High-end or premium builds are not like any other build; here, price takes a back seat to sheer performance. As such, while the Core Ultra 9s are good, they are not Ryzen 9 9950X or 9950X3D good. Sadly, and yet ironically, AMD’s X-series dual-chipset-based options are not as good as Intel’s. As such, while we typically don’t build out many Intel 9 premium builds these days, we do recommend them when a lot of secondary storage is needed or in similar scenarios where the latency (and oh-so-many headaches) from the dual chipsets are just too much to take.
Furthermore, if Intel rumors are even remotely true and we see a doubling of E and possibly even P-cores in the near-ish future, we may indeed make Intel our choice for premium goodness once again. In the meantime, just be aware that while we are not taking the time to build a blueprint for Intel in this space, it follows the same rules. As for the CPU choice, if you game a lot or use programs that are low (8 or lower) core optimized, the X3D is a better choice. One that combines massive computing power with better FPS. For everyone else, the standard 9950X is the optimal choice.
16-big-core performance is no joke, and it will crush most home user CPU tasks, making it a tough call on whether or not to save a few dollars. In that vein, you can save even a bit more by going back a single generation to the Ryzen 9 7950X/X3D, as AMD skipped the “8” series for desktop processors and really didn’t change much beyond “refining” the blueprint to make the 9000 series.
With the CPU taken care of, you can see that we finally are moving away from those two little B-chipset motherboards. That just underscores how flexible those two new little boards really are. However, for premium builds, it is really, really hard to beat a Carbon. This series is the motherboard equivalent of the Giga-Chad/Tyrone/Enrique “friend” that your first (ex)girlfriend told you not to worry about, but should have.
Hyperbole aside, MSI’s X870E Carbon board is a beast. Better still, it is also a board that is a (relative) bargain. Such a bargain that outside of rather niche builds we rarely step up the ‘MEG’ class of boards… and even rarer still look outside the MSI family. It just is that good. That’s capable. That’s flexible. Buy it. Use it. Look like a rockstar to your clients (and/or family)… and pocket the difference in asking price between it and the ‘other guys’ version to splurge on an X3D CPU.
Storage. Premium builds typically need at least two drives. With that said, very… very few clients have a need for two PCIe 5 storage devices. Instead, premium grade PCIe 5 goodness for the OS with premium grade PCIe 4 storage is an easy way to save a few dollars on the bottom line without noticeably impacting real world performance. While it is true this “PCIe 5 for OS + PCIe 4 for everything else” philosophy really starts paying major dividends once you get into 3, 4 or 5 drive configurations… it really is an easy way to ’round’ a corner that will rarely be noticeable by the end-users even in two drive builds. Of course, if you/your family/client knows that PCIe 4 speeds will be a bottleneck… splurge on two M580 Pros (for primary and secondary storage needs) and then if more ‘fast’ storage is needed drop in 2 or even 3 2TB M480s for tertiary storage needs… and skip the 4TB’ers all together. We say this as the system typically will offer better performance with 2TB+2TB(+2TB+2TB) vs. one (or two) 4TB drive(s).
The same is true for RAM. Very, very few builds actually “need” to go above 64GB, and almost none will need frequencies above 6400MHz. So, unless you have a good reason to go for 96GB or above, don’t. The headaches associated with them are not just “more,” they are logarithmically more than 64GB kits, and 128GB is a can of worms that you really don’t want to open unless you absolutely need to. This is also true with higher-frequency kits, as your “Need for Speed” will come with a “Need for Tylenol” to deal with the inevitable headaches.
Furthermore, you should temper your expectations when it comes to realistic, real-world frequencies with 96GB and 128GB kits. Bluntly stated, expect to get much slower than 6000MHz frequencies with this generation of AMD (and Intel) CPUs, and you will not be disappointed. You may even get a pleasant surprise. Thus, if you can find a good deal on a kit of DDR5-5600, it might be worth stepping down if you “need” 96GB. Conversely, if the savings are not that great, sticking to a 6200MHz or 6400MHz kit might be a good bit of future-proofing, as we routinely recycle RAM between upgrade cycles and typically only buy new RAM when the CPU truly needs higher frequencies than our “old” kit can handle.
Moving on, the PSU will need to be a beefy boi, but other than upping the wattage no need to really search far and wide for good options. Instead, the 1K version of MPG A1000GS PCIE5 is a darn decent choice. To be blunt, unless you go for Intel+NVIDIA dual video card configurations, there is really no good reason to go much beyond 1K to the 1200W range… let alone exotic (read pricey and PITA-sized) 1400W (and bigger) power supplies. In fact, going too high will cost you noticeable efficiency. Possibly enough that you will ironically be spending more up front for the privilege of spending even more money on your power bill. Needless to say, a 1000-watt PSU is a very good, safe choice.
The KB+Mouse selection follows the same Q/A path as before. Sure, you can splurge for more, but unless you know precisely what you like, you are just as likely to end up with worse, yet more expensive, hardware.
The monitor selection… now that is a horse of a different color. For builds where performance is paramount, one simply does not cut corners on the resolution. Put bluntly, if you are serious about your (home or otherwise) work, you owe it to yourself to go 4K. Text is crisper. Images are cleaner. Editing video is a ton easier… and CAD/CAM? You could not pay us enough to ever go back to 1440P. To be blunt, if you can afford it, you really should be thinking not along the lines of one 4K vs one 1440P monitor but the pros vs cons of three versus “merely” two 4K monitors. Especially if you are in a Programmer/Analyst or Web Development (or even just Comp Sci) school stream. It really is a game changer, and anyone who says 4K resolution is a waste with 27-inch class monitors is fooling themselves.
A great option for this is the MSI MPG 272URX QD-OLED. This 27-inch monitor features a 4K UHD resolution, a blazing-fast 240Hz refresh rate, and an ultra-low 0.03ms response time, making it excellent for both gaming and professional work like photo and video editing. The panel utilizes the latest 4th-generation QD-OLED technology with a 5-layer tandem structure, which improves light efficiency and power consumption while maintaining a peak HDR brightness of 1000 nits. It also includes an advanced fanless design with a graphene film and custom heatsink for efficient heat dissipation.
When you are making an investment in high-end monitors, it’s also worth considering the longevity of the display. MSI, for example, has extended its OLED Care 2.0 Panel Protect function to 24 hours, addressing user feedback about interruptions. This update, which will be rolled out starting in May 2025 via a firmware update to all MSI QD-OLED monitors, aims to improve the user experience and ensure panel durability without affecting the 3-year burn-in warranty.
This brings us to the cooling. With 9-class CPUs (be they Core 9 or Ryzen 9), you’ll want to get as big an AIO as you possibly can. This is not just because it will run quieter, but because it is the only way to unlock the full potential of those 16 (or more) cores. They all run hot and will thermal limit given even half a chance.
So, once again, the MPG CORELIQUID P13 series, with its gorgeous LCD and simple installation, combined with those sweet, sweet final build aesthetics enhancements, offers great features. This time, however, it comes in a three 120mm fan configuration. “360” AIOs reside in that sweet spot of performance versus hassle factor. They may be a smidgen harder to install and have a smidgen more case incompatibility issues than their “240” and “280” brethren, but they are incredibly easy to work with compared to the “420s”. It may not sound like much of a change from a radiator capable of handling three 120mm fans to one that can mount three 140mm fans, but it is. So if you care about getting a cooling solution that is as pretty as it is powerful, the CORELIQUID P13 is a hard model to beat.
Annnnd there you have it. Three excellent price points with six good builds to choose from. We hope that our thought process on parts selection helps you in the coming months… but remember one thing: building does not have to be difficult or costly. In fact, it should be a good way to (pardon the pun) build some much-needed experience and get a better end result than simply going the ‘off the shelf’ options!
