Gaming/Media PC - choosing parts

[rhft]

APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: December

SYSTEM USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: This build is mainly for gaming but I am planning to add a TV tuner and turn it to into a Media PC…so keep that in mind, surfing the internet and general use)

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Egypt (the mother land! )

PARTS PREFERENCES: i7 920 already purchased, I also have an Audogy 2 ZS sound card that I am going to connect to a Technics Hifi sound system

OVERCLOCKING: Yes defiantly!

SLI OR CROSSFIRE: Maybe in future

MONITOR RESOLUTION: 1920x1080 or better

WINDOWS: win 7 professional x64

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: Ok guys am planning on putting together a new computer in a month or so and need your help with choosing the right parts. This is not my fist build but the last time I put a computer together was back in 2003! although I do have extensive knowledge of computer parts.

The deal is I am in EGYPT so parts are hard to find …I have looked everywhere for good parts and came up with the following build but I am torn between some choices and that’s where I need help so please don’t just tell me what to go for but WHY? And please don’t go... buy this or that …just choose because my options are limited

I have converted prices into USD so if something is way too overpriced tell me … your help is much appreciated
Anyway here you go:

CASE:
Antec 1200 ($ 200)
gigabyte Sumo 5115 (3D Aurora 570) ($118)
I am in love with the Antec 1200 but should I save my money?

PSU: am still looking for Coarsair power supplies but if I can’t find any …here are my choices but I can’t really decide
Gigabyte Odin 850w ($208)
Antec TruePower Quattro 850W ($210)
Cooler Master Real Power Pro 850W ($208)
OCZ GameXStream 850W ($158)
OCZ PC Power and Cooling Silencer 750W ($158)

CPU: Intel i7 920 Bloomfield (already purchased) ($302)

CPU COOLER: again this is what’s available I was thinking the ocz with a bracket foe socket 1366
OCZ Vendetta ($280)
ASUS Silent Knight II ($85)
Cooler Master Vortex 752 ($45)

THERMAL COMPOUND: OCZ Freeze Extreme Thermal Conductivity

MOTHERBOARD: this is really difficult … I just can’t decide
Asus P6T deluxe ($320)
Gigabyte Ex58-Ud4p ($340)
Evga x58 SLI LE ($312)

RAM: no corsair so the only triple channel options are these
OCZ XMP ddr3 1600 (3x2GB) 8-8-8-24 ($200)
OCZ platinum ddr3 1600 (3x2GB) 7-7-7-24 ($192)

HDD: Western Digital black 1tb, 32MB Buffer 7200 rpm ($105)
If I want to later add another hard drive should I go black or green?

GPU: XFX ATI Raedon 5870 ($455) or 5850 ($312) should I save the money or go for a 5870
Should I go with sapphire instead?

SOUND CARD: Audogy 2 ZS from previous build
Is this sound card good enough for a media center pc and for hifi sound system or should I go with the
Creative X-Fi Xtreme Audio ($80)?

LCD: extremely difficult to decide here between these
Samsung 2333SW ($192)
Samsung P2370 ($265)
Samsung 2494HS ($212)
BenQ G2410HD ($225
BenQ E2400HD ($265)

KEYBOARD: Microsoft x6 sidewinder ($72)
Logitech g11 ($75

MOUSE:
Logitech MX 1000 ($35)
Logitech VX revolution ($70)

TV TUNER: I haven’t looked yet but Hauppauge are widely available here …should I choose an external or internal TV tuner?
Can u recommend me a good Hauppauge TV tuner?

It’s a bit long but I know you guys don’t get bored of this stuff thx anyway

 

[Silmarunya]

If you like the 1200, go for it. It's a nice and roomy case. However, a midi-tower like the 902 is more than enough, is cheaper, eats up less space and is somewhat more dust proof if I recall right. Gigabyte cases don't have a great reputation... If it must be one of the two you listed, the 1200 without doubt.

For the PSU, corsair and antec are top, with Seasonic and OCZ being nice as well. So from the ones you listed, I'd take the Antec.

Motherboards: I believe the EVGA is SLI only, so for ATI cards I wouldn't take it. The Asus and Gigabyte are equal performers.

Both memory kits look great. I'd take the one with the lowest voltage.

If you can get it, the Samsung Spinpoint F3 is even better than the Caviar and at a lower price. For a second HDD, the caviar green is silent and consumes little power, but is slow. The Caviar Black/Samsung F3 are much faster, but are noisy and consume a bit more power. If Samsungs are hard to find, a Caviar Black is your best bet.

GPU: XFX and Sapphire are just as good, but XFX offers a longer warranty I believe. Get the 5870 if you want to spend 40% more for 15% more performance. I'd buy a 5850 right now, and crossfire it with another 5850 when it no longer is up to date (when that happens, they'll be dirt cheap already). It also saves you power and noise, always nice.

Sound card: do as you please, but the difference won't be audible (not even the difference between the sound card and the onboard one on the motherboard). Unless you're buying a hugely expensive, several thousands of dollars that is, speaker set, it's worthless to buy an expensive sound card.

Samsung has a better reputation than BenQ. Look for the Samsung with the lowest response time (2ms is nice) and best specs all round (don't look at contrast, that's subjective). Considered LG already? They're also very good quality.

Both keyboards are great, but I like the Sidewinder.

Neither of these are great gaming mice (wireless is still craptastic). Get the Sidewinder x8 mouse, it allows you to switch between wireless and wired modes. Or just get a wired mouse like the Razer Deathadder.

Don't know about the TV tuner, but Hauppage is a decent brand. Get one whose price is middle of the pack, that usually gives you what you need.

 

[shortstuff_mt]

PC Power & Cooling PSU's are excellent. I would get the Silencer 750W since it's cheap and a very nice PSU.

All X58 motherboards support Crossfire, so don't worry about that. Either of those motherboards would work fine.

I would get the OCZ Platinum RAM. It has tighter timings and costs less. That's a win-win in my book.

+1 on holding off on the sound card purchase. Onboard sound is actually very good now. Modern GPU's also have included sound cards and pass audio over HDMI.

I've been very happy with Hauppauge TV tuners. I would get the HVR-2250 if it's available to you.

 

[Silmarunya]

Did you read his post? He said parts are hard to find in Egypt, so I doubt a brand like pc power and cooling, which is hard to find even in Europe, would be commonly available in Egypt. Of the ones he stated, the Antec is the best.

True on the motherboard

What he says about RAM is true, but do take voltage into account. Lower voltage significantly increases overclocking potential and lowers power consumption as well I believe.

 

[shortstuff_mt]

Did you read his post? He said parts are hard to find in Egypt, so I doubt a brand like pc power and cooling, which is hard to find even in Europe, would be commonly available in Egypt. Of the ones he stated, the Antec is the best.

The question is, did YOU read his post?

PSU: am still looking for Coarsair power supplies but if I can’t find any …here are my choices but I can’t really decide
Gigabyte Odin 850w ($208)
Antec TruePower Quattro 850W ($210)
Cooler Master Real Power Pro 850W ($208)
OCZ GameXStream 850W ($158)
OCZ PC Power and Cooling Silencer 750W ($158)

 

[rhft]

thx for the replies guys

PC Power and Cooling Silencer 750W is available as i have stated in my first post
and as shortstuff pointed out... its also the cheapest which is good

i do like this power supply but i just cant get over the fact that it has some sleeveless cables

keep the replies coming guys i need all the help i can get

 

[apocalypse333]

Hi,

I'm also in Egypt and find it extremely difficult to find high end computer parts, could you please let me know where you found most of your parts you listed, especially the antec 1200 and psu, I can't find antec anywhere here!

thanks

 

[apocalypse333]

I couldnt edit my post;

just to add, always check with www.newegg.com for price comparison to the ones here in egypt.

furthermore, had you not already purchased the core i7, I would have recommend the amd phenom x4 955, as it is cheaper, as is the associated motherboards. for the money you save, you could have added it to the video card for a much more bang for buck improvement, since this is a gaming pc.

anyway, plz let me know asap about where to find good parts, especially the antec ones, as I hope to build a new pc soon.

 

[rhft]

I couldnt edit my post;

just to add, always check with www.newegg.com for price comparison to the ones here in egypt.

furthermore, had you not already purchased the core i7, I would have recommend the amd phenom x4 955, as it is cheaper, as is the associated motherboards. for the money you save, you could have added it to the video card for a much more bang for buck improvement, since this is a gaming pc.

anyway, plz let me know asap about where to find good parts, especially the antec ones, as I hope to build a new pc soon.

the antec 1200 was in limited supply but i thing your best bet is to check Maximum hardware, their probably the best shop in Egypt. here's the link www.maximumhardware.net

the antec costs around 1100 EGP or you can wait for the HAF 932 next month although the haf 922
is available as well as the antec 900.

if you still cant find what you want then i suggest you ask here http://www.arabhardware.net

you might also want to check this thread out http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/forum2.php?config=tomshardwareus.inc&cat=28&post=268924&page=1&p=1&sondage=0&owntopic=1&trash=0&trash_post=0&print=0&numrep