Building new desktop and need advise

[phklax]

I haven't upgrade any pc components since 2005 and I really need a new desktop.

My current rig spec:

AMD X2 3800+
4GB of DDR2 533
7800GTX
2x 250GB HDD
500W PSU


I will be buying all new parts and have $2000 budget. I will be using this desktop for mild gaming and surfing the web.
I won't be upgrading for at least 3 years.

Parts I'm sure I will be getting.

2x Corsair 128GB SSD
1TB WD HDD
GTX 295 or ATI 5870
Corsair HX750 PSU
24" Asus LCD Monitor

Currently I'm looking at i7 920(LGA 1366) & 860(LGA 1156). Which one should i get?

 

[astrodudepsu]

This is debatable, but I'd get the 860. It's stock clocked faster, and will be a tad bit cheaper than a 1366 setup.

 

[l_r_c_t]

If this is what you mean, and you want to buy a new CPU without changing the motherboard, it's impossible.

You mentioned that your needs are mild games and surfing the web, I don't understand what you need all of this system for, even simple dual core would be enough. But of course at the end you put the money.

You posted already a pretty full list of all the components that you want, there isn't something more except of the CPU, and my recommendation is something from the E8xxx series of Intel.

what do you need SSD for? their $/gigabyte ratio is much lower than the HDD's.

 

[skora]

For your gaming needs, I wouldn't consider anything over the i5 750. Even though you could spend more, probably not worth the extra dough. The only advantage the 860 can really offer you is the turbo ramps up better than the 750, but you're still at 3.2ghz for the 750 which is good.

Get the 5870 over the 295. Being DX11 alone makes that choice easy. Within 3 years, the 5870 will show much more performance than the 295.

SSDs show their best performance in MMOPGs where there can be TONS of textures to load and theres no way a platter can pre buffer that much info. But 1 is great, 2 in raid is extreme.

Unless you need to buy now, there will be some great deals here by the end of Nov that can save some cash too. But get the 5870 as soon as you can, they are so popular, inventories evaporate fast when they do come in stock.