My desired system build

[barlow078]

I did some research online and here's (what I think) will be my desired system build.

I'd like someone to notify me if everything is compatible and if i'm not leaving anything critical out of what I need to purchase to get my unit up and running
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Computer Case: Antec 1200 $160
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129043

Power Supply: Corsair 850w $150
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139009

Motherboard: EVGA X58 $300
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813188039

CPU: Intel Core i7 920 2.66Ghz Quad Core $300
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115202

Memory: Corsair 6GB Tri Channel Kit $229
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145222

Hard Drive: Western Digital 750GB $103
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=10005580

CD Rom Drive: Samsung 22x DVD Burner $29
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827151173

O/S: Windows Vista 64bit $100
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116488

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I already own:

Graphics card: XFX Geforce 8800 GT Alpha Dog Edition 512MB

Sound card: Creative Labs X-Fi Extreme Music


I think that about covers it all. I realize this will be pretty expensive (around $1400) but I want a great gaming PC that will last a few years into the future and only require a few upgrades in the future. I figure if I got the money, I might as well go for the best so I'm not looking at a completely outdated system in a couple years (like I have now with my Dell Dimension E510).

Could someone please confirm that I have compatible specs and if someone sees a better or the same/cheaper item that would work better for this system, please feel free to chime in.

Thanks guys

 

[lucuis]

Personally i'd go for the i7 920, which is much cheaper, and overclock it a tad. If your not an overclocking person, just put it in line with the 940 which is easily doable. With the money saved, transfer that to get 6gb of tri channel.

Vista does fine under 2gb of ram, unless you a ram intensive program, then it slows down. I experienced this with crysis a while back. 3gb of tri channel "should" be ok, but as you mentioned you want to get the longest life possible without it costing too much and with little to no upgrades.

The last thing you'll upgrade is the processor, which with any of the i7s will probably require a motherboard upgrade anyway. Mainly because it'll be a very long time before you'll need to. The most commonly upgraded piece of hardware, in my opinion, is the graphics card. RAM usage doesn't go up quit so quickly, but it does.

i7 920
6gb tri channel ram

Should last you a while, i'm on a Q6600 and 8gb 800mhz ram and i see this machine lasting through at least one major graphics card update.

I just looked over some reviews on the motherboard, and 2/8 reviewers gave it one egg. That'd throw up a red flag for me.

This one caught me eye, it's a little bit more money, however it is an EVGA Board with an Intel chipset. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813188039

It has 6 ram slots, so if you go for three 2gb sticks that will leave room for a future upgrade for another 6gb. If of course you'll ever need that much ram.

Price check.

i7 920 $299
6gb ram approx $249 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227381 There's corsair if you're partial to that brand for a similar price.
EVGA Intel Motherboard $299.99 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813188039

That comes to ~$847.99
Your original setup was ~949 So you'd actually be saving money going for those parts.

Also i should mention, EVGA and OCZ have lifetime warranties on their products. So you can't really go wrong there.

Hope that helps

 

[lucuis]

I forgot to comment on your case. I own the same one, it's a great case to work in, awesome cable management. It's sleek, and quiet. BUT the front panel door does become a pain, and mine actually broke, i still don't know how. I opened it up one day, into the fully open position in order to get at the optical drive without holding the door open myself, and it just popped off. The little tab at the bottom the prevents it from falling out when you open it all the way broke off. Just thought it let you know before you make a decision.

If you change your mind, i'd recommend the Antec 1200. It's a little bit flashy, and not as sleek, or quiet. But it got all the same cable management, and ease of working in as the P182 Although it is, again more expensive, it still fits into your original price tag. Provided you take the advice in my first post.

 

[jsc]

If you are going to OC, you will need something better than the stock HSF.

 

[barlow078]

GOOD CALL Lucius...I had edited my post to the EVGA prior to reading your post mainly because I read the Intel board doesn't support SLI.

Thank you for your input on the i7 920 vs. 940...I've never overclocked one so I wasn't sure about that.

I was reading some reviews about that Case and I read a review where a guy broke the front panel of his case as well...

I really appreciate your input!

 

[barlow078]

If you are going to OC, you will need something better than the stock HSF.

I've read that overclocking both a GPU and a CPU has become pretty easy and really can save a guy money but I've never done it before....I'd be open to being taught. I understand this can be done in the system BIOS.....

 

[jesseheichertiii]

Hmmm, I hate how Intel made the new i7's only compatible with the new motherboards made for them. I do know this is pretty much only because its a whole new design for them and it could only be that way

but imagine!

our old socket 775 boards being able to handle 'em, intel... you're not going to have much business as you imagined with this economy goin' down in the dumps.


As for the OP, if I were you, and wanted to save some money to eat during the month(s). I'd just go for a good ol' socket 775 intel dual core (maybe even the extremes, not sure if they went down in price with the release of the i7's) and save some money man to get a better video card. (You did mention wanting a gaming PC)

And as far as im concerned

1. GPU
2. CPU

An i7 920 with an old 8800gt(s)? Cmon now...

At least a 4870/GTX 280!

 

[lucuis]

Barlow078, it has become easier to overclock things, to the point where you just go into the bios, change a couple settings and off you go. However it still has it's quirks, so there's almost always a bit of trial and error. Overall it's not difficult, just time consuming.

And like jsc said, you'll need a good aftermarket HSF in order to achieve a high overclock. If you're just going to do a mild overclock, say like 3ghz, you shouldn't need more then the stock fan and heatsink.

Jesseheicher, As far as i know the addition of the IMC on the i7s is what caused the change in socket. It was pretty much inevitable.

I agree the OP would gain have better performance now if he went a 775 chip, and a new GPU. But there's really no need. It'd be more cost effective to run the 8800gt until it starts to hold him back, and that point i would buy a new next gen GPU.