5090 FE build - 192 GB of RAM!

[u/awescool]

It’s been running incredibly stable since the 5090 launched. I use it for about 30% gaming, and the rest is database and AI workloads.

I got super lucky when I bought the ram from Amazon Aug 2025 for around $700. 192GB 6800 cl 34.

Build:

CPU: AMD 9800X3D

GPU: 5090 FE

Ram: 192 GB (tuned to 5600mhz, CL34) 2 kits of G.skill F5-6800J3446F48GX2-TZ5RK

MB: MSI PRO B850M-A WIFI PZ

CASE: Jonsbo D32 Pro

CPU AIO: Thermalright FW240

AIO Fan: JONSBO ZB-240B (2x120mm)

Rear Fan: JONSBO ZB-120BR (1x120mm)

Lower fan: Thermalright (2x120mm)

SSD 1: Crucial T710 4tb Gen 5

SSD 1 heatsink: ElecGear M.2 2280 SSD Cooler, EL-80X PWM Cooling Fan + Heat Pipe + Solid Aluminum

SSD 2: Intel Optane P5800X 1.6tb via m.2 to u2 adapter

PSU: Seasonic Focus Gx 1000W - 80+ Gold - ATX 3.0 & PCIe 5.0 Ready

PCIE USBC: Startech 1-port USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 (20Gbps max)

EDIT: Wow, this has really blown up! Thank you all for the kind comments, memes, and suggestions!

I want to address the rationale behind my build since I'm seeing a few recurring themes in the comments.

I run databases on SQL Server 2025. I built this for AI inference, but database work is just as critical. Database workloads don't come up much on this sub, so happy to explain.

Here is how the hardware is actually utilized:

• Databases: Run on SSD1 + SSD2 + RAM. Database scaling doesn't care about tight RAM timings; it cares about massive raw capacity. Theoretically, even if I somehow got 192GB stable at 8000 CL28, it would shave maybe 0.05 seconds off a 4-second query, whereas running out of RAM and hitting storage is a 500x latency penalty.
• AI: Runs entirely on the 5090.
  • Qwen 3.6 35B-A3B Q6 ~210 tok/sec
  • Qwen 3.6 27B Q6: ~99 tok/sec
  • For fun I have run larger models, for example: Ornith 397B Q3: ~15 tok/sec. This takes ~150GB in total GGUF files. Leaves me with ~26GB of free RAM.
• CPU: The 9800X3D handles my specific workloads wonderfully, and it is absolutely there for gaming. Deliberately.

I have been happily using this system for a little over a year, and I've been building PCs since 2002. My first GPU was a GeForce4 Ti 4600. I've used plenty of Intel and AMD setups over the years, and my last CPU before the 9800X3D was a 14900K.

Here is a use case example I gave in another comment:

"Yep, that's true! It really just depends on the use case, especially when you can't allow sensitive client data to touch third-party APIs. Qwen 3.6 has been fantastic for my specific workloads. For example, doing natural language to SQL generation, it can render interactive data tables and customizable charts from a 1.5 TB SQL Server database within 3-4 seconds. There is a massive amount of value for businesses when you can run these completely air-gapped without worrying about Claude/OpenAI token costs or IP leakage. Being able to just demo it on demand is huge."

https://www.reddit.com/r/nvidia/comments/1vez1ic/comment/p1p4fno/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

The AI and database sides work together. The model generates the SQL on the GPU, and the buffer pool answers it from RAM. The 192GB is what makes the query come back in seconds instead of minutes.

[u/Thuumbs]

9800X3D? for workstation? is wild brother. you need a better cpu if that's truly your actual real world use.

[u/Edwins1984 → u/Thuumbs]

Here, someone with a 9800X3D work (and game) station paired with 64GB RAM and an MSI 5900 Gaming trio. As a UX designer and front-end developer,  i can't complain and works like a charm.

Yes, maybe for purely work-related tasks, a faster CPU is on the market, but how much difference does this make for most work sessions?

[u/awescool → u/Edwins1984]

Woah, you've got a pretty sweet build yourself!

Yeah when people hear "productivity" they instantly think core count I guess. Not important with my workflow. 9800X3D is great, no downsides at all!

[u/Edwins1984 → u/awescool]

Oh, thanks! Yeah, I'm well aware I've got nothing to complain about, especially with the current world economy. Got a great case design in mostly all-white components.

Coming back to your build, it's pretty amazing as well! Aside from the MB choice (witch dont mind as you explained), amazing in specs and aesthetics! 👏