$3800-$4200 gaming/editing system

Greetings,
I am a new user to the forums and will try to adhere to the rules and protocol.
After having built an AMD Athlon XP system, then upgrading later to AMD x64 dual core 6400+, I’m now looking to upgrade again with a completely new system. Plan is to upgrade in the next month. My budget is $3800.00 to $4200.00 but can be somewhat flexible with this amount. I’m coming in somewhat under budget right now, but that’s OK too. Computing is a passion and am desiring a system for gaming at ultra-high settings (2650x1600) and video editing. Will overclock the processor.
Wading through the current technology, I have come up with some basic thoughts about what might work. This setup is just a rough draft and all comments and suggestions will be appreciated.

Intel Core i7-920 Bloomfield 2.66GHz 4 x 256KB L2 Cache 8MB L3 Cache LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor 280.00
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 256KB%20L2

ASUS P6T6 WS Revolution LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel Motherboard $350.00
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] LGA%201366

LG W3000H-Bn Black 30" 5ms Widescreen LCD Monitor $1150.00
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] %20Monitor

XFX HD-489A-ZDFC Radeon HD 4890 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card X2 $400.00 (I chose this only because I have (1) already and thought I could do 3-way Crossfire 16x16x16)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] it%20GDDR5

CORSAIR XMS3 12GB (6 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model HX3X12G1600C9 G $285.00
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6820145235

CORSAIR CMPSU-1000HX 1000W ATX12V 2.2 / EPS12V 2.91 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Modular Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 Power Supply $240.00
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6817139007

COOLER MASTER ATCS 840 RC-840-KKN1-GP Black Aluminum ATX Full Tower Computer Case $180.00
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6811119187

ZALMAN CNPS9900LED 120mm 2 Ball CPU Cooler $67.00
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] U%20Cooler


Tuniq TX-2 Cooling Thermal Compound $5.00
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 20Compound

Pioneer Black 8X BD-R 2X BD-RE 16X DVD+R 5X DVD-RAM 8X BD-ROM 4MB Cache SATA Internal Blu-ray Burner 8X Blu-Ray DVD Burner w/ Software Model BDR-203BKS $200.00
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] X%20DVD-RA

LITE-ON Black 4X BD-ROM 8X DVD-ROM 32X CD-ROM SATA Internal 4X Blu-ray Reader Model iHOS104-06 $60.00
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] ROM%20SATA

I already have (2) WD Raptor 300 GB HDD in Raid 0 for main drives. Have considered SSDs but??

Windows 7 Home

There are my initial thoughts. And I apologize for the long post.

i would only switch to 2 5870's or 3 5850's and maybe to the prolimatech megahlm or thermalright ultra cpu cooler the zalmans tend to suck on i7's

Giving your budget, here's soem things to consider before taking the plunge.

My son just did a high end build and for reasons of OC and long term stability as well as the requisite "bling" factor went with the Asus Rampage II Extreme w/ the Asus OC Station. The latter not my thing but it looks to be one fine fan controller as well as providing front panel "in windows" access to all overclocking features except memory.

The Dell 3008WFP or its successor (if it's out yet, the 2408WFP's successor just came out) should be considered. Although I hate giving Dell money, it is consensus favorite.

How often do you upgrade GFX cards .... if it's more than two years, I'd say definitely go with some 5xxx combo. In a month, the 5870x2 will be out and that should knock the GTX 295 of its throne. If you want "everything", twin 5870's with a 3rd nVidia card dedicated for PhysX is the "be all and end all" at this point in time. See this if ya think PhysX might tickle ya fancy:

http://www.firingsquad.com/hardwar [...] /page2.asp
http://www.tomshardware.com/news/n [...] ,8786.html


That memory is a bit weak (9-9-9-24) compared to the rest of ya system. I'd look for something w/ lower timings and unless you have some specific program that can address > 6 GB, I'd stick w/ a 3 x 2GB kit. Mushkin and GSkill have 6-7-6-18 kits

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6820226052
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6820231272

but the GSkills have problems fitting under many CPU heat sinks.

The PSU looks a bit big for your rig ..... Corsair HX-850 and Antec SG-850 are good alternatives

I'm partial to the HAF-932 and Antec 1200 cases ...tho haven't spent much time looking over your choice.

The HSF should be replaced w/ one from these lists:

http://www.silentpcreview.com/article30-page1.html
http://www.frostytech.com/top5heatsinks.cfm

My current fav is the Prolimatech MegaShadow w/ IC Diamond 7 Carat Thermal Compound

Based upon past positive experiences, I went with the Plextor PX-B320SA BR Reader ...its twice as fast as the Lite-On ... I was waiting for Plex to release a new burner .... theri last one was $1,000 .... but no sign as yet.

I hope you are gonna dress this thing up a bit.....we spent about $100 on sleeving, heat shrink and UV over at frozencpu.com (where we found Megashadow and Diamond 7 Carat) . Don't forget to gran a Molex pin and 3 pin fan remover tools there if you gonna sleeve the wires in ya box.

a guide overclocking an i7 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/foru [...] _11_0.html

It doesn't get any better than this:

http://vip.asus.com/forum/view.asp [...] uage=en-us

Includes specifics for P6T.

Downlaod NehalemCalc 1.3 from here:

http://icrontic.com/uploads/2008/11/nehalemcalc.zip

If you are looking for a 3.6 GHz and up overclock suggest you start with the following:

Base Clock of 180
CPU Multiplier 20
QPI Multiplier 18
UnCore Multiplier 16
memory Multiplier 8

Can change base Clock from there until 200 w/o chaging any of the others w/ DDR 1600 memory.

The SG-850 at $239 is hardly skimping It's the same price as the HX-1000.

In his box, even throwing in loads of extras and 25% capacitor aging which most will tell is way conservative, I come up with barely over 700watts. Drops to 625 watts w/ 10% cap aging. Used calculator over here and really loaded it up 5 USB, firewire, 8 fans, fan controller, 3 video cards, etc:

http://www.antec.outervision.com/PSUEngine

I guess to be clearer, when I'm doing my own, I take my answer and multiply by somewhere between 1.2 and 1.5 which I am oft criticized here for. Yes, it's true that with a top of the line PSU, Antec SG / Corsair HX, with their capacitors, probably 5% capacitor aging is fine, and perhaps loading in 6-8 USB and other extras is fine cause you just might add them. OTOH, the calculator probably adds a bit too much for each USB as it doesn't know whether you are talking a printer or maybe a Memory stick.

Taking a harder look, I came up with a safe 690 which gives a 1.23 multiplier. So where I might be, and you obviously also, might sleep better with the 1.5, I guess all I am saying I couldn't find fault with 1.23......on the condition of curse that it be an HX or SG series.