Fractal North XL

The $20,000 viral stunt When Sammy Yoo convinced Linus Sebastian to pledge one dollar for every subscriber gained from a single video, the Linus Media Group founder likely didn't expect to be cutting a check for a $20,000 workstation. The result is an uncompromising video editing rig designed to push the limits of modern consumer and professional hardware. This guide breaks down the assembly of this top-tier system, featuring the AMD Ryzen Threadripper Pro 9975WX and the monstrous NVIDIA RTX Pro 6000. Tools and high-end materials To build a machine of this caliber, you need hardware that transcends typical gaming specifications. The foundation is the ASUS Pro WS WRX90E-SAGE SE motherboard, a $1,300 workstation board that supports 8-channel memory and remote management via a dedicated VGA port. **Core Components:** * **CPU:** AMD Ryzen Threadripper Pro 9975WX (32 cores) * **GPU:** NVIDIA RTX Pro 6000 (96GB VRAM) * **RAM:** 128GB G.Skill Zeta R5 Neo DDR5 ECC * **Storage:** 4TB Samsung 9100 Pro NVMe SSD * **PSU:** Seasonic Prime TX-1600 Noctua Edition * **Case:** Fractal North XL * **Cooling:** Silverstone XE360-TR5 AIO Seating the Threadripper and ECC RAM Installing a Threadripper differs significantly from standard consumer sockets. The sheer size of the CPU—housing multiple logic dies under a massive nickel-plated copper heat spreader—requires precise pressure. Follow the numbered sequence on the socket (3-2-1) to open it. Slide the CPU into the rail carrier and let it click into place. Avoid touching the bottom pins; even a single fingerprint can disrupt one of the eight memory channels. For the G.Skill ECC RAM, ensure you are utilizing all eight channels to maximize bandwidth, which provides roughly four times the throughput of a standard gaming PC. Press down firmly with both thumbs until the locking tabs click securely. Motherboard alignment and thermal management Before dropping the ASUS motherboard into the Fractal North XL, verify your standoff positions. An misplaced standoff can scratch the back of a $1,300 board, effectively killing it. For cooling, the Silverstone XE360-TR5 uses a unique low-profile design where the pump is located within the radiator rather than the CPU block. Mount the radiator as an exhaust at the top of the case. This configuration pulls fresh air from the front intake across the GPU and uses it to exhaust heat from the CPU. Ensure the fans are in a "pull" configuration for easier cleaning and maintenance. The $9,500 GPU and Power Delivery The centerpiece of this build is the NVIDIA RTX Pro 6000. With 96GB of VRAM, it offers three times the capacity of a flagship 5090, serving as massive temporary storage for complex 8K video timelines. Carefully slot this into the primary PCIe Gen 5 slot and—crucially—secure it with screws immediately. A card this heavy can easily damage a slot if left unsupported. Powering this requires the Seasonic Prime TX-1600. This unit is robust enough to handle the transient spikes of professional GPUs. Note that its extended length might require removing the bottom drive cages in the Fractal case to accommodate cable slack. Troubleshooting and final outcomes If the system fails to post with a "00" error code, check the BIOS version. High-end workstation boards often sit in inventory and may require a BIOS flashback via USB to support newer Threadripper revisions. Once booted, the results are transformative. Beyond the raw compute power, the move to 10-gigabit networking ensures the hardware isn't bottlenecked by slow server access, allowing the 32-core CPU to actually hit full utilization during heavy exports.