Athena - High Performance Workstation

Custom-built high-performance workstation serving dual purposes: gaming and engineering work (CAD, FEA, rendering, machine learning). Designed for demanding applications requiring strong single-thread performance, GPU acceleration, and ample RAM for multitasking.

Primary Uses:

• CAD modeling (Siemens NX, SolidWorks, nTopology)

• FEA simulations (NX Nastran, Abaqus)

• 3D rendering and visualization (Blender)

• Gaming (high/ultra settings, 1440p)

• Machine learning experimentation

• Video editing and content creation

• General development environment

Compute:

• CPU: Intel Core i7-9700K (8-core, 3.6GHz base, 4.9GHz boost)

  • Unlocked "K" series for overclocking potential

  • Strong single-thread performance for CAD responsiveness

  • 8 cores for parallel workloads (rendering, simulation)

• CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO

  • Budget tower cooler

  • Adequate for stock speeds, marginal for heavy overclocking

Memory:

• RAM: 64GB Corsair Vengeance LPX DDR4-3200 (4x16GB)

  • Quad-channel configuration (optimal bandwidth)

  • 3200MHz CL16 (good balance of speed/latency)

  • 64GB essential for:

    • Large CAD assemblies (PANDORA full robot model)

    • FEA with fine mesh (millions of elements)

    • Multiple applications simultaneously

    • Chrome with 100 tabs (kidding... mostly)

Graphics:

• GPU: EVGA RTX 2070 SUPER (8GB GDDR6)

  • CUDA cores for GPU-accelerated CAD/FEA

  • Ray tracing capability (visualization)

  • Tensor cores (AI/ML acceleration)

  • Sufficient VRAM for 1440p gaming and professional work

Storage:

• Boot/Apps: 1TB WD Blue SN5000 NVMe (PCIe 4.0)

  • Fast OS and application loading

  • NVMe speed for large file operations

• Secondary: 2TB WD Blue SA510 SATA SSD

  • Game library and project files

  • Still significantly faster than HDD

• Backup: 8TB WD Black HDD

  • Game library and project files cold storage

Infrastructure:

• Motherboard: MSI MPG Z390 Gaming Plus

  • Z390 chipset (overclocking support)

  • 4x DIMM slots (64GB capacity)

  • M.2 NVMe slot

  • Adequate VRM for i7-9700KF

• Case: Fractal Design Meshify 2

  • Excellent airflow (mesh front panel)

  • Clean aesthetic

  • Cable management features

  • Dust filters

• PSU: Corsair RM850 (850W, 80+ Gold)

  • Headroom for GPU power spikes

  • Fully modular (clean builds)

  • Quiet operation (semi-passive fan)

Total Cost: ~$1,800

Why i7-9700KF?

For CAD Work:

• Single-thread performance critical for CAD responsiveness

• 9th gen Intel competitive single-core speeds

• 8 cores sufficient for background tasks while modeling

For Gaming:

• High boost clocks (4.9GHz)

• No GPU bottleneck with RTX 2070 Super

• Future-proof for several years

Why 64GB RAM?

Engineering Justification:

• Large FEA models: 8-16GB+ RAM usage

• PANDORA full assembly in NX: 6-10GB

• Topology optimization: RAM-intensive

• Multiple CAD instances + FEA + browser: 20-30GB typical usage

Personal Experience: Upgraded from 32GB after hitting memory limits during FEA convergence studies. 64GB eliminates swapping, maintains responsiveness.

Overkill for gaming? Yes. Necessary for work? Absolutely.

Why RTX 2070 Super?

GPU-Accelerated Workflows:

• CUDA acceleration in nTopology (topology optimization)

• GPU rendering in visualization tools

• Some FEA solvers leverage GPU compute

• Future ML experimentation

Gaming Performance:

• 1440p high/ultra settings (target use case)

• Ray tracing capability (growing game support)

• Sufficient VRAM (8GB)

Sweet Spot: RTX 2070 Super offered best price/performance in 2019 (pre-GPU shortage). Significant upgrade over GTX series for compute workloads.

Why Fractal Meshify 2?

Airflow Priority:

• Gaming + CAD rendering generates heat

• Mesh front panel (unrestricted intake)

• Multiple fan mounting options

• Positive pressure setup (reduces dust)

Build Quality:

• Steel construction (rigid, dampens vibration)

• Clean aesthetic (no RGB overload)

• Excellent cable management

• Easy to work in

850W PSU - Overkill?

Power Budget:

• i7-9700KF: 125W (TDP) / 180W (max)

• RTX 2070 Super: 215W TDP / 250W peaks

• System total: ~450W under full load

Headroom Justification:

• PSU efficiency curve (most efficient at 50% load)

• GPU transient spikes (momentary 300W+)

• Future upgrade path (higher-end GPU)

• Longevity (less thermal stress on PSU components)

Result: System typically draws 350-450W, PSU operates in efficiency sweet spot, remains quiet.

CAD Modeling (Siemens NX, SolidWorks):

• Large assemblies (500+ parts): Smooth rotation, minimal lag

• Complex surfaces/topology: Responsive

• Rendering previews: Near real-time with GPU

• Assembly mates/constraints: Instant updates

FEA (NX Nastran, Abaqus):

• Mesh generation: 8 cores significantly faster than 4-core systems

• Solver times: Moderate models (100K elements) solve in minutes

• Large models (1M+ elements): Benefit from 64GB RAM (no swapping)

• Post-processing: Smooth animation of results

3D Rendering (Blender):

• GPU-accelerated rendering: Significant speedup vs CPU-only

• Real-time viewport performance: High-quality shadows/lighting

Gaming Performance (1440p):

• AAA titles: High/Ultra settings, 60-100+ FPS

• Esports titles: 144+ FPS (competitive)

• Ray tracing: Playable with DLSS

Machine Learning:

• TensorFlow/PyTorch: CUDA acceleration functional

• Small-to-medium datasets: Trainable locally

• Large models: Still benefit from cloud (more VRAM needed)

General Productivity:

• Multiple applications simultaneously (CAD + FEA + browser + Slack)

• No slowdowns or stuttering

• Fast boot times (NVMe)

• Instant application launches