To build the *best* computer money can buy...

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So as of today, what would you say would be inside the absolute fastest/best computer one could build with an unlimited budget?

Here's my shot at the prize:

Mobo - ASUS P6T7 WS Supercomputer - $449.99
CPU - Intel Core i7-975 Extreme Edition 3.33GHz - $1,019.99
Videocard - (x2) BFG Tech GeForce GTX 295 1792MB GDDR3 - $759.99 (each)
RAM - (x2) Corsair Dominator-GT 6GB (3 x 2GB) DDR3 1866 - $269.00
Soundcard - Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty Champion Series - $199.99
Primary HDDs - (x2) HITACHI Ultrastar 15000rpm 300GB Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) (RAID 0) - $319.99 (each)
Secondary HDDs - (x4) OCZ Summit 120GB SATA II SSD (RAID 5) - $354.99 (each)
Media Storage - Netgear 4TB ReadyNAS NVX - $1,789.99
Optical - Pioneer 8X Blu-Ray/DVD/CD Burner - $189.99
PSU - Silverstone 1500w (80 Plus Silver Certified) - $399.99
Monitor - Samsung 2443BWT 24" - $359.99
Case - Cooler Master Cosmos 1000 - $179.99
Keyboard - Logitech G19 - $205.99
Mouse - Logitech G7 - $72.99
Multi-Card Reader - Silverstone FP34-B - $39.99
DangerDen Liquid cooling system - $350

Total price: $9,476.81

The Mobo has 6 SATA ports and 2 SAS ports. So my objective was to use 2 of the fastest SAS drives I could find, make them a RAID 0 array, and use that as my primary storage. 4 of the 6 SATA ports are for the SSDs in a RAID 5 array for secondary storage and backups. For all media files, there's the 4TB NAS so everyone on the network can enjoy!


What changes or additions would you make?

 

I would probably go with the Intel SS HDs, since price is no object.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...words&cm_mmc=KNC-GoogleAdwords-_-NA-_-NA-_-NA

This one looks good too:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227462

 

I chose the OCZ SSDs because they looked to be the fastest drives NewEgg offered.
Intel:
Sequential Access - Read: 250 MB/s
Sequential Access - Write: 170 MB/s

OCZ:
Sequential Access - Read 220MB/s
Sequential Access - Write 200MB/s

I'll take the extra 30MB/s write speed over a faster read speed any day....

 

I agree, Kit.

 

As in won lottery budget. And still have problems due to bad drivers.

 

Looks like an awesome rig! The only thing I'd add is a Wacom Cintiq 21UX as secondary monitor and I'd be set.

 

One thing I forgot to do was build a liquid cooling system, since the 2 videocards *require* an active liquid cooling system since they only have a water block attached to them. After a browsing around on DangerDen's site, it looks like the total price gets a good $350 shot to the bottom line...

 

Unlimited budget and the monitor is a cheap TN panel? Two professional monitors with the latest IPS panels would be something that I would aim for.

 

here are a few more items to swap or add to the system you put up...

1) Get rid of that monitor you selected and in its place this NEC
2) You don't list any speakers for your PC. I would with this Logitech set or Aren digital speaks.
3) Why only 6GB of memory? Double up on that RAM.
4) As for HDD; I would add a RAID controller to the PC and try to add as many SDD as possible over SCSI drives you listed
5) Since you would be adding a controller to use additional drives on the PC I would add one additional DVD drive
6) There are a few more items you can add to raise the cost(lighting, liquid cooling - as you stated, a different case, etc...)

 

For mouse and keyboard, I personally would go with Razer instead of Logitech. Especially considering the price, you are going to get a better product by going with Razer, imho.

Keyboard: Razer Artcosa or Razer Lycosa.

Mouse: Razer Lachesis

I have the same case, it is extremely big and heavy. It does a have a lot of room inside and having the power supply on the bottom of the case is nice. The hard drive bays are by far the most convenient feature.

Good choice going with the Samsung monitor. I got the 2253BW about a year ago and I love mine to death.

 

and i see you havent even gone with a addon soundcard eaither

 

2 - I figured that plugging the computer in to a high-end Yamaha AV receiver with over 1500W of speaker power would be better than any PC speaker system...
3 - Look closer, there's a (x2) in front of the RAM, indicating that there are 2 (two) 6GB tri-channel kits which adds up to 12GB.
4 - IIRC, SAS transfer speeds are up to 6Gbps, while the fastest SSD is still limited by SATA's 3Gbps speed... You tell me which is faster.

The Supercomputer mobo has no PCIe 1x slots, and at the time, I couldn't remember if you can put a 1x card in 16x slot, and I was too lazy to find out. Now that I remember that you can always put a lower "x" card in a higher "x" slot, I'll add a soundcard here soon.

 

Lachesis and Lycosa are nice things. I stare at them daily. As for the rest, it is too much for my taste, but impressive non the less.

 

So would I...however, I'm not a monitor guy. I don't know how to tell the difference between a "TN" screen and whatever it is the pros use...
A little help would be appreciated.


Also, I added prices to each component so we can see how much they fall over the coming months.

 

I would add another high end Nvidia card and make that card the phsyic-X processor so that the other two can concentrate on rendering the rest of graphics.

---------- Added 0 hours, 4 minutes and 20 seconds later... ----------

Add the receiver setup to the cost, because I'm going off the assumption the most expensive computer to purchase including all major accessories.

 

Ummm....that's going to cost an additional $10,000 or more. How about we just say that speakers are provided...

Good call on the phsyic-X processor, I forgot about that. Actually, what's the deal with tri-SLI or quad-SLI? It it worth it...or would that just be throwing money at a worthless cause?

Also, when you say to just add another high end card and make it a dedicated phsyic-X processor, don't they make specialized phsyic-X cards that do that? Help me out here, this is one area I'm clueless about...

 

They did. Ageia. But Nvidia bought that company and uses its tech on the Nvidia cards. it is possible to have two cards in your system of different power to assign the older one for physics calculations.

If the game supports it.

Ati has the right to Havoc. ATi is not yet capable of assigning a card to physics, so that is done by the processor.

So a new battle in the war is just on the horizon.

For this setup 2 295 in sli and one card for physics.

 

Well, both the display and sound card are garbage. Overpriced garbage, but garbage nonetheless. I wouldn't use them (at least on my primary rig) even if I got them for free.

Also, money is no objection yet you go with MLC SSD hard drives? I laugh at your pitiful choice.

6GB of RAM? Laughably tiny. 12GB.

The multi-card reader doesn't support everything it should. Most importantly, floppies. And apparently SDHC.

G7 for the mouse? I much prefer the MX Revolution. And going back to a normal mouse would be a pain.

G19? Decidedly eh. Maybe for a media keyboard. Razor alternatives? Decidedly BLING BLING, but my keyboard is not for decorating my desk. And if it was, I'd rather go with the Optimus Maximus or Das Keyboard Ultimate.

As it is right now I use the Logitech Office Comfort keyboard - it's a very basic ergonomic *wired* Logitech media keyboard. I'd love an ergonomic version of Das Keyboard Ultimate, but no such thing is available.

 

I'd be curious to see you spec out its audio and actually post an alternative, to go along with your ranting.

I would have chosen the Asus card instead. Nevertheless, t's only a computer and really, the audio will be pretty trashy regardless of what you put in it. There may be a $1000.00 sound card out there somewhere that sounds like a REAL audio sound system, but in the end it will probably end up sounding like computer noise anyway (drivers and what not, and worse, it will be "digitized audio"). Real audio disappered with tubes anyway. There's something about the way in which we hear that is tuned to an analog signal. But that's highly subjective.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829132010

 

First off, if you read one of my replies, OCZ's MLC SSD is *faster* than Intel's SLC SSD! If you find a faster SSD, link it, or shove it.

Secondly...seriously, are you blind?!?! The rig *has* 12GB of RAM! Like I already said in another reply, that (x2) means that there are TWO 6GB tri-channel kits which equals 12GB!