The best computer for music production 2019 - build a pc from scratch

What computer is the best for music production?
I decided to build a PC from scratch on a budget.
That means that the basic components have to be in order, later I will add or extend these components to build a faster computer for the music producer.

My mac is on its last legs.

I wondered: what would it cost me to buy a proper computer for music production.

so that`s what we are gonna do a do in this video: Assemble a PC from scratch.

PC or MAC?

I looked for a Mac. The 2018 Mac mini is a viable option. But it costs about 2500,-

Also a iMac is 4000,-

And Apple`s reputation of being a solid computer assembler is totally destroyed in 2018,

- with the ipad pro bend gate,

- the throttling issues with their MacBook Pro

- butterfly keyboard gate.

- OS crashes because of the T2 chip which still isn’t fixed as this video was shot.

Apple said it is working on a fix in januari 2018. so mucg fir

- The lie that they tell about the turbo boost frequencies of the macbook pro i9

- increasing allegations that they overcharge customers with simple repairs. overcharge as in 1200,- for a 60 euro repair

- also the increasing allegations that Apple slows down older iphones intentionally

What doesn`t help is that this machine never worked properly.

After multiple clean installs, it keeps crashing at least once or twice a day.

I tried everything of not installing software to disconnecting all external devices.

And the usb on this thing is terrible. USB Soundcards and external harddisks on this thing is a mess

And Apple keeps claiming that there is nothing wrong with it.

Apples prices are unjustifiable rediculous.

What also doesn’t help Apples case is that you have to buy everything in one hit.

With a pc you can gradually upgrade over time.

That means that the basic components : motherboard, CPU, case and power supply need to be right the first time.

The rest you can add or swap later. Like Hard drive, graphics card and memory.

AMD or Intel?

Although AMD might be faster and cheaper, it has some compatibility issues with midi controllers and compatibility issues with some plugins, I decided to go for an intel processor

I wanted to have a i7 processor of the 9th generation.

The 9th generation because it is currently the fastest.

And CPU is king when it comes to music production.

Even more so than video editing.

I ended up with the i7 9700K from intel.

Motherboard

This is the component that defines everything.

This has to be in order, you need to know what you want, so you can choose the right motherboard

I want to place a 9th generation i7 processor in the system, socket 1151.

Therefore i need the 300 intel chipset

I decided to go for an asus rog strix z390

CPU cooler

I could go the water cooling route, but I decided not to.

And opt for a cooler from Be quiet.

Be quiet sounded good.

memory

8gb, but expand later, more.

Decided for lower speed memory 2666

2 sticks of 4gb, because of the bandwidth. Choosing 1 stick means half the bandwidth.

By the way, faster memory like 3000 or 3200 mhz is indeeed faster , but it the differences might not be as earth shattering as you might expect.

I thought 2666 is a nice middle.

And if I want, I can replace later. The motherboard supports it.

optane

There is something like optane memory that will increase the speed of the computer.

This is storage solution between your permanent storage like your SSD and volatile system memory.

If I want it in the future, I can still add it, when I have the money.

What do you absolutely NEED to know when you want to become a music producer?

Well I compiled the most important information in 1 handy place: an e-book.

In this e-book I’ll talk about record labels, health, getting a foot in the door and much more

Out now!

And best of all: it’s absolutely free!

The link is in the description below

Hard disk

SSD, spinning platter or hybrid?

SSD definitly when it comes to speed.

But to start out on a budget I choose to start out with the old school spinning magnetic platter hard drive

And add an SSD later, that I will use as my primary storage. The spinning platter drive I will use for extra storage.

The money I save, I can spend on a quicker CPU.

If you do decide to start with a spinning platter hard disk 7200 RPM, 5400 RPM is too slow.

I think that latency issues are to blame on chipsets themselves, instead of the technology.

When asking around. Noone seems to have problems with it.

It is worth mentioning that Seagate disks have a high failure rate, more than other brands.

It is advisable to choose another brand like Western Digital.

The case

We have to put the stuff somewhere.

I could buy into the RGB hype with transparent panels and flashy things.

Or I could choose a super silent case with isolated sound panels.

Since nothing is more annoying than the humming of a fan, I decided to go for a sleek business like approach.

"Be quiet" has a good reputation to be quiet. So That`s what I decided to do.

soundcard

I decided to stay with my Focusrite Scarlett 2i2, since it is compatible with Windows.

I made a review about it.

Check it out if you like

GPU

I decided to go for the onboard graphics.

That is enough for music production.

And if software manufacturers of DAWS come to their senses and use the GPU, I can add one later.

power supply

I ended up choosing for a 750 Watt power supply.

Not that I need it for my current configuration, I could do with less.

But if I decide later I want to add a big power consuming graphics card, I can add it without problems, because I have the juice already in the machine.

monitor

I decided to use my existing monitor and buy an ultra wide one later.

total

The results of this PC for music producting assembly haul

This is what I ended up with:

1 CA-1J7-00M1WN-04Case Thermaltake View 37 RGB

1 BN252 Power Supply A TX 750W modulair

1 90MB0YU0-M0EAYM0 oederbord S1151 Asus ROG STRIX Z390-H Gaming 1 BX80684I79700K Processor S1151 Intel Core i7 9700K

1 RR-TX3E-22PK-R1 CPU cooler Coolermaster Hyper TX3 Evo

2 KVR26N19S6/4 Geheugen DDR4 Kingston 4GB DDR4 / 2666

1 SSDPEKKW256G8XSTSD M.2 256GB Intel 760P

1 WD10EZEX Harddisk 3,5`` S-ATAIII 1TB / 7200 rpm / WD Blue

1 3322230084 Licentie Windows

1 Assembly

€1400,-

One big sidenote here.

The prices and configurations are subject to change

prices in this video are relative. In a few months time this will be outdated.

Nevertheless it will give you a rough estimate.

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Author

Dexxter Clark
Music Producer / YouTuber

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