$1200 i7 Build, PSU/GPU questions

APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: This Saturday (8/15)
BUDGET RANGE: 900-1300ish

SYSTEM USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: Gaming, video editing, etc.

PARTS NOT REQUIRED: Monitor, Mouse, Keyboard, Speakers, HDD (see comments)

PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: www.newegg.com

PARTS PREFERENCES: i7
OVERCLOCKING: I’d like to have to option to overclock, although I’m undecided on how I’ll run standard
SLI OR CROSSFIRE: Possibly in the future, but not atm.

MONITOR RESOLUTION: 1440x900 (upgrading to have a second monitor, likely either 1920x1080 or 1920x1200)
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: I currently have a 250 GB internal that I’m going to run off of initially, I’ll pick up a 1+TB drive or two whenever I see a good deal online. I anticipate needing (eventually) a few TB of storage for all the video editing, so I’ll need power for several HDD’s. I’m also going to grab an SSD for the OS in the future, but I’ll wait for the current set of new-stuff to settle (intel gen2, new OCZ, etc). I’d like to go with a semi-cheap GPU and upgrade to a nice one when the new DX11-capable cards come out (this purchase will correspond with the 2nd monitor). I’d like to have a PSU with the option for SLI/Crossfire, although I don’t anticipate needing it for a bit.

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Tower: Antec Twelve Hundred Black Steel ATX Full Tower Computer Case - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6811129043

PSU: Either
CORSAIR CMPSU-850TX 850W ATX12V 2.2 / EPS12V 2.91 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready Active PFC Power Supply – Retail - $139
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6817139009
or
CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX 750W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 Power Supply - Retail $119
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6817139006
Motherboard: EVGA E758-A1 3-Way SLI (x16/x16/x8) LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail $299
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6813188039
RAM: OCZ Platinum 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Low Voltage Desktop Memory Model
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6820227381
Heatsink: Noctua NH-U12P SE1366 120mm SSO CPU Cooler - Retail $71
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6835608007
Artic Silver 5 Thermal Compound



right now with http://www.newegg.com/Product/Comb [...] mbo.233165 and http://www.newegg.com/Product/Comb [...] mbo.233336 my total is $1033 without tax or shipping.

Is the 750w enough for SLI, or should I stick with 850w (or upgrade)? Any recommendations on which cards can max out most games on the 1440x900 until I upgrade? I’m looking at either a 4770 or 4850. When I upgrade the GPU to one or two 5870/375's I’m selling the old one to a sibling, so I don’t look at it as that much of a sunk cost.

I was considering the ASRock x58 mobo, but a friend was very adamant about how ‘high quality’ EVGA is. Seeing that EVGA makes for a very feasible hackintosh sold me- The other 5 computers in my household are macbooks/imacs.

I agree a 4850 or even a 4870 is plenty.

As for the PSU... got for the 750TX. If you dont crossfire at build time you are unlikely to ever do it. By the time you decide to throw another 4850/70 into the machine there will be another single card that will trounce it (which there already is).

750w Corsair and a 4870 1gb would a nice combo for that rig.