Hi All -

First post on here, though I was an avid reader several years ago and have just recently tried to catch back up on the technology. My 7 year old desktop (surprisingly still running without even a single hardware problem) is in dire need of an upgrade. I'm sure there are tons of these requests but if people have a few moments with thoughts I'd love to see what people think. Much appreciated in advance.

My budget is $2500 and I'm essentially starting anew. My old desktop has a 17" lcd that I might use as a second monitor, a very lightly used 300gb ata seagate that I'm thinking of bringing over just for archival storage, and a DVD-RW that I could use for a second optical drive. I've never built my own PC before (my most recent computer purchases have needed to be laptops), but I'm fairly tech-savvy even if I haven't looked at modern desktop technology in several years and I have a brother and friends who have built PCs recently that could help me get things up and running. I am looking for a computer for gaming; while I am not a bleeding-edge gamer, I would like something to keep me reasonably playable for several years to come. [I'm pretty tolerant of aging computers with new games - I have raided in WoW and played Vanguard and Oblivion at absolute bare minimum graphics and FPS that barely breaks 20 at max and will drop to middle single digits in heavy action... Essentially, as long as the game -runs- several years down the line. ;-)] It is 50/50 whether or not I will overclock - I never have before, but I've never had a system capable of it, so I'm willing to spend a little more to tweak components if it will give me the flexibility to do so.

Here's where I'm at after poking around for awhile:
- 24" widescreen HDMI monitor - not set on what brand name yet, but I'm expecting to spend $400-450 depending on what kind of a deal I can find
- Intel Core 2 Quad Q9450
- Asus Rampage x48 MoBo
- Radeon HD4870
- Antec 900 case
- LG Super Multi Blu-ray burner
- Probably leaning 4gb DDR2-1066 ram since I've heard the DDR3 isn't worth the price
- Maybe $150 for a couple HD's - had good experiences with seagate but WD seems to have the best out at the moment?

I'm only looking at one 4870 for the moment, but making sure I have room to crossfire in a second one later on. Also, its okay if I pull up a little short from $2500 - I'm looking also at a G15 keyboard and either a G5 or MX revolution mouse, along with either the Belkin n52te (love my n52) or Saitek PZ31A.

Uncertainties:
- Power: How much power will I need? ATI certifies supplies from 700-1200W for 2x 4870's, but some testify they're running them on 620's. Also heard about some issues with the cords not being long enough from the bottom-mount Antec 900 to the mobo power, but cord extensions seem to be a cheap solution.
- Graphics manufacturer? Are Sapphire, Gigabyte, MSI, Asus all about the same? I recall from years ago Sapphire seemed to be the way to go.
- Ram: DDR2 v. DDR3, as well as brand name
- Mobo: Do I need an x48 board for this setup? Would the x38 do it just as well, or something else do it better/cheaper?
- Is there anything else I'm overlooking?

Again, many thanks in advance for your time and energy!

Cheers!

Power- I would suggest at least a 750w PSU like the PC Power and Cooling Silencer 750 Quad

Graphics cards are pretty much the same because almost all of them are based on the reference design. The biggest difference being warranty, customer service and bundle

RAM I would suggest DDR2 800 2x2gb. The standard voltage for DDR2 is 1.8v so look for something with good timings at that voltage. This is a good choice.

They are phasing out the X38 in favor of the X48 so I would suggest the latter but either would be fine. I have the board your considering and it's a very good choice.

others-If your going to overclock you will need a CPU cooler. This is very popular, this is what I have

A good cooler:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6835233019

XIGMATEK ACK-I7751 Retention Bracket - Retail

don't forget to order the retention bracket because push pin mounting sucks.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6835233003

XIGMATEK HDT-S1283 120mm Rifle CPU Cooler - Retail

http://www.tomshardware.com/review [...] 67-12.html

In the last 7 years, components have dropped in price a lot. You don't need to spend $2500 to get good components. I would suggest considering halving your budget, you'll still get a tremendous computer.

P35/P45 - $100 (many to choose from)
HD4850 - $150 (best perf/price right now, also does great in most games)
RAM - $60 (2x2 DDR2-800)
PSU - $100
CPU - $130 (E7200 overclocks very well).
CPU cooler - $30
Case - $100
DVD - $30 (is BlueRay required? prices will come down)
HD - $100 (WD 640AAKS or SpinPoint F1 750)

Pre-monitor total:$800

(and to pre-empt, not it is not as fast, but if you apply the money to intermediate upgrades, it's worth it).

To answer the questions you ask, manufacturer of video cards are mostly irrelevant. Customer service/warranty/bundle are the important bits.

HD4870 CF takes a little more than 420W. Suggest good ~600W PSU to handle it.
http://www.anandtech.com/video/sho [...] =3341&p=22

DDR2 is cheap, and performs great. DDR3 is unneeded at the moment. If you're planning on upgrading to Nehalem, it might be useful (though not necessarily worth the cost).

X48 supports slightly higher FSB (1600 v 1333), but both will overclock, so difference is small. They use the same SB.

the xigmatek or a zalman 9700led are great coolers...

i would go for ether the corsair 750 or 1000 watt PSU

personally i like visiontek the most

the X48 would be the best it is far superior for crossfire if you plan to go that way...

you can get a 500GB western digital for $80 which i would recommend

hoep this helps and good luck

I would get the WD 640 instead of the 500aaks, its faster.

Thanks everyone for the opinions - keep them coming!

My budget is $2500 simply because that's what my school will allow me to spend on a computer . I've had several friends buy very solid computers for just over $1000 (no monitor), so I was hoping to use the slightly deeper pocket due to my loan situation to make sure to get something that would be future-proof for a little while and easily upgradeable before components changed too much (like an open slot for another HD4870). In that vein, would it be worth it to look for a mobo that supports both DDR2 and DDR3?

Great suggestions on the harddrive (the WD 640 seems to be fantastically well-liked, and at a great price point) and the CPU coolers. Still looking to pin down the "perfect" PSU at the right price - I can't start buying things until August, and a lot of the rebates that are making things look like great deals will be expired, so I'll keep looking.

Oh, when is the end of the fiscal quarter? And does Dell still slash its prices then? I still hear great things about Dell monitors (my bro loves his 24" ) and they used to offer some jaw-dropping deals to boost their numbers before the end of the quarter. Since I have monitors already, I could wait on that piece if prices were going to make it worth it.

For the PSU, look at Corsair's 750W. It's only $100 after rebate. Their 650W is $80 after rebate. Both single rail, 80+ certified, the only thing they're missing is modular cabling.