Advice Terra build - going for max cooling, basic GPU for photoshop - advice please

[Raikkonen]

Hi All. Thanks in advance for any help on my first PC build.

Here is my Parts Picker List - https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/user/Raikkonen44/saved/BKNkwP

Looking for a higher end build but definitely under $2000cdn - so anywhere to lower price a bit would be great. No gaming. Working in Excel (budgeting workflow) & Photoshop is getting quite slow on my current PC.

Main questions:

1. Is my CPU choice is overkill?
2. I am getting a GPU only for Photoshop work, so would like to keep it basic and as cost effective as possible.
3. Want to use max Cooler setup in the Terra to ensure no overheating and keeping it as quiet as possible.
   1. Advice on the cooler
   2. Do I need a 2nd fan somewhere as well?

Thanks!

 

[rfarmer]

Your GPU is only 41mm which means you can put the spine at #1 and have full cooler clearance of 77mm. I would go with the Noctua NH-L12Sx77.

 

[hrh_ginsterbusch]

Re: CPU cooler: what @rfarmer says - that or the AXP120-X67.

Just finished a sustained load test with a vastly more powerful CPU, the 7950X, and yeah, the X53 Full Copper is nice, but the AXP120-X67 does the job sooo much better. With the small CPU cooler, the CPU was hovering around 94° C after 10 minutes of full load, with a maximum noise level of 50 db (distance: 30 cm from case).

With the bigger cooler, nothing jumped above 75° C, and noise level was "audible, but calm" (~ 39 db).

I suggest getting the Silverstone Air Slimmer 120, too, which has turned out to be the best slim 120 fan in my tests so far, both with for CPU heatsinks as well as a case fan. Noise level is second-best (No. 1 is still Noctua NF-A12x15).

For case fans, what I know of, people suggest getting both a top exhaust as well as bottom intake fan. In theory, a slim 120 mm fan may fit above the PSU, and depending on cable routing acrobatics, either a 120 or 92 mm fan should fit below.
There are also 3d-printed mounts to allow for a full-size 120 mm fan on top of the PSU.

Gotta say, I'm mostly reading about this, as I dont own a Terra myself.

cu, w0lf.