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Hardware / Storage thoughts for new workstation build
« on: 2015-06-17, 18:59:27 »
Somehow my first post here is a hardware question. Go figure.
After 10 years of only owning Macs, I'm building a PC, testing out Max + Corona (current MODO user), and wading thru all the new hardware choices (Apple takes a lot of the decision making out). My question is in regards to storage technology, but here's my current build parts list for context:
Asus X99-A motherboard
i7 5960X (mild overclock)
Noctua ND-15 air cooler
32GB G.Skill Ripjaw 2400 DDR4 RAM
GTX Titan Black (transplant from my current 2010 Mac Pro)
Samsung SM951 256GB M.2 module for boot/app drive
(2) Samsung 850 Pro 256GB or 512GB SSD in RAID0 for project data drive
2TB HDD for backup/restore and misc.
750W Corsair PSU (transplant from Mac Pro dual Titan hack)
Fractal Design Define S case
So I'm trying to balance cost with investing in the future. One of the things I'd like to improve over the single SSD in my current Mac Pro is app launch time, scene saving time, and image browsing time (previewing hi-res textures). I figured the new M.2 storage type would help w/ launch times and a RAID0 of 2 SSDs (could be Samsung Pro's or EVO's) would be pretty quick for scene data. But storage speed seems highly dependent on the task, and looking over synthetic benchmark reviews is a bit confusing (does my scene save use high IOPS, involve lots of 4K read/writes, compressed, random, sequential??).
With NMVe and M.2 coming to market, I'd like to not invest older tech from the start, but I don't want to spend money on something that won't bring performance improvements for my use-case (i.e. I'm not building a web server).
Anyone with thoughts or experience with newer storage technology? Comments on other parts of the build list are welcome as well. My next test after this build is to BootCamp my 12-core Mac Pro and see what all these cores can do together in Corona. Exciting changes ahead..
After 10 years of only owning Macs, I'm building a PC, testing out Max + Corona (current MODO user), and wading thru all the new hardware choices (Apple takes a lot of the decision making out). My question is in regards to storage technology, but here's my current build parts list for context:
Asus X99-A motherboard
i7 5960X (mild overclock)
Noctua ND-15 air cooler
32GB G.Skill Ripjaw 2400 DDR4 RAM
GTX Titan Black (transplant from my current 2010 Mac Pro)
Samsung SM951 256GB M.2 module for boot/app drive
(2) Samsung 850 Pro 256GB or 512GB SSD in RAID0 for project data drive
2TB HDD for backup/restore and misc.
750W Corsair PSU (transplant from Mac Pro dual Titan hack)
Fractal Design Define S case
So I'm trying to balance cost with investing in the future. One of the things I'd like to improve over the single SSD in my current Mac Pro is app launch time, scene saving time, and image browsing time (previewing hi-res textures). I figured the new M.2 storage type would help w/ launch times and a RAID0 of 2 SSDs (could be Samsung Pro's or EVO's) would be pretty quick for scene data. But storage speed seems highly dependent on the task, and looking over synthetic benchmark reviews is a bit confusing (does my scene save use high IOPS, involve lots of 4K read/writes, compressed, random, sequential??).
With NMVe and M.2 coming to market, I'd like to not invest older tech from the start, but I don't want to spend money on something that won't bring performance improvements for my use-case (i.e. I'm not building a web server).
Anyone with thoughts or experience with newer storage technology? Comments on other parts of the build list are welcome as well. My next test after this build is to BootCamp my 12-core Mac Pro and see what all these cores can do together in Corona. Exciting changes ahead..