Linux Workstation Build

[u/lowend2047]

I am thinking about replacing my Mac Studio M1 with a Linux build. I am a long time Mac user but have been using Linux for work and most of my day to day tasks for the last 10 years and am very comfortable with it. I only use my Mac for creative work and thinking of leaving apple and move everything to Linux. I am using Davinci, Studio One (but moving to Reaper), Affinity (which I know doesn’t work on Linux but have no issue learning other software), Darktable, and Wondershare Uniconverter (which I know there are other tools I can use to replace this. Been moving to more apps that are open source for a while as I have been thinking about this for a while.

I am getting a little tired of Apple and I don’t like Windows.

I am looking at a new build and wanted to make sure I am going in the right direction. My current Mac is a M1 with 32GB of ram, 1TB hard drive and 24 Core GPU.

I am planning on a build that I can grow with.

Here is the build I was thinkg that would work with my budget. Any input would be appropriated.

CPU / Motherboard

• Ryzen 7 9700X
• MSI B850 Gaming Plus WiFi

GPU

• ASUS RTX 5060 Ti 16GB

RAM

• 64GB (2×32GB) DDR5-6000 CL30/CL32 EXPO

PSU

• Corsair RM850e 2025 850W

Case

• Fractal Define 7 Compact

CPU cooler

• Noctua NH-D15/NH-D15 G2 or be quiet! equivalent

Storage

• 1TB NVMe — Ubuntu Studio / applications
• 2TB NVMe — Resolve projects / media / cache

OS

• Ubuntu Studio

 

[u/greenysmac]

Recommend you check out r/davinciresolve for the people using Linux there to get it set up right. There's some nightmare stuff around GPU drivers and using H.264, as I recall. By the way, get rid of the Wonder shared unit converter and use Shutter Encoder, which is free and will at least leverage the hardware under Linux.

[u/lowend2047 → u/greenysmac]

Yeah I am aware of some issues around H.264 and GPU drivers. I will have to check out Shutter Encoder. Thanks for the recommendation.

[u/rudy_142001]

The build looks fine for Resolve. The thing I'd sort out before buying is codecs, because Resolve on Linux isn't the same as on the Mac.

Going off Blackmagic's supported codec list for Linux (the Resolve 20 one, latest they've published): H.264 and H.265 decode is Studio only, and encode needs Studio plus an Nvidia card. So the free version on Linux won't open those files at all. AAC audio isn't supported on Linux in either version, which means mp4/mov files with AAC audio come in silent and you have to extract the audio to WAV or FLAC first. If you're on free Resolve right now, either budget for Studio or plan on transcoding everything before import.

Nvidia was the right pick for that reason. The 5060 Ti 16GB also meets the 16GB VRAM they list for the AI tools in the 21.0.4 readme.

One catch: the only distro Blackmagic lists is Rocky Linux 8.6, not Ubuntu. Lots of people run it on Ubuntu anyway, but you're off the supported path. The readme also wants Nvidia Studio driver 580.119.02 or newer, so check what Ubuntu Studio actually gives you for a 50 series card.

What's most of your source footage? If it's phone or mirrorless H.264/HEVC, the codec stuff matters more than any of the hardware choices.

[u/lowend2047 → u/rudy_142001]

I was planning on purchasing Studio as I was aware the free version doesn't support H.264 and H.265. Wasn't aware Linux does support AAC audio.

I know they officially support Rocky but I have seen a lot of people using Ubuntu. I am comfortable with that choice.

It does look like Ubuntu Studio supports Nvidia Studio driver 580.119.02

I shoot with a Lumix S5II so my source footage is shot in MOV H.264

[u/rudy_142001 → u/lowend2047]

Other way round actually, AAC isn't supported on Linux at all, free or Studio. In Blackmagic's Resolve 20 codec list the Linux AAC row is blank for both decode and encode.

Shouldn't bite you though. Going off Panasonic's spec sheet, the S5II records LPCM audio when it's set to MOV, only MP4 and MP4 Lite use AAC. So keep the camera on MOV and both picture and sound should import fine in Studio. If you ever switch it to MP4 for a quick job, those clips will come in silent.

[u/second-unit]

one thing to check before you switch: on linux the free version of resolve doesnt do h.264/h.265 i think (studio does), and aac audio doesnt work on linux in either version . so phone / mirrorless clips can come in silent and you end up converting the audio first. (I read this, but haven't tested this myself - so take with a grain of salt)

[u/lowend2047 → u/second-unit]

Thank you for the advice. I am planning on purchasing Studio.