Institution
Lake Washington Institute of Technology
Project Background
Project Overview
This CSNT116 final project designed a no-compromise workstation for demanding media-production workloads. The system needed to edit 8K footage at 120 frames per second, process CGI and special effects, shorten render times, support gaming and live streaming, and provide a productive multi-display workflow.
Rather than selecting isolated premium parts, the project evaluated the platform as a whole: motherboard and socket compatibility, CPU and GPU capabilities, memory channels, PCIe expansion, storage capacity, thermal management, estimated power demand, peripherals, operating-system requirements, creative software, and total acquisition cost.
Project Summary
Dream PC at a Glance
A high-end workstation balancing compute, graphics, memory, storage, cooling, power, and production peripherals.
Instructor
Robert Havens
Completed
30 October 2024
Duration
One Week
CPU
AMD Threadripper
96 Cores / 192 Threads
Memory
256 GB DDR5
GPU
Navida RTX 4090
Storage
50 TB
Estimated Cost
$28,447
Hardware and Software
Technologies Used
The design combines workstation-class compute, accelerated graphics, high-capacity memory and storage, thermal management, production peripherals, and creative software.
ASUS WRX90 Platform
sTR5 workstation motherboard with eight-channel DDR5, PCIe 5.0, M.2, SATA, networking, and RAID support.
AMD Threadripper Pro
A 96-core, 192-thread processor selected for parallel rendering, effects processing, and large creative workloads.
NVIDIA RTX Graphics
RTX 4090 graphics with CUDA acceleration, 24 GB of video memory, and multi-display 8K support.
DDR5 Memory
256 GB of Corsair DDR5-5600 memory for concurrent editing, compositing, and rendering applications.
NVMe and HDD Storage
Samsung NVMe application storage paired with high-capacity Western Digital media drives.
Creative Software
Windows 11 Pro and Adobe Creative Cloud, including Premiere Pro, After Effects, Photoshop, and Audition.
System Architecture
Core Component Selection
Each component was selected to support media-production performance while remaining compatible with the complete build.
Workstation Platform
ASUS Pro WS WRX90E-SAGE SE motherboard with the WRX90 chipset, sTR5 socket, eight-channel DDR5, PCIe 5.0 expansion, M.2 storage, SATA, and RAID support.
Compute
AMD Ryzen Threadripper Pro 7995WX with 96 cores, 192 threads, substantial cache, and high PCIe lane capacity for parallel rendering and complex effects workloads.
Graphics
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 with 24 GB of graphics memory and CUDA acceleration for video processing, 3D rendering, effects, and multiple 8K displays.
Memory
Eight 32 GB DDR5-5600 DIMMs provide 256 GB across the platform's memory channels for concurrent Premiere Pro, After Effects, and large media projects.
Storage
A 2 TB Samsung 990 Pro NVMe SSD supports the operating system and applications, while two high-capacity WD Red Pro drives provide bulk media storage.
Cooling and Power
A 360 mm liquid cooler and 2,000 W modular power supply were selected around the project's estimated maximum system demand and thermal requirements.
Design Analysis
Research and Decision Factors
The final specification was supported by performance comparisons, workflow requirements, compatibility checks, and cost analysis.
Performance Research
- AMD and Intel video-editing comparison
- NVIDIA CUDA acceleration analysis
- 8K display and color workflow requirements
- Memory capacity for concurrent creative applications
Whole-System Planning
- Socket, chipset, memory, and expansion compatibility
- NVMe performance and high-capacity media storage
- Cooling and estimated power budget
- Peripherals, Windows 11 Pro, and Adobe Creative Cloud
Applied Knowledge
Project Highlights
The presentation converted workload requirements into a defensible workstation specification and purchasing plan.
- Defined performance requirements around 8K/120 fps media production
- Compared CPU and GPU architectures for professional creative workloads
- Validated motherboard, processor, memory, storage, cooling, and expansion compatibility
- Estimated peak power demand and selected an appropriately sized modular PSU
- Designed a three-monitor production workflow with supporting peripherals
- Compiled an itemized bill of materials totaling approximately $28,447
Applied Knowledge
Skills Demonstrated
The completed specification demonstrates research, compatibility analysis, performance planning, cost estimation, and technical communication.
- Workload Requirements Analysis
- Component Compatibility Research
- CPU Architecture Comparison
- GPU Acceleration Evaluation
- Memory Capacity Planning
- Storage Architecture Design
- Thermal Management Planning
- Power Budget Estimation
- Peripheral Selection
- Operating System and Software Planning
- Bill of Materials Development
- Technical Presentation Design
Final Deliverable
Dream PC Presentation
The original presentation documents the purpose, research, component specifications, comparisons, source material, shopping carts, and final configuration.
Workstation Design Presentation
CSNT116 Dream PC Final Project
A complete component-research and purchasing presentation for an 8K video-editing and rendering workstation.
Project Reflection
Lessons Learned
This project reinforced that workstation design begins with workload requirements, not individual components. Processor cores, GPU acceleration, memory capacity, storage throughput, display capability, cooling, and power delivery must support the same production workflow.
It also demonstrated the importance of compatibility research and cost discipline. Premium performance can introduce disproportionate power, thermal, storage, and peripheral costs, making whole-system planning essential even for a theoretical dream build.
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