I am thrilled with the custom desktop computer Pug...

I am thrilled with the custom desktop computer Puget Systems assembled for me.

This desktop, built around their Serenity small form-factor configuration (micro-ATX size motherboard and case), is tailored to exactly meet my needs as a photographer who makes heavy use of Adobe s Lightroom, Photoshop and other allied applications. Some of the key attributes I wanted and found in the Puget Systems machine:

A top-end Core i7 processor, sixth generation. That is currently the i7-6700K with a base clock speed of 4 GHz.
500 GByte SSD to be the boot drive and contain my executables and current working photography files.
2 TByte 3.5 drive for bulk data file and image file storage.
Expandable for more drives: this machine can accommodate one more 2.5 drive and two more 3.5 drives.
16 GBytes of DDR4 RAM with room for an additional 16 GBytes.
A mid-range video card with 4 GBytes of VRAM (my card is based on the NVIDIA GE Force GTX 960 processor).
Plenty of USB 3.0 and USB 3.1 ports (eight and two).
Sufficient power supply (650 W) to support all that future expansion.
A quiet machine. Who wants to sit alongside a vacuum cleaner when trying to optimize photos?
All in a handsome case that measures approximately 9 wide x 12 tall x 14 deep.

As I started my search, I checked carefully with the Big 3 PC companies (you know them). What I found:

Few systems that supported any level of customization. Increasingly, these vendors want to sell pre-packaged systems.
For systems that did allow some level of customization, the machines I configured inevitably came up short on one or more key attributes:
o Still shipping fourth generation Core i7 processors, rather than sixth generation.
o Shipping sixth gen Core i7 but not the top of the line i7-6700K.
o Option for an SSD but limited to 256 GB.
o One SSD plus one spinning drive maxes out the system.
o Very limited power supply, say 250 W max.
o No discussion of system noise.

I considered building my own system but did not want to take on the integration job. A Google search for custom PC builders lead me to Puget Systems. I discovered a custom system from them would be in the same price class the best systems I could configure from the Big 3 but would meet 100% of my design goals for performance and expandability.

Some of the highlights of my experience with Puget include the following:
Their website has a trove of knowledge. I found white papers on system performance for photographers, specifically outlining the performance needs of Lightroom and Photoshop. (There are papers for CAD-folks and others, too.)
Their pre-sales support is highly responsive, knowledgeable yet unobtrusive (no annoying pop-up chat/sales windows.) That person efficiently answered my questions and helped me tune the configuration that produced a better system than I might have initially ordered.
Their build process is totally transparent: once my order was placed, I could follow its assembly from parts staging, to assembly, to burn-in, to QA and finally to shipping.
Puget puts your system to a demanding burn-in test and performance benchmarking with all the data made available to you. Great way to confirm the build, weed-out infant parts failure and trap issues before the machine leaves their facility.
Great care in shipping. Box in a box, custom Styrofoam corners, heavy-duty corrugated boxes. Everything came through in fine shape.
Delivery included a three-ring binder specific to my machine, with a USB flash drive to rebuild the machine to the exact configuration it had when it left the factory, and finally DVDs with OS and other software that s installed.
Speaking of software, a nice clean build: not a spec of bloatware. What a difference from the last few systems I ve purchased from the Big 3.

If you are looking for an entry-level notebook PC, any of the Big 3 can serve you well. If you have more demanding needs and do not want to compromise on those needs, I urge you to talk to Puget Systems.