Popular Mechanics' Monster PC - What would you build with $7500?!

[techfuzz]

In this month's Popular Mechanics, they are giving away a Monster PC that cost them $7500 to put together.

For those who don't want to look at the article, here are some things they included in their PC and how much they say they cost:
NEC ND-3500A DVD burner ($100)
2x nVidia 6800 Ultras ($500 each)
2x 74GB 10K Western Digital "Raptor" ($240 each)
2x 300GB 7.2K Maxtors ($250 each)
1x 400GB 7.2K Seagate ($387)
4x Corsair TwinX 512MB ($137 each)
ASUS A8N SLi Deluxe motherboard ($265)
AMD Athlon 64 FX-55 ($827)
Silverstone TJ06 Windtunnel case ($139)

Now granted over $3300 was spent on various software titles, but that is beside the point of this thread. If you had $7500 to build a new PC with from scratch, what would you include?

techfuzz

 

[AMDZen]

I'd probably build something similar to that, and still have 4 grand or so left over.

Don't need the FX chip, just because it costs too much - would wait for Venice.
Don't need 2 GB of RAM, as I'm going to be OC'ing and 2 GB just hinders that.
Don't want the ASUS board, would go with the DFI or MSI

That case is pretty nice. I would want all the hard drives, because I need a lot of space.
One thing I noticed is how they didn't mention a sound card, surely they didn't include all this great hardware only to be using the onboard sound? I would buy the M-Audio "Audiophile" 210$ card on newegg, with SPDIF, 8 sets of RCA's and everything else you could want. And then some good money on an awesome speaker setup.

 

[ssvegeta1010]

where did the NEC 3500 cost $100?
You can get the 3520 for ~58 shipped on NewEgg.
Also, I though TwinX was alot cheaper than 137 a stick.
Raptors for 240 each?
The only things that really look right are the FX-55, case, and the Seagates and Maxtors.

With $7500, I would buy a $2500 gaming PC, a fully featured T43, and use the extra money to get a nice monitor and a few P4 crunchers for DC.

EDIT: The Ultras are at a realistic price also. (maybe under the real price)

 

[LikeLinus]

"2x 74GB 10K Western Digital "Raptor""

What a waste. Should have gone 15K SCSI! I mean if you're going to drop $7500.....

 

[Hanpan]

30" apple display.

Projector. A couple of large hdd's and video card to drive the 30"

Other than that relatively benign configuration. 1 gig ram, 3500+ venice core, etc.

 

[ribbon13]

$449.99 Turbo-Cool 850 SSI ETX + AG 6-pin
$240.00 Lian-Li PC-V2000B

$525.83 Tyan Thunder K8WE S2895UA2NRF
4x$229.61 Corsair CM72SD1024RLP-3200
2x$873.17 AMD OSA252BLBOX

2x$649.00 Asus EN6800ULTRA/2DT/256

2x$1265.00 Seagate ST3146854LW

 

[Hyperlite]

i think i'd buy a car....
but if i had to build a rig, ribbon's sounds good.

Haha i like how PM didn't include a PSU in that lineup, good luck powering all that...

 

[Blain]

For $7500... anything I built would have two CPUs & SCSI. :laugh:

 

[Melchior]

Um.. thats pathetic. For that much money (which I would never spend on a comp)
I would get a Quad Opteron system with SLI and SCSI. Still would cost only about 3k or less.

 

[Googer]

I would forgo the SATA in favor of PCI-express SCSI RAID and I would have one of those IBM Flat Screen Monitors that Cost 6k each. If some one knows what I am talking about please show me the link since I have forgotten what the model number is, Thanks!

 

[ribbon13]

That aint gonna happen Melchior. Not until Italy Opterons at least. No production motherboards to support 4 physical CPUs and SLI exist AFAIK.

 

[Googer]

Originally posted by: techfuzz
In this month's Popular Mechanics, they are giving away a Monster PC that cost them $7500 to put together.

For those who don't want to look at the article, here are some things they included in their PC and how much they say they cost:
NEC ND-3500A DVD burner ($100)
2x nVidia 6800 Ultras ($500 each)
2x 74GB 10K Western Digital "Raptor" ($240 each)
2x 300GB 7.2K Maxtors ($250 each)
1x 400GB 7.2K Seagate ($387)
4x Corsair TwinX 512MB ($137 each)
ASUS A8N SLi Deluxe motherboard ($265)
AMD Athlon 64 FX-55 ($827)
Silverstone TJ06 Windtunnel case ($139)

Now granted over $3300 was spent on various software titles, but that is beside the point of this thread. If you had $7500 to build a new PC with from scratch, what would you include?

techfuzz

I bet some old lady is going to win it and the only thing she will ever do with it is check her email. That would be sad to see happen.

 

[Blain]

Originally posted by: Melchior
Um.. thats pathetic. For that much money (which I would never spend on a comp)
I would get a Quad Opteron system with SLI and SCSI. Still would cost only about 3k or less.

* What OS would you use?
* What MB would you use?

 

[ribbon13]

Tyan Thunder K8WE S2895UA2NRF with Italy Opterons and Win2k3 server would fit the bill. ^^

 

[Googer]

$3323 went into software, Adobe Creative Suite and Video Collection and Microsoft Office (inferior to Word Perfect Office)

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: ribbon13
Tyan Thunder K8WE S2895UA2NRF with Italy Opterons and Win2k3 server would fit the bill. ^^

You're crazy ribbon, 3 posts ago you were just saying that that combo "aint gonna happen"

Make up your mind

 

[ribbon13]

Reread that post.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: ribbon13
Reread that post.

I just find it funny that within 3 posts you've tried to play devil's advocate for both Melchior and Blain by posting the same information. In one you say it's impossible until you get X, and then in the other you say basically, duh, it will work if you get X.

 

[LED]

Most definitely I'd build my own and I wouldn't spend that much cash on software...

 

[ribbon13]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: ribbon13
Reread that post.

I just find it funny that within 3 posts you've tried to play devil's advocate for both Melchior and Blain by posting the same information. In one you say it's impossible until you get X, and then in the other you say basically, duh, it will work if you get X.

Italy would be quad opteron, but only 2 CPUs. I'm saying 4 socket (Opteron 8XX) isn't going to happen

 

[tcsenter]

It appears they used the published MSRP for all components and software - suggested retail price. That's where they are getting those numbers.

 

[imported_Kensai]

Exactly.
I'd personally build my own with:
Tyan K8WE
Dual Opteron 252s
Two Quadro FX4400s in SLI
2 X Raptors, other HDs,
DVD Burner, etc. etc, etc.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: ribbon13

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: ribbon13
Reread that post.

I just find it funny that within 3 posts you've tried to play devil's advocate for both Melchior and Blain by posting the same information. In one you say it's impossible until you get X, and then in the other you say basically, duh, it will work if you get X.

Italy would be quad opteron, but only 2 CPUs. I'm saying 4 socket (Opteron 8XX) isn't going to happen

Sometimes you just have to be difficult, don't you

 

[Pariah]

Now granted over $3300 was spent on various software titles, but that is beside the point of this thread.

Uh, no. That very much is the point. They didn't spend $7500 on the hardware (Realistically, they probably spent $0.00), more like $4000. The Adobe Suite puts a severe dent in the budget. Believe it or not there are people who actually pay for their software, and when you add those costs into the system things usually get pretty expensive. Who couldn't build a better system by practically doubling the budget just for hardware? What's the rest of the configuration look like?

 

[Pr0d1gy]

Realistically, they didn't buy a PSU and some other essential hardware. If I had $7500 I would buy an HDTV & a $3-4000 computer to use on it.