Project Dark Knight - DONE! PICTURES UPLOADED!

Hello all,
It is time for a project build that I have been wanting to do. The theme is to try and make a sophisticated, stealthy build that is all blacked out. My budget is around $1750 for everything. That includes the monitor, keyboard, and mouse. I already have speakers. I will be using Windows 7 RC for a while until I decide to splurge on a new OS. (Windows 7). Remember I am trying to make this build look stealthy and sophisticated.

Parts:

CPU: i7 920
$200 at local microcenter

MOBO: EVGA $328 COMBO w/ RAM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6813188049

RAM: OCZ Platinum CAS 7 - COMBO
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6814130475

GPU: EVGA GTX 275 - $240
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6814130475

PSU: Corsair 750hx - $165
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6817139010

CASE: Silverstone FT-01 BW - $230
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6811163121

HDD: WD Caviar Black 640GB - $75
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6822136319

DVD: Samsung 22x SATA Burner - $27
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6827151187

HSF: Xigmatek Dark Knight - $45
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6835233029

Monitor: Samsung T240HD 24" monitor - $298
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6824001280

I already have some thermal compound. The monitor is perfect because I would like to use it as a TV as well. It will not be for twitch gaming, but will still be used for gaming. The PSU is one of the best so I would like to stick with it. Remember this is an all blacked out theme. I will be putting some cold cathodes in the case to make it look even better. The total comes to about $1600 so it is under budget. I would like to keep it this way because I still need to get a keyboard, which is going to be the apple keyboard. I like the feel of the keys.

Okay... Only thing I could truly see is switch the monitor to this... Hanns-G 27.5" Monitor for a dollar more.

The Silverstone case is nice but is it worth the price? I would think going with either the Antec 902 or Antec 1200 would give similar looks and performance... IMO

Panzer might do and cut cost ? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6811146056

+1 for the Raven
This would also be a very good option...
Cosmos Pure
http://www.coolermaster.com/produc [...] 17&id=6600

thanks gkay09...i am in love with that case it is simply the one that i have been looking for all this time! Haha.

edit: Thanks for the advice. Considering the link you posted I will hold off on the cpu, mobo, ram, and gpu as long as possible and see what unfolds. But as you said the case, psu, hdd, and dvd drive should be fine to get now! As well as the keyboard and mouse. The monitor will prolly be purchased towards the end too.

Awesome thats good to hear. Thanks. I will keep this thread up to date on the progress and post pics of course. Should be a fun late summer- early fall build!

Oh and I forgot to mention that I sold my other rig for $1200 thats in my sig. I need to erase those specs when I get a chance.

^ Then you could reconsider the Raven...Has Full black interiors, very good design, features and has side window too...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6811163135

But this is a hard one to pass...and that too with a price drop...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6811119122

How about this case?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6811154097

Update! I have ordered a few parts!

I have the i7 920 D0 stepping. I got it for $200 at microcenter.
I have the corsair 750hx modular psu.
I have a Samsung 22x sata dvd burner.
I have the Dark Knight cpu cooler.

Parts I still need: MOBO, RAM, HDD, GPU, CASE
I should be getting those by the end of the week.

Here is what I was thinking for those. I have built 2 i7 builds for clients and have used the Gigabyte UD4P for both. They both were also from microcenter. They had no problems whatsoever and they were also only $230 in store both times vs. $270 on newegg. So I am going to go with that board.

I am going to be getting a black magic intensity pro hd capture card for my bday. Should I go with a raid setup of WD Caviar Black 640GB's?

As for actual gaming I can hold off until the 5870's and dx11 cards come out. So for now I am just going to go with a 4850 since they are such a great price.

RAM will be the OCZ Platinum but I am waiting for the price to go back down and I will get them in a combo with a Caviar Black 640gb.

Case is still the FT-01. As well as the Vista 64-bit with an upgrade to 7.

So basically heres what I still need:
Silverstone FT01-BW
Gigabyte UD4P
OCZ Platinum 1600 6GB
HD4850 1GB
2x WD Caviar Black 640GB
Black Magic Intensity Pro
OS

Oh and wow I completely forgot about the monitor!
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6824001331
A very sweet monitor that will compliment my case extremely well. Not to mention it is 1080p 16x9 which is also perfect to hook my xbox 360 up to!!

As well as z5500's but at this rate that is sounding much better as an xmas present.

bump...



This is definitely the case I am getting 100%.

last bump i swear!

@overshocks I dont think the release of the i5 is going to lower the i7 prices...Actually it might be the other way around as we can see from the price of 6GB kits that are moving north...

And as for the CASE, does it really perform that bad?? Could you justify your claims ???

@waynec Hmm cool ...your project is taking its shape

Did you check Amazon for the memory ???

http://www.amazon.com/OCZ-OCZ3P160 [...] 550&sr=8-1
http://www.amazon.com/Corsair-TR3X [...] 01&sr=8-26
This would be my favourite - Black heat spreader with fancy lighting But is currently out of stock though...
http://www.amazon.com/Technology-B [...] 68&sr=8-44

And that Samsung monitor does look really good...
You can check out these too...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6824236048

Rest looks good...

^ Well apart from the bechmarks, the RAM speeds over DDR3 1333MHz doesnt really affect real world performance much...
Always go for lower CAS than speed...
And that Mushkin just fits the bill...

Do keep an eye on this RAM too...Cost about $154 but sure is worth it...
mushkin 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 CAS 6
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6820226032

Wow, I've lived between Rockville and Gaithersburg for over a year now and didn't realize there was a microcenter so close. I fail.


Good looking build man!

Wayne, I own that case and I encourage you to consider that decision carefully. It's a good water cooling case but a mediocre air cooled case.

Three of the fans are grouped tightly together on the top and rear. You pretty much have to run those all in the same direction... as exhaust fans.

That leaves ONE fan as an intake. That one intake fan is HELL to replace and the housing will only fit standard sized fans. I tried to put a Scythe Ultra Kaze in there to improve air flow and it did not work out.

If you still get that case, be sure to add the HD fan.


.... but yeah, it's a beautiful, classy looking case. Just not the best design for air.

OZC gold 107.99 http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/Prod [...] st=froogle

Why not a better GPU for that rez ? just wondering

Crap its out of stock by bad

This is out of pure curiosity but how much would a nice watercooling setup cost me? And also is it even worth doing?

@waynec121 you can take a look at the Corsair H50 for CPU cooling...
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/Prod [...] st=froogle

Thanks Proximon. That is sounding like a great xmas project possibly. We will have to see though. I have also changed my mind am going with the FT01-BW again. Air cooling should serve my needs fine for now.

CPU: i7 920 - microcenter $200 Bought!
http://www.microcenter.com/single_ [...] id=0302727

MOBO: Gigabyte UD4P - microcenter $230
http://www.microcenter.com/single_ [...] id=0309509

RAM: Mushkin 1333 6GB DDR3 CAS 6-6-6-18 - $155
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6820226032

HDD1: Samsung Spinpoint F3 500GB - $55
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6822152181

PSU: Corsair 750hx - $165 Bought!
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6817139010

HSF: Xigmatek Dark Knight - $45 Bought!
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6835233029

DVD: Samsung SATA 22x DVD - $27 Bought!
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6827151187

OS: Windows Vista 64-bit w/ free upgrade to 7
HDD2: Samsung Spinpoint F3 500GB combo - $150
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Comb [...] 22-152-181

CASE: Silverstone FT01-BW - $215
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6811163121

CAP CARD: Black Magic Intensity Pro - $190
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B [...] d_i=507846

GPU: HD4850 512MB - $110
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6814150337

So again that is about $1550 for everything, and I still need to spend around $1100 to get the rest of the components. That purchase will be made in the next few days!

Also for later on projects:

BDAY OCT. 15 Present: Samsung 24.6"
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6824001331

XMAS: z5500, Swiftech water kit???, DX11 GPU

Thanks guys!

I could be too late to add my 2 cents, but here goes:

As I was reading through this thread, one thing seemed to stick out like a sore thumb... your motherboard choice. Not that the UD4P is a bad choice by any means, but it seems like it would be really out-of-place in this really black and dark build with it's light blues and "happy" colors.

I would suggest getting something darker to fit your theme like this board:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813188049

I'm not going to lie, I don't know much about that board other than that it fits your theme.

You also seem to have changed your HDD choice at some point. The WD Caviar Black is one of the best performing HDD's available, and that Samsung you are going with will probably be noticably slower. I'd switch back to the WD 640.

EDIT: I just realized that you changed your mobo choice at some point too. I didn't know that was the one you originally had in mind. lol.

Update: Just ordered the Silverstone FT01-BW, Black Magic Intensity Pro capture card. The list is getting smaller and smaller! All I need now is the MOBO, RAM, GPU, and HDDs. Will update once they are ordered.

Since you already have the i7, I probably wouldn't try to eBay it. The chances are good that you won't get any more than you payed for it, and probably less. You'll turn around and spend $200 on the 750 anyway. You could save money on a cheaper motherboard for the i5, but your CPU cooler will also probably need to be replaced. (can anyone confirm?)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6811139001

This case is just plain sexy looking. Unfortunately its yet to be released and you can pre-order through newegg.

Long time no update guys:
Well its the end of october and this is when the build was scheduled to finish for me pretty much with the release of windows 7 and dx11. I have about $800 to spend on a mobo, cpu, ram, hdd, and gpu. I sold the i7 920 for $250 about 2 weeks ago because I thought I'd just buy another for $200, or the i5.

So two givens in the budget:
Samsung Spinpoint F3 - $54.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6822152181
Windows 7 OEM - $109.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6832116754

So thats $160 of the budget. Leaves $640 for the cpu/mobo/ram/gpu
I definitely want to get a 5850 1gb - So thats about $260-70

Now thats around $380 for cpu/mobo/ram
http://www.microcenter.com/single_ [...] id=0317861
The EVGA mobo for $140 and the i5 750 from microcenter for $150. That leaves just the ram. I was thinking of getting this:
Patriot Sector 5 - $90
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6820220431

This will make this a complete rig. Plan to purchase these on Tuesday!

thanks for the suggestions! Both of the g.skill ram look good, so I will go with one of those.