[Solved] First Time Builder - $2000-ish - Advice Please?

Greetings,

I'm new to all this, but have been reading around on this site and got my hardware ideas from here.

My main objective is to have a reliable, high-end gaming system that - if possible - can be upgraded in a couple years to be able to continue to handle the newest games with ease.

On with the build -



APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: End of October (after Windows 7 releases) BUDGET RANGE: $1,800 - $2,200

SYSTEM USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: Will predomintently be used for gaming, but will also be our "everyday" computer

PARTS NOT REQUIRED: Keyboard, Mouse, Monitor, Optical Drive, Hard Drives? (I have 2 older WD Raptors [1 - 75 GB and 1 - 150 GB] that I may use, looking for thoughts on this)

PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: Newegg, unless someone thinks otherwise

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: U.S.

PARTS PREFERENCES: Intel/Gigabyte, unless someone thinks otherwise

OVERCLOCKING: Yes | SLI OR CROSSFIRE: Maybe (eventually, yes)

MONITOR RESOLUTION: I've got an old Samsung SyncMaster 1100DF that's still running strong, would like to keep it unless that's not a good idea. Max resolution appears to be 2048 x 1536.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: Don't care how quiet it is, just want it to run cool and strong.


Parts -

CPU - Intel Core i7 920 Nehalem 2.66GHz LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor Model
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6819115202

MoBo - GIGABYTE GA-EX58-UD4P LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel Motherboard
http://www.muotitek.com/ga-ex58-ud4p.html (Newegg appears to either not carry this anymore, or it is out of stock at the moment)

Memory - OCZ Platinum 12GB (6 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Low Voltage Desktop Memory Model OCZ3P1600LV6GK
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6820227381 (Is 12 overkill?)

PSU - CORSAIR CMPSU-850HX 850W ATX12V 2.3 / EPS12V 2.91 80 PLUS SILVER Certified Modular Active PFC Power Supply
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6817139011 (Will this PSU be sufficient should I want to run Crossfire down the road?)

Case - COOLER MASTER HAF 932 RC-932-KKN1-GP Black Steel ATX Full Tower Computer Case
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6811119160

Thermal Paste - Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6835100007

CPU Cooler & Fan - Scythe MUGEN-2 SCMG-2000 120mm Sleeve CPU Cooler
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6835185093 (Thoughts?)
Scythe SY124010L Fans
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6835185039

GPU - GIGABYTE GV-R587D5-1GD-B Radeon HD 5870 (Cypress XT) 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card w/ATI Eyefinity
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] -_-Product (Should I wait for the "Hemlock" card that AMD is currently preparing for release?)

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$ 1,564

I don't think I've forgotten anything, but again; I'm new at this. Please let me know if I've missed anything. I've got some dollars built in for anything else I might need, or forgotten.

I've got those 2 WD Raptor's, and they're in perfect working order, but I'm not sure about the RAID configurations and all that jazz. Are these sufficient? I know it's not a lot of space, but I had just the 75 GB drive in my old system and I never maxed it out.

What are your thoughts on audio processing? Is the onboard chipset sufficient, or should I spend a little extra and get something nice? I do like my audio.

Well, I think that's it. Please feel free to rip it apart.

Thanks!

I think you're going to be really pleased with this system.

Were it mine, I'd buy the single 5870 and avoid even single card 2-gpu issues. In the extremely unlikey event you need *more* graphics power in a year or so, I'd add a second, cheaper 5870 at that time.

No offense, but the CM V8 is an over priced, over weight piece of rubbish. I can think of three cpu coolers right now that weigh less, have of what that hunk of metal weighs, cost less and do just as good if not better job at keeping the cpu cool.