Build a PC / AI & local models
$5,000 PC for local AI models, part by part
An Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus with the GeForce RTX 5080, and the 6 parts around them that fit it: $5,465 all in.
Language and image models on your own card. Every part here was checked against every other for fit, and picked for video memory first, then card speed, then system memory. A price marked Amazon US is ScoutPrices' reading of the listing its button opens, dated; the rest are typical prices. Not a checkout total: no operating system, shipping, tax, screen, keyboard or mouse.
The Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus and the GeForce RTX 5080 are well matched at 1440p.
Enthusiast
$5,465 of $5,000
Highest AI & local models score the budget allows next to this card: 24 cores, boosts to 5.5 GHz.
3 swaps that still fit
- Intel Core Ultra 7 265KF-$38, -10 ptsBuy on Amazon
- Intel Core Ultra 7 265K-$41, -10 ptsBuy on Amazon
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K+$99, same scoreBuy on Amazon
Z890 board for the LGA1851 socket, DDR5, 5 M.2 slots, Wi-Fi.
2 swaps that still fit
- MSI MAG Z890 Tomahawk WiFi-$159, -12 ptsBuy on Amazon
- ASUS ROG Strix Z890-A Gaming WiFi-$147, -6 ptsBuy on Amazon
64 GB DDR5 at 6000 MT/s CL30; 64 GB or more is the floor for AI & local models.
3 swaps that still fit
16 GB of video memory, index 77 at 1440p; tuned for video memory first, then card speed, then system memory.
Buying it opens GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 5080 Gaming OC 16G, one of the boards built on this chip.
3 swaps that still fit
- MSI GeForce RTX 5070 Ti 16G Gaming Trio OC-$300, -5 ptsBuy on Amazon
- ASUS Prime GeForce RTX 5070 Ti 16GB OC-$251, -5 ptsBuy on Amazon
- MSI GeForce RTX 5080 16G Gaming Trio OC+$686, same scoreBuy on Amazon
Rated 330 W for a chip that turbos to 250 W.
4 swaps that still fit
- Thermalright Frozen Notte 360 White-$16, -18 ptsBuy on Amazon
- Thermalright Frozen Notte 360-$23, -18 ptsBuy on Amazon
- Corsair Nautilus 360 RS+$39, -12 ptsBuy on Amazon
- Corsair iCUE Link Titan 360 RX+$129, same scoreBuy on Amazon
1000 W, 80 Plus gold; this build draws about 800 W at full tilt, native 12V-2x6 cable.
4 swaps that still fit
- Corsair RM1000e White+$12, -6 ptsBuy on Amazon
- Corsair RM1000e-$35, -6 ptsBuy on Amazon
- Lian Li Edge 1000W+$16, -2 ptsBuy on Amazon
- Lian Li Edge 1000W White+$16, -2 ptsBuy on Amazon
7 fans in the box, 7 of them lit, 5 is the least 610 W of parts needs behind a closed front. Takes EATX/ATX/MATX/ITX boards and cards up to 422 mm.
4 swaps that still fit
- Lian Li Lancool 207-$169, -5 ptsBuy on Amazon
- Montech King 95 Pro White-$125, -5 ptsBuy on Amazon
- Lian Li O11 Dynamic Evo RGB White-$122, same scoreBuy on Amazon
- Fractal Design Torrent-$65, -1 ptsBuy on Amazon
2 TB PCIe 5.0 NVMe, 14,700 MB/s reads, with cache.
4 swaps that still fit
- Crucial T705 2TB-$18, -1 ptsBuy on Amazon
- WD Black SN8100 2TB+$74, same scoreBuy on Amazon
- Samsung 870 EVO 2TB+$94, -57 ptsBuy on Amazon
- Crucial T705 4TB+$228, +1 ptsBuy on Amazon
4 TB for games, footage or models; the budget had room once every other slot was at its best.
The same list, more or less money
$5,000 spent on a different job
The same money buys a different machine when the work changes.