Several component questions/options

[lations]

sorry in advance for a bunch of newb questions (any help with these Greatly appreciated)

i want to buy my first desktop and need help with several component options and some questions that go along with the components

CPU:
i7 940 or 965?
is there noticable difference ... any way to justify 500 more for the extreme?

Memory: which one?
12 gb at 1333
12 gb at 1600
6 gb at 1800 (expand later?)

big question here: how much difference is there in the different speeds? i also heard that i7 can only use lower speeds and that faster ram will simply revert to a slower speed using the i7...is this true or am i totally off on that?

video cards:
2x gtx295
i think i'm going with this, but arguments for/against appreciated

Hard drive:
either 5 TB at 7200
OR
300 at velociraptor and 3 TB at 7200

real newb question here - how much will the velociraptor increase the overall performance over 7200? also, would i just put the OS and games basically on the velociraptor?

cooling:
i want coolermaster V10
argument for going with Asetek liquid cooling??

Monitor:
ok people may not know this...i want the Gateway XHD3000 (connectivity and pip versatility)
i heard this can just flat out break within a year often and then gateway doesnt help, is this a serious/probable concern?

OK i am brand new to the site, so if this is unreasonably long or in the wrong spot or too stupid to ask, please let me know so i wont do it again...thanks a bunch

 

[The_Blood_Raven]

CPU:
neither, get the i7 920. The i7 940 and 965 are absolute wastes of money as they all overclock to basically the same level.

Memory:
Just get 6GB of 1333Mhz with the lowest trimmings you can find. Nothing over 1333Mhz will have any benefits on performance, and higher timings will help with gaming more than Mhz. Also you will not need more than 6GB, as Windows 7 is supposed to be less demanding than Vista and Vista doesn't need anything more than 4GB.

The only limit i7 has on RAM is the voltage, you can not go much beyond v1.65 or at all.

Video Cards:
2x GTX 295 are nice, but with the money saved you could go with 3 GTX 285s which will have better driver support and perform slightly better. They can also overclock pretty well.

Hard drive:
WTF DO YOU NEED WITH 5TB OF STORAGE?! Unless you can justify it then 2 128GB SSDs and a 1TB drive in RAID 0 will be much faster.

Cooling:
The Coolermaster V10 is a terrible cooler because its weight hinders the cooling and there is very a little amount of fin surface area. The best coolers you can get are an Xigmatek HDT-s1283or s1284 or a Thermalright Ultra Extreme, either of which make sure to get the socket 1336 bracket.

Monitors:
If you want a 30" screen then the Dell 3007WFP-HC is about the best you can get and while I have never heard anything good or bad about the Gateway I do know they don't make the best monitors and if you don't feel totally secure with it then don't get it.

 

[lations]

thanks a ton

as to the cpu and memory:
it seems you think i should be overclocking and increasing the timings...these things intimidate me and i wonder how hard they are for someone not very tech savy

hard drive:
i really want to be able to store tons of movies from netflix on my hard drive, but would it be smarter to go with the lower TB and just get external hard drives when it fills?

cooling:
the only other options i have are these:
Intel LGA1366 Certified CPU Fan & Heatsink
Thermaltake V1 Gaming CPU Cooling Fan
Thermaltake Big Typhoon VX Gaming CPU Cooling Fan
CoolerMaster V10 Gaming CPU Cooling Fan w/ Hybrid Tec Cooling
Vigor Monsoon III LT Dual CPU Cooling Fan System
Asetek Liquid CPU Cooling System

 

[The_Blood_Raven]

You wont have to mess with the timings, just get the lowest you can of 1333mhz. As for overclocking we can walk you through it pretty easily so do not worry. If those are your ONLY choices then the CoolerMaster V10 is the best, though the weight worries me. Let me do some research on it before you I say anything further.

 

[The_Blood_Raven]

The Cooler Master V10 seems like a decent cooler, but is not as good as the ones previously mentioned. It is the best out of the list, just make sure it will fit.

 

[lations]

i cannt thank you enough

last thing...do you think cyberPower is the best place to buy a desktop (seems like lowest prices by far) or do you think there are viable competitors i should check out

 

[The_Blood_Raven]

The best place to buy a desktop like this would be Falcon Northwest, but you will pay a HUGE premium. Ibuypower and Cyberpower PC are much more reasonable alternatives. Here is a question, why don't you build it yourself? We can help teach you and a week or so of research should get you pretty far.

 

[lations]

well i have to admit im still a little intimidated just by overclocking the i7 920 (nightmares that i will do something stupid and it will overheat or something). it would probably take me a month to build one and i am real busy with school. i heard that it really only saves you like 300 or so, and the peace of mind that i wont mess it up horribly seems well worth that price. unless im missing some compelling reason, my fear will lead me to buy one.

 

[The_Blood_Raven]

You will pay atleast $1000 extra, that is the problem. Overclocking is considered a more.. involved activity then just building a PC.

 

[Fence82246]

Not trying to take over this thread...but I've done extensive research on other websites...as well as asking very similiar questions on these boards...

I can't build it my self using the various websites (newegg, microcenter, zipzoomfly, etc) for less than I can have Cyberpower or IBuypower build it for me...

 

[lations]

thanks for the input fence...i think with the time and inexperience factors that im gonna end up going with you. it does seem like cyberpower is putting them together for way less than competition, and building myself would make lots of sense if there was no cyberpower or ibuypower out there.