$2000 Gaming rig - needs advice

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

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/Prod [...] 6811233033

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

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

This monitor is really nice
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] -_-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.

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Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 is the quietest and coolest running of what's out there....7200.11 is outdated.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/Prod [...] 6824236049

Plextor 320AS BR Reader / DVD Burner

GFX - pick budget and then pick card from these lists
http://www.tomshardware.com/review [...] ,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/review [...] 65-11.html

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

http://www.tomshardware.com/news/n [...] ,8786.html

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.