even that might be overkill for your needs.

Agreed, though if the 4790K isn't that much more expensive it can still make sense even if you don't want to overclock because of the frequency boost.

 

[tbyeah]

Is this a DAW or just something you want to use for quality digital audio playback and general computing use?
If it isn't a DAW the spec is massively OTT. drop down to a cheap i3, 8gb ram and a H81 motherboard and use the savings to invest in a good DAC!

This is what you need, save the money for other things.

 

[adrianL]

Thanks everyone for the replies and suggestions.

It is for a DAW yes (FL studio) and the reason I am going so top end is because I have reached a brick wall in regards my workflow when making music.

I use a lot of VST and then more VST on the masters and channels themselves which all killed my previous CPU. I don't record in live instruments its all MIDI so an ADC does not interest me right now.

So i asked someone who uses the same DAW who is releasing music professionally and he gave me similar specs to what I listed.

As I need the PC to handle how I work playing everything in real time (and not the other way around where I have to make sacrifices like bouncing down to wav) I wanted to match his more or less without getting silly with overclocking.

The option though is there if I need it which is why i want the K. Also I might upgrade to an m.2 SSD at some point its a bit expensive right now to justify it and I don't really want to mess around with raid arrays and multiple SSDs.