First Time Computer Builder: Compatibility OK?

[Baad007]

Hey everyone. Looking to build my first computer with a budget of around $1500 before rebates for a computer used primarily for gaming with a little bit of future proofing. Will be getting the money to buy around the end of the month. Already have Mouse/Keyboard/Windows 7.

Been using Newegg and Amazon to price parts (I am an Amazon Prime member so parts that I can find that are sold and shipped from Amazon for relatively the same price I would buy from to use the free 2 day shipping). Wouldn't be opposed to using other sites if suggested for better pricing/deals.

Not knowledgeable about overclocking or SLI, so that isn't my primary concern, but may do so in the future.

Basically posting so that others more knowledgeable than I can check to see if I am missing something or to inform me of better alternatives. Thanks in advance.

Parts:
Intel Core i7-920 Bloomfield 2.66GHz 4 x 256KB L2 Cache 8MB L3 Cache LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115202
http://www.amazon.com/Intel-Processor-2-66GHz-LGA1366-BX80601920/dp/B001H5T7LK/ref=wl_it_dp_o?ie=UTF8&coliid=I1UFX8UKZX042C&colid=1NNJLNZ47TFMZ

EVGA 141-BL-E757-TR LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX X58 SLI LE Intel Motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813188049
http://www.amazon.com/EVGA-141-BL-E757-TR-X58-SLI-Mainboard/dp/B002C97096/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1263755497&sr=8-1

OCZ Gold 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Low Voltage Desktop Memory
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227365
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B001IT4BWA/ref=ord_cart_shr?_encoding=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&v=glance

EVGA 01G-P3-1236-LR GeForce GT 240 1GB 128-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready Video Card
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130529
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B002WRIBO6/ref=ord_cart_shr?_encoding=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&v=glance

Western Digital Caviar Green WD15EADS 1.5TB 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136351
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0021L9HE6/ref=ord_cart_shr?_encoding=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&v=glance

Corsair CMPSU-750TX 750-Watt TX Series 80 Plus Certified Power Supply
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139006
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000X2677A/ref=ord_cart_shr?_encoding=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&v=glance

COOLER MASTER HAF 932 Blue RC-932-KKN3-GP Black Steel ATX Full Tower Computer Case
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119213

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

LG Black 22X DVD Burner - Bulk LightScribe Support
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827136168

COOLER MASTER Hyper 212 Plus Intel Core i5 & Intel Core i7 compatible RR-B10-212P-G1 120mm "heatpipe direct contact" Long life sleeve CPU Cooler
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103065
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B002G1YPH0/ref=ord_cart_shr?_encoding=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&v=glance

SAMSUNG ToC T240HD Rose-Black 24" 5ms HDMI Widescreen HDTV Monitor
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824001280

 

[MagicPants]

I'm sure opinions will vary but:

1) EVGA is new to making motherboards, I've heard of a few issues with their boards though I can't remember what they all are off the top of my head (one is they don't work well with enermax PSU's). I'd go with Asus or Gigabyte.

2) A few of my friends have gotten bad ram from OCZ, they replace it for free but it's still a pain. I prefer Mushkin, I've never heard of a bad stick from them.

3) Samsung monitors tend to have a little input lag (check to see if it has a gaming mode). They look nice though.

 

[Niklas_13]

EVGA 01G-P3-1236-LR GeForce GT 240 1GB 128-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready Video Card
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6814130529
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ [...] R&v=glance

My friend this GPU you picked with that monitor you picked for gaming is a no for that rez i would go with a HD 5850 or 5870

Any reason you are going with a s1366 for just gaming ? in 95% of games your GPU is going to make or brake your FPS ( So why be cheep whare it counts the most ? )

A i5 750 will be on par with a i7 920 in games. If you are going to xfire i would still go with a s1156 less your looking to tri use 3 GPU down the road

also a no on thos HDD get a samsung F3 1T or WD black 2T

 

[geofelt]

GT240 is inappropriately weak for a i7-920 build. Either get a stronger card, like a 5850 or back off the cpu to a i5-750.

DVD burners also do CD's. Do you really need two?

750w corsair is stronger than you need for that vga card.

I would add a oem cpu cooler. Your machine will run cooler and quieter.

---good luck---

 

[ubernoobie]

+1 to get a i5 and get a 5850, it will be loads better than i7 and gt240.
Samsung monitors tend to be pricy but it's worth it, my 23 inch samsung 2343BWX
has amazing colours and gaming doesn't ghost, only monitors with more than 8ms tend to ghost, 5ms is good unless your a extreme quake player that plays for money.
Edit: True samsung monitors are really amazing,They would be expensive but a cheap one is 2343BWX, The res is a bit odd, 2048 x 1152 but it's still 16:9

 

[Niklas_13]

This is a single GPU setup and can be OCed if you like to dapple in that. This would be a very fast system for gaming @ 1920X1080



Sony Optiarc 24X DVD/CD Rewritable Drive Black SATA Model AD-7240S-0B - OEM
Item #: N82E16827118030
Return Policy: Limited Replacement Only Return Policy
$25.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827118030

COOLER MASTER HAF 932 Blue RC-932-KKN3-GP Black Steel ATX Full Tower Computer Case - Retail
Item #: N82E16811119213
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
-$20.00 Instant
$169.99
$149.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119213

SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
Item #: N82E16822152185
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
$89.99


ASUS VK246H Glossy Black 24" 2ms(GTG) HDMI Widescreen LCD Monitor - Retail
Item #: N82E16824236048
Return Policy: Monitor Replacement Only Return Policy
-$40.00 Instant
$259.99
$219.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152185

SAPPHIRE 100281SR Radeon HD 5870 (Cypress XT) 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video ... - Retail
Item #: N82E16814102856
Return Policy: VGA Replacement Only Return Policy
Protect Your Investment (expand for options)
Service Net Replacement Extended Warranty Plan
The product will be replaced and shipped directly to you at no charge(more info)
• 1 year: $35.99
• 2 year: $59.99
-$10.00 Instant
$409.99
$399.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102856

CORSAIR CMPSU-650TX 650W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 ... - Retail
Item #: N82E16817139005
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
-$20.00 Instant
$20.00 Mail-in Rebate Card
$119.99
$99.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139005

Tuniq TX-2 Cooling Thermal Compound - Retail
Item #: N82E16835154003
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
-$2.00 Instant
$6.99
$4.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835154003

G.SKILL ECO Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL7D-4GBECO - Retail
Item #: N82E16820231321
Return Policy: Memory Standard Return Policy
$119.99


COOLER MASTER Hyper 212 Plus Intel Core i5 & Intel Core i7 compatible RR-B10-212P-G1 120mm "heatpipe direct contact" Long ... - Retail
Item #: N82E16835103065
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
$29.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231321


• Intel Core i5-750 Lynnfield 2.66GHz LGA 1156 95W Quad-Core Processor Model BX80605I5750 - Retail
Item #: N82E16819115215
Return Policy: CPU Replacement Only Return Policy
• GIGABYTE GA-P55A-UD3 LGA 1156 Intel P55 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
Item #: N82E16813128412
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
-$5.00 Instant
-$15.00 Combo
$339.98
$319.98 http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.319613
Subtotal: $1,460.89

You could save 100 bucks and get a HD 5850 but if you play crysis you might want the 20% more performance the the HD 5870 brings

Didnt see you want a blu-ray drop down to the HD 5850 and add in the blu-ray your still at your budget

 

[Baad007]

Wow. Thanks guys. I keep getting new replies before I can respond to the ones I had seen before. Based on the response toward going to i5, I might just go for the list posted by Niklas. Any differing in opinions regarding that list?

My responses to others included:
Magic Pants:
1. Would http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131365 been better?
2.Would http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145258 been better?
3. No mention of a gaming mode.
Geofelt:
1&3. My main concern was buying the essentials first then picking up a new card as I got money later on in the year.
2. As far as the Burners are concerned, one was a BlueRay.
4. Does "COOLER MASTER Hyper 212 Plus Intel Core i5 & Intel Core i7 compatible RR-B10-212P-G1 120mm "heatpipe direct contact" Long life sleeve CPU Cooler" not count as a cpu cooler? If not, which one would you recommend?

 

[Niklas_13]

Baad007

If you like to stick with a X58 MOBO and S1366 i7 920

I would change out the

1 MOBO to http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131614

2 HDD to http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152185

3 GPU http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150442 or http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150443 < would give a 20% performance increase for 100 bucks

Also if you are not going to add a 2nd GPU down the road you could drop to a 650W PSU ( just don't skimp on quality )

 

[geofelt]

Wow. Thanks guys. I keep getting new replies before I can respond to the ones I had seen before. Based on the response toward going to i5, I might just go for the list posted by Niklas. Any differing in opinions regarding that list?

My responses to others included:
Magic Pants:
1. Would http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131365 been better?
2.Would http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145258 been better?
3. No mention of a gaming mode.
Geofelt:
1&3. My main concern was buying the essentials first then picking up a new card as I got money later on in the year.
2. As far as the Burners are concerned, one was a BlueRay.
4. Does "COOLER MASTER Hyper 212 Plus Intel Core i5 & Intel Core i7 compatible RR-B10-212P-G1 120mm "heatpipe direct contact" Long life sleeve CPU Cooler" not count as a cpu cooler? If not, which one would you recommend?

1&3 ok strategy, but it will cost less if you save somewhere and get a vga card that you don't have to dispose of later. And, I don't like sli if there is a single card available that will do the job. For instance, how about an Antec 300 "illusion" model for $59.95 shipped?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129066
2. Blu-ray counts; I missed that.
4. Hyper212 also counts. I must be getting tired. It looks like a good value to me. Any of the tower types with a slow turning 120mm fan is good.

For what it's worth, I have been happy with Samsung monitors. I think they make the panels for many other vendors, and I think they keep the best samples for themselves. I tried an Asus LCD once, nice monitor, but it was defective.

The WD caviar green has a variable rotation speed which is good for power savings, but not good for consistent high performance, If that is a concern to you, look at the caviar black models.