Computer build with TRADOS in mind
Thread poster: Nathan Robar
Nathan Robar
Nathan Robar
Cameroon
Jan 12, 2020

Hello,

I am currently preparing to build a PC for my wife who works from home as a translator. She uses TRADOS Studio (currently the 2017 edition.) I have read that TRADOS tends to run better on Intel processors more so than Ryzen, so I went with an Intel build. Even if you do not have any experience with TRADOS, I would be interested in hearing your advice on the build I have prepared for a work desktop.

Proposed budget - About $650 Canadian (or $500 USD)
Time fr
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Hello,

I am currently preparing to build a PC for my wife who works from home as a translator. She uses TRADOS Studio (currently the 2017 edition.) I have read that TRADOS tends to run better on Intel processors more so than Ryzen, so I went with an Intel build. Even if you do not have any experience with TRADOS, I would be interested in hearing your advice on the build I have prepared for a work desktop.

Proposed budget - About $650 Canadian (or $500 USD)
Time frame: the next 2-3 weeks
Case: Rosewill Dual Fans MicroATX Mini Tower Case - M Black - 39.99 CAD/$30.63USD + local tax
PSU: Apevia ATX-AS450W Astro 450W ATX Power Supply with Auto-Thermally Controlled 120mm Fan, 115/230V Switch, All Protections - $41.27CAD/31.61USD + local taxes
Motherboard: Asus Intel 8th Gen DDR4 HDMI VGA Micro ATX Motherboards (Prime H310M-E R2.0) - 81.99CAD/62.80USD + local taxes
CPU: Intel i5-9400 with onboard graphics - $284.50CAD/217.93USD + local taxes OR i3-8100 - 0$ as I already have it
RAM - Patriot Signature Premium DDR4 16GB (1x16GB) 2666MHz (PC4-21300) UDIMM with Heatshield PSP416G26662H1 - $70.99CAD/54.38USD + local taxes
SSD - Kingston Digital SA1000M8/240G A1000 240GB PCIe NVMe M.2 2280 Internal SSD High Performance Solid State Drive $54.52CAD/41.76USD + local taxes
Total with local taxes - 659CAD/504USD with i5-9600, OR $332.74CAD/254.78 USD
-We already have an aditional HD for storage, so I did not include one with this build.
-All parts are sourced from Amazon, as they had better prices/shipping than newegg

Note: I have an i3 8100 processor at home that is not being used. Would that be sufficient, or do I need to go for the i5 or even greater? Budget wise, I could always begin with the i3 and see how it works, and then upgrade to the i5 9400 or the i7 9700 if need be. It would save me about 300 canadian if I went with the i3-8100, but at the same time, I am looking to build a PC as a workstation and would like it to run well.

-The board I selected only has 2 RAM slots, which is why I went with 1 stick of 16gb instead of 2x8gb dual channel. I wanted to leave it open to upgrading later on without having to take out a stick.

Any comments would be appreciated. Is the PSU and case a good mix? Is this an alright build for a work pc? Does anyone have any experience with TRADOS that can say if this build will work well?

Thanks again to the community
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Samuel Murray
Samuel Murray  Identity Verified
Netherlands
Local time: 14:54
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
+ ...
@Robarna Jan 12, 2020

robarnathang wrote:
I have read that Trados tends to run better on Intel processors more so than Ryzen...


I have not heard that. I have a Ryzen 5 processor, but of course I can't really tell if its better or worse than what it would be on an Intel processor.

I have an i3 8100 processor at home that is not being used. Would that be sufficient...


Can you fit it on a motherboard that can take the PCIe NVMe M.2?

The board I selected only has 2 RAM slots, which is why I went with 1 stick of 16gb instead of 2x8gb.


I think RAM is so cheap these days that it would not be too expensive to just replace both sticks later. If you think you'll get a speed increase with 2x8 GB, go for it.

Is this an alright build for a work computer?


Have you tried your components on www.pcpartpicker.com to check if they raise any flags?


Nathan Robar
 
Endre Both
Endre Both  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 14:54
English to German
Go for 32GB and a larger SSD Jan 13, 2020

RAM is as likely to go up in price as down - I would definitely invest the additional $50 now into a second 16GB stick.

And 240 GB is rather small for system storage, why not go for a larger one which you'll get for a lower per-GB price?

As for the CPU, Trados couldn't care less about Intel vs. AMD. I'm not up to snuff on current processors, but as far as I can see, AMD is still cheaper, and Intel is still more power efficient (making for less fan noise).

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RAM is as likely to go up in price as down - I would definitely invest the additional $50 now into a second 16GB stick.

And 240 GB is rather small for system storage, why not go for a larger one which you'll get for a lower per-GB price?

As for the CPU, Trados couldn't care less about Intel vs. AMD. I'm not up to snuff on current processors, but as far as I can see, AMD is still cheaper, and Intel is still more power efficient (making for less fan noise).

The i3-8100 was a very good choice in its time and should still be fine. The money is better invested in RAM and SSD. Just make sure the mainboard is compatible with it, as Samuel points out.

But in case you want to splurge, is there a reason you went for the i5-9400 instead of the i5-9600k, which should be around the same price, clocks slightly higher out of the box and can even be easily overclocked if in a few years you need even more power? (Just make sure you select a mainboard with basic overclocking support.).

Here's a comparison of the 3 CPUs, which also shows how limited the performance upgrade is compared to the i3.
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Nathan Robar
Recep Kurt
 
Nathan Robar
Nathan Robar
Cameroon
TOPIC STARTER
Thanks guys! Jan 13, 2020

These are all really good replies, and I appreciate the info.

For the i5, I would probably go for the i5 9600k if the prices were about the same, if ever I looked to upgrade in the future. It is sound advice. I can tell that RAM and storage are important for TRADOS by the comments. Again, I am building for my wife, who is the actual translator here But if a SSD and a good amount of dual channel RAM are important, I
... See more
These are all really good replies, and I appreciate the info.

For the i5, I would probably go for the i5 9600k if the prices were about the same, if ever I looked to upgrade in the future. It is sound advice. I can tell that RAM and storage are important for TRADOS by the comments. Again, I am building for my wife, who is the actual translator here But if a SSD and a good amount of dual channel RAM are important, I will make it a priority.
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