$2000 Gaming rig - needs advice

[kalashnikovvodka]

APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: next week (or sooner)
BUDGET RANGE: 1500-2000 before rebates

SYSTEM USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: mostly gaming

PARTS NOT REQUIRED: speakers, mouse, keyboard ... possible monitor (see below)

PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: I'd like to stick with newegg.com and i currently live in the US

PARTS PREFERENCES: I'd like to stick to intel + nvidia but im open for suggestions. Also I would like to stay away from a full tower (too clunky) if possible... unless it would get too hot.

OVERCLOCKING: No/Maybe
SLI OR CROSSFIRE: Yes/Maybe

MONITOR RESOLUTION: 1600x1200 or 1920 x 1080 (depending on if i get a new monitor or not)

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: Im giving my current computer to a buddy of mine so I am looking to build a new gaming rig for myself. At the moment I still have a large CRT monitor that I could use, but if i am still under the 2k cap I could always go for a new monitor

Also I said no/maybe to overclocking because I have never done it before so I would be nervous messing around with it, but like I said, it is possible

Thankyou for your help

edit:
I would like the build to include an i7 and triple channel memory if it is within my price range

 

[daggs]

well, you can definatly get a good i7 920 with that budget, but I would recommend getting a ati5xxx gpu because currently, they are the best value, check old posts, I'm sure you can find a excellent builds there

 

[kalashnikovvodka]

Thanks for that advice.

I would like to put this into a mid tower but my concern would be how hot the inside would get. Is this going to be a problem? should i not use the stock heatsink?


edit:
for instance I would like to use this case

GIGABYTE GZ-X2BPD-500 Black 0.6mm SECC Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811233033

but I am affraid of things not fitting in and the case retaining too much heat

 

[mizzl]

Core i7 920
Asus P6T Deluxe
ATI HD5850/HD5870
The rest is pretty much arbitrary

 

[kalashnikovvodka]

what would you recommend for ram? Also, like I asked before would throwing all this in a mid tower be a bad choice?

 

[kalashnikovvodka]

Well this is what I have come up with

GIGABYTE GZ-X2BPD-500 Black 0.6mm SECC Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811233033

OCZ Vertex Series OCZSSD2-1VTX60G 2.5" 60GB SATA II MLC Internal Solid state disk (SSD) - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227394

Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 ST31500341AS 1.5TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148337

ASUS P6T Deluxe V2 LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131365

Kingston HyperX 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 2000 (PC3 16000) Desktop Memory Model KHX2000C9D3T1FK3/6GX - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820104126

Intel Core i7-920 Bloomfield 2.66GHz LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor Model BX80601920 - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115202

COOLER MASTER Intel Core i7 compatible V8 RR-UV8-XBU1-GP 120mm Rifle CPU Cooler - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103055

Microsoft Windows 7 Professional 64-bit 1-Pack for System Builders - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116758

this comes to a total of 1400


for now i have a 9800 gx2 that ill be using untill newegg gets some 5870s in stock.

but that leaves me with an option on a monitor, any suggestions for a monitor or any changes to what I have picked?

LG W2453V-PF Black 24" 2ms(GTG) HDMI Full HD 1080P Widescreen LCD Monitor - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824005126
is the monitor I have my eye on.

Any thoughts or suggestions are greatly appreciated!

 

[sonic-boom]

This monitor is really nice
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236049&cm_re=asus_24%22-_-24-236-049-_-Product
All of you stuff should fit in that case, possibly not a 5870, but do not put it in that piece of junk it will not cool well all of you components will be hot and you wont have much overclocking headroom, let alone the cabling hassle.

 

[kalashnikovvodka]

This monitor is really nice
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236049&cm_re=asus_24%22-_-24-236-049-_-Product
All of you stuff should fit in that case, possibly not a 5870, but do not put it in that piece of junk it will not cool well all of you components will be hot and you wont have much overclocking headroom, let alone the cabling hassle.

What would you recommend for a case? I was trying to stay away from a full tower. Is it possible and still be functional? I have a full tower I can use, but like I said they are so big!

 

[JackNaylorPE]

Antec 902 / HAF 922

Intel G2 SSD

Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 is the quietest and coolest running of what's out there....7200.11 is outdated. F3 w/ 500 GB platters has bit of performance edge

Muskin 998692 has Ascent coolers, is cheaper and faster than Kingston (CAS 6 vs CAS 9) ...also that kingston cooler will hit CPU HS

MoBo rocks

Consider prolimatech megahalems W/ IC Diamond 7 karat thermal compound

Monitor (TN) - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236049

Plextor 320AS BR Reader / DVD Burner

GFX - pick budget and then pick card from these lists
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/best-graphics-card,2464.html

Consider saving the 9800 for a dedicated PhysX card if ya think this stuff adds to the gaming experience. See link below

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/batman-arkham-asylum,2465-11.html

If you go w/ ATI main card(s), still can do.

http://www.tomshardware.com/news/nvidia-ATI-physx-patch-gpu,8786.html

 

[kalashnikovvodka]

Any other ideas? I would like to order it on monday. If anyone thinks they can come up with a better part list please post it! I am open to all suggestions. Remember I have a 650 watt PSU that I can use and that I would like to keep it to a mid tower using an i7.

Please help!!

edit:
it looks like the g2 doesnt support TRIM yet should I still go for it eventhough the ocz i chose does have a firmware update out that does support TRIM?

shouldn't I just wait till a 5870 comes in stock and just use my 9800 gx2 for now? Once I do get one I plan on using my nvidia card as an oversized Physx card.

The ram you listed is PC3 12800 where the ram I was looking at is PC3 16000. Wouldnt that make up for the higher CAS?

I like the monitor that jackNaylorPE and sonic-boom both listed and have chose that over the other one that I looked at,

still not sure on the case

Anythoughts on the heatsink I chose?

 

[2150_bye]

read comparison on the i860 vs 920 and going from 3 channel to 2 isn't as bad as it sounds and mb using the p55 (instead of the x58) are alot cheaper even the best ones. It gives you more money for those needed extras that we all like. Unless you stripe ssd their write are kinda slow, you could 0,1 or 1,0 mutiple black wd for same money and see better responses.

 

[obsidian86]

haf 922 deal http://www.amazon.com/Cooler-Master-RC-922M-KKN1-GP-Tower-Black/dp/B0026FCI2U%3FSubscriptionId%3D01CTTZ2EMJ1DMFJYZ302%26tag%3Dlogicbuy-20%26linkCode%3Dsp1%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3DB0026FCI2U