New Multiuse System ~$1100

[dyermaker001]

APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: By the end of February, ASAP BUDGET RANGE: $1000-$1200

SYSTEM USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: Gaming, CAD, movies

PARTS NOT REQUIRED: Keyboard, Mouse, Monitors, Optical Drive
PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: newegg.com COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: USA
PARTS PREFERENCES: Intel

OVERCLOCKING: No SLI OR CROSSFIRE: No

MONITOR RESOLUTION: 2 @ 1600 x 1200, 1 @ 1024x768

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: A smaller case would be great, as quiet as possible even better.

Current Parts List:

Intel Core i5-750 Lynnfield 2.66GHz 8MB L3 Cache LGA 1156 95W Quad-Core Processor - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115215
GIGABYTE GA-P55M-UD4 LGA 1156 Intel P55 Micro ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128404
G.SKILL ECO Series 8GB (4 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL7D-4GBECO - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231321
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 - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103065
Western Digital Caviar Green WD15EADS 1.5TB 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136351
CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX 750W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 Power Supply - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139006
XFX HD-585A-ZNFC Radeon HD 5850 (Cypress Pro) 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card w/ATI Eyefinity - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150442
COOLER MASTER RC-690-KKN1-GP Black SECC/ ABS ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119137
Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835100007
BYTECC AP-DPDVI-005 DisplayPort to DVI Cable Adapter 0.5ft (6") w/IC - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812270280&cm_re=display_port_to_dvi-_-12-270-280-_-Product
Microsoft Windows 7 Professional 64-bit 1-Pack for System Builders - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116758

Total: 1380.88

I varied from the suggested build, adding RAM (for 64bit CAD, it's a huge boost) and a larger hard drive. I want the Quad core for CAD as well. Autodesk Revit will use the quad core for rendering. The display-port to DVI is to run the 3rd monitor (actually a tv) I'd like to shave $200 dollars off of the price. I think the video card is prime target, as I don't do much FPS. I think the newest 3D game I currently play is Oblivion. I do I want to go with the Eyefinity to run the 3 monitors, vs. 2 cheaper cards.

Is this an ok setup? Are the ATI Win7 64bit drivers stable? I've seen a few complaints.

Thanks,
James

 

[Silvune]

Well if you're not going to crossfire, then you can change the PSU to 600W. Which would be plenty for either one 5850 or even two 5770s. (It would actually be plenty for two 5850s, but wouldn't have enough PCI-E connectors for more than one.)
The performance from that Caviar Green will not be very good. I don't think any of the other 1.5TB drives on newegg are any good and the story isn't very much different with any of the 2TB drives, and start to get very expensive when you get good performers, so maybe get a 500GB boot drive and 1TB data drive? If you decide to do this then the 500GB one would probably be the Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 as it uses a 500GB platter, and now that the Samsung Spinpoint F3 is back in stock that becomes the priority.
Also I don't believe that the Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus is the best option when you want quiet, according to a review on this website the Scythe Mugen 2 Rev.B is better in this area while still being very good at cooling.
I haven't had any problems with my ATI drivers in Win 7 64.

 

[dyermaker001]

So you're suggesting these drives?:

Boot:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148395&cm_re=Seagate_Barracuda_7200.12-_-22-148-395-_-Product
Data:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152185 (actually out of stock right now)

Switching those in, and changing the power supply down to the 650w Corsair and the Scythe Mugen cooler (also out of stock right now), and stepping down to a 5770, which I think is adequate, puts the total around $1270.

 

[Silvune]

Well the data drive doesn't have to be one of these 500GB platter drives; a Caviar Green would be fine for a data drive. I was trying to say that the Samsung Spinpoint F3 500GB is usually considered to be better than the Seagate, but until recently it was out of stock.
This combo with your case might interest you: Cooler Master CM 690 & OCZ ModXStream Pro 700W $155 with $25 & $10 rebates. Which could potentially save $60 dollars If I'm not mistaken. Otherwise I am struggling to see where you can save, unless CAD isn't that important in which case getting only 1 set of 4GB RAM would be fine, but it seems like CAD is quite important to you.

 

[saint19]

Hi newcomer and welcome to the Tom's hardware forum.

Well,

1- I would change the mobo for an ASUS P7P55D
2- I think that you don't need 8GB, with 4GB is more that enough for your rig.
3- You don't want SLI or X-Fire, so, with a 550W is enough. Someone like the Antec 550W
4- What do you think about the Antec 300 case

Those are my advices.

 

[dyermaker001]

Silvune:

Got it on the drives. Thanks.

The ram makes a big difference in Revit (CAD). I upgraded my work machine and it's a vast improvement.

That combo looks good. I've used a OCZ modular PSU before and I liked it.

saint19:

1. Can you elaborate on the mobo choice? The asus is $15 cheaper which I like. Any other advantages?
2. Actually 8gb is the recommended starting point for my Revit models (50mb files and up).
3/4. I do like that case. it's smaller than the cooler master i'm looking at. It's hard to beat the Cooler Master CM 690 & OCZ ModXStream Pro 700W combo though.

 

[saint19]

8GB are recomended when you use Adobe applications like Adobe CS3, Adobe premier at the same time with Outlook, word (10 files open or more), and another applications.

That case was in combo deal with the PSU that i recomend to you, but the combo finish today....jaja...bad news.

 

[dyermaker001]

Best answer selected by dyermaker001.