How would you build a $10k USD computer?

[Truenigma]

I like the idea of this 10k contest, although personally I'm not a fan of it being limited to the US. That being said this post isnt about the actual contest. I'm just curious what machine Anyone here would've built for 10K USD... ignoring tax to make it an easy hypothetical. These are hardware forums, we're computer nerds, imagine away.

Personally I'm thinking I'd start with an Asus DSBF-D/SAS with 2 Intel 5160's and go from there, 4GB, a pair of fujitsu 15k rpm SAS drives... Oh the possibilities.

 

[Mr_Breeze]

I'd start with waiting on DX10 cards, and a nvidia 590 mobo.

 

[dmacfour]

I'd Use An Opetron or Xeon proc, and NOT go with Quad SLI, it still has too many bugs.

 

[mitcity22]

I don't even know where to start. would prob. just build a 2000 dollar rig and save the othe 7k.

 

[hollett]

I Would have to go for a new workstation. The spec would be

Base Build - HP xw8400 Tower dual Xeon 5160 (3Ghz, 1333fsb) Quad Channel Memory (21GB/s) - 5106.00 (hp.com)
Memory - 8 x Kingston 2GB 240-Pin DDR2 FB-DIMM ECC Fully Buffered DDR2 667 - 2799.92 (newegg)
Video - PNY VCQFX4500-PCIE-PB Quadro FX4500 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 - 1799.99 (newegg)
Hard Drives - 2 x Fujitsu MAU3073RC 74GB 15,000 RPM 8MB Cache SAS (Raid 1 Boot) - 1159.98 (newegg)
Hard Drives - 3 x Seagate Barracuda ST3750640AS 750GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA (Raid 5 Data) - 1199.97 (newegg)
VDU - 2 x HP LP2465 Flat Panel Monitor (24" 1920x1200) - 1658.00 (hp.com)
Total -13723.86

A little over the target but worth every penny/cent.

 

[brainhacked]

I'll just build a $2000 PC and pocket the rest.

 

[jap0nes]

I'll just build a $2000 PC and pocket the rest.

same here, but i think i would build a $1000-1500

 

[rwaritsdario]

I would wait for DX10 and the 65nm processors from AMD.

Definetly ild get one of those beautiful 30" displays from Dell or Apple.

 

[GameReplays_Hobo_]

I don't even know where to start. would prob. just build a 2000 dollar rig and save the othe 7k.

nice math..

 

[f1nal_0men]

I would just buy an ultra high end gaming machine...

COOLER MASTER Stacker 830 RC-830-SSN1 Silver Aluminum ATX Full Tower Computer Case - Retail
$259.99

PC Power & Cooling Turbo-Cool 1KW-Quad SLI T1KW-4E EPS12V 1000W Continuous @ 50°C Power Supply 100 - 240V UL/ULC/CE/TUV - Retail
$509.99

ASUS P5N32-SLI SE Deluxe Socket T (LGA 775) NVIDIA nForce4 SLI X16 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
$249.99

Intel Core 2 Extreme X6800 Conroe 1066MHz FSB 4M shared L2 Cache LGA 775 Processor - Retail
$1,149.99

OCZ Dual Channel EL Platinum XTC 2048MB PC8000 DDR2 1000MHz Memory (2 x 1024MB)
$451.99

OCZ Dual Channel EL Platinum XTC 2048MB PC8000 DDR2 1000MHz Memory (2 x 1024MB)
$451.99

BFG Tech BFGR79512GTXOCSINE Geforce 7900GTX 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 Video Card with SiN Episodes: Emergence - Retail
$475.00

BFG Tech BFGR79512GTXOCSINE Geforce 7900GTX 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 Video Card with SiN Episodes: Emergence - Retail
$475.00

Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Elite 7.1 Channels 24-bit 96KHz PCI Interface Sound Card - Retail
$375.00

Western Digital Raptor WD1500ADFD 150GB 10,000 RPM 16MB Cache Serial ATA150 Hard Drive - OEM
$249.99

Western Digital Raptor WD1500ADFD 150GB 10,000 RPM 16MB Cache Serial ATA150 Hard Drive - OEM
$249.99

Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 ST3750640AS 750GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM
$399.99

Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 ST3750640AS 750GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM
$399.99

PLEXTOR Black 16X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 10X DVD+R DL 16X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 24X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM 2M Cache SATA DVD Burner With White bezel,AUTOSTRATEGY,PoweRec - Retail
$105.99

PLEXTOR Black 16X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 10X DVD+R DL 16X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 24X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM 2M Cache SATA DVD Burner With White bezel,AUTOSTRATEGY,PoweRec - Retail
$105.99

Swiftech H20-220 Apex Ultra+
$349.99

Swiftech MCW60-B VGA Water Block (3/8 & 1/2)
$44.60

SAMSUNG 244t-Black Black 24" 6 ms (G to G) Widescreen LCD Monitor 500 cd/m2 1000:1 0.27mm Pixel Pitch - Retail
$856.99

Logitech G5 Laser 931376-0403 2-Tone 6 Buttons 1x Wheel USB Laser Mouse - Retail
$52.45

Logitech G15 2-Tone 104 Normal Keys USB Wired Standard Keyboard - Retail
$68.99

Logitech Z-5500 505 Watts 5.1 Speaker - Retail
$263.99

And that leaves just under 3000$ to mess around with. Hmm, maybe a second monitor? Maybe a big 30" for movies? Hmm probably the most idiotic thing to spend more money on in a system like this but I would do it. I would get TWO Z5500 speaker systems. That means a second soundcard as well. And thats with the theory that you can run everything in windows and games or whatever through two sources... Then offset each speaker set by 10 degrees. (center speaker is default 0 degrees than have the two centers are 350 degrees and 10 degrees.) I think that would add a neat effect.. It might completely suck. Guess I wont know until I try it. I personally believe this is the best system without going to exotic... such as thermal electric cooling, or raid5, or complicated raid card, or quad sli... wich I personally believe is inferior to two 7900gtx in sli. Ya, it's easy to slap the most expensive parts in a system... but I think this machine is far from that. The only piece I don't know to be the best in it's catagory is the monitor. Best cpu? Memory? Motherboard... only one I can think of that supports SLI and is a premium board, and does conroe. Well... enough dreaming for one day.

EDIT: After re-reading this build a couple times I noticed that maybe 4x 1gb sticks aren't the best until Vista, that could handle the ram. Also I most likely don't have the BEST water cooling system in there... But what I do have is still extreme high performance and simplicity.

 

[darkstar782]

I'd be going for a Tyan 4 way Opteron motherboard and 4 high end Dual Core 800 series chips, for 8 logical processors

I forget if that board is SLi capeable, if so I'd be going Quad SLi, and I'd have a Cinema display, but I'm probably about out of cash here already!

The tyan boards can also have that big expansion thingy added to it to fit another 4 CPUs at a later date...

 

[Clob]

2k on the system... The rest on an HT setup.

 

[toasty2]

Lol, I'd make 4 systems, 2 of the systems, each for around 1000$

Probably a Dual Core Opteron, 4 gigs of ram, 2x 21" LCD widescreen, Geforce 7900GT, 650Watt PSU, other crap....

And I'd make 2 other server machines for about 800 or 900$:
Dual Core Opteron, 4 gigs of ram, other stuff, lol...can't think right now. And I'd save the rest and buy my friend a computer.

 

[dietzjack]

I'm just curious what machine Anyone here would've built for 10K USD.

The people at ARS Technica regularly consider this question.

linky

 

[choirbass]

2k on the system... The rest on an HT setup.

yep, thats almost exactly what i was going to put... basically build a HTPC/gaming pc for about $2k, and spend the rest on HT components

 

[DaveUK]

CPU: Intel Core 2 Extreme X6800 Conroe
$1,150

Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-965P-DQ6 Socket T (LGA 775) Intel P965 Express (its SILENT)
$269.99

RAM: 2x G.SKILL (2 x 1GB) DDR2-1066 4-4-4-5
$1000

Graphics: XFX Geforce 7950GX2 1GB GDDR3 (520/1300 OC)
$609

Sound: Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Elite 7.1
$375

TV: Hauppauge WinTV-PVR-500MCE Dual TV Recorder Tuner Card w/ Media Center Remote
$145

Case/Cooling: Thermaltake Tai-Chi Full Tower Computer Case with liquid cooling system
$430

PSU: PC Power & Cooling Turbo-Cool 1KW-Quad SLI PSU
$510

HDD1: 2x Western Digital Raptor X 150GB in RAID 0 configuration (OS/install)
$650

HDD2: Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 750GB 7200 RPM SATA (storage)
$400

Optical: 2x PLEXTOR 18X DVD±R DVD Burner
$200

Card reader: Koutech USB 2.0 Black Card Reader/Writer
$50

Monitor: ViewSonic VP2330wb Black 23" 8ms Widescreen LCD Monitor
$1,020

Speakers: Creative GigaWorks S750 700 Watts 7.1 Speakers
$430

Headphones: SENNHEISER HD650 headphones
$350

Mouse: Logitech G5 or G7 laser mouse (personal preference)
$50-70

Mouse surface: fUnc sUrface1030™
$35

Keyboard: Logitech G15 keyboard
$70

Graphics Tablet: WACOM PTZ1231W 12" x 19" Active Area USB Tablet
$676

Webcam: Creative 73VF015000000 Live! Motion USB Interface WebCam
$125

O/S: Microsoft Windows XP Professional with SP2 - Retail
$280

UPS: Direct UPS Vesta Pro 1400 1400VA 840 Watts UPS - Retail
$145


**********

That brings us nicely to just under $9000. The remaining $1000 would probably go on a reasonable printer/digital camera combo. Man I'd love that system ^^...

 

[snipster4]

MOB = TYAN Thunder n4250QE (S4985) $1000

CPU = 4 Opteron™ 8000 Series Processors $2649x4 = $10,596

RAM = 16-Crucial Technology 2GB 184-Pin DDR SDRAM ECC Registered DDR 400 (PC 3200) Server System Memory $409x16 = $6,544

PSU = 2- PC Power & Cooling Turbo-Cool 1KW-Quad SLI T1KW-4E EPS12V 1000W Continuous @ 50°C Power Supply 100 - 240V UL/ULC/CE/TUV - Retail $509ea = $1,018

V-Card= 2-PNY Quadro FX4500X2 $2000x2 = $4,000

I think I'm a little over so far about $23,158... I need more money!! lol.

A $2000 comp would be fine.

 

[monkey_man]

This is my dream system.

HARDWARE
CPU- Intel Core 2 Extreme X6800, 1149.99

MOBO-ASUS P5W DH DELUXE, 269.99

RAM-CORSAIR XMS2 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM*2, 938.00

GRAPHICS-SAPPHIRE 100150SR Radeon X1900XTX*2, 779.98

SOUND CARD-Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Elite, 375.00

HD1-Seagate Cheetah 147GB 15,000 RPM, 1100.00

HD2-Seagate Barracuda 750GB 7200 RPM, 399.99

OPTIACL-Plextor IDE Slot Load 16X DVD±R DVD Burner*2, 293.98

PSU-PC Power & Cooling Turbo-Cool 1KW, 509.99

PHYSX-BFG Tech PhysX Processing, 264.99

TV TUNER-POWERCOLOR Express x1 TV tuner, 73.99

CASE-GIGABYTE GZ-XX1CA-SNB Black, 89.99

SPEAKERS- Creative GigaWorks 700 Watts 7.1, 429.99

SCREEN-Apple 30 in. screen, 1999.00

KEYBOARD-Logitech G15, 68.99

MOUSE-Logitech G7, 71.99

COOLING
CPU-Swiftech APOGEE, 49.99

GRAPHICS-Danger Den Tyee, 249.99

CHIPSET-Danger Den MAZE4, 38.99

HARD DRIVE-Koolance HD-55-L06, 59.99

RAM-Koolance RAM-30-V06, 49.99

RADIATOR-Koolance EHX-1050BK, 224.99

PUMP-Eheim 1048, 56.99

Wich brings it to a grang total of, 9546.79

I will try to answer a few questions before the come up.
1). The chipset and ram coolers are there because of overclocking.
2). The hard drive cooler is there because those drives are supposed to run hot.
3). There are ATI cards instead if NVIDIA because ATI quality is much higher.
4). The PPU is there because if you are going to spend $10000 you would want to have everything.

And that is my dream system, it is so expensive my only hope of owning it will come if I win the $10,000 computer.

 

[clue69less]

I don't even know where to start. would prob. just build a 2000 dollar rig and save the othe 7k.

nice math..

And true - most $2K computers end up costing ~$3K...

 

[JonathanDeane]

I would hire some one to build a custom PC for me im pretty sure Alienware could use up 10K easy.... but I dont like those cases (always been a plain aluminum case kinda guy)

I enjoy building PC's but anymore the custom built machines are getting to the point where over a certain price point its just easyer to pay some one to do it and the performance will not be any worse then if I built it myself.

 

[Dante_Jose_Cuervo]

Wow... $10k...

Well I'm kind of already doing something like that.

Dual xeon 5160s. I'm still not sure about the mobo.

2 150 Gig raptors, 1 with Ubuntu or Gentoo and one with Vista.

6 Of those 1 TB Hitachi HDDs in RAID 5 when they finally come out (connected to an adaptec RAID controller of course). Then I might couple that up with 6 300 Gig 15k rpm cheetahs in RAID 5, once again connected to an adaptec controller.

A plextor PX 760A, upgrade to Blu-ray and HD-DVD later when prices come down.
TOTALLY Go quad-sli when the bugs get worked out.

Actually if Socket F is worth it I'll go with dual opertron 2000's and run a dual-quad-sli system on this board
Thunder n6650W

I'd need go get card with dual-gpus like the gigabyte dual 7900s and water cool them.

Then I'd maybe need dual PC Power and Cooling Turbo-cool 1kW quad slis to keep the system running.

All of this in a lian-li 201B case.

Probably way over budget but I'm too lazy to add it up.

 

[INeedCache]

Anyone seriously considering spending $10K on a computer should leave some money leftover to pay for the head examination.

 

[dmacfour]

I would Buy a server with a nice GFX card.... or AMD 4x4..... or maybe it could help me buy a ferrari?

 

[clue69less]

I would Buy a server with a nice GFX card.... or AMD 4x4..... or maybe it could help me buy a ferrari?

A Revel model of a Ferrari maybe..

 

[Dante_Jose_Cuervo]

Yeah... you're right... I think the down on a ferrari is around $30k for an F430... so 10k wouldn't do you much, maybe an oil change? or some new tires on a ferrari?