Finalizing my i5 build, need input

[cschauble]

APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: Mid February

SYSTEM USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: Gaming, video and photo editing/storing, web, etc..

PARTS NOT REQUIRED: Speakers, mouse

PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: newegg.com

OVERCLOCKING: Yes SLI OR CROSSFIRE: in no sooner than 1 year, if at all.

MONITOR RESOLUTION: 1920x1080 or 1920x1200)

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: My budget is to stay as far under 2000 as possible. Looking for some changes that may lower me further than I'm at now. Only thing not willing to compromise on is the 5870. Thanks guys!

Antec Nine Hundred Two Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129058

1ST PC CORP. 12" 8-pin EPS extension cable Model CB-8M-8F - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812706004

ASUS P7P55D-E Pro LGA 1156 Intel P55 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131621

SAPPHIRE 100281SR Radeon HD 5870 (Cypress XT) 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video ... - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102856

ZALMAN ZM750-HP 750W Continuous @ 45°C (Maximum Continuous Peak: 850W) ATX12V V2.2 / EPS12V V2.91 SLI Certified CrossFire ... - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817379006

Intel Core i5-750 Lynnfield 2.66GHz LGA 1156 95W Quad-Core Processor Model BX80605I5750 - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115215

G.SKILL ECO Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Desktop Memory Model F3-10666CL7D-4GBECO - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231318

SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152185

Logitech 920-000021 Black USB Standard Access Keyboard 600 - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16823126028

ASUS VK246H Glossy Black 24" 2ms(GTG) HDMI Widescreen LCD Monitor - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236048

LG Black 8X BD-ROM 16X DVD-ROM 40X CD-ROM SATA Internal Combo LG Blu-ray Reader & 16X LightScribe DVD±R DVD Burner - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827136162

Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit 1-Pack for System Builders - OEM

ARCTIC COOLING Freezer 7 Pro Rev.2 92mm Fluid Dynamic CPU Cooler - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835186134

I'm going with a blu-ray drive as I intend on getting a burner when the prices come down. Will be great for backing up and putting hd home videos on. All suggests/critiques are appreciated. Right now I sit at $1,778.82 before taxes/rebates.

 

[Niklas_13]

PSU http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371022

HSF http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103065

Monitor less you need the speekers http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236049

MOBO/CPU combo http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.319612 That MOBO should be = to the other one

OS/GPU COMBO http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.298042

Thats about 80 savings there

 

[aford10]

First suggestion would be to drop that Zalman PSU. For your single 5870 it's overkill, and they aren't known for quality. If you aren't adding another video card down the line, here's a very good/well priced PSU.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341022&cm_re=OCZ_550-_-17-341-022-_-Product

Your monitor is nice, but if you don't mind a 22" monitor, you can drop ~$100.

Any reason for the extension cable?

 

[cschauble]

In the build's I've seen it seems with a bottom mounted PSU an extension was needed. Would hate to have all the parts and not be able to complete the build for such a small item.

I do have a question about the HDD. With a barebones drive is there a need to format it before I can install the OS? I'm a little unclear about this. Thanks for the input as I've made some of the changes.

 

[Niklas_13]

I have a bottom mounted PSU and i use the extension cable to route around the MOBO, if not you have to put the cable behind the GPU @ less on my system i did for 8 bucks i would get it .

 

[aford10]

I always recommend doing a full format when installing windows.

 

[a4mula]

Keep in mind that if you go with Win7 Premium you'll lose out on XP mode...

Niklas suggestions were great, but that gigabyte board won't support sli/crossfire as well as usb 3 and sata III at the same time. One or the other.

CM 212 is upgrade
Antec PSU is upgrade, could also go with Corsair 750tx Same price, just a personal inclination

Monitor:
HP LP2465
189.99 Newegg Recertified
Much better monitor, cheaper. Don't be afraid of the recertified. This is a PVA 24" vs a TN 24". You'll thank me later.

 

[JackNaylorPE]

The Zalman is an excellent PSU ((.5 rating on jonnyguru) but it's an odd size. Get a 650 watter if you're sure ya gonna stick with 1 GFX card, an 850 watter if you gonna get the 2nd GFX card as you said in one year.


The Antec TP's are iffy....soem are good, some are not.....the Earthwatts and TPQ series OTOH are great. IS serious overclocking tho, I'd wanna see you in a Corsair HX or better yet, Antec SG / CD series. For the $280 you are spending on the 900 / Zalman combo you could move up quite a few notches in both case and CPU with a 1200 / CP-850 and save $5. ...$14 if ya count the fact that the Antec pairing doesn't need the extension cable.....can confirm that personally.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371024 ($115)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129043 ($160)

The CP-850 makes silentpcreview's editor's choice list and garners a 10.0 performance rating on jonnyguru.com

Only the Antec SG series and some Seasonic units have been able to match that distinction.

Hard Drives - Check out the performance charts and pick whatever 500 GB per platter drive performs best under your usage patterns. The WD Black 2 TB is a good choice but at smaller capacities, you are limited to the Seagate 7200.12 or the Spinpoint F3. The 7200.12 excels in gaming, multimedia, and pictures whereas the F3 wins at music and movie maker. See the comparisons here (copy past link in manually, link won't work in forum):

(http://www.tomshardware.com/charts/2009-3.5-desktop-hard-drive-charts/compare,1006.html?prod[2371]=on&prod[2770]=on)

I'd opt to spending about $30 more and getting the Plextor 320SA OEM assuming it comes in stock at newegg soon.

As for the Heat Sink, check here:

http://www.silentpcreview.com/Recommended_Heatsinks (Artic Cooling gets a 6.5 / 10.0)
http://www.frostytech.com/top5heatsinks.cfm#INTELHEATSINK (Doesn't make top ten list)
http://benchmarkreviews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=371&Itemid=62&limit=1&limitstart=15 (For 1366 but same difference)

I'd opt for the Megahalems Rev B or the Xigmatek HDT-S1283 if budget req'ts so dictate.

 

[cschauble]

Here is an updated list of my build:

Antec Nine Hundred Two Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6811129058

1ST PC CORP. 12" 8-pin EPS extension cable Model CB-8M-8F - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6812706004

ASUS P7P55D-E Pro LGA 1156 Intel P55 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6813131621

SAPPHIRE 100281SR Radeon HD 5870 (Cypress XT) 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video ... - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6814102856

Antec CP-850 850W Continuous Power CPX SLI Certified CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Modular Active PFC "compatible with ... - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371024

Intel Core i5-750 Lynnfield 2.66GHz LGA 1156 95W Quad-Core Processor Model BX80605I5750 - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6819115215

COOLER MASTER Hyper 212 Plus Intel Core i5 & Intel Core i7 compatible RR-B10-212P-G1 120mm "heatpipe direct contact" Long ... - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103065

G.SKILL ECO Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Desktop Memory Model F3-10666CL7D-4GBECO - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6820231318

SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6822152185

Logitech 920-000021 Black USB Standard Access Keyboard 600 - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6823126028

ASUS VW246H Glossy Black 24" 2ms(GTG) HDMI Widescreen LCD Monitor - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236049

LG Black 8X BD-ROM 16X DVD-ROM 40X CD-ROM SATA Internal Combo LG Blu-ray Reader & 16X LightScribe DVD±R DVD Burner - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6827136162

Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit 1-Pack for System Builders
- OEM

I'm not sold on the HP LP2465 due to it's high response time. I tried to do some research on PVA vs TN to compare but was not very successful. I originally had the Antec 1200 as my case but was trying to reduce costs, anyone opinions on whether the 1200 is worth 50-60 bucks over the 902?

Some questions remain, is XP mode beneficial? I could not find info on formatting the new hard drive. Do I have to have someone else do this before I start my build?

Down to $1708, which I am comfortable with.