$1000 i7 920 Gaming build, advice needed

Thanks to a previous thread I made, I was able to decide on going with a i7 920 socket 1366 build. Since I've narrowed down the choices, I could use some more input on my build before I purchase all the parts.

APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: 2-4 weeks BUDGET RANGE: $900-1000

SYSTEM USAGE (all equally important): gaming, web development, programming, rendering, encoding

PARTS NOT REQUIRED: I have a keyboard, mouse, 24" monitor, speakers, OS

PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: newegg.com, tigerdirect.com, zipzoomfly.com, frys.com

PARTS PREFERENCES: I want to stick with a standard ATX size case (Antec P183) with an ASUS or Gigabyte motherboard (see my post), XFX or EVGA GPU

OVERCLOCKING: Not immediately, want to make sure it functions correctly first and then overclock CPU to 3.8 GHz maximum when I feel I need the extra power. I would either do SLI/Crossfire in the far future or just exchange the 1 GPU for a better one.

MONITOR RESOLUTION: 1920x1200

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: I want it to be quiet (silentpcreview.com standard of quiet), air cooling only, no liquid cooling of any sort. Please see my wish list and potential system specs in the rest of post.


Please nitpick any flaws, let me know if something isn't compatible, won't fit, has difficult installation, etc. because I have not built a computer before and have no experience with any of these parts. I have tried to research and make sure compatibility issues are at a minimum but I probably overlooked something (or lots of things).

YES I have considered the new socket 1156 options but I would like to stick with the socket 1366.

Current Wish List (9/8/2009)

I've decided on some parts for sure, and those are listed in the specs section at the bottom of this post. The items I need help on have "HELP" listed in that section. I've found good prices (shown in parenthesis) on certain items listed in the specs section which factor into my budget of $1000. Suggestions to help me reach my budget and for the noted parts would be great.

Please keep in mind I haven't bought any parts yet.

The following are my questions and concerns regarding this build.

Motherboard
I am unsure whether to take the ASUS P6T Deluxe V2 or the Gigabyte EX58-UD5 ($280 from Amazon), or if I should wait for the Gigabyte EX58A-UD5 shown here. Input from anyone with experience with any or all of these boards would be very helpful.

Graphics Card (GPU)
XFX ATI Radeon 4890 or EVGA NVIDIA GTX 275 and why? I want to stay around the $200 price point. Does the NVIDIA card work better on an Intel system and ATI works better on an AMD system?

Power Supply (PSU)
PC Power & Cooling Silencer 750W or Corsair HX750? Would 750W be enough to support this build even if I add dual GPUs in the future? Which one runs quieter and more efficiently? Is the Corsair HX750 worth the extra $20? Suggestions for other power supplies are welcome.

PC Cooler
I am unsure if the cooler will fit into the case. If anyone knows a cooler for the same price point with a more quiet, better performance please tell me.

Case
Antec P183. Will my selected wish list components fit well inside?

Please tell me if you find one of my listed items at a cheaper price, I would be very grateful.


__________________
Potential System Specs (9/8/09)

Budget: HELP! $1000
CPU Purpose: Gaming, web development, programming, rendering
GPU: HELP! Prefer XFX/EVGA, 4890 ($200) or GTX 275 ($200)
Monitor: 24" 1920x1200 Acer
MB: HELP!!! ASUS P6T Deluxe V2, Gigabyte EX58-UD5, or Gigabyte EX58A-UD5
OS: Windows 7 RC x64
CPU: i7 920 Socket 1366 ($200)
Sound: onboard
Memory: OCZ Platinum 6GB DDR3 1600
PSU: HELP! PC&C Silencer 750W ($130) or Corsair HX750 ($150)
HD: Samsung Spinpoint F3 500GB 7200rpm
Cooling: Scythe Mugen 2

Thanks for your advice dndhatcher

I did realize I'm over budget which is why I was asking for help trying to meet my budget haha. For the i7 920, I'm lucky because it's still available for $200 here, I may order it soon in case they run out because I am sure I want an i7 build.

I did look at that AsRock motherboard and I would get it if it wasn't out of stock, I'll be sure to check on it again. I agree it is great performance for a very good price. One thing that did steer me away from that motherboard was unclear or lack of instructions and difficulty of use compared to other mobos. Since this PC will be my first build, I wanted a reputable brand like ASUS or Gigabyte with easy installation and potential for overclocking. I would hate to get a motherboard that died right after a warranty ends or something. I hope the Gigabyte EX58A-UD5 comes out while I'm waiting for the AsRock. That way I could keep my options open and make better comparisons.

I was thinking of dropping the PSU watts to 650W. Not sure if it's enough power for a second GPU though, it seems iffy with dual 4890s.

From what I know, the P183 may be cramped for dual GPUs. But when the time comes to go dual GPU or upgrade the GPU, I might choose upgrade. I guess SLI/Crossfire isn't TOO big of a deal to me, but I like motherboards that give me the option of having dual GPUs.

To help meet my budget, I'm considering changing the Antec P183 to the NZXT Whisper, and I'm considering going for a cheaper RAM -- doing more research on that now.

i personally like Asus a lot and have the Deluxe V2 board, it has served me well for the past 6 weeks i've had it. Everything fits pretty well but I am using only 1 graphics card, I don't know how well a second "new" gpu would fit.

my i7 build was around $1180 because of bing cashback ... but the high cashback rates are gone so $1300 is around the price of an i7 rig atm =/

Yea, my friend built one late August and prices seem to have gone up by $20 or more for a lot of parts -- it sucks. I was hoping I could get a good price just by finding deals but that's not going as well as I imagined.

Sorry dndhatcher, I didn't read carefully enough. I understand what you're saying now. I guess I'll give the Rampage II Extreme a shot. Now for some more case research!

Thanks for the suggestion lebaneseguy. That GPU seems pretty good, but I think I'd prefer a double lifetime warranty over a 3 year warranty. After having an ASUS laptop and its GPU dying on me, I don't know if I should go for an ASUS GPU right now.

No problem lehigh. Thanks for letting me know about your experience with the Antec 900. Glad to know everything fit for you. I would consider the Antec 900 but it has no dust filters, and in my view the HAF 922 seems better than it after a lot of reasearch.

I really would like a mid-tower case instead of a full tower because I would need to move it to and from school, etc. Also when the computer's at home, I would probably have to move it upstairs and downstairs more often than I'd like. That's why I was really anxious to get a P183 and I'm now considering a less risky HAF 922.

I've almost decided to take the P183 off my list because of this. The HDD cage has to be removed for a GTX 295 to fit, and based on my research a GTX 295 is about 10.5 inches long, maybe longer. The Rampage II Extreme is 10.6 inches long so it'd be a really close call.

Based on a lot of pictures I saw, I think a standard ATX 12" x 9.6" fits in a case with 12" top to bottom height and 9.6" front to back width if you're looking at a case with the side panel open. Seeing as the Rampage II Extreme is 12" x 10.6", I'm guessing the board is longer horizontally, in the front to back direction.

I have a 10.5 inch 9800 GTX+ in my antec 900. It is sticking about an inch past the motherboard. There is still almost an inch before hitting the drive cage. The only thing you cant do is mount a drive in the drive cage at the same level as the GPU since the drive stick about an inch past the drive cage also.

Why are you wasting your time posting this stuff Why_Me?




You should just buy a bunch and resell them assembled at $1399.

don't know if it's too late, but I just picked up an Antec 1200 at the local microcenter yesterday for $139