Need Advice from the Experts (you guys) =D

[lawrencendlw]

I have been researching parts for my new gaming rig ever since i got the quote for how much i was getting back from uncle sam for my refund. I have pretty much narrowed down all the parts im getting except for the graphics card/cards i need to keep my budget somewhere around the $1800-$2000 area so that my wife wont cut me balls off and feed them to the neighborhood dog. So here is the list of parts im already pretty much set on getting then maybe you guys can give me a plethora of info on which graphics card or cards to get to compliment my new system.

Case
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811103019

Motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131614

Processor
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115202

RAM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145271

Operating System
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116754

CPU Cooler
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835181010

Gaming Network Card
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833189001

Replacement fans to set up the Corsair H50 in a Push/Pull Configuration
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835226013

Thermal Compound
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835100007

Thermal Surface Preparation
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835100010

Sorry for all the extra crap in there but i wanted to be as descriptive as possible so that you guys can make informed decisions as to whats the best graphics card or cards that would make my computer super mega ultra awesome =D

 

[paperfox]

I don't think it is necessary for you to buy a network card as your motherboard has dual 10/100/1000 LAN ports. 6Gbs of ram will be enough unless you are doing some 3D rendering or video editing and such.

What screen resolution is your screen? A 5850 or 5870 would be good if you have a 1080 screen.

edit: also did not notice a PSU in that list. maybe go with a good 750 for future crossfire?

 

[TheGreatGrapeApe]

Well the dedicated network card is for improved performance, it's questionable the impact for a non-pro and for modern rigs, but the reasoning is sound.

I agree with the HD5870, if you're willing to pay for the network card to get that extra advantage, then you want the fastest single card regardless of resolution to avoid low minimum fps as well as reduce input lag.

 

[lawrencendlw]

Sorry i forgot to list both my power supply and my hard drive because i already have them. i just bought my PS and im using my old HDD. heres the info for both of them:

Power supply
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817814017

Hard drive
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...eagate_Barracuda_500gb-_-22-148-395-_-Product

the reason for the single hard drive is because i want to get the best parts that i can now and i can get a four SSD's later down the road when the price drops a little more and set them up in raid 10 as striped and mirrored. but i dont want to go for that now seeing that im at a $1800-$2000 price range and that im at $1514.79 now without a Graphics card or tax and shipping yet. I was currious about a few cards. I dont know anything about the ATI cards but i am quite familiar with Nvidia cards and why is it that the ATI cards are so popular now? is it only the price? i was looking at a few Nvidia cards. Let me post the links and you guys tell me what you think. I was thinking of getting one of 3 cards and if i get the lesser cards then going with SLI. and again im posting here to get your guys opinion so please let me know if im wrong about anything. I was under the impression that since ATI is made by AMD that they work best with AMD processors and likewise with Nvidia and Intel processors( i know intel doesnt own Nvidia though). well anyways here are the cards im looking at now:

Cards not in SLI right now but maybe later down the road

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130527 $349.99

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127428 $399.99

Cards to buy 2 of and run SLI now

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127445

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127464

Also i have always wondered what was the sequence from worst to best with nvidia. Does it go GT, GTX, then GTS or GT, GTS, then GTX? that has always confused me. I suspect that the GTX models are the top of the line but i dont want to be wrong with this since this is the computer that im building to last me a long time of gaming goodness with minimal upgrades down the road ( well thats what i tell the wife to let me buy it but we all know i'll upgrade as much as possible as often as possible)

 

[paperfox]

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/charts/gaming-graphics-cards-charts-2009-high-quality-update-3/3DMark06-v1.1.0-3DMark-Score,1697.html

Here is a list of all the latest graphics cards, use this and other websites on the internet to gauge how well one card compares to another. The ATI cards are so popular now not only because of the better price they also have DX11 which will bring you more futureproofing as well as a hand full of other features: Eyefinity, power consumption, heat ect.

For example that 285gtx youve posted is $385, the hd 5850 is only $300 and performs better than it.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/HIS/HD_5850/30.html

I would defiantly go with a single card now and crossfire/sli later having that option seems to be the best the next time you find yourself wanting to upgrade.

I think the order is gts gt and gtx (then ultra )

 

[TheGreatGrapeApe]

I was under the impression that since ATI is made by AMD that they work best with AMD processors and likewise with Nvidia and Intel processors( i know intel doesnt own Nvidia though).

Nope, makes no difference, if it did people would lose sales.
nV works fine with AMD and ATi works fine with intel. Currently ATi and intel are the fastest in their respective fields.

 

[henrystrawn]

Nope, makes no difference, if it did people would lose sales.
nV works fine with AMD and ATi works fine with intel. Currently ATi and intel are the fastest in their respective fields.

would this also be true for future SLI and Crossfire, I was under the impression that it is proprietary. If it isn't I just did a very unnecessary, but very gratifying upgrade from 2 nvidia G92s to 2 HD 5770s. Which I can live with, just don't tell my wife.

 

[TheGreatGrapeApe]

Xfire and SLi are different, they are licensed solutions for motherboards, and so you have some that have one OR the other, and then you have some that do BOTH. That's an artificial barrier, but one that's geared toward the cost, and nowadays usually the top of the line multi-GPU boards, here's an example from Gigabyte for both the X58 and P55 platform;

http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/FileList/WebPage/mb_ud7/data/ud7-models.htm

The main issue for nV is that they are also losing alot of ground on the mobo market, so it's really up to intel and AMD, nV has far less influence now since they no longer make the compelling chipsets.