Building a new gaming PC - need your help

You need an X48 motherboard (P5E Deluxe or GA-X48-DS4 are my favorites), because the P7N won't do Crossfire at all.

The Swiftech cooler for $120 is a waste. Get a Xigmatek HDT-S1283 with the retention bracket for $27+$14 (newegg prices today).
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6835233019

The WD 500GB is slow. Get WD 640GB instead (WD6400AAKS).

$110 for that FSP 600W is too much. 750TX is $110 too and it's a much more suitable PSU for HD 4850CF.

I don't buy Sony products of any type, size or color. In particular the Optiarc is not a very good burner, according to what I've read. Get a SH-S203B or SH-S203N.

The NZXT Tempest is a fantastic choice for HD 4850CF. If you want something without lights get a RC-690.

What you need for HD 4850 CF Crossfire: powerful PSU, case with really good cooling, two HD 4850 cards, motherboard with Crossfire support - preferably X48 for max speed. Yeah, you got it all.

That 650 watt power supply is cutting it a little close (and definitely not enough if he is overclocking).
Take the safe route and go with aevm's suggestion of the 750 watt version.

For a new system such as this one do you guys recommend Vista (If so which version) or XP?

Thank you.

I'm voting for Vista Home Premium 64-bit. That way you get DirectX 10 and full use of your 4 GB of RAM.

Maybe Ultimate 64-bit, if you need the extra features. Take a look here:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/w [...] fault.aspx

Here is what it looks like right now. (I would post the newegg link but right now it is not showing as public yet.)

NZXT TEMPEST Crafted Series CS-NT-TEM-B Black Steel / Plastic ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail

GIGABYTE GA-X48-DS4 LGA 775 Intel X48 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail

(2X) MSI R4850-T2D512 Radeon HD 4850 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Retail

CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX 750W ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply - Retail

Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 Kentsfield 2.4GHz LGA 775 Quad-Core Processor Model BX80562Q6600 - Retail

OCZ Reaper HPC Edition 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model OCZ2RPR800C44GK - Retail

Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD6400AAKS 640GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM

SAMSUNG 20X DVD±R DVD Burner with LightScribe Black SATA Model SH-S203N - OEM

Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound - OEM

XIGMATEK HDT-S1283 120mm Rifle CPU Cooler - Retail

XIGMATEK ACK-I7751 Retention Bracket - Retail

Total: $1319.38

Any suggestions or changes please let me know.

Also will I need to purchase any additional cables or screws since there are OEM products being purchased?

Thanks again for all the help.

That's pretty much what I'd buy for myself these days. Very nice.

Change the Q6600 to OEM, not retail. That saves you $20 and apparently you get a better CPU too (with a lower VID, i.e. overclocks better).
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6819115018
You lose the stock cooler this way, but it's garbage anyway compared to the Xigmatek and you can only use one cooler.

The Burner and HDD come OEM i.e. without SATA cables, but the motherboard comes with those cables. No worries there.

I'm assuming the Tempest comes with the screws you need for a few HDD/burner drives. If not, you may have to go shopping for screws indeed. Wait and see.

OK guys - thanks.

Aevm - $1540 might be workable- depends on the shipping cost - but if it is that much better for the video cards - probably worth it!

One question about doing crossfire with the video cards. I have never done this so new to me. How do the video cards connect and which one do I put the monitor on?

Also for the CPU OEM - I changed that - the cooler then is in place of the heatsink that comes w/ the retail of the processor?

Do I need some sort of extra cable to connect them?

OK I will re-work this and then re-post.

Wow... Now tell us where you live and what time you're away from home

Look here, there's a Crossfire connector:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Show [...] Video+Card

Yes, the Xigmatek is installed on top of the CPU, just like the stock cooler. If you buy retail you have to throw away the stock cooler before you can install a better one.

Cables: Here's a 245BW monitor, just as an example. As you can see, it has a single DVI port. It also comes with a single DVI cable anyway. Use the DVI cable to connect one card to the monitor. If that doesn't do it try the other. Sorry, I have no idea which one, go ahead and experiment...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Show [...] Adjustment

Here is the newegg link:

http://secure.newegg.com/WishList/ [...] er=8344692

Aevm -

The motherboard is of course out of stock and I was just going to order the parts!

Any other motherboard I can get that is just as good and will work with what I have? Or any other place I can snag this one?

Thanks

I'd switch to the Cooler Master RC-690

DVI-D monitor to a DVI-I card is fine. I panicked the first time I read that too, but wikipedia saved the day again!

I built the computer yesterday, no big problems, it booted up got to the Bios and it looks great so far. I appreciate all the help on the forum, a lot of good advice.

One question on the fans. The CPU fan is detected and shows me the temp, but none of the other fans do. If possible I would like to monitor them. The fans have the 4 pin molex connector, which I used, but also a 3 pin connector that can go to the mobo. Should I connect the 3 pin?

Also - what should be the max temp the CPU gets before setting off an alert?

Thanks again.