$1800 Gaming PC - Fine tune my components?

[bryntryst]

Have finally acquired spousal approval on a new purchase, and am just about ready to buy. This will be my second build and just need some outside opinions on component choices. Thanks in advance for your assistance.

APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: Today or tomorrow

BUDGET RANGE: $1800 including shipping

SYSTEM USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: Gaming primarily

PARTS NOT REQUIRED: Keyboard, mouse, monitor, speakers

PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: Newegg

CROSSFIRE: Yes

MONITOR RESOLUTION: 1920x1200)

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: Big fan of fans.

Antec Twelve Hundred Black Steel ATX Full Tower Computer Case
Antec CP-850 850W Continuous Power CPX SLI Certified CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Modular Active PFC Power Supply
ASUS M4A79T Deluxe AM3 DDR3 AMD 790FX ATX AMD Motherboard
AMD Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition Deneb 3.2GHz CPU
mushkin 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 RAM
Crossfired 2x SAPPHIRE Toxic 100269TXSR Radeon HD 4890 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16
Scythe MUGEN-2 SCMG-2000 120mm Sleeve CPU Cooler

I am reusing an older monitor and got a new keyboard and mouse already. As proposed now, i'm sitting at a few bucks over my $1800 budget with shipping included.

Any suggestions or places where I could improve?

 

[not moose]

You have a wad of cash there that would love to be spent on an i7 rig, why not go the intel route?

 

[evongugg]

How about this?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168111191970 $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=N82E16817139009 $139.99 ($119.99 after $20.00 Mail-In Rebate) Free Shipping*
CORSAIR CMPSU-850TX 850W ATX12V 2.2 / EPS12V 2.91 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready Active PFC Power Supply - Retail

http://www.ewiz.com/detail.php?name=MB-EX58U4P $222.99 | $207.99 after rebate
GIGABYTE GA-EX58-UD4P Core i7/ Intel X58/ DDR3/ CorssFireX & 3-Way SLI/ A&GbE/ ATX Motherboard

https://www.antaresdigital.com/customer/product.php?productid=16135&cat=282&page=1" $ 280.00
Intel Core i7 920 2.66GHz LGA 1366 Socket 8MB Cache CPU D0 Stepping

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=N82E16835154003 $4.99
Tuniq TX-2 Cooling Thermal Compound - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130480 $339.99 ($319.99 after $20.00 Mail-In Rebate) Free Shipping*
EVGA 01G-P3-1180-AR GeForce GTX 285 1GB 512-bit DDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail
Free Cryostasis game w/ registration at manufacturer website

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130480 $339.99 ($319.99 after $20.00 Mail-In Rebate) Free Shipping*
EVGA 01G-P3-1180-AR GeForce GTX 285 1GB 512-bit DDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail
Free Cryostasis game w/ registration at manufacturer website

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=N82E16822136284 $99.99 Free Shipping*
Western Digital Caviar Black WD1001FALS 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drives - OEM

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827136133 $109.99 Free Shipping*
LG Black 6X BD-ROM 16X DVD-ROM 40X CD-ROM SATA Internal Blu-ray/HD DVD-ROM & 16X DVD±R DVD Burner Model GGC-H20L - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827136152 $23.99
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: $1,826.89 | $1,751.89 w/mail in rebates

* Same build as above but w/dual gtx 275's and a 750w psu.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130475 $239.99 ($219.99 after $20.00 Mail-In Rebate) Free Shipping*
EVGA 896-P3-1170-AR GeForce GTX 275 896MB 448-bit DDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail
Free Cryostasis game w/ registration at manufacturer website

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130475 $239.99 ($219.99 after $20.00 Mail-In Rebate) Free Shipping*
EVGA 896-P3-1170-AR GeForce GTX 275 896MB 448-bit DDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail
Free Cryostasis game w/ registration at manufacturer website

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139006 $119.99 ($109.99 after $10.00 Mail-In Rebate) Free Shipping*
CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX 750W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 Power Supply - Retail

Total: $1,606.89.89 | $1,541.89 w/mail in rebates

 

[evongugg]

The above motherboard supports Crossfire if you prefer it over SLI.

 

[bryntryst]

You have a wad of cash there that would love to be spent on an i7 rig, why not go the intel route?

Price and unfamilitarity, for the most part. I haven't had an intel since 1999. Hehe.

 

[computersss]

How about this?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168111191970 $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=N82E16817139009 $139.99 ($119.99 after $20.00 Mail-In Rebate) Free Shipping*
CORSAIR CMPSU-850TX 850W ATX12V 2.2 / EPS12V 2.91 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready Active PFC Power Supply - Retail

http://www.ewiz.com/detail.php?name=MB-EX58U4P $222.99 | $207.99 after rebate
GIGABYTE GA-EX58-UD4P Core i7/ Intel X58/ DDR3/ CorssFireX & 3-Way SLI/ A&GbE/ ATX Motherboard

https://www.antaresdigital.com/customer/product.php?productid=16135&cat=282&page=1" $ 280.00
Intel Core i7 920 2.66GHz LGA 1366 Socket 8MB Cache CPU D0 Stepping

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=N82E16835154003 $4.99
Tuniq TX-2 Cooling Thermal Compound - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130480 $339.99 ($319.99 after $20.00 Mail-In Rebate) Free Shipping*
EVGA 01G-P3-1180-AR GeForce GTX 285 1GB 512-bit DDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail
Free Cryostasis game w/ registration at manufacturer website

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130480 $339.99 ($319.99 after $20.00 Mail-In Rebate) Free Shipping*
EVGA 01G-P3-1180-AR GeForce GTX 285 1GB 512-bit DDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail
Free Cryostasis game w/ registration at manufacturer website

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=N82E16822136284 $99.99 Free Shipping*
Western Digital Caviar Black WD1001FALS 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drives - OEM

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827136133 $109.99 Free Shipping*
LG Black 6X BD-ROM 16X DVD-ROM 40X CD-ROM SATA Internal Blu-ray/HD DVD-ROM & 16X DVD±R DVD Burner Model GGC-H20L - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827136152 $23.99
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: $1,826.89 | $1,751.89 w/mail in rebates

* Same build as above but w/dual gtx 275's and a 750w psu.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130475 $239.99 ($219.99 after $20.00 Mail-In Rebate) Free Shipping*
EVGA 896-P3-1170-AR GeForce GTX 275 896MB 448-bit DDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail
Free Cryostasis game w/ registration at manufacturer website

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130475 $239.99 ($219.99 after $20.00 Mail-In Rebate) Free Shipping*
EVGA 896-P3-1170-AR GeForce GTX 275 896MB 448-bit DDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail
Free Cryostasis game w/ registration at manufacturer website

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139006 $119.99 ($109.99 after $10.00 Mail-In Rebate) Free Shipping*
CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX 750W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 Power Supply - Retail

Total: $1,606.89.89 | $1,541.89 w/mail in rebates

+1

 

[drunknmunkys]

anything >~1300$ should be an i7, anything <~1300$ should be AMD. That's my opinion.

 

[bryntryst]

The above motherboard supports Crossfire if you prefer it over SLI.

How about this?

...

[/b]

Wow, thanks for the quick response! To be honest, I never really considered the Intel route. As I mentioned above, it's been nigh a decade since my last intel (pII 266 Mhz ).

Keeping the original case/PSU, and upgrading the RAM, while going with the dual-275s and omitting the blu-ray drive put me at $1.37 under my budget after adding a couple case fans. Hehe. Not a bad alternative.

 

[drunknmunkys]

Wow, thanks for the quick response! To be honest, I never really considered the Intel route. As I mentioned above, it's been nigh a decade since my last intel (pII 266 Mhz ).

Keeping the original case/PSU, and upgrading the RAM, while going with the dual-275s and omitting the blu-ray drive put me at $1.37 under my budget after adding a couple case fans. Hehe. Not a bad alternative.

Not only is it not a bad alternative, I think you'll find it a unanimous vote for the best alternative.

Make sure you get the i7 920 from Antares Digital as linked above and select D0 stepping (+8$). It runs cooler than C0 stepping which is the older version.

The Gigabyte or this Asus board are both good boards. You can SLI or Xfire with either one. Personally I'd get 2x Vapor 4890s instead of the 275s, but thats more a matter of opinion (similar benchmakrs, the 4890s run a bit cheaper).

 

[bryntryst]

So, I opted to go with the i7 920 build with some modifications on evongugg's suggestion. I went with the ASUS p6t Deluxe V2 mobo and the Antec 1200 case with the dual 4890s. I got everything save for the D0 stepped CPU yesterday, and can't wait to throw it all together.

I'm wondering, though, if I under estimated my wattage needs. Is the 850W going to carry the rest this rig, or should I invest in something with a little more umpf?

 

[blackhawk1928]

You have a wad of cash there that would love to be spent on an i7 rig, why not go the intel route?

+1

 

[chronicbucks]

holy ***, i cant believe the gigabyte ud4 is only 210!!!! THAT IS SUCH A STEAL, what a great motherboard for that price!

just a few weeks ago that mobo was 260, on Newegg is 259 (-20 mail in rebate makes it 239)