Another I7 build... your thoughts?

[grieve]

I am building a new machine for a friend, his budget is under $2500 which allows me to get pretty much anything…I will be purchasing from one of the following three locations as I am located in Canada:
Newegg Canada
http://www.newegg.ca/
Memory Express (local in Edmonton)
http://www.memoryexpress.com/
NCIX Canada
http://www.ncix.com/



Do you see anything I can make improvements on or perhaps should just get something different? He will never SLI, is 850w to much power? To my understanding the GTX295 is a pig!

Processor: Intel Core i7 920 Nehalem 2.66GHz $342
MB: ASUS P6T LGA 1366 Intel X58 $309
Memory: CORSAIR XMS3 6GB (3 x 2GB) $204, CL9, 1.5 V
Video Card: BFG Tech BFGEGTX2951792E GeForce GTX 295 $620
PSU: Corsair TX 850W Power Supply w/ 140mm Fan $180
HDD: Western Digital Caviar Black WD6401AALS 640GB $100
DVD(s): Samsung SH-S223Q/BEBS 22x SpeedPlus™ DVD-Writer, SATA, w/ Lighscribe, Black $30
Case: Antec Nine Hundred II Gamer Case $150

Total: $ 2344 +Tax = $2461

 

[grieve]

OH, i should add... Yes, i am going to use a 64bit OS.

 

[xthekidx]

I'm Pretty sure you could cut that PSU to a 750tx.
I would want some 1600 mhz ram, look at these, a bit more expensive than those corsairs, but I think a much better value:
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227381&Tpk=N82E16820227381

 

[grieve]

Yes, I was looking @ those as well but went with the corsair for the lower Voltage.
I will do some reading on these OCZ 1600's.

Thank you

 

[Pete32]

Don't forget a good CPU cooler.
They are a study in themselves.
Luckily Tom's H. has a new report.
But be sure to get an LGA1336 capability.
There are more coming out real soon.
For your planning, some have to be mounted on the back of the MB.

I have a somewhat similar setup with Vista Home Premium (64)
and wish I had gotten the top version.

 

[kyeana]

is the Antec 900 II a new version of the antec 900? or just a regular 900?

 

[xthekidx]

Those OCZ's will run well below the 1.65v spec by intel. For CPU coolers, I would say go with TRUE or V8, since you will be able to fit just about any HSF into that case. If you can wait, xigmatek is coming out with Thor's Hammer late feb, which looks very promising: http://www.tweaktown.com/articles/1718/xigmatek_thor_s_hammer_s126384_exclusive_preview/index.html

 

[A_Real_Overclocker]

For my 2 cents I would go instead for Corsair Dominator 1600 with 8-8-8-24 timings. I would also opt instead for the Cooler Master HAF 932. This suggestion comes from someone who has an Antec 900, and 1200. The HAF is my favorite case. Wish I had found it before the 1200. The Haf is more Roomier inside and Wire routing is better in my case. It has massive airflow with 3 250mm fans. I have mine set up with a Gigabyte EX58 Extreme 920 I7, 3 2gb sticks of Dominator as mentioned, 2 dvd drives 3 5.2 5 h/d drive bays, and the old floppy drive.http://img.tomshardware.com/forum/uk/icones/biggrin.gif

 

[rescawen]

6 gb is 2 much for gaming go with 3 gb ddr3 1333 mhz

 

[PsyKhiqZero]

is the Antec 900 II a new version of the antec 900? or just a regular 900?

it's a new version of the antec 900. Essentially it's a shorter antec 1200. I don't know if it has the intergrated fan controllers like the 1200 though.

 

[xthekidx]

Its a lot wider too, like 218mm as opposed to 203mm or something like that, so it will fit any heatsink, which is a big plus.

http://www.antec.com/usa/productDetails.php?lan=us&id=15920

 

[angry_ducky]

6 gb is 2 much for gaming go with 3 gb ddr3 1333 mhz

Wrong. Look here; Corsair did testing of 3GB vs. 6GB with the i7, and 6GB was significantly faster. In World in Conflit, 11FPS with 3GB, and ~33FPS with 6GB. Windows Vista itself can use like 1GB of RAM, and games can use more than 2.

 

[xthekidx]

6 gb is 2 much for gaming go with 3 gb ddr3 1333 mhz

Yeah I'm not sure where this is coming from, I'd love to see some statistics to support this claim. 6gb is the way to go right now for gaming, and if you do more intense stuff like CAD or video encoding 12gb is better.

 

[angry_ducky]

Yeah I'm not sure where this is coming from, I'd love to see some statistics to support this claim. 6gb is the way to go right now for gaming, and if you do more intense stuff like CAD or video encoding 12gb is better.

Check this link:

http://www.tomshardware.com/news/corsair-triple-channel-ddr3,6614.html

It's the same one I posted earlier, but the one before wasn't obvious. There is a pretty clear difference between 3 and 6GB of RAM on the i7.

 

[xthekidx]

angry_ducky I was agreeing with you. Reread what I wrote.

 

[grieve]

I am not going with an aftermarket heatsink, then ill have to show him how to OC and I am just not going there...

I am going to go with 6gigs of the Dominator… I like Corsair better as a personal preference.

To be frank the only real question I had with this post is the PSU… think 750 will cut it? Or should I go with an 850 as planned.

 

[xthekidx]

750w is enough if your friend doesn't go quad-sli in the future and tac on another gtx 295. If he wants to do that then 900w or more would be prudent. 750w will power any single graphics card system.