How well will this system work?

[vchov]

I am building a PC for gaming. I was wondering if my computer needs a better PSU with more Watts. Is it suitable for overclocking? Can I run SLI/Crossfire with my graphics card? I want to be able to keep it and upgrade it for a few years, so I need to know. My power supply is the Antec TruePower New TP-750 Blue 750W. By the way, the graphics card requires a minimum of 550 watts PSU. Does that mean I need double for Crossfire? Or is the 550W the amount of power for the card plus everything else? If you can answer that too, I will be very grateful. I have the parts listed here:

Graphics Card: XFX ATI Radeon HD 4890 1GB GDDR5 PCIe 2.0 x16 CrossFire Supported($220)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150368

Motherboard: ASUS P7P55D Deluxe LGA 1156 Intel P55 ATX Intel Motherboard ($220)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131400

Processor: Intel Core i7-860 Lynnfield 2.8GHz LGA 1156 95W Quad-Core Processor ($280)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115214

Case: COOLER MASTER Storm Sniper SGC-6000-KXN1-GP($120)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119194

Power Supply: Antec TruePower New TP-750 Blue 750W($105)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371022

Hard Disk Drive: SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB 7200 RPM($80)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152185

Optical Drive: Samsung SH-S223L/BEBS Internal Half Height DVD-W Supermulti SATA($32)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827151188&Tpk=Samsung%20SH-S223L%2fBEBS

Audio Card: Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty Professional 70SB088600002($110)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829102019

RAM: OCZ Gold 4GB DDR3 DDR3 1600 Dual Channel OCZ3G1600LV4GK ($101)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227483

Wireless Card: D-Link DWA-556($80)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833127218&Tpk=D-Link%20DWA-556

 

[wathman]

your question about the PSU and crossfire cards, I think they just require an additional 100W to use CF, but also make sure that your PSU has enough PCI-e power plugs for your card type. I know the high power cards require 2x 6-pins each, so your PSU would need to have 4 to do CF in that case.

As for going with the i7-860 with ASUS P55 motherboard, you might want to wait a few days: http://www.anandtech.com/mb/showdoc.aspx?i=3661
I'm anxious to see what is being done to address this possible issue regarding sockets.

 

[jbakerlent]

I would try to stretch to a 5850 if you can, you could save some money by dropping the sound card (they're usually unnecessary as onboard sound is quite good) and by getting a cheaper case like the Antec 300. And yes you would only need about 150W more for Crossfire since the 550W is for complete system power.

 

[vchov]

Thanks! I was wondering about the CrossFire. About the ruined CPUs, does that mean I should get a different motherboard? Or does that mean I shouldn't overclock? Thank you again!

 

[shortstuff_mt]

You'll be fine. I highly doubt you're going to be going for any overclocking records with your system. They only had problems when pushing the overclocks over 4.3GHz. Don't let that article scare you. The boards run fine under normal use.

 

[dndhatcher]

It means dont increase the voltage much when you overclock.

 

[wathman]

yeah, it's true that the current findings are related to highly overclocked systems, but these boards with the foxconn built 1156 sockets haven't been around all that long to really determine if there will be issues with damage over time at even stock operation. It is probably fine, but I bet all the new revisions of the 1156 boards won't be using Foxconn sockets.

 

[vchov]

Whew! That's a relief! I thought that those were tests under normal use. Umm, I thought that since I could lower the price of my computer by not buying a sound card and getting an Antec 300 case, I should get some better parts. How would this system work? Thanks a lot for your answers! I'm new to building computers.

Graphics Card: ASUS EAH4890 Radeon HD 4890 1GB PCIe 2.0 x16($215)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121308

Motherboard: ASUS P6T LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel Motherboard ($240)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131359

Processor: Intel Core i7-920 Bloomfield 2.66GHz LGA 1336 Quad Core ($280)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115214

Case: Antec 300 Illusion Black Steel ATX Mid Tower($60)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129066

Power Supply: Antec TPQ-850 850W Continuous Power($140)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371009

Hard Disk Drive: SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB 7200 RPM($80)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152185

Optical Drive: Samsung SH-S223L/BEBS Internal Half Height DVD-W Supermulti SATA($32)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827151188&Tpk=Samsung%20SH-S223L%2fBEBS

RAM: G.SKILL 6GB DDR3 1333 Triple Channel ($120)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231223

Wireless Card: D-Link DWA-556($80)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833127218&Tpk=D-Link%20DWA-556

 

[wathman]

Looks good, though were you planning on going to more powerful cards at some point like 5800 series, or 3x CF? 850W is more than enough. 750W would be ok. By going with the X58 boards, you no longer have to worry about the possible issue with 1156 foxconn sockets also. One last question about the wireless card.. are you planning on using that for gaming? I dunno about you, but I hate lag while gaming, and wireless connections is almost always a guarantee for a lagfest.

 

[itisravi]

Get a 5850. It costs only $260 and perfoms much better than 4890. Plus you get Eyefinity, DX11 support and less power consumption.

 

[jbakerlent]

Personally, I would just save the money and stick with the 860. If not, then two things, that ODD is sold out and that RAM has high latencies, get this instead:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231230. Agree with wathman about the PSU being fine at 750W for future crossfire or 5/650W for a single card.

 

[vchov]

Okay, so I took your advice and chose a HD 5850 graphics card, a triple channel DDR3 kit with lower latency, a Lite-On Optical Drive, switched the PSU back to the 750W one, and chose a 50ft. Ethernet cable because I can't move my modem, but I can run a wire to my room. I'm not buying the parts any time soon. I just need some good parts so I know what I am aiming for. If a sale comes up on Newegg, I can buy a part. I'm young, so I can't get a really good job, but I am looking to take classes to be a Golf Caddy to raise the money. I lag really badly on my laptop(My screen goes black too), so I decided to build a new computer. Here are the specifications:

Graphics Card: ASUS EAH5850 Radeon HD 5850 1GB PCIe x16($260)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121349

Motherboard: ASUS P6T LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel Motherboard ($240)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131359

Processor: Intel Core i7-920 Bloomfield 2.66GHz LGA 1336 Quad Core ($280)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115214

Case: Antec 300 Illusion Black Steel ATX Mid Tower($60)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129066

Power Supply: Antec TruePower New TP-750 Blue 750W($105)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371022

Hard Disk Drive: SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB 7200 RPM($80)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152185

Optical Drive: LITE-ON Black iHAS124-04 SATA($29)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827151187

RAM: OCZ Platinum 6GB DDR3 1600 Triple Channel ($154)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227381

Wireless Card: D-Link DWA-556($80)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833127218&Tpk=D-Link%20DWA-556

Ethernet Cable: Link Depot C6M-50-WHB 50 ft. Cat 6 White Network Cable($7.50)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812189038

Thermal Compound: ZALMAN ZM - STG1 Thermal Compound($10)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835118010

CPU Cooling Fan: COOLER MASTER Hyper 212 120mm($30)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103065

This should be fine now, right? Thank you for all of your help! This is greatly appreciated!

 

[dndhatcher]

A 50 foot ethernet cable AND a wireless card? Im sure there is a good reason, it just looks funny next to each other.

 

[vchov]

I decided to get both an Ethernet Cord and Wireless Card in case one of them doesn't work. I'm also thinking about buying one of the parts today, considering I have $120 so far. Maybe I should buy the case; it's only $60 and the original price is $70. The rest I can save in case a sale or promotion comes. If there's any problem with my specifications, please let me know. I'll be buying the case soon, though.