Quoting don5318,

reply 26

Yeah, for you Mark, glad it's running like a BEAST! LOL    

Now for some much needed rest Mate!   

Thanks, mate, it has sometimes been an arduous and frustrating journey, but I'm so glad the effort was very much worth it.  I thought my Ryzen 1700X was quick, but this ThreadRipper is so much faster.  Moving and copying files and folders is faster; opening programs is faster, and the general startup is really quick.  There's faster ThreadRippers available but I'm totally happy with this one.  Besides, the higher versions are not within my affordabilty anyway, so I was probably always going with the 2920X to save coughing up big bucks for a slightly faster CPU.  As it is I've spent in the vicinity of 2000 grand on this build as is, and there may be other bits n' pieces I'll add later on, but for now I'm all spent out.

Mark, you make me want to build an AMD system, been reading up on the ThreadRipper, and I have to say, I like what I've been reading, so my future build will be a ThreadRipper, thanks Mate!     

Yeah, dead set tired and I effed up. It was supposed to be either $2000 or 2 grand, not a bit of both.  Oh well, that'll teach me to stay up 'til gone 3.00am working on it, then getting up around six.  I tried going back to bed for a bit of kip around 10 but no luck there.  I still have so much to set up on this beastie and I just laid there with all that going through my mind, unable to switch off.

As I recall, your limited edition Level 10 case was around 3 grand on its own, and your mobo and CPU were high end [price-wise as well], and you'd spent the best part of 6 grand on those 3 items alone.  Add to that the PSU; the GPU; the CPU cooler; HDDs and SSDs, other knick knacks, yeah, 10 grand don't go far. 

My cost was kept down because I already had the PSU; GPU; HDDs and SSDs; Sound card and other bits n' pieces to go into this build.  Had I not had those components I reckon the total cost would have been closer to 4 - 4 1/2 grand.

Sweet Beastie Mate!    

I recently saw a Level 10 Titanium like/similar to yours and it was going for $2899, which is why I said around 3 grand earlier.  I was going to link to it for you to see, but by the time I went back to the site the page was gone, apparently all sold out.  They had 10 and were all gone in the under an hour or so.  Would have liked one [before they sold out, that is] but then I would not have been able to get all the components as well. 

Still, I quite like this case and what I've put into it.... overall cost [including the components I already had] a tad under 5 grand.  I have 3 Crucial 500gb M.2s [one I had before] and I counted all 3 at $99 each, but when I looked back at the invoice for the original 1 that went into the Cosmos II case, it was $375.  My how they have come down in price.

Aha, but there was another release with a few more than that. I believe a 1000.  As I said, they had 10 of them, but soon disappeared.  I think it was Computer Alliance in Qld as I was doing a bit of business with them since they held that MSI X399 mobo for me.  Anyway, I was there around 9.00 one morning to place an order, and by 10.00am when I went back to check on something, there they were, gone.

Anyhow, I just cloned my OS drive over to an M.2.  When I was setting up initially, I had to install Win 8 on a regular 120gb SSD because I couldn't access the M.2s until all the chipset drivers were installed, and none would install due to being incompatible with Win 8.

Everything got sorted out once I'd upgraded to 10, but the 120gb was filling up fast, what with all of my programs, skins and stuff.  I used the free version of Macrium Reflect, but I was so impressed with its great interface, ease of use and operational qualities that I will purchase it when funds are again a bit more fluent.

It has been a task of ups and downs, pitfalls and frustration [it's a wonder you didn't hear me cussing in Balaarat], but it has all been worth it.  This machine is excellent and definitely the best I've ever used.  I'm near the end of setting everything up, with just a few more programs and drivers to load, and then I can just sit back and enjoy it.

After deliberating for a while [in other words procrastinating] I have decided to swap the Threadripper setup into the Cosmos II case where it will get better air circulation.  While the new case is great looking and has a great cabling setup, it does not have great circulation and can get a bit warm inside.  Now Coolermaster makes mesh top and front covers to replace the plastic ones, which would greatly improve internal airflow, but everywhere I've tried thus far to purchase them has no stock and Coolermaster don't sell direct to the public..... hence the swapping of cases.

My AMD Ryzen 1700X setup doesn't generate as much heat as the Threadripper and will go into the new case.  It's a bit of work, but I just want to be able to run the Threadripper setup at full throttle and not experience overheating issues.  Yes, the Threadripper has water cooling, and it's reasonably effective, but it's still drawing warmer air and I'm more concerned about the other components like mobo, SSDs and soundcard, etc.

Besides, the Threadripper setup deserves to be housed in a grand case, and the Cosmos II certainly is that.  Moreover, there is better accommodation for HDDs and various front panel items the new case had no space for.  I should have done this the first time around, but I was so enamoured by the classy appearance of the new case and just went with it.

Oh, and about the graphic card, I purchased an ASrock Radeon RX 5700XT Taichi X 8GB OC X ARGB  card to boost graphics processing when I'm editing or converting videos, etc.  Not sure about when it will arrive due to Covid 19 and various restrictions, but my order has been processed, so hopefully it's not long.

Anyhow, stay safe everyone and avoid the nasties going around.  

Yeah, that's the one I have... the Level 10 GT.  I still have mine and it is still in working order with an AMD setup but rarely gets used these days since I have 3 other working PCs and there's not enough space in my room for a fourth at this time.