When Overclockers UK initially announced the original version of the OrionX2 back in 2017, with what was then modern high-end hardware, it looked like a concept that many people doubted would make it to production. But it was indeed able to make it to production. Now the OrionX2 has evolved to become the most expensive gaming PC in the world.
Most Expensive Gaming PC
Built by Overclockers Uk, from the 8Pack series, the OrionX2 is the world’s most expensive gaming PC costing £29,999.99 ($41,519.96). Or two PCs, for that matter, since you get two systems in one case, both extremely powerful and more than capable for anything from gaming to other intense computational workloads. Whatever you need it for, the ORIONX2 is a powerhouse of a system.
The price is hefty – you can easily get yourself a nice midrange family sedan for the money, but if you’re looking at spending this much on a PC, chances are you already have that. The kicker? It’s not just a single system, it’s two of them, both very powerful, packed in a single case that alone costs almost $1,000. And they’re built by world-renowned overclocker 8PACK, which means every overclockable component is overclocked for maximum performance.
OrionX2 Specifications:
Primary system:
CPU: Intel Core i9-10980XE 4.6GHz (overclocked) | GPU: 2x Nvidia RTX Titan 24GB | RAM: 128GB | Storage: Dual 2TB SSD + 14TB HDD
Secondary system:
CPU: Intel Core i7-10700K 5.0GHz (overclocked) | GPU: Nvidia RTX Titan 24GB | RAM: 32GB | Storage: Dual 2TB SSD in RAID 0 + 14TB HDD
System Features:
- Two PCs in one, both with extremely powerful hardware
- 18-core, 36-thread CPU on the primary system and 8-core, 16-thread CPU on the secondary
- Optional up to four Nvidia RTX Titans
- 128GB of RAM on the primary system
- Exceptional water cooling on both CPUs and the primary GPU
What do the systems share?
Even though they’re different in most of the hardware, they do share two things – the case and the power supply. The case might look like a one-off, but it’s a Phanteks Enthoo Elite, an excellent full tower case that has been extensively customized by Ian 8Pack Parry, to get a unique look, as well as to be able to accommodate the powerful components that go inside.
The case itself is adorned by RGB lights as well as a few carefully placed logos that let you know exactly what you’re looking at.
The power supply in question is an 8Pack edition Super Flower Leadex. When you consider the components inside, you might be wondering how it powers both systems at once, and the answer is easy – this is a 2000W PSU with an 80+ Platinum certification that uses a power splitter to deliver the necessary power to both systems. It’s extremely reliable and very powerful. 8Pack used custom cables by Pexon PCs in the UK to make sure the power cables look nice, too.
The primary system is a real powerhouse
There is no denying that both systems are excellent, but it’s the primary, E-ATX one that takes the cake as the “better” of the two, both due to the choice of components, and the individual attention that has been paid to building the entire thing.
Motherboard
At the core of the primary system sits the LGA2066 socket ASUS ROG Rampage 6 Extreme Encore. It’s ASUS’s top-of-the-line motherboard, and it comes with things such as an excellent VRM section, up to four M.2 drives, excellent networking, and audio sections, and Wi-Fi 6. It has eight DIMM slots as well, which is an important part of the system.
CPU
In that LGA2066 socket sits Intel’s Core i9-10980XE processor. This is an 18-core, 36-thread processor that Intel made for the most extreme scenarios, and is the most expensive 10th generation Intel CPU. It comes with 24.75MB of L3 cache, which is great, but it’s the frequencies that are incredible. Intel ships this CPU with a base clock of 3.0GHz, and a maximum turbo of up to 4.6GHz. This is pretty impressive in itself, but in the OrionX2, 8Pack pushes this to a minimum of 4.6GHz. You’ll be getting a stable CPU, without any stability issues, and the performance is as good as it gets.
This does beg the question, how does that chip stay cool when pushed so hard? And the answer is the custom cooling solution made with three independent loops and the Thermal Grizzly Hydronaut thermal compound. The components of the loops are all by high-end brands – EKWB, Aqua Computer, and Mayhem, and they’re all top-of-the-line choices. The case allows for integrated reservoirs, and one of the highlights of the case is the reservoir shaped like the 8Pack logo. There’s also all the custom work, like the acrylic plates that you won’t find for sale outside the system, and the result is a system that not only stays cool under load but looks astonishing while doing so.
GPU
It’s not just the CPU and NVMe that are water-cooled – the GPUs are, too. And in the case of the OrionX2, you’re looking at two Nvidia RTX Titan graphics cards, connected with NV-Link so you can combine their power for gaming. If, however, you need the primary system for rendering or other computational tasks, you have the option to work with three independent RTX Titan GPUs. In any case, they’re a part of the cooling loop, and the performance you’ll be getting out of them is truly unparalleled.
Ram
Memory is well taken care of when it comes to the ORIONX2. You get the choice between 64GB and 128GB of RAM, both running at 3600MHz, but the lower capacity kit has slightly better timings. It’s a matter of personal choice, and in any case, you won’t be lacking.
Storage
In terms of storage, you get two 2TB Samsung 970 EVO NVMe SSDs, one of which is for primary storage, the other for secondary storage. And yes, Overclockers UK and 8Pack agree that 4TB might not cut it for some, which is why they include a Seagate IronWolf PRO 14TB mechanical hard drive, too.
The entire system is made to look even better thanks to the BitFenix Alchemy 2.0 LED lighting strips, and at the bottom, you’re looking at a PSU shroud that has a few logos that easily show what you’re looking at. Not only is it a real powerhouse for gaming and working, but it’s a stunning build, too.
The secondary mini ITX system is nothing to shrug at either
The secondary system is a mini ITX build that sits right on top of that PSU shroud we just mentioned. It’s rather compact but still powerful and more than capable of handling just about any modern game you could think of.
It’s based on an ASUS ROG Strix Z490I motherboard, on which you’re looking at an Intel Core i7-10700K processor. This is an eight-core CPU that stock comes with a base frequency of 3.8GHz, and up to 5.1GHz of turbo boost. However, after it’s been through 8Pack’s hands, you’re looking at a frequency of at least 5.0GHz, and that’s the base frequency. Again – water cooling and good thermal compound ensure stability and reliability, as well as good temperatures.
The secondary system lets you add one more Nvidia RTX Titan GPU, which has 24GB of GDDR6 VRAM and will easily push high framerates at high resolutions, regardless of what you’re playing. It’s also a great GPU for graphically intensive workloads, but you have two (or three) of them in your other system, right?
Since the secondary system is meant primarily for gaming, you “only” get 32GB of memory. That’s still better than most of today’s high-end gaming PCs, and it’s a DDR4 kit with a 3600MHz frequency. Storage is excellent, however, and as the primary build, you’re looking at two Samsung 970 EVO M.2 drives, with 2TB of capacity each. In this case, however, they’re in RAID0 for even higher speeds. Since this limits you to 2TB of usable storage, you also get a 14TB hard drive for everything else.
Customizability is the name of the game
As you can see, the OrionX2 is an extremely powerful combination of two systems. The primary one is more suited for intensive workloads like rendering or computational operations, while the second one is more catered to the gamer crowd. It comes with a price to boot, which makes it the most expensive gaming PC out there – and it’s still worth it.
However, one of the most overlooked features is the fact that you can extensively customize the system when you order it. We aren’t just talking about adding another GPU or having less or more RAM. You can get different color fittings and cooling fluid, to make things unique. You can get PSU cables that you like, and you can talk to Overclockers UK’s crew that will get you settled for whatever you need.
At the end of the day, if money is no problem, and you like the idea of having two systems in a single case, custom-built by one of the world’s most famous overclockers, you should be looking at the 8Pack OrionX2.
