~ $1000 multipurpose/ gaming computer : please advise

[xrdar]

Date of purchase : Within 2 weeks

Approximate price: $1000 - $1200

Uses: gaming (COD 4, FEAR, Far Cry...), lots of photo and video editing, multipurpose, 3D designing programs

Preferred sites: Newegg, Tigerdirect, anything really

Overclocking: yes

SLI/ Crossfire: yes eventually

Parts not needed: OS, Monitor, Mouse and Keyboard

I'm building this computer for college and would really like it to last and be good for at least 4 years with some upgrading for example addition of more HD space and another GPU. Right now I am thinking about a Phenom II x4 940 Black edition build with a radeon 4870 1 gb, but I'm not sure if I can get any better within this price range.

Please help.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Why_Me]

This is not an AMD build, nor is it a Crossfire build. This cpu will cook any AMD out there, and this vid card runs almost neck and neck with the ATI 4870 x2.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119152 <=== Better pics and reviews of that case in this build.

http://www.ewiz.com/detail.php?name=CA-RC590 $56.10
Cooler Master Centurion 590 RC-590-KKN1-GP No Power Supply ATX Mid Tower Case (Black)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341022 $74.99
OCZ Fatal1ty OCZ550FTY 550W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready Modular Active PFC Power Supply - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128359 $114.99 ($99.99 after $15.00 Mail-In Rebate)
GIGABYTE GA-EP45-UD3R LGA 775 Intel P45 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail / 2 oz copper PCB + Easy Tune 6 for OC

http://www.ewiz.com/detail.php?name=Q9550 $269.99 Free Ground Shipping
Intel Core 2 Quad Processor Q9550 2.83GHz 1333MHz 12MB LGA775 CPU, OEM

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835233029 $39.99
XIGMATEK Dark Knight-S1283V 120mm Long Life Bearing CPU Cooler - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835186020 $6.99
ARCTIC COOLING MX-2 Thermal Compound - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231219 $40.99
G.SKILL HK 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136319 $79.99 Free Shipping*
Western Digital Caviar Black WD6401AALS 640GB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827136152 $24.99 Free Shipping*
LG Black 22X (CAV) DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 16X DVD+R DL 22X (CAV) DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 12X DVD-RAM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM 2MB Cache SATA 22X DVD±R DVD Burner - OEM

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125255 $339.99 ($309.99 after $30.00 Mail-In Rebate)
GIGABYTE GV-N285-1GH-B GeForce GTX 285 1GB 512-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail

Total: $969.02 *(not including shipping and rebates)

*If your into flashy looking cases, take a look at this one down here....it increases the price of this build by a few dollars is all...

http://www.securemart.com/SMA0092053?mv_pc=158&mv_specials=&mv_stock=y $74.48
Antec Nine Hundred Chassis - Mid-tower

Total: $987.40 w/Antec 900 *(not including shipping and rebates)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129021 <=== Better pics and reviews on this link of that Antec 900 case.

 

[Why_Me]

i7 build

The psu and case will allow you to run SLI or Crossfire later on if you so choose. The case has plenty of room/cooling/ventilation for SLI/Crossfire and over clocking. These cases down below are cases that get sent back for simple fixes such as a loose wire, untapped screw hole, etc... They are virtually new cases in every sense.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119137 <===Better pics and reviews of the case I put in this build.

http://www.tomshardware.com/news/gigabyte-nvidia-sli-motherboard,7463.html <===Enable SLI for this mobo.

http://www.gigabyte.us/Products/Motherboard/Products_Overview.aspx?ProductID=2991 <===get the new bios here.

http://cmstore.coolermaster-usa.com/product_info.php?products_id=109 $45.99
CM 690 Black SECC/ATX Mid Tower, W/O window, W/O PSU - Refurbished

http://www.buy.com/prod/corsair-750w-tx-series-80-plus-certified-power-supply-corsair-tx-cmpsu/q/loc/101/206178325.html $119.99 Price After Rebate(s): $99.99 Shipping: FREE
Corsair TX CMPSU-750TX ATX12V & EPS12V Power Supply

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128375 $199.99 ($184.99 after $15.00 Mail-In Rebate)
GIGABYTE GA-EX58-UD3R LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail

http://www.ewiz.com/detail.php?name=I7-920 $265.99 Free Ground Shipping
Intel Core i7 Processor i7-920 2.66GHz 8MB LGA1366 CPU, OEM

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835233029 $39.99
XIGMATEK Dark Knight-S1283V 120mm Long Life Bearing CPU Cooler - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835186020 $6.99
ARCTIC COOLING MX-2 Thermal Compound - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231247 $94.99 Free Shipping*
G.SKILL 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Triple Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136319 $79.99 Free Shipping*
Western Digital Caviar Black WD6401AALS 640GB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827136152 $24.99 Free Shipping*
LG Black 22X (CAV) DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 16X DVD+R DL 22X (CAV) DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 12X DVD-RAM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM 2MB Cache SATA 22X DVD±R DVD Burner - OEM

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814143155 $178.99 Free Shipping*
BFG Tech BFGEGTX260MC896OCE GeForce GTX 260 896MB 448-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail

Total: $977.91 *(not including shipping and rebates) $942.91 w/rebates

*Crossfire version of that build...just swich out vid cards with this one down below.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102801 $189.99
SAPPHIRE 100259-1GL Radeon HD 4870 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Retail / Heatpipes Cooling Design

 

[xrdar]

First of all thanks a lot for all the help

I just have a few questions

1) What is better, the 4870 or the 260, I've read that the 4870 is a little better

2) Which is better in dual GPU solutions?

3) is 750 Watts all I will ever need?

4) How good is this setup for overclocking that i7 moderately

5) Is the refurb case going to be any worse than a normal one?

Again, thanks a lot

 

[Why_Me]

First of all thanks a lot for all the help

I just have a few questions

1) What is better, the 4870 or the 260, I've read that the 4870 is a little better

2) Which is better in dual GPU solutions?

3) is 750 Watts all I will ever need?

4) How good is this setup for overclocking that i7 moderately

5) Is the refurb case going to be any worse than a normal one?

Again, thanks a lot

1) It depends on what games you play. The 260 beats the 4870 1 gig like 7 out of ten games, and it consumes less power.

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/geforce-gtx-275,2266.html <===gtx 260 and ati 4870 1gig is on the test results there along with power consumption.

2) The gtx

3) 750w will be fine.

4) It's set up to over clock. That case has great ventilation/airflow, that Xigmatek heat sink is a good one, the MX-2 is great stuff, and that RAM is a steal at that price.

5) See my post on what I wrote about those refurbished cases. They are sent back for simple fixes such as a loose wire, etc....

 

[xrdar]

allright, thank you very much for answering all my questions

The last question I have right now is would this (next week) be a good time to buy, because I have been reading that more phenom II's are going to come out at the end of the month, would that possibly drive prices down on the i7 or not?

Thanks

 

[Why_Me]

allright, thank you very much for answering all my questions

The last question I have right now is would this (next week) be a good time to buy, because I have been reading that more phenom II's are going to come out at the end of the month, would that possibly drive prices down on the i7 or not?

Thanks

I doubt any phenom II's are going to drive the price of the i7 down. They aren't even in the same league. i7 > any AMD atm.