$2000 (max) Gaming and work computer

[cbabe001]

(Edited to update configuration based on suggestions)

This is my first post here. Let me start by saying thanks to everyone who has contributed to this site. I have been stalking the forums and reading the articles trying to learn everything I could. I would say that I have learned quite a bit from this site but I am still don't know jack.

This will be my first computer build I wanted to build my last PC but ended up buying a Dell and adding some components to it. Time to do it right this time

APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: This week (if Newegg would stop telling me I have the wrong billing information…)
BUDGET RANGE: $2,000. Won’t hurt my feelings to spend less if no quality is sacrificed.

SYSTEM USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: Gaming, Video editing (mostly converting dvds), CAD (NX6).

PARTS NOT REQUIRED: Keyboard, speakers, monitor, mouse, DVD/CD drive, wireless internet adapter, cable card.

PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: Newegg, Amazon, wherever the deals are
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: United States

PARTS PREFERENCES:
Cpu
$289.99
Core i7-920 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115202

Mother Board
$309.99
Asus P6X58D http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131614

Case
$179.99
COOLER MASTER HAF 932 RC-932-KKN1-GP http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119213
I really like this case. No twelve hundred for me.

Ram
$197.99
Mushkin Enhanced Blackline 6GB http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820226104

I am not to certain about my hard drives. I cant decide between an SSD and a data drive and one VelociRaptor.
Boot Drive
$145.99
Kingston SSDNow V Series http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820139132

Data storage and games
$99.99
Western Digital Caviar Black WD1001FALS http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136284

OR
Just this with no separate boot drive:
Western Digital VelociRaptor WD3000HLFS 300GB http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136322

I like the idea of being able to start my computer quickly. I tend to cut my computer off a lot and if I forgot to do something it irritates me to wait while it gets going.

PSU
[strike]$149.99
CORSAIR CMPSU-750HX 750W http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139010
I like the modular PSUs I dont want to see a bunch of loose wires in my case.[/strike]

139.99
CORSAIR CMPSU-850TX 850W
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139009

GPU
$399.99
HD 5870
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150476
Will get a second one at some point.

Cooler
$65.00
Tuniq Tower 120 Extreme

EDIT: I forgot to say I will be running Windows 7 Professional 64 bit

$1828 w/SSD and WD drive
$1782 w/VelociRaptor

OVERCLOCKING: Yes. Air cooled for now, I may try my hand at liquid cooling next time I feel the urge to tinker.
[strike]SLI OR [/strike]CROSSFIRE: Eventually.

MONITOR RESOLUTION: 1920 x 1080. 24” Dell

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: I think the Eyefinity concept is very cool so I might like to do that some time in the future but I would like to see it develop a bit more before I spend money to go down that road.

I know the processor and MB are more than I really need to primarily play games and use Unigraphics but I don't want to be limited in any way should I acquire some new interest. I intend to keep this computer for quite a while and if I am going to spend the money I may as well get the best computer I can.

Please let me know what you think or if there is something I can do a bit better.

 

[babachoo]

Looks good, but I would recommend saving some cash and getting a HAF 922 ($99 at Amazon last I checked, with free shipping). Samsung Spinpoint F3 1TB (32MB cache) for around $89, and a CM Hyper 212+ cooler for $29, it'll cool just as well. You can also get a 6GB kit of OCZ gold low voltage 12800 for around $150, so overall those things could save you a good chunk of change without sacrificing any peformance at all, and it'd actually improve your performance in some respects (that HDD is amazing).

Also, FWIW, if you're going to Crossfire, get the Corsair 850TX instead of the 750, just to be safe. And don't worry about modular.

 

[builderbobftw]

Consider getting a 5970 intead of the 5870. It's about 250$ more, but you could save the 250$ by not getting an ssd and getting his^ HDD instead. Also, the PSU you have is nice, but way overpriced. Here's an OCZ one, at 65$, save amlost 100$.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341018&cm_re=OCZ_700W-_-17-341-018-_-Product

GPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102863&cm_re=radeon_5970-_-14-102-863-_-Product

 

[babachoo]

I'm gonna have to disagree a bit. I nearly got a 5970, but decided that I'd rather get a 5870 for the following reasons, feel free to disagree because it was just my best guess at a possible scenario. With a 5870, you can pretty much max out everything and get 60FPS+ except for Crysis, but that game is more a benchmark and less a game IMO. In a year or two, when a game comes out that cannot be maxed with a single 5870, you can add a second, and it'll be MUCH cheaper than the first.

BUT! What if in 6 months, some new revolutionary gfx card hits the market that is 4X more powerful than the 5970 and 8X the 5870? Yeah, it'll probably cost $750, but if I wait it out and not buy the 5970 (and enjoy maxed out games anyway), then in 6 months I can spend what I would have spent on the 5970, but get a card that is 4X better than the 5970, and 8X better than what I have now. I'm theoretically exaggerating a bit, but you never really know what's possible today.

So I would personally just get a 5870 unless you absolutely have to play crisis at 60FPS instead of 50FPS (not actual benchmark numbers, just rough examples of the difference).

Also, I stand firm behind the 850W minimum for future SLI/XF . That badass card I mentioned above that may be out in 6 months, may also require an ungodly amount of power, and you don't want to have to upgrade your PSU every time you upgrade your gfx card. Even if you just end up getting another 5870, you want plenty of power because you have to factor degradation into PSU wattage requirements and output. An 850 may actually put out 800W, and in 2-3 years may put out 650W. Also another reason to go with the Corsair is because it has 70 Amps on the 12V rail, which is extremely handy for OC stability and takes the confusion out of power management that you get with multiple 12V rail PSU's, so keep that in mind.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139009&Tpk=850tx

 

[builderbobftw]

Well, if you're concenered about buying overpowered cards, get the 5850 instead. All the same points you listed out still apply, and you save 100$. And it wasn't me that said get a small PSU. I'm a big fan of PSU overkill, so you can use ur current PSU in ur next system, save some cash. The thing is, 700W is enough for a 5870 xfire, and possibly even a 5870 trifire if you want to live on the edge. But whatever, if you buy a 850W, you can use it in a future build.

 

[babachoo]

Well, if you're concenered about buying overpowered cards, get the 5850 instead. All the same points you listed out still apply, and you save 100$.

I'm not the OP, I'm not the one getting a card, and I'm not concerned with the 5870 being overpowered, just the 5970.

And it wasn't me that said get a small PSU. I'm a big fan of PSU overkill, so you can use ur current PSU in ur next system, save some cash. The thing is, 700W is enough for a 5870 xfire, and possibly even a 5870 trifire if you want to live on the edge. But whatever, if you buy a 850W, you can use it in a future build.

Actually it was you that recommended the 700W PSU made by OCZ. Reread your own post. He originally selected a 750W, I recommended a 850W, then you recommended a 700W. So of the three of us, your choice for PSU was the least powerful.

 

[builderbobftw]

Oh, well he said 700W in the OP. But in oirder to top everyone, im going to recomend this:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.336293

 

[cbabe001]

Thanks for the input. I changed the original 750 watt psu to the 850 watt psu.

With a 5870, you can pretty much max out everything and get 60FPS+ except for Crysis, but that game is more a benchmark and less a game IMO. In a year or two, when a game comes out that cannot be maxed with a single 5870, you can add a second, and it'll be MUCH cheaper than the first.

That was my logic as well. I believe the 5870 will work well for me at this point. When I need something else I can get a second one and probably pay less than I did for the first one.

I looked at some of the articles here at Tom's Hardware

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/2tb-hdd-7200,2430.html

and

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/2tb-hdd-7200,2430.html

I was comparing the Spinpoint to the WD and I kept noticing the VelociRaptor was beating everything in most test so I think I will just get the VelociRaptor and ditch the SSD drive. While the computer wont boot as fast it will still be faster than my current set up. I can add the SSD later. Prices will probably keep coming down and I don't think that I really need the SSD.

Edit: Spelling

 

[nadinno78]

If you have a microcenter nearby, you can get an I7-920 for $200. I just finished an i7 w/ 6gb ram and a (single) 5870 for $1400 (no monitor) so you should be good budget wise.

Also Rosewill makes a 1000W for $130. It has decent reviews on newegg.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817182188

I second the comment on the haf 922. Nice case. I got it. Plenty of room for the 5870.

 

[JackNaylorPE]

Solid, well researched build.

Though you may want to look at the new cases and PSU's from Coolermaster, Antec, Thermaltake that were shown at CES and are expected to drop in early March.

That Corsair 850TX PSU gets a very good 9.5 performance rating from jonnyguru (HX gets a 10), and it's available at a great price, solid choice indeed.

http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php?name=NDReviews&op=Story4&reid=126

For comparison purposes , performance ratings at jonnyguru.com / prices as per newegg on 02/21/2010 and ones w/ double asteris (**) on silentpcreview.com's Editor's Choice List:

Antec SG-850 - 10.0 ($220) **
Antec CP-850 - 10.0 ($110) **
XFX 850W Black Edition 10.0 ($185)
Corsair HX850 850W - 10.0 ($180)

Antec TruePower Quattro (TPQ-850) - 9.5 ($150)
Corsair TX850 - 9.5 ($140)
Seasonic M12D 850W - 9.5 (NLA) **
NorthQ Giant Connector 850W - 9.5 (NFS)
Etasis ET850 - 9.5 (NLA)
Silverstone Zeus ST85ZF - 9.5 (NLA)

Enermax Revolution 85+ 850W - 9.0 ($250)

Thrmaltake Toughpower XT 850W - 8.5 ($216)
OCZ Z Series 850W - 8.5 ($200)

NorthQ Black Magic Flex 850W - 8.0 (NFS)
Coolmax CTG-850 - 8.0 (NFS)

SilverStone Decathlon DA850 - 7.5 ($230)
Enermax Galaxy DXX 850W EGX850EWL - 7.5 (NFS)

NFS - Not For Sale / NLA = No Longer Available

SilverStone Strider ST85F - 7.0

Silverstone Element ST85EF 850W - 6.0

 

[babachoo]

http://www.harddrivebenchmark.net/common_drives.html

FYI: The Samsung 1TB F3 Spinpoint (103SJ) beats the Velociraptor (3000HLS)

PLUS it's $100 cheaper, and has 700GB more capacity.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152185&Tpk=spinpoint%20f3

If Newegg doesn't have some back in stock soon, you could always get one from ZZF.

http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=10011440&prodlist=celebros

 

[cbabe001]

Thanks for all the info people!
The $100 less is very tempting but I still have one more thing to clarify.
For gaming isn't access time and I/O performance what matters?

If so I think the Velociraptor is the better drive for me:
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/HDD-6Gbit,2528-6.html
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/2tb-hdd-7200,2430-8.html
Take a look at these charts here on Tom's Hardware

If sequential transfer rates are what matter then Spinpoint is the way to go. AND I get to save some money
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/2tb-hdd-7200,2430-7.html
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/HDD-6Gbit,2528-7.html

It seems it is all about what I need to optimize.

 

[babachoo]

More opinions on Raptor vs. Spinpoint F3 here

http://episteme.arstechnica.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/24609792/m/605005572041

 

[cbabe001]

You, sir, just saved me one-hundred American dollars. Someone give this man a high five and a cold beer! I will take that money and buy two new video games for my new computer.

 

[babachoo]

Heheh, glad I could help. :cheers:

 

[cbabe001]

Best answer selected by cbabe001.