1500$ Gaming Home Built please rate/inform

[turbo0450]

SAMSUNG Spinpoint F DT HD502IJ 500GB 7200 RPM 59.99 x 4 239.99

XCLIO Windtunnel ATX Full Tower Computer Case 109.99

CORSAIR CMPSU-850TX 850W ATX12V 2.2 / EPS12V
2.91 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready Active PFC Power Supply 139.99

Intel Core i7 920 Nehalem 2.66GHz LGA 1366 130W
Quad-Core Processor Model BX80601920 279.99

ASUS P6T SE LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel Motherboard 209.99

Sunbeam CR-CCTF 120 mm Core-Contact Freezer CPU Cooler W/TX-2 39.99

ASUS M4A79T Deluxe AM3 DDR3 AMD 790FX ATX AMD 189.99

CORSAIR DOMINATOR 3GB (3 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM
DDR3 1866 (PC3 15000) Triple Channel Kit Desktop Memory
Model TR3X3G1866C9DF - Retail 139.99

BFG Tech BFGEGTX260896OCE GeForce GTX 260 896MB 448-bit
GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready
SLI Supported Video Card - Retail 179.99 x 2 329.99


Total: 1,499.88

Preferences, AMD, Nvidia, ASUS, Dominator
Resolution 1080p, 1650x1080
Purpose, Gameing only, HDTV and Widescreen 21inch monitor.

Questions:
1. Intel>AMD? I understand that the Core i7 920's will do anything you throw at it.
2. 4890>GTX260 worth the price? Video is trying to stay around $300 with Xfire or SLI or neither?
3. RAM ok?
4. HDD's will be RAID 0. I have seen performance of 75-50MB/s by adding a HDD to RAID 0 up until 4 Drives. With these 4 drive's i should experience 300-350MB/s
5. Motherboard ok?
6. Price, I can combo a couple of items to save about 200 or so.

Thanks guys, I appreciate your time.

 

[Guest]

1. I would buy an i7 920 with the asus p6t or deluxe mobo. for only 50-100 dollars more, you get massive ocing potential. Plus, Intel is planning on making more lga1366 cpus for performance. I think Amd's gunna transition to the am4 socket or something similar soon in order to compete with intel.

2. 4890 is much more expensive, but the difference margin's only about 30-50 bucks. At that range, get the 4890 or the gtx 275. If you choose nvidia, go with evga for their step-up program so you can upgrade your rig later. IMO, crossfire and sli are overrated. few people are going to need to play games at the highest settings possible, and while the 4890 and gtx 260 can do that, xfire and sli are overkill. Plus, it makes upgrades rediculous cuz you have to replace both cards. So, dont do xfire or sli. Get one GOOD card.

3. Sure.

4. NO!!! First, RAID performance may show up in benchmarks, but they are I repeat they are marginal to the user. If you want real performance, get a velociraptor for the os and games and a seagate 1.5 tb drive for storage or something (though you don't need it bc you want a gaming machine). Save yourself the money and invest it in that core i7 .

5. I'm an intel guy not amd. Asus is a great company though and they have awesome customer support.

6. Forget the sli/crossfire. Screw the XClio if you want a gaming machine and get a storm scout instead so you can LAN with it. Forget the RAID, and get ddr3 ram instead of ddr2 for the core i7 (if you decide on that route) You won't need 850 watts even with the sli. the 750 should work fine.

 

[turbo0450]

1. I would buy an i7 920 with the asus p6t or deluxe mobo. for only 50-100 dollars more, you get massive ocing potential. Plus, Intel is planning on making more lga1366 cpus for performance. I think Amd's gunna transition to the am4 socket or something similar soon in order to compete with intel.

First off, both procs are about the same price. If both have about the same FPS why not go with AMD? as for OCing, Pretty sure they can both OC like crazy. I can site but rather not. The Socket change might be a deal breaker tho. If AM3 socket will die off much faster then, I will go Intel.

2. 4890 is much more expensive, but the difference margin's only about 30-50 bucks. At that range, get the 4890 or the gtx 275. If you choose nvidia, go with evga for their step-up program so you can upgrade your rig later. IMO, crossfire and sli are overrated. few people are going to need to play games at the highest settings possible, and while the 4890 and gtx 260 can do that, xfire and sli are overkill. Plus, it makes upgrades rediculous cuz you have to replace both cards. So, dont do xfire or sli. Get one GOOD card.

The 260 and 4890 are the same price. I listed that I was going to play on my HDTV. I would liek to have the head room that SLI/Xfire has to offer. If I chose to do 1 card solution then the 285 would be the price range I would like to see.

4. NO!!! First, RAID performance may show up in benchmarks, but they are I repeat they are marginal to the user. If you want real performance, get a velociraptor for the os and games and a seagate 1.5 tb drive for storage or something (though you don't need it bc you want a gaming machine). Save yourself the money and invest it in that core i7 .

Raid 0 with 4 drives slower then 1 veloci raptor? I think not.... The 300GB rap is 300$ 4 500GB HDD's are at 240$. With games these days taking up 25GB, the 150 or 300 rap will fill fast. I am upgrading from a 36GB raptor, witch vista is basically installed and 1 game like COD5.

6. Forget the sli/crossfire. Screw the XClio if you want a gaming machine and get a storm scout instead so you can LAN with it. Forget the RAID, and get ddr3 ram instead of ddr2 for the core i7 (if you decide on that route) You won't need 850 watts even with the sli. the 750 should work fine.

Case is a case. I like a full tower. I don't have a problem with lifting the gigantors. . In this build i am getting DDR3 RAM. the 850W is a good deal and a great PSU.

 

[Proximon]

Thermaltake CLP0538 92mm Hydro Dynamic Fan CPU Cooler 43.99

Why? On high speed it's very loud yet 10C hotter than a good cooler.
Frostytech review

Sunbeam Core contact

CORSAIR DOMINATOR 3GB (3 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM
DDR3 1866 (PC3 15000) Triple Channel Kit Desktop Memory
Model TR3X3G1866C9DF - Retail 139.99

This is i7 memory. AMD does not use tri-channel, it uses dual channel. It also doesn't need more than 1333, but you might get 1600 just because the price is right and you might need it in a future build:
OCZ Platinum 1600 4GB

BFG Tech BFGEGTX260896OCE GeForce GTX 260 896MB 448-bit
GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready
SLI Supported Video Card - Retail 179.99 x 2 329.99

Only X58 boards have the ability to do either crossfire or SLI. You cannot put two GTX 260s on a crossfire board.

At 1680x1050, you really won't need more than 2X 4870 1GB, at least for the next few years.

 

[drunknmunkys]

But at that price you should go with an i7 build anyway, but for gaming, its a waste.

You will see increased performance in RAID0, but not like you're saying. I would get 2x WD 640GB black drives in RAID0, as you're unlikely to use more than 1.14TB. It's not like you can't always add more later.

I would go with an AMD system for ~1100 and get yourself a nice 24" monitor. What's the point of building a 1500$ computer to play on a 100$ monitor at sub-par resolutions?

 

[turbo0450]

Thanks all for the help. I have changed my build to an i7. There are many benefits that I have been seeing. DDR3 memory is a deal breaker for me as well as the socket.

Why? On high speed it's very loud yet 10C hotter than a good cooler.
Frostytech review

Sunbeam Core contact

I have updated. You have convinced me.

Only X58 boards have the ability to do either crossfire or SLI. You cannot put two GTX 260s on a crossfire board.

At 1680x1050, you really won't need more than 2X 4870 1GB, at least for the next few years.

I guess now. I need to determine what Video solution I want to go with. I play some of my games on my HDTV at 1080p. Thats why I was going with the "headroom" on the SLI/Xfire. At this point I still can't choose my MB until I figure out the Video Solution. I put up a different MB to go with for the Intel Solutuion now.

1 card solution would be GTX285 at 314.99.
2 card solution would be GTX260 at 179.99x2 329.98.
2 card colution would be HD4870 at 149.99x2 299.98.

 

[drunknmunkys]

I guess now. I need to determine what Video solution I want to go with. I play some of my games on my HDTV at 1080p. Thats why I was going with the "headroom" on the SLI/Xfire. At this point I still can't choose my MB until I figure out the Video Solution. I put up a different MB to go with for the Intel Solutuion now.

1 card solution would be GTX285 at 314.99.
2 card solution would be GTX260 at 179.99x2 329.98.
2 card colution would be HD4870 at 149.99x2 299.98.

see:
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/258605-33-graphics-card-1680-1050-resolution
http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1333935 for example.

at 1680x1050 resolution, with a 21" monitor, any of those would be a waste of money. A single 4850 will max out most games, a 4870 will max out anything but Crysis, but at that resolution you won't notice any difference above aax4.