Money can replace skill in some cases
I spent extra money on the system to be absolutely sure about issues like compatibility. I still run hard drives on SCSI to keep them separate. I spent extra on components to make sure they had the flexibility to work with a wide variety of software and hardware.
A person with more raw knowledge of computers than I have could have done the same thing with less money, kind of like a skilled mechanic can make a hot rod out of old 1950s car parts. I am neither of these.
Most fortunately, as a self-employed person, the system was deductible, and under the depreciation rules, I can deduct such things in a single year.