Please Help Me With a Build

[krelan2180]

To all - I've been lurking on these forums for a while now trying to educate myself again on what parts would be most appropriate for my new build - I last built a X2-3800 based system Christmas 2005 (I think) and suffice it to say it is getting long in the tooth now. Below is my answers to the build questions. Any suggestions you can give would be greatly appreciated.

APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: This week

BUDGET RANGE: US $1300-1700 (of course the lower the better)

SYSTEM USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: Gaming (MMO's / FPS's RPG's) Surfing the internet.

PARTS NOT REQUIRED: Keyboard / Mouse / Speakers

PARTS PREFERENCES: I like the looks of the I7; I also would like a 24" monitor (1920x1200) that also has inputs I could plug the PS3 / 360 in to. As for the video card, I am completely lost. I've read the latest SBM article on the site which put the 260 in SLI. I'm never going to run dual monitors or any resolution above 1920x1200 so I don't want to overkill in this area (although I know that really isn't possible). Also, I do not need a blu-ray drive nor do I need a massive hard drive.

OVERCLOCKING: No

SLI OR CROSSFIRE: If need be.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: PC's that don't sound like a jet engine are always a good thing but if that is what headphones are for anyway.

Thank you again!

 

[Why_Me]

i7 w/dual gtx 260's in SLI

Even though you don't plan on over clocking, I would go with an after market h/s just to play it safe, not to mention you never know when you might get the bug to try o/c. This case runs very quite according to the reviews linked off the cooler master site...link is at the bottom of this post. This build runs cool, and allows you to play all your games on high. It's a quality build without breaking the bank.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119197 $129.99
COOLER MASTER HAF 922 RC-922M-KKN1-GP Black Steel + Plastic and Mesh Bezel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail
New Arrival

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341011 $109.99 ($89.99 after $20.00 Mail-In Rebate) Free Shipping*
PC Power & Cooling S75CF 750W EPS12V SLI NVIDIA SLI Certified (Dual 8800 GTX and below) CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Power Supply - Retail

http://www.ewiz.com/detail.php?name=MB-EX58U4P&show=p Combo Price: $494.00 | w/coupon code: $484.00 Free Shipping
Intel Core i7 Processor i7-920 2.66GHz 8MB LGA1366 CPU, Retail
GIGABYTE GA-EX58-UD4P Core i7/ Intel X58/ DDR3/ CorssFireX & 3-Way SLI/ A&GbE/ ATX Motherboard
Use coupon code: Take10 for additonal $5 off.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835233029 $41.99 Free Shipping*
XIGMATEK Dark Knight-S1283V 120mm Long Life Bearing CPU Cooler - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835154003 $4.99
Tuniq TX-2 Cooling Thermal Compound - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127430 $164.99 ($144.99 after $20.00 Mail-In Rebate)
MSI N260GTX-T2D896-OCv4 GeForce GTX 260 896MB 448-bit DDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127430 $164.99 ($144.99 after $20.00 Mail-In Rebate)
MSI N260GTX-T2D896-OCv4 GeForce GTX 260 896MB 448-bit DDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - 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 $74.99 Free Shipping*
Western Digital Caviar Black WD6401AALS 640GB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive - OEM

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827136152 $23.99 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

Total: $1,200.91 | $1,140.91 w/mail in rebates

* here is a decent case worth looking into if you want to cut that price down some without losing out on quality.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119137 $74.99
COOLER MASTER RC-690-KKN1-GP Black SECC/ ABS ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail

* here's two decent monitors to consider

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236049 $219.99 Free Shipping*
ASUS VW246H Black 24" 2ms(GTG) HDMI Widescreen LCD Monitor 300 cd/m2 1000:1 (ASCR 20000:1) Built in Speakers - Retail with HDCP support

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236033 $279.99 ($259.99 after $20.00 Mail-In Rebate) Free Shipping*
ASUS MK241H Black 24" 2ms HDMI Widescreen LCD Monitor with 1.3M Pixel Webcam 450 cd/m2 1000:1 (ASCR 3000:1) Built in Speakers - Retail
Color Saturation 92% (NTSC)

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/evalcenter/dd353205.aspx?ITPID=mscomsc <--- Save yourself some money on an o/s until March 2010 and dl the 64 bit version of Windows 7

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128374 <--- more pics, specs, and customer reviews of that Gigabyte UD4P mobo used in this build

http://www.coolermaster-usa.com/product.php?category_id=19&product_id=2919 <--- more pics, specs, and reviews of the case used in this build

 

[krelan2180]

Wow thank you very much. Will the 260's in SLI keep me set for a while? Any downside to considering something like a single 275 for now? Also, I've seen a lot of people arguing for the P6T over the Gigabyte board here - any reason I should consider spending more for the P6T?

 

[Why_Me]

Wow thank you very much. Will the 260's in SLI keep me set for a while? Any downside to considering something like a single 275 for now? Also, I've seen a lot of people arguing for the P6T over the Gigabyte board here - any reason I should consider spending more for the P6T?

+1 for the 275.

As far as those two boards go...you can't go wrong with either one. Both have offer about the identical features, both are from respected manufactures and both are reasonably priced. It pretty much comes down to price in regards to those boards. The Gigabyte can be had for cheaper atm through the ewiz site I linked, so why pay more $$$ for a board that offers the same quality and performance ?

btw here's a great deal right now on a factory over clocked gtx 275...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814143183 $234.99 Free Shipping*
BFG Tech BFGEGTX275896OCE GeForce GTX 275 896MB 448-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail
Free Call of Duty: World at War w/ purchase, limited offer

Ok, if you switch out the 260's in that build with two of these 275's using the first case it brings the total to: $1,340.91 before shipping, taxes, and mail in rebates.

If you go with the second case I linked (CM 690) it brings the total of that build to: $1,285.91 before shipping, taxes, and mail in rebates. So with your budget there's really no reason why you cant get two of the 275's now.

 

[krelan2180]

Do you think two of the 275's is overkill?

 

[Why_Me]

Do you think two of the 275's is overkill?

Not for the resolution you plan on playing. If it was something like a 22" 1680 x 1050, then yes one gtx 275 would be just fine but with some of the newer games and the resolution you plan on playing at, two of those cards would def. be the way to go IMO.

 

[krelan2180]

I've seen you always recommend new builders forgo purchasing Vista and instead download Windows 7 RC. Is that still feasible for someone that isn't a software expert and used to troubleshooting windows problems?

 

[Why_Me]

I've seen you always recommend new builders forgo purchasing Vista and instead download Windows 7 RC. Is that still feasible for someone that isn't a software expert and used to troubleshooting windows problems?

Hardware wise there isn't any driver problems...those have been ironed out for the most part from what Iv'e read. But games that use "Punk Buster" and a few chat programs still have to iron out a few bumps yet.

 

[krelan2180]

Okay here is the updated build based on Why_Me's recommendations...still torn on the video card and not sure on PS.

i7 920 (DO stepping)
Gigabyte EX58-UD4P
XIGMATEK Dark Knight
G.SKILL 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800)
Western Digital Caviar 640GB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s
LG Black 22X (CAV) DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 16X
COOLER MASTER RC-690
PC Power & Cooling S75CF 750W (or Corsair 850)
Windows 7

SAMSUNG 2433BW High Glossy Black 24" 5ms Widescreen LCD Monitor 300 cd/m2 DC 20000:1(1000:1) - Decided on this over the Asus due to the inputs on this one

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824001309

Video Card - I'm torn between going GTX 260 in SLI vs single 275 vs 275 in SLI vs single 850??? Budget is not a real concern, but I'm not interested in paying a premium for more power just to say I have "X" card if I'm not going to see much of a difference.

Let me know what you think...especially on the video card portion. Or if you see anything that "raises an eyebrow" just fire away.

 

[Why_Me]

Nice build They discontinued the GSkill 1600 w/hs for the fact Gskill has come out with a diff. line of RAM...but it hasn't hit the shelves yet. Here's two decent deals on RAM though.

http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=10010238 $109.99 ($99.99 after MIR) $10.00
CORSAIR TR3X6G1600C8 6GB PC3-12800+ (DDR3-1600+) Triple Channel Memory Retail

or...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227381 $99.99 ($79.99 after $20.00 Mail-In Rebate) Free Shipping*
OCZ Platinum 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Triple Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail

and a decent 750w psu like a Corsair or PC Power & Cooling (whatever one is on sale atm) will easily push two gtx 275's in SLI and leave you juice to spare. Here's a decent deal on a gtx 275 although newegg might have something comparable.

http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=10010366 $232.99 Free Shipping
XFX GX275XADQC GeForce GTX 275 896MB GDDR3 PCI Express x16 (2.0v) Video Card Retail


btw nice choice on the monitor.

 

[jackson28]

They actually skill have the G.Skill 1600. It was just out of stock yesterday.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231247

 

[Why_Me]

They actually skill have the G.Skill 1600. It was just out of stock yesterday.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231247

Jackson you just made my day! Ya they were saying on those egg forums that it was being discontinued and I was on a downer.... but not now.