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Build a PC / AI & local models

$8,500 PC for local AI models, part by part

An Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus with the GeForce RTX 5090, and the 6 parts around them that fit it: $8,901 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 5090 are well matched at 1440p.

Change the budget or the job
97Fit for the job

Flagship

$8,901 of $8,500

PartScore for the jobPriceBuy
ProcessorIntel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus

Highest AI & local models score the budget allows next to this card: 24 cores, boosts to 5.5 GHz.

2 swaps that still fit
97
$386Amazon US, Oct 25
Buy on Amazon
MotherboardASUS ROG Maximus Z890 Hero

Z890 board for the LGA1851 socket, DDR5, 5 M.2 slots, Wi-Fi.

2 swaps that still fit
98
$434Amazon US, Oct 25
Buy on Amazon
MemoryG.Skill Trident Z5 RGB 64GB (2x32GB) DDR5-6000 CL30 White

64 GB DDR5 at 6000 MT/s CL30; 64 GB or more is the floor for AI & local models.

2 swaps that still fit
90
$1,300Amazon US, Oct 25
Buy on Amazon
Graphics cardGeForce RTX 5090

32 GB of video memory, index 100 at 1440p; tuned for video memory first, then card speed, then system memory.

Buying it opens Gigabyte AORUS GeForce RTX 5090 Xtreme WATERFORCE 32G, one of the boards built on this chip.

2 swaps that still fit
100
$4,830typical price
Buy on Amazon
CPU coolerArctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 360

Rated 330 W for a chip that turbos to 250 W.

3 swaps that still fit
96
$70Amazon US, Oct 25
Buy on Amazon
Power supplyCorsair HX1500i (2023)

1500 W, 80 Plus platinum; this build draws about 1100 W at full tilt, native 12V-2x6 cable.

1 swap that still fit
98
$320Amazon US, Oct 25
Buy on Amazon
CaseLian Li O11 Dynamic Evo RGB

7 fans in the box, 7 of them lit, 5 is the least 825 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
93
$295Amazon US, Oct 25
Buy on Amazon
StorageSamsung 9100 Pro 2TB

2 TB PCIe 5.0 NVMe, 14,700 MB/s reads, with cache.

2 swaps that still fit
97
$406Amazon US, Oct 25
Buy on Amazon
Second driveWD Black SN8100 4TB

4 TB for games, footage or models; the budget had room once every other slot was at its best.

99
$860Amazon US, Oct 25
Buy on Amazon
Total9 parts, 8 read on Amazon US and 1 typical$8,901

The same list, more or less money

$8,000 PC for local AI modelsWhat $500 less buys, and which parts change.

$8,500 spent on a different job

The same money buys a different machine when the work changes.