PCPartPicker for AI
Build your AI PC
Curated parts lists at four budget tiers — each component picked for AI workloads, not gaming. Every build tells you exactly which of our 145indexed models it will (and won’t) run.
Starter — $1,000
First taste of local AI. Runs 8 B class LLMs at Q4 and SD 1.5.
| Role | Pick | $ | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| GPU | RTX 3060 12 GB (used) | $200 | Cheapest path to 12 GB VRAM. Bottleneck on big models but fine for 7–8 B Q4. |
| CPU | AMD Ryzen 5 7600 | $200 | 6 cores at high boost — fast prefill on CPU offload, modest TDP. |
| RAM | 32 GB DDR5-6000 | $90 | DDR5 bandwidth helps when weights spill to system RAM. |
| Motherboard | B650 (any reputable) | $140 | PCIe 4.0 x16 + decent VRMs; AM5 platform leaves an upgrade path. |
| PSU | 650 W 80+ Gold | $80 | Headroom for a future 4070 swap without re-buying. |
| NVMe | 1 TB Gen4 SSD | $70 | Fast load times for multi-GB checkpoints. Get 2 TB if you collect models. |
| Case+fans | Mid-tower + 3 fans | $110 | Good airflow keeps a sustained-load GPU from thermal-throttling. |
| OS | Linux (Ubuntu 24.04 LTS) | — | Best CUDA toolchain support; ROCm if you go AMD GPU. |
| Mouse+KB | Reuse existing | — | Saving the budget for the GPU. |
| Monitor | Reuse existing | — | Same. |
| BUDGET_GAP | ≈ $130 contingency | $130 | Cables, thermal paste, anti-static wristband, shipping. |
| Subtotal | parts only | $1,020 |
✓ Runs comfortably
✗ Out of reach
Sweet-spot — $2,000
The dual-purpose box. 13–14 B LLMs, FLUX.1 Schnell, batch fine-tuning.
| Role | Pick | $ | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| GPU | RTX 3090 24 GB (used) | $750 | Best $/GB for local AI in 2026. 24 GB unlocks 14 B Q4 and FLUX. |
| CPU | AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D | $380 | Massive L3 cache helps when CPU offloading. Also great for gaming. |
| RAM | 64 GB DDR5-6000 CL30 | $200 | Two 32 GB sticks for headroom + future expansion. CL30 for prefill speed. |
| Motherboard | X670E with PCIe 5.0 | $250 | Future-proof for Gen5 GPUs and a second M.2 NVMe. |
| PSU | 850 W 80+ Gold | $130 | Comfortable for a 350 W card with overclock headroom. |
| NVMe | 2 TB Gen4 SSD | $130 | Hold 10–20 large models without juggling. |
| Cooler | Noctua NH-D15 air | $110 | Overkill on purpose — silent at sustained load. |
| Case+fans | Fractal North + 4 fans | $200 | Prioritise airflow; the 3090 throws 350 W of heat. |
| OS | Linux (Ubuntu 24.04 LTS) | — | |
| Mouse+KB | Reuse existing | — | |
| Monitor | Reuse existing | — | |
| Subtotal | parts only | $2,150 |
Enthusiast — $4,000
Single-card 32 B Q4 + serious FLUX Dev work. The 4090 build.
| Role | Pick | $ | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| GPU | RTX 4090 24 GB (new) | $1900 | Fastest 24 GB consumer card. 90+ tok/s on Llama 3.1 8B Q4. |
| CPU | Ryzen 9 7950X3D | $600 | 16 cores + 3D V-Cache. Useful when running multiple models in parallel. |
| RAM | 128 GB DDR5-5600 | $380 | Big system RAM lets you spill 70 B weights for occasional runs. |
| Motherboard | X670E (high-tier) | $350 | Two PCIe 5.0 slots + 4 NVMe — plays well with a future second card. |
| PSU | 1000 W 80+ Platinum | $200 | Comfortable for 4090 + future second-GPU upgrade. |
| NVMe | 4 TB Gen4 + 2 TB Gen5 | $380 | Gen5 SSD as cache for hot models, Gen4 as the catalog. |
| Cooler | 360 mm AIO | $200 | Sustained load on a 7950X3D wants liquid. |
| Case+fans | Lian Li O11D Evo + 7 fans | $280 | Massive airflow. Also fits dual-GPU if you upgrade. |
| Subtotal | parts only | $4,290 |
Workstation — $8,000
70 B models locally. Dual 3090s + a real workstation chassis.
| Role | Pick | $ | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| GPU | 2× RTX 3090 24 GB (used) | $1500 | 48 GB combined — fits 70 B Q4 with KV cache headroom. |
| CPU | Threadripper 7960X (24c) | $1500 | PCIe 5.0 × 80 lanes — both GPUs at full bandwidth + lots of NVMe. |
| RAM | 256 GB DDR5 ECC | $1100 | ECC for long fine-tuning runs; capacity for offload spillover. |
| Motherboard | TRX50 workstation | $900 | Designed for dual-GPU + heavy NVMe, ECC support. |
| PSU | 1500 W 80+ Titanium | $400 | Two 3090s pull ~700 W combined; headroom for 4090 future. |
| NVMe | 8 TB total (Gen5 + Gen4) | $700 | Lots of model sprawl + dataset storage for fine-tunes. |
| Cooler | Threadripper 360 mm AIO | $350 | Threadripper-rated mount, high contact area. |
| Case | Phanteks Enthoo XL | $350 | Server-style chassis. Fits 4 GPUs + dual-PSU if you go further. |
| Fans | Noctua A14 ×8 | $200 | Quiet airflow at sustained load — workstation, not a leaf blower. |
| Optional | Mellanox 100 GbE NIC | $600 | Skip unless you cluster across machines. Listed for completeness. |
| OS | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | — | First-class CUDA + ROCm support, free. |
| BUDGET_GAP | Mouse / KB / monitors | $600 | If you don't already have them. Otherwise re-allocate to more RAM. |
| Subtotal | parts only | $8,200 |
Why no PCPartPicker integration? Their parts catalog optimises for FPS-per-dollar; we prioritise VRAM, memory bandwidth, and thermals at sustained load. Hardcoded recipes here are intentional — they’re actively maintained, with rationale tied to specific models. Save more by going used → · Or rent before you commit →