Conclusions

Here's the total cost of the system, less software and peripherals we already owned:

The system cost nearly three times as much as the mid-priced build. We're certainly glad we didn't go "all out" on factory-overclocked parts or redundant CPU cores, because we need to justify this expense, relative to performance in our final system build!

Author's Opinion

We all like fast parts, but none of the editors were particularly interested in specifying the high-end build. Why? Perhaps because none of us could afford to have all these parts in our personal-use systems, or more likely because removing the strict budget cap takes much of the challenge out of choosing a configuration. We still saved money in a few places where it wasn't going to make a large performance difference, but high-end buyers know they're going to be scoffed at by value seekers. If they listen closely, they might just hear envious undertones in that laughter...

Now if I can just convince Shelton to overclock these systems!

The Complete Series Of Articles

• System Builder Marathon: Day One
• System Builder Marathon: Day Two
• System Builder Marathon: Day Three
• System Builder Marathon: Day Four

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