Seeking Input on Photo-Editing Build

[Orpheus61]

Tech Level: Low to Moderate
Budget: $1800
Existing Parts: keyboard, mouse, LaCie 321 LCD, Klipsch ProMedia 5.1 speakers
Purchase Date: Very Soon

Planned Use: Heavy photo-editing using Photoshop CS4 and later as released, Lightroom, Bridge, i-Tunes, internet, word processing. No gaming and do not anticipate any video editing. Might moderately overclock. System must last 5 plus years.

Planned Build

1. CPU: Intel i7 860, 2.8MHz

2. Motherboard: Asus P6X58D Premium

3. CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-U12P

4. PSU: Corsair CMPSU-650TX

5.Memory: Kingston 12GB (6 x 2GB) HyperX PC3-12800 DDR3 1600MHz CL9 1.65V

6. Video Card: EVGA GeForce 250, GTS 1GB

7. First HD: Crucial SSD, 64GB M225 250/150 MB/s, SATA 3GB/s

8. Second and Third Hard Drives, In Raid 0 with100GB fast partitions for Photoshop scratch and virtual memory: 2 x Seagate 750GB Barracuda 7200.12 SATA 3GB/s, 32MB cache

9. DVD Burner: Plexor PX-880SA 24x Dual Layer Burner with Lightscribe

10. OS: Windows 7 Professional 64 bit

11. Case: Lian Li Lancool PC-K7B

Thank you.

 

[Orpheus61]

Quick correction on CPU: Intel i7 920 2.66MHz

 

[JackNaylorPE]

I'd want some quicker memory......CAS 9 a bit slow.

HS is a bit much for "moderate" overcloaking

.... as is 1600 MHz RAM

133 BCLK x 8 = 1066 RAM
133 BCLK x 20 = 2.66 GHZ CPU Speed

166 BCLK x 8 = 1333 RAM
166 BCLK x 20 = 3.33 GHZ CPU Speed (25% OC)

200 BCLK x 8 = 1600 RAM
200 BCLK x 20 = 4.00 GHZ CPU Speed (50% OC)

So if you only gonna go to 3.33 Ghz or less, no reason to get 1600 RAM

At DDR3-1600:

CAS 6 $500 for 12 GB http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820226050
CAS 7 $356 for 12 GB http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820226104
CAS 8 $280 for 12 GB http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227365
CAS 9 $340 for 12 GB http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145222 (bad choice)

At DDR3-133:

CAS 7 $320 for 12 GB http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820226116
CAS 8 $340 for 12 GB http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820226102 (bad choice)
CAS 9 $310 for 12 GBhttp://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820226093 (bad choice)

The bad choices are labeled as such because faster memory is available for cheaper or within a few bucks. AT CAS 7 DDR1333 is cheaper .... at 8, DDR1600 is.....at 9, well why buy 9 DDR133 when DDR1600 CAS 9 is cheaper.


Everything else is a fine choice. Possible alternatives.....

Consider this if sound is an issue
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129061

This PSU is $15 cheaper and of equal quality
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371015
http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php?name=NDReviews&op=Story4&reid=110

Vertex2 SSD drops in about 1 -2 weeks and is new 'king of the hill"

 

[Orpheus61]

Thanks for your comments, Jack. They were very helpful. Think I will go with Crucial Ballistix 1600MHz, CAS 8 for stability at stock settings and ability to overclock. Tom's Hardware did a nice Ram review about a year ago, and the Crucial entry performed well. See http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/triple-channel-ddr3-i7,2128.html

Thx again.