So I'm contemplating getting a new PC to replace my studio desktop/gaming system. Currently I feel as though the lack of RAM and not having a SSD are items that need to be addressed as I have been experiencing more and more obstacles with Sonar and some games I play. I looked into upgrading the memory and adding a SSD however it would cost around $300 for a 2 year old system which I could apply towards a new desktop. So my thoughts are to look at the i7 7th gen with 16 gb Ram, and a 240gb SSD with a NVidia graphics card. Price range is 1,000 to 1,500. What systems would you recommend that work well with Sonar as I've looked at Asus, Ibuy and a few others on Amazon.
Thank You

Why do you want to spend $1000+ on a new PC when all you need is to spend around $200 on RAM and SSD?  That Core i7-6700 is hardly end of life.

Ok too late, just bought it lol. So question with a 240gb ssd and a 2 tb 7200 HD I understand the os goes on the ssd however do I install sonar on the ssd as well or on the regular 7200 HD. And where do I install active projects? Looking for some thoughts of what ppl do. Thanks

Hilandermak,
The OS and Cakewalk program go to the SSD. Files that you will edit often (Cakewalk as well as others) go to the HDD.  When you first install Cakewalk go to Edit pull down menu and select Preferences.  In the Preferences select File Folder Locations.  You will see the Cakewalk files that you are allowed to move.  Set up folders on the HDD for the files you want to move.  Then go back to Edit/Preferences/FileFolderLocations to change the file path to the new drive.  The obvious files to put on HDD are:
Cakewalk Project files for CWP, CWB AND MIDI files for Cakewalk projects
Wave files for Wav, AIFE AND MPEG files to import into Cakewalk
Video files for AVI, MPG, MOV video files for import into Cakewalk 
Play lists for audio playlists of your Cakewalk Creations.
There are several other Cakewalk files you can move but you need to ask yourself if you will be editing them a lot or just adding to them infrequently and in small quantities.  eg. CAL, StudioWare, Step Sequence files if your a keyboard player.
 
Keeping your SSD from being bloated requires some diligence.  Here are a few.  The how to's are on the web.
Disable frefetch and superfetch
Limit the paging file on C:\drive
Move the locations for User TMP and TMP files and the System TEMP and TMP files
System protection for C:\drive need a limit set for how many restore points you want to keep
Turn off Hybernation thru the command prompt, this also shuts off Fast Start
Turn off windows indexing service for C:\drive  but keep it on for HDD
Turn off C:\drive file compression and defrag in disk management
Depending on your SSD, enable write cache buffer and buffer flushing, see vendor specs
Change the default location for user files this is the big one.
Change the default location for download files this is a big one too.
This should get you started.  I'm sure there are others the rest of the forum can help with.
 
Enjoy,
Forest
 
 
 
 
 
 

That is exactly what I was looking for, thank you so much :)

What are your Thoughts on plugins and virtual instruments such as waves, ikmultimedia and ad2 products? Thanks

I put all of my plugins on the SSD.  Their file size is not that big.  But it speeds up loading them.  Of course all sample content goes on HDD, same as Cakewalk content.  Projects with only synths in them, and no samples, load in a snap.

You can always use directory junctions for programs that don't like to let you specify content locations.

https://www.howtogeek.com...s-on-windows-or-linux/

Don't forget to look in Cakewalk Command Center settings.  There is a path tab there for Cakewalk download files (installers) and Cakewalk Content.  Make sure that is pointed to the HDD, otherwise your SSD will slowly fill up with Cakewalk updates!

abacab
Don't forget to look in Cakewalk Command Center settings.  There is a path tab there for Cakewalk download files (installers) and Cakewalk Content.  Make sure that is pointed to the HDD, otherwise your SSD will slowly fill up with Cakewalk updates!

A directory junction is a better solution that messing with the Command Center settings. Command Center settings reset to default when logging out and back into it. The directory junction, on the other hand, stays put.

Very interesting, I have never used a directory junction however it does seem like a beneficial approach. Thank you
 

Yup, directory junctions just leave a shortcut in place of the original folder.  Seems to work well with anything, especially any app that has hard coded tendencies to expect things are in a certain default location.