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Build a PC / coding & development

$1,500 PC for programming, part by part

An Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus with the ASRock Intel Arc B580 Challenger 12GB OC, and the 6 parts around them that fit it: $1,456 all in.

Builds, containers and a few virtual machines at 1440p. Every part here was checked against every other for fit, and picked for cores for builds and containers, plenty of memory, fast storage, and a card for several screens or a local model. Typical US prices read on 2026-09-09, not a live checkout total: no operating system, shipping, tax, screen, keyboard or mouse.

The Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus has headroom to spare. The ASRock Intel Arc B580 Challenger 12GB OC sets the frame rate at 1440p, so a faster card is the upgrade that shows.

Change the budget or the job
79Fit for the job

Enthusiast

$1,456 of $1,500

Lian Li Lancool 216ASRock Intel Arc B580 Challenger 12GB OC750 W

Build order

Eight steps, the way a builder works through the case. $1,456 all in.

  1. MSI MAG Z890 Tomahawk WiFi on the tray
  2. Core Ultra 7 270K Plus in the socket
  3. Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 on top
  4. 2 sticks of memory
  5. Crucial T705 1TB on the board
  6. ASRock Intel Arc B580 Challenger 12GB OC in the x16 slot
  7. 750 W supply in the basement
  8. Panel on, power on
PartScore for the jobTypical priceBuy
ProcessorIntel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus

Highest coding & development score the budget allows next to this card: 24 cores, boosts to 5.5 GHz.

3 swaps that still fit
97
$324
Buy on Amazon
MotherboardMSI MAG Z890 Tomahawk WiFi

Z890 board for the LGA1851 socket, DDR5, 4 M.2 slots, Wi-Fi.

2 swaps that still fit
86
$244
Buy on Amazon
MemoryCorsair Vengeance 48GB (2x24GB) DDR5-6000 CL30 White

48 GB DDR5 at 6000 MT/s CL30; 32 GB or more is the floor for coding & development.

84
$139
Buy on Amazon
Graphics cardASRock Intel Arc B580 Challenger 12GB OC

12 GB of video memory, index 30 at 1440p; tuned for cores for builds and containers, plenty of memory, fast storage, and a card for several screens or a local model.

2 swaps that still fit
30
$250
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
$70
Buy on Amazon
Power supplybe quiet! Pure Power 12 M 750W

750 W, 80 Plus gold; this build draws about 600 W at full tilt, native 12V-2x6 cable.

4 swaps that still fit
82
$80
Buy on Amazon
CaseLian Li Lancool 216

3 fans in the box, 3 is the least 440 W of parts needs behind a mesh front. Takes EATX/ATX/MATX/ITX boards and cards up to 392 mm.

4 swaps that still fit
90
$99
Buy on Amazon
StorageCrucial T705 1TB

1 TB PCIe 5.0 NVMe, 13,600 MB/s reads, with cache.

2 swaps that still fit
92
$250
Buy on Amazon
Total, typical prices8 parts$1,456

The same list, more or less money

$1,000 PC for programmingWhat $500 less buys, and which parts change.$2,000 PC for programmingWhat $500 more buys, and where it goes.

$1,500 spent on a different job

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