New system, 1156 or 1366?

[Pizzaforbreakfast]

So I've been reading about for a little over a month now, debating between processors and graphics cards, and I'm torn between the three options from Intel currently.

APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: Sooner the better, can be today

BUDGET RANGE: No more than $1300, though if I can spend less and get more bang for my buck, I get to treat myself to a new monitor or some other goodies.

SYSTEM USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: Gaming, browsing the web(often with 30+tabs) + Mathematica use + other math related software (LaTTe, Polymake)

PARTS NOT REQUIRED: Keyboard, mouse, monitor

PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: Newegg, or anything trustworthy

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: USA

PARTS PREFERENCES: Intel chip, and I've read AMD GPUs are superior nowadays.

OVERCLOCKING: Yes, if only for the sake of maximizing the capabilities of my processor

SLI OR CROSSFIRE: If I don't now, I definitely want the option as an eventual upgrade.

MONITOR RESOLUTION: 1280x1024 currently, I think I'll be buying a 1920x1080 soon

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: Prefer a less gaudy case.

I'm debating between the i5, i7 860 and i7 920. Looking at the Asus P7P55D PRO Socket 1156, though I've heard there are problems with SLI/Crossfire on this board. For a GPU, I've looked at 2x 4850 or a 4890. I realize new AMD cards are being released very soon. I'm guessing it'll be worth the wait?

Other than that, I'm somewhat closely following tecmo34's gamer i5 build (http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/269162-31-recommended-builds-usage), with the primarily the above items in flux.

 

[Why_Me]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.259675 Combo Discount: -$10.00 Combo Price: $89.98
COOLER MASTER RC-690-KKN1-GP Black SECC/ ABS ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail
COOLER MASTER Intel Core i5 & Intel Core i7 compatible RR-B10-212P-GP 120mm "heatpipe direct contact" Long life sleeve CPU - Retail

http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=10006382 $99.99 Free Shipping
PC Power and Cooling SILENCER 750W QUAD S75CF Power Supply Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.259878 Combo Discount: -$30.00 Combo Price: $339.98 Free Shipping*
ASUS P7P55D PRO LGA 1156 Intel P55 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
Intel Core i5 750 Lynnfield 2.66GHz LGA 1156 95W Quad-Core Processor Model BX80605I5750 - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.256454 Combo Discount: -$20.00 Combo Price: $254.98 $20.00 Mail-In Rebate Card
Price After Mail-In Rebate(s): $234.98 Free Shipping*
G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9D-4GBRL - Retail
SAPPHIRE Vapor-X 100269VXLE Radeon HD 4890 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.259577.22-152-181 Combo Discount: -$10.00 Combo Price: $149.98 Free Shipping*
SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD502HJ 500GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive - Retail
Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 64-bit for System Builders w/ Tech Guarantee - OEM | Includes free Windows 7 upgrade coupon

http://www.ewiz.com/detail.php?name=AD7240S-0B $32.99 Free Ground Shipping
Sony Optiarc AD-7240S-0B 24X Dual Layer DVD+/-RW SATA Drive (Black), Bulk

Total: $967.91 | $947.91 w/mail in rebate

*i7 860 version of this build.

http://www.ewiz.com/detail.php?name=MB-P7P55PR $449.98 | $409.98 $40 off w/ code SAVINGS40 on i7-860BOX combo, ends 9/21 Free Shipping
Asus P7P55D PRO Socket 1156/ Intel P55/ CrossFireX&SLI/ A&GbE/ ATX Motherboard
Intel Core i7 Processor i7-860 2.80GHz 8MB LGA1156 CPU, Retail

Total: $1,037.91 | $1,017.91 w/mail in rebate

 

[Jack64]

Man Why_Me....Nice build there friend!!! I can't think of anything else to add...cept way to go!!!

 

[Why_Me]

Here's a i7 920 build. I didn't add a vid card to this build.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119137 $69.99
COOLER MASTER RC-690-KKN1-GP Black SECC/ ABS ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail

http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=10006382 $99.99 Free Shipping
PC Power and Cooling SILENCER 750W QUAD S75CF Power Supply Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157163 $169.99
ASRock X58 Extreme LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.235107 Combo Discount: -$10.00 Combo Price: $306.98
Intel Core i7 920 Nehalem 2.66GHz LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor Model BX80601920 - Retail
Scythe MUGEN-2 SCMG-2000 120mm Sleeve CPU Cooler - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835154003 $4.99
Tuniq TX-2 Cooling Thermal Compound - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820226036 $129.99 Free Shipping*
mushkin 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Triple Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model 998677 - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.259577.22-152-181 Combo Discount: -$10.00 Combo Price: $149.98 Free Shipping*
SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD502HJ 500GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive - Retail
Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 64-bit for System Builders w/ Tech Guarantee - OEM | Includes free Windows 7 upgrade coupon

http://www.ewiz.com/detail.php?name=AD7240S-0B $32.99 Free Ground Shipping
Sony Optiarc AD-7240S-0B 24X Dual Layer DVD+/-RW SATA Drive (Black), Bulk

Total: $964.90

ASRock X58 Extreme Reviews

http://www.motherboards.org/reviews/motherboards/1923_1.html

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/cheap-x58-motherboard,2368-3.html

http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/mainboards/display/asrock-x58-extreme.html

http://www.anandtech.com/mb/showdoc.aspx?i=3593

 

[Pizzaforbreakfast]

Wow...I appreciate the quick reply there. From these builds, I've decided that there is no need to go for the i5 with the i7 860 so close in price. I noticed you recommended the 4890 card, with the mobo I had mentioned earlier. There is then, no disadvantage to choosing this board if I plan to eventually upgrade to crossfire. For the price, it also looks as though there's no real advantage to going with a 920, unless I can get an excellent deal.

Thanks for the help, I'll be ordering this soon.

 

[Why_Me]

Wow...I appreciate the quick reply there. From these builds, I've decided that there is no need to go for the i5 with the i7 860 so close in price. I noticed you recommended the 4890 card, with the mobo I had mentioned earlier. There is then, no disadvantage to choosing this board if I plan to eventually upgrade to crossfire. For the price, it also looks as though there's no real advantage to going with a 920, unless I can get an excellent deal.

Thanks for the help, I'll be ordering this soon.

OK to be honest I only post that 4890 in those builds because of the combo deal and the rebate. If I was going to build that for myself I would spend an extra $20 and get a gtx 275...Iv'e never had problems with Nvidea drivers on near the same scale as I have with ATI drivers.

But I don't know what I would do as far as waiting on those new cards or not. Well ya I do. I would order everything up there "but the video card". Those deals aren't going to last but a few days more, then there's always the chance of items running out of stock. By the time you get everything and start slapping it together those new vid cards will be on the shelves next week. That's when I would order my vid card. There will be a lot of reviews, price drops, bargains, etc.... so order everything now but the vid card.