New Build in Summer 2010 - budget about 3000 bucks

[i_hate_flying]

My current build is more than three years old now and I'm looking to build something new this summer with the latest gear. My budget is about 3000$US since that's what I can deduct from my taxes for it I'll be using it for extreme performance and gaming. I have a sweet monitor that I run at 1900x1200 and I like to turn detail and AA etc up to max in games.

I don't know if I'll be recycling any parts from my current build or not, it sort of depends if I plan to keep using this as a media delivery box when I get around to buying a TV. Right now, I use this PC for everything. Anyway, let's get down to the details. I'm thinking:

CPU - Gulftown (I guess this will be Intel's top desktop CPU come the Summer?) - 1000$
Video card - Fermi (time will tell what models will be out, but I'd spring for the top one). SLI isn't really necessary, but I can do it if I have cash left over. - 600$
I have a regular PCI Soundblaster X-FI. Don't guess that the PCI express one is all that different? - ?$
Will need new RAM, thinking 8-12 Gb. - ?$
New Mobo with USB 3.0 and SATA III/6. - 300$
Have a new and unused Cooler Master 690 case with lots of strong fans all set up and ready to go. - 0$
Probably get some hard drives and the larger, the better. Also an Intel SSD for the OS. I have 4 Tb on this computer plus a WD Raptor so I can recycle some. - ?$
A Blueray burner/player will also be necessary. - 200$
My power supply on my current box is a OCZ GameXstream 800W. It's three years old and doing fine.

 

[MadAdmiral]

Come back when you're ready to buy (like that week). Or at least wait until these things are released. We can't give you a build on parts that may or may not exist by then...

 

[i_hate_flying]

I wasn't looking for specific parts, more like "well, this and this will be ready by then" so that I know what to expect. All I've heard about so far was stuff about Fermi and Gulftown.

 

[MadAdmiral]

Except that we have no idea when things are going to be ready. Fermi was supposed to be ready last year, and we're still waiting. The 6 core CPUs are said to be out within the first half of the year, but a date hasn't been stated.

We could easily put together a build of what's available now, but we can't see the future. For all we know, when Fermi and Gulftown are released, those parts alone could be around $2,000 (probably more like $1,800). It makes absolutely no sense to guess about what might be available and what price it might be at.

Frankly, with your budget, you could easily go out and choose the most expensive part and be just fine.

BTW, a CM 690 will likely NOT fit the high end Fermi. It won't fit the HD 5970 now, so there is no reason to think it would fit whatever nVidia puts out to compete. Also, that Raptor shouldn't make it to the next build. The 500 GB standard 7200 RPM drives are actually faster now days, and a SSD is faster by an order of magnitude over both.

 

[antisyzygy]

Except that we have no idea when things are going to be ready. Fermi was supposed to be ready last year, and we're still waiting. The 6 core CPUs are said to be out within the first half of the year, but a date hasn't been stated.

We could easily put together a build of what's available now, but we can't see the future. For all we know, when Fermi and Gulftown are released, those parts alone could be around $2,000 (probably more like $1,800). It makes absolutely no sense to guess about what might be available and what price it might be at.

Frankly, with your budget, you could easily go out and choose the most expensive part and be just fine.

BTW, a CM 690 will likely NOT fit the high end Fermi. It won't fit the HD 5970 now, so there is no reason to think it would fit whatever nVidia puts out to compete. Also, that Raptor shouldn't make it to the next build. The 500 GB standard 7200 RPM drives are actually faster now days, and a SSD is faster by an order of magnitude over both.

This guy knows his stuff. He helped me on my last build.

 

[i_hate_flying]

Hmmm, the HD 5970 and the new NVIDIA cards are longer than the 8800GTX?

 

[MadAdmiral]

By a lot. The 5970 is around 13.5 inches long. It will not fit in most cases, especially if they are an older design. The cheapest case I would recommend putting it in is the HAF 922.

 

[i_hate_flying]

I've read it was 30.9 cm long. Then I'd just have to remove a drive cage and it will fit. Otherwise, I'm not going with a full tower case in order to fit a video card. We'll see what nvidia releases and how long they are. Hopefully not longer than that.

 

[coldsleep]

Checking specs at newegg.com, the ones that have lengths listed are between 11.5 and 12 inches, or about 30.5 cm. That's still longer than most other cards.

 

[MadAdmiral]

I got the 13.5 inches from googling it...

Regardless, about the longest card that will fit in the CM 690 is the 5870.

I would expect Fermi to be about the same size, possibly bigger, as nVidia has teamed up with Thermaltake to make special cases for it.

 

[i_hate_flying]

GeForce GTX 480 specs have been leaked and the card will (fortunately) be 267mm long, or about 10.5 inches. We'll find out for sure in another week, but I'm quite sure it won't be as long as those other cards you've mentioned.

 

[antisyzygy]

You could get a cheaper nvidia card too for physx.