***************************************The Results!!!

Ya'll remember several annoying threads a few months back with the seemingly un-ending supply of questions about buying components to build a new computer? Well, that was me. I figured I'd better let ya'll know how everything worked out now that I've built and have been using my new PC for a few months now.
In case you don't remember or you're new to this forum, here's the links to my old, annoying threads for your viewing pleasure.

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/forum2.php?config=t...

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/forum2.php?config=t...

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/forum2.php?config=t...

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/forum2.php?config=t...


Well, I wound up buying and building with these parts:

Antec Twelve Hundred Black Steel ATX Full Tower Computer Case

Antec CP-850 850W Continuous Power ATX12V V2.3 / EPS12V V2.91 SLI Certified CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Modular Active PFC Power Supply

ASUS P6T Deluxe V2 LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel Motherboard

Intel Core i7 920 Nehalem 2.66GHz 4 x 256KB L2 Cache 8MB L3 Cache LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor

Thermalright Ultra-120 Extreme 1366 RT CPU Cooler

ARCTIC COOLING MX-2 Thermal Compound

Antec 761345-75020-2 80mm Blue LED Case Fan

Antec 761345-75020-2 80mm Blue LED Case Fan

ASUS EAH5870/G/2DIS/1GD5/A Radeon HD 5870 (Cypress XT) 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card w/ATI Eyefinity

mushkin 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Triple Channel Kit Desktop Memory

Western Digital Caviar Black WD1001FALS 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive

Western Digital Caviar Black WD1001FALS 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive

Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit for System Builders

LG Black 6X BD-R 2X BD-RE 16X DVD+R 6X BD-ROM 4MB Cache SATA
Internal Blu-ray Burner 6X Blu-ray Disc Burner & HD DVD-ROM Drive Model GGW-H20LK

LITE-ON SK-1688U/B Black 104 Normal Keys USB Wired Standard Keyboard

Western Digital My Book Essential WDH1U10000N 1TB USB 2.0 External Hard Drive

Western Digital My Book Essential WDH1U10000N 1TB USB 2.0 External Hard Drive

DisplayPort/DVI-D Dual-Link Adapter (Black)

DVI Male Digital/DVI Male Digital Dual Link 28AWG Cable - 6ft (Gold Plated/Black)

DVI Male Digital/DVI Male Digital Dual Link 28AWG Cable - 6ft (Gold Plated/Black)

DVI Male Digital/DVI Male Digital Dual Link 28AWG Cable - 6ft (Gold Plated/Black)

Wires for home stereo (Boston Aucoustic speakers and subwoofer with Philips home stereo wired into subwoofer auxilliary out to stereo aux. in. Eight speakers in all, counting subwoofer. lol)

Wire hangars

LG W2753V-PF Black 27" 2ms(GTG) HDMI Full HD 1080P Widescreen LCD Monitor 400 cd/m2 50000:1 w/ Smart Package

LG W2753V-PF Black 27" 2ms(GTG) HDMI Full HD 1080P Widescreen LCD Monitor 400 cd/m2 50000:1 w/ Smart Package

LG W2753V-PF Black 27" 2ms(GTG) HDMI Full HD 1080P Widescreen LCD Monitor 400 cd/m2 50000:1 w/ Smart Package

Computer desk: Workstation 72" x 72" x 30"Deep - OFM - 55224 (HUGE and I absolutely love it! Do wish it had drawers of some sort, though.)

Computer chair: Valerian™ Plush Fabric Chair, Black, 16686-US (Very soft, me likey.)

I'm very pleased with the build overall. I've been using it nearly every day and it has performed very well. I do, however, have one con, if you will. The active DisplayPort to DVI adapter after playing a game for an extended period of time seems to overheat and stop working until it cools down. The games that work properly with triple monitor Eyefinity gameplay I don't actually own yet, but I've downloaded some demos to fool around on. Left 4 Dead II is one that I can be playing on maximum settings for 45 minutes to an hour without a hitch and suddenly the monitor that's plugged into the adapter all at once shuts off. I can swap monitors to the adapter and they don't work either, and I can also plug a cable from a working monitor to the one that's not and it fires up fine, so it's not the monitor and the screen eventually comes back, which makes me think it's a heat-related issue with the adapter. Not once has it shut off while Internet browsing or typing such as I am now, just during intense graphic situations (games).

Speaking of heat, playing a game(s) for any length of time, especially on three monitors, the room that this setup is in gets very hot. Even with the door open going from the hallway into the room there is a very noticeable difference in temperature. lol

I have performed these two tests on my machine if they mean anything to ya'll. They don't to me, not really sure if they're good or bad. I'm a redneck, remember?

3DMark Vantage:

GPU Score: 9,139
CPU Score: 17,396

GPU Test 1: 29.77 FPS
GPU Test 2: 23.67 FPS
CPU Test 1: 2422.23 PLANS/S
CPU Test 2: 22.68 STEPS/S

Feature Test 1: 1880.42 GTEXELS/S
Feature Test 2: 7.61 GPIXELS/S
Feature Test 3: 56.13 FPS
Feature Test 4: 29.93 FPS
Feature Test 5: 53.00 FPS
Feature Test 6: 61.56 FPS

and

NovaBench 2:

Score: 652

Bandwidth speed reading is 2.20 Mbps from AuditIP server. So much for paying for 10 Mbps Internet. lol

I have roughly $4,400 invested in everything. From the PC, to monitors, to desk, to chair, to stereo system. I must say, it's quite an impressive setup. :-)

One thing I do need to spend yet MORE money on is a surge protector/battery backup. The one I have right now is a year old APC that is good up to 450 watts. A little underpowered for my new and improved setup. lol Any recommendations on what kind/size/power I should plan on getting when my money tree sprouts back?

Thanks, everyone!