Brand New Intel i7 920 Build

APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: Looking to make the purchase in the next 1-2 weeks
BUDGET RANGE: around 1000-1500

SYSTEM USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: Gaming, Multitasking movies, surfing, and such.

PARTS NOT REQUIRED: keyboard, mouse, speakers

PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: i am comfortable with newegg but if a site comes highly recommended i am not appose to saving money to head elsewhere.

OVERCLOCKING: Yes/Maybe will be experimenting if everything goes well.
SLI OR CROSSFIRE: yes, not sure which one. want to spend around 250-300 dollars total

so basically i've been stuck in a rut in my computer needs and i am ready to finally get my hands on some power. so this is what i have roughly put together so far.
note : been looking for a while and people seem happy with the motherboard i posted below, please let me know if you know of something good/better in or around that price range, i am still a noob when it comes to building a pc and picking the parts.

CPU :Intel Core i7 920 Nehalem 2.66GHz 4 x 256KB L2 Cache 8MB L3 Cache LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor 279.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] -_-Product
Motherboard : ASRock X58 Extreme LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel Motherboard 169.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6813157163
Memory : mushkin 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Triple Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model 998677 - 129.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6820226036
Hard Drive :Western Digital Caviar Black WD1001FALS 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" - 94.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6822136284
Graphics : STILL LOOKING
CD/DVD/Blu-Ray drive : LG Black 8X BD-ROM 16X DVD-ROM 40X CD-ROM SATA Internal Combo LG Blu-ray Reader & 16X LightScribe DVD±R DVD Burner - 124.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6827136162
Power Supply : CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX 750W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 Power Supply - 119.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] &Tpk=750tx

this is my first system i have ever built so i am at a bit of a loss when it comes to the power supply. i was actually hoping someone here might be able to point me in the right direction.

i am also looking for some direction with the graphics card. the one i found seems like it will get me through the next few years but if i am wrong i would like to know,

i may have forgotten to ask about something but i really just need to get the ball rolling and the only people i can ask are those of you online, I hope you can help, thanks.

Message edited by tkking on 09-21-2009 at 06:03:57 PM

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Well I think your going in the right direction, especially if your going to SLI/X-fire later. The i5's look like good single GPU setups and the i7's look to be better at OC'ing and doing SLI/X-fire setups.

Here are some things to consider:
* The RAM you selected has a higher than stock voltage (which isn't always bad), but I prefer the stock voltage (1.5v) stuff over the higher voltage sticks.
Here are a couple that have low latency (7-7-7-20) and run on stock voltage of 1.5v.
* The GPU you selected is nice, but AMD should be releasing the latest 5xxx GPU's out shortly, so I'd hold off on buying your GPU until the latest reviews and parts are out.
* The mob you selected is nice, but if you want to save some $ and get a well reviewed mobo, try this one:
~$187 shipped! It's currently OOS, but is usually in stock.
ASRock X58 Extreme LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
* As far as a PSU is concerned, there are quite a few good ones to consider. Just make sure you get a quality one and don't skimp out on the PSU. I like Corsair/Antec/Seasonic/PCP&C PSU's. Some of the newer Cooler Master PSU's have been looking promising, but I have only seen a couple of reviews on just a few of them. I'd probably go with at least the Corsair 750tx, Antec New TP-750, or PCP&C 750w PSU's, if you really considering SLI/X-fire in the future. If you stick with a single GPU solution than a quality 500-600w PSU is all that you'd need.

Did you have a case in mind? I like the Cooler Master 690 case, Cooler Master 922 HAF, or the Antec 900 case. All of them are quite good and have at least 3 large cooling fans included with them.

Did you have a monitor in mind also??

Message edited by lunyone on 09-22-2009 at 04:55:12 AM

Reply to lunyone

CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX 750W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 Power Supply - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] &Tpk=750tx ($109.99 w/ $10 MIR + Free Shipping)

Your budget should allow for 2 of these in crossfire;

XFX HD-489A-ZDFC Radeon HD 4890 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] -_-Product ($199.99)

The HD4850 is a good card, but often times driver support for the X2 cards is not as good as single cards. If you are looking to spend ~$250, a GTX275/GTX280 or an HD4890 are both solid choices. You however have the budget to crossfire 2 HD4890s, which would give you incredible performance for quite a while.

One thing to note though, the new 5XXX series ATI cards are due out on Wednesday, I would hold off until then and see what the benchmarks are showing.

Reply to Transmaniacon

I will be taking a look at that motherboard for when it comes back into stock. looks like a much better deal. thanks!

as for that ram that was posted... how do i find the stock voltage? and is that ram from a reliable manufacture (mushkin)?

as for the radeon hd 4890, that particular model has scared me once i read the more negative reviews. i'd rather avoid that one all together but the idea of two cards sounds pretty good to me know and was wondering what the best pair of cards (crossfire or sli) for around $300 for the two of them.

one more thing, when the new cards are announced are prices of older models due to decrease? is this just a top of the line release?

thanks a lot.

Reply to tkking

Take those reviews with a grain of salt, I would attribute negative reviews of the HD4890 to user-error, or just a poor brand, cards made by XFX, Saphire, and HIS are all solid and reliable.

For that budget, 2 HD4870 1GB are unbeatable in crossfire, messing with rebates, you could prob get 2 HD4890 1GB for around $330-$350.

Whatever you decide to do, wait until the new HD5XXX series is released tomorrow. They might provide a better choice for you, and will likely bring a price drop of older models with them.

Message quoted 1 times

Reply to Transmaniacon

The DDR2 stock voltage is 1.8v. You look under the specifications tab on Newegg and see what the voltage is. Most 1066 mHz DDR2 is usually just OC'd DDR2 800 mHz stuff. They usually almost always have an elevated voltage setting to meet the timings that they have listed. Most are 2-2.2v's and run usually at 5-5-5-15 timings. There really isn't much difference between CAS4 DDR2 (4-4-4-12) @ 800 mHz and CAS5 (5-5-5-15) @ 1066 mHz. Either will do quite well, just try and get them at stock voltages. This will allow them to run cooler and will possibly get you better OC's later, if you desire to do that.

The only issues I have with SLI/X-fire is this:
* Not all games support SLI/X-fire, so you don't get the benefits all of the time.
* Requires a more expensive Mobo to support true SLI/X-fire.
* Requires a better more powerful PSU to run SLI/X-fire.
* Consumes more power and generates more heat within the case.
* The added heat would require more cooling fans for the case to keep things under control.

A single GPU solution gives you these things:
* Less power and less heat over a SLI/X-fire setup.
* 100% performance on each and every game made.
* Mobo and PSU requirements are as steep, so you save $ on the package.

So you can decide what you like to do, but I still prefer the single card solution over a SLI/X-fire solution. In the higher resolutions the SLI/X-fire solution has benefits, so don't rule those out on my accord. The cheapest and usually the most economical solution is a single card solution. The 4890 is a good card and will work quite well, but like I & Transmaniacon said I'd wait for the 5xxx series of GPU's to be released before buying.

Reply to lunyone

You didn't say anything about having an o/s yet I didn't see it listed on your build. Anyways this includes the o/s. I didn't include a vid card.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6811119197 $99.99 Free Shipping*
COOLER MASTER HAF 922 RC-922M-KKN1-GP Black Steel + Plastic and Mesh Bezel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail

http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/Prod [...] e=10006382 $99.99 Free Shipping
PC Power and Cooling SILENCER 750W QUAD S75CF Power Supply Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6813157163 $169.99
ASRock X58 Extreme LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Comb [...] mbo.250777 Combo Discount: -$20.00 Combo Price: $399.98 $10.00 Mail-In Rebate Card Price After Mail-In Rebate(s): $389.98 Free Shipping*
Intel Core i7 920 Nehalem 2.66GHz LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor Model BX80601920 - Retail
CORSAIR XMS3 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model TR3X6G1600C8 G - Retail

Scythe MUGEN-2 SCMG-2000 120mm Sleeve CPU Cooler - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Comb [...] mbo.248853 Combo Discount: -$4.00 Combo Price: $39.98
Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound - OEM

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6827136162 $124.99 Free Shipping*
LG Black 8X BD-ROM 16X DVD-ROM 40X CD-ROM SATA Internal Combo LG Blu-ray Reader & 16X LightScribe DVD±R DVD Burner - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Comb [...] 22-136-284 Combo Discount: -$10.00 Combo Price: $194.98 Free Shipping*
Western Digital Caviar Black WD1001FALS 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drives - Retail
Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 64-bit for System Builders w/ Tech Guarantee - OEM | Includes free Windows 7 upgrade coupon

Total: $1,119.90 | $1,109.90 w/mail in rebate

http://www.ewiz.com/detail.php?name=GA-GTX275C $214.99 Free Ground Shipping
GIGABYTE nVidia GeForce GTX275 OC 896MB DDR3 DVI/HDMI PCI-Express Video Card

http://www.tomshardware.com/review [...] ,2266.html <--- gtx 275 review and benchmarks

http://www.tomshardware.com/review [...] ,2298.html <--- dual gtx 275's in SLI > gtx 295

http://www.coolermaster-usa.com/landing/haf922/ <--- more pics, specs, and professional reviews of that Cooler Master 922 HAF

http://www.google.com/search?sourc [...] aqi=g-p3g7 <--- Scythe MUGEN 2 cpu cooler reviews

ASRock X58 Extreme Reviews

http://www.motherboards.org/review [...] 923_1.html

http://www.tomshardware.com/review [...] 368-3.html

http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/m [...] treme.html

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

Message edited by Why_Me on 09-22-2009 at 12:23:09 PM

------------------------------ "God invented Google so you would stop asking stupid questions."
Reply to Why_Me

^^^^^ Almost looks like a cut and paste from other posts??

Message quoted 1 times

Reply to lunyone

lunyone wrote :

^^^^^ Almost looks like a cut and paste from other posts??

I do that a lot with my builds. Hey if it works, why change it ?

------------------------------ "God invented Google so you would stop asking stupid questions."
Reply to Why_Me

Transmaniacon wrote :

Take those reviews with a grain of salt, I would attribute negative reviews of the HD4890 to user-error, or just a poor brand, cards made by XFX, Saphire, and HIS are all solid and reliable.

For that budget, 2 HD4870 1GB are unbeatable in crossfire, messing with rebates, you could prob get 2 HD4890 1GB for around $330-$350.

Whatever you decide to do, wait until the new HD5XXX series is released tomorrow. They might provide a better choice for you, and will likely bring a price drop of older models with them.

^ This guy knows his stuff.
Apparantly, on average, the 5870 beats a 4870x2 by 16% average, 4890 by 60%, and GTZ285 (the current king) by 40%.
Predicted pricing is $400 for the 5870 1GB, and $450 for the 5870 2GB. The 5850 is still an optio that's better than anything currently available.

Reply to anamaniac

thanks a bunch everyone. so i am pretty close now, with just the case and vid card left, *yes ill wait till they make their announcement )

so one of you linked me to reviews of a cpu cooler, this being my first computer build should i be buying one of these? i assumed one would come with my cpu, am i wrong? or is the one intel ships low quality for some reason?

Message quoted 1 times

Reply to tkking

tkking wrote :

thanks a bunch everyone. so i am pretty close now, with just the case and vid card left, *yes ill wait till they make their announcement )

so one of you linked me to reviews of a cpu cooler, this being my first computer build should i be buying one of these? i assumed one would come with my cpu, am i wrong? or is the one intel ships low quality for some reason?

If your considering over clocking then you definitely want an after market cpu cooler like that Scythe I posted. It's so easy to o/c these i7's that it would be a bloody shame if you didn't.

Message edited by Why_Me on 09-22-2009 at 12:14:56 PM

------------------------------ "God invented Google so you would stop asking stupid questions."
Reply to Why_Me

You will get a stock cooler with your CPU, and as why_me mentioned, will suffice, but any considerable OCing will require an aftermarket heatsink.

Reply to Transmaniacon

hey again, just had a couple of questions,

1. should i be at all worried or thinking about getting a full tower case instead of a mid-size? or will mid-size do me just fine if i end up deciding to go sli/crossfire route.

2. looking at the new 5870 (instant woody btw), it seems to be a double wide or double slot (whatever you call twice as big as usual) is that something i need to be afraid of with the current motherboard i have picked out?

5870 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] -_-Product

motherboard - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6813157163

Message quoted 1 times

Reply to tkking

tkking wrote :

hey again, just had a couple of questions,

1. should i be at all worried or thinking about getting a full tower case instead of a mid-size? or will mid-size do me just fine if i end up deciding to go sli/crossfire route.

2. looking at the new 5870 (instant woody btw), it seems to be a double wide or double slot (whatever you call twice as big as usual) is that something i need to be afraid of with the current motherboard i have picked out?

5870 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] -_-Product

motherboard - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6813157163

"Mid Tower" and "Full Tower" don't mean much these days seeing how the lines have been blurred. Makers like Cooler Master have what they call "mid towers" that are much larger than some brands "full towers". These cases down below are a prime example of what I'm talking about. Cooler Master calls these cases a mid towers, yet they are large enough to run tri SLI.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6811119197 $99.99 Free Shipping*
COOLER MASTER HAF 922 RC-922M-KKN1-GP Black Steel + Plastic and Mesh Bezel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail

Dimensions: 22.2" x 10" x 19.7"

http://www.coolermaster-usa.com/landing/haf922/ <--- more pics, specs, and professional reviews of that Cooler Master 922 HAF

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6811119197 $119.99
COOLER MASTER Storm Sniper SGC-6000-KKN1-GP Black ABS Bezel, SECC Body ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail
Free shipping w/ promo code EMCLXMV33, ends 9/23

Dimensions: 22" x 10" x 21.7"

http://www.coolermaster-usa.com/pr [...] ct_id=2950 <--- more pics, specs, and professional reviews of that Cooler Master Storm Sniper

Message edited by Why_Me on 09-23-2009 at 11:48:07 AM

------------------------------ "God invented Google so you would stop asking stupid questions."
Reply to Why_Me

Got it, thanks.

and i found that the motherboard says it has "Double-wide slot spacing between each PCI-E slot". that seems like it should accommodate at least 2 dual slot graphics cards... one would think... any one know for sure?

Message quoted 1 times

Reply to tkking

tkking wrote :

Got it, thanks.

and i found that the motherboard says it has "Double-wide slot spacing between each PCI-E slot". that seems like it should accommodate at least 2 dual slot graphics cards... one would think... any one know for sure?

The two long dark blue slots (PCI-E) are for your vid cards. Yes there is plenty of spacing in between those PCI - E slots.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Show [...] otherboard

------------------------------ "God invented Google so you would stop asking stupid questions."
Reply to Why_Me

ive been reading i need to look at responce times, here are this monitors

"Response Time: 2ms (G to G) ; 5ms (on/off)"

what is the difference between g to g, and none? also is 5ms good enough for gaming. what should i be looking for?

Message edited by tkking on 09-23-2009 at 04:16:12 PM

Reply to tkking

this is my latest build (not much changed) i would just appreciate if someone could graze over it and make sure im not making any major mistakes.

also is the power supply i have picked a good one? plenty of energy for what i may need down the road?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Comb [...] mbo.250777 Combo Discount: -$20.00 Combo Price: $399.98 $10.00 Mail-In Rebate Card Price After Mail-In Rebate(s): $389.98 Free Shipping*
Intel Core i7 920 Nehalem 2.66GHz LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor Model BX80601920 - Retail
CORSAIR XMS3 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model TR3X6G1600C8 G - Retail

ASRock X58 Extreme LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel Motherboard 169.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6813157163

Scythe MUGEN-2 SCMG-2000 120mm Sleeve CPU Cooler - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Comb [...] mbo.248853 Combo Discount: -$4.00 Combo Price: $39.98
Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound - OEM

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6827136162 $124.99 Free Shipping*
LG Black 8X BD-ROM 16X DVD-ROM 40X CD-ROM SATA Internal Combo LG Blu-ray Reader & 16X LightScribe DVD±R DVD Burner - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Comb [...] 22-136-284 Combo Discount: -$10.00 Combo Price: $194.98 Free Shipping*
Western Digital Caviar Black WD1001FALS 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drives - Retail
Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 64-bit for System Buildersw/ Tech Guarantee - OEM | Includes free Windows 7 upgrade coupon

Power Supply : CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX 750W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 Power Supply - 119.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] &Tpk=750tx

XFX HD-587A-ZNF9 Radeon HD 5870 (Cypress XT) 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card w/ATI Eyefinity – Retail – 379.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] -_-Product

COOLER MASTER Storm Sniper SGC-6000-KKN1-GP Black Steel, ABS Plastic, Mesh bezel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case – Retail – 119.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] -_-Product

Reply to tkking

Nope, the Corsair 750tx is just fine for what you have. It has plenty of power and is reasonably priced. I'd even consider the Antec New TP-750w PSU too. It's in the same price range, if not cheaper, and puts out some good power too.

Here are the Antec 650 and 750 New PSU's. They are going for $100 and $110 respectively

Message edited by lunyone on 09-25-2009 at 12:24:37 PM

Reply to lunyone

thanks, should be making most of the purchases today (the graphics card whenever they get back into stock)

and you may hear much more from me when i run into the inevitable noobish problems building the rig.

Reply to tkking

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