Eyefinity Gaming build

[brizzelsprout]

PPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: As soon as possible

BUDGET RANGE: Roughly $2500

SYSTEM USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: Games, Movies, Programing (JAVA, C++), Photoshop

PARTS NOT REQUIRED: keyboard, mouse, speakers

PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: The cheapest I can find. Please let me know of your favorite sites.

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: USA

PARTS PREFERENCES: None really, I like Asus, Antec and Lian-Li but I am by no means Brand loyal. I just want the highest quality I can afford.

OVERCLOCKING: Yes

SLI OR CROSSFIRE: Maybe

MONITOR RESOLUTION: 1920 x 1080

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CPU: Intel Core i7-930
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115225

MOBO: ASUS P6X58D Premium
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131614

RAM: Mushkin Enhanced Blackline 6GB
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820226030

VIDEO: Radeon HD 5970
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102887

PSU: Antec EarthWatts EA750 750W
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371026

HDD: Seagate Barracuda 7200.12
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148433

OPTICAL DRIVE: LITE-ON Black
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106289

CASE: COOLER MASTER HAF 922
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119197

MONITOR: LG W2353V-PF Black 23" 2ms(GTG)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824005125

OS: Microsoft Windows 7 Professional 64-bit
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116758

Total: $2636.75 before mail-in rebates

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


What do you guys think? Did I miss anything?

Also Any ways you guys can think to cut costs a little? I am going to head up to Chicago and go to MicoCenter to get the parts I can there for cheaper, so that should help some.

Please post your comments.

THANKS!

 

[gkay09]

^ Some alternatives...

1. PSU - IMO the Corsair 750TX would be better,,,
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139006

2. HDD - Samsung F3 1TB
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152185

3. Other RAM options...
Same speed but at lesser voltages...but also I like the Mushkins too...So go with either...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231335

4. DVD
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827118030

And CPU Cooler ?
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002G1YPH0/ref=s9_simh_gw_p23_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=13HVEXAF2XXR18W2BA1S&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846

 

[brizzelsprout]

HAH! Woops, I knew I was forgetting something.

So ok add a HSF, done.

I heard that the Seagate drive was better than the F3, is this just preference on someone's part or is there a reason I should choose one over the other?

Also Why is the Corsair better than the Antec?

I will post an updated build in about a half an hour.

 

[brizzelsprout]

Updated build. I took out the Monitors because newegg was out of stock. I wasn't sure if they were the one's I was going to get anyway. So here is the latest build. What do you guys think? Any advice on what set of monitors I should get?

CPU: Intel Core i7-930
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6819115225

MOBO: ASUS P6X58D Premium
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6813131614

RAM: Mushkin Enhanced Blackline 6GB
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6820226030

VIDEO: Radeon HD 5970
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6814102887

PSU: CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX 750W
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139006

HDD: SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152185

OPTICAL DRIVE: LITE-ON Black
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6827106289

CASE: COOLER MASTER HAF 922
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6811119197

MONITOR: ?

OS: Microsoft Windows 7 Professional 64-bit
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6832116758

HSF: COOLER MASTER Hyper 212 Plus
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103065

Total: $1979.89 before mail-in rebates.

Man I really need to get up to MicroCenter to get some parts.

 

[megamanx00]

The Antec Earth Watts 750 is a pretty good high quality PSU. Just depends on your preference I guess. Anyway, if you want to use two 5970s in crossfire you may want a more powerful PSU. If you're interested in 6-monitor eyefinity then you may want to wait a little bit for the 4GB overclocked 5970s. Of course, if you're just going to use three monitors no use in waiting ^_^

 

[brizzelsprout]

Unless they start making bezel-less displays then no I wont use 6x1 set up. Well if I get enough money to get 6 HD projectors then maybe. But yeah for now just the 3x1

 

[builderbobftw]

I've heard that Bezels are a major problem, are you sure you want Eyefinity over a single 30" moniter?

 

[brizzelsprout]

I read somewhere, don't remember where, that the next drivers will have bezel correction worked into the eyefinity system. That SHOULD fix some of it. Weather or not it will I guess will be a different story.

I figure if I end up getting 3 monitors and not liking the eyefinity stuff I can always sell them and buy one big monitor. That is at least my plan so far.

 

[gkay09]

^ Anytime Eyefinity....3x 1080p = 5760X1080

And as for the HDD, recently the Seagate drives had reliability issues with the 7200.11, but have improved with 7200.12 drives...
But the F3s are arguably the fastest 7200RPM drives out there...

And as for the Corsair TX vs EA, if it were the Antec TP 750, then they were in the same league, but the EA IMO is a step lower...

 

[gkay09]

And like you said the Catalyst 10.3 comes with good Bezel corrections...
And which monitor have you chosen ? you would need atleast 1 monitor wiht Displayport...

 

[coldsleep]

The Samsung Spinpoint F3 and the Seagate 7200.12 perform very close to one another in benchmarks...it's largely personal preference, or what's in stock.

Here's a link to all of THG drive benchmarks.

 

[brizzelsprout]

I am aware of the need of either a Displayport or a Active converter from DP to DVI or HDMI. I'm not sure what monitors I'm going to get. Every time I choose on one I change my mind. I want something with the smallest bezel I can afford along with a great response time. Any suggestions? I need to stick around $250 or so per monitor.

Also thanks for the link coldsleep.

 

[snakej]

well the best eyefinity monitor has to be HP LP2275w Black 22" 6ms(GTG) IMO
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824176098&nm_mc=OTC-Froogle&cm_mmc=OTC-Froogle-_-Monitors+-+LCD+Flat+Panel-_-Hewlett-Packard-_-24176098
These three combined would span together very nicely with a total res of 5120x1200res for a nice "Eyefinity" setup. unfortunally it doesnt come cheap. T.T

 

[gkay09]

^ Well that monitor is just a 1680X1050...
You can also try this...Get any of these monitors http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824009179
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236074

And get an Active DP adaptor...that should do the job...

 

[daman]

i though gamers need a 2ms monitor?

 

[gkay09]

^ There is no significant difference viewing a 2ms and a 5ms monitor...
The human eye can notice the screen refresh only if it has a response time above 8ms and that is when ghosting also occurs...

 

[daman]

ok thanks thats good to know

 

[brizzelsprout]

Yeah thanks for the information gkay, that will help me with my monitor choice. I'm thinking I'm going to go ahead and use the monitor I have for now and take my time getting the set I want.

Other than the monitors you guys think I should pull the trigger on this beast?

 

[brizzelsprout]

What do you guys think of this monitor? Only $279.99 for a 25.5" Seems good but I have no idea. Today is the last day for the rebate deal.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236047

 

[a4mula]

Monitors are the one area where you really have to pay close attention for Eyefinity. If you ever want to run a Portrait setup (like the ones in the pics) you really need an IPS or PVA screen. Due to poor viewing angles TN monitors look wretched in portrait mode.

The second consideration with Eyefinity monitors is displayport. In a 3x1 Setting at least one of your screens has to be powered by displayport. This means either naturally supporting it or running through an active DVI adapter (100$) or a pseudo-active VGA (35$ but not digital).

After weeks and weeks of research I landed on the Dell 2209wa. It's an IPS screen but doesn't support displayport so I had to purchase an additiona Accell active displayport-dvi adapter from dell.

If you're serious about Eyefinity you've got some research to do if you intend to do it right. This was by far the best resource for information I found while I was doing my own:

http://www.widescreengamingforum.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=64&sid=b00a823f3703094357905b49a8d25cd5

GL with it.

 

[a4mula]

well the best eyefinity monitor has to be HP LP2275w Black 22" 6ms(GTG) IMO
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824176098&nm_mc=OTC-Froogle&cm_mmc=OTC-Froogle-_-Monitors+-+LCD+Flat+Panel-_-Hewlett-Packard-_-24176098
These three combined would span together very nicely with a total res of 5120x1200res for a nice "Eyefinity" setup. unfortunally it doesnt come cheap. T.T

Those are 1680x1050 monitors. 3150x1680 in portrait or 5040x1050 in landscape.

Those are nice, but far from the best. Dell U2410, HP LP2475w are both 24" 1920x1200 screens that use the newest Samsung IPS screens. At 500$ a pop though they are at a premium. You can find Dell 2408wfp out there for about 400$ a pop they are older PVA screens but also have native displayport and are 24" 1920x1200. If you can find refurbed HP LP2465 you can get them for about 200$ a pop (a steal considering they were 1k monitors 2 years ago) but they require an adapter.

24" 1920x1200 IPS/PVA is ideal, but typically not economical.

Oh, and for the record, I hate the new Bezel correction. Perhaps I've just gotten used to my Bezels and the way text wraps around them, but with the correction text gets hidden behind them like they were actual physical barriers on the screen themselves.

 

[lostpike]

So I am looking on newegg fpr eyefinity monitors myself and cant seem to figure out how to tell if they have a display port or not. Any easy way to tell?

 

[coldsleep]

Should be on the specs page, under Connectivity - Connectors.

 

[brizzelsprout]

So I think I'm going to go with the dell P2310 for my monitors. Yeah it's not the best display but it is only 199.99 refurbished from dell and it has native DisplayPort support on it. So I get a bigger screen with the ports I need and save $100 compaired to the dell 2209.

here is a link to the dell site.
http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/productdetail.aspx?c=us&l=en&sku=320-8325

What do you guys think?

 

[a4mula]

It's a TN screen. Portrait mode is going to look like ass.

2209wa, $208 new /w shipping if you're persistent enough to go through enough sales reps. It does not support displayport, but it's still the best deal out there with the exception of the refurbished HP LP2465 (but they're tough to find in stock).

The best deal if you want displayport and ips is the NEC ea231wmi. You can get these right at $300 each. My only problem with them is the 1920x1080 resolution. Personally I can't stand the 16:9 ratio for gaming or Eyefinity.

When I was researching monitors I used:

http://www.prad.de/en/index.html

It's a great site that allows you to sort a vast array of different options for monitors. You can select screen type, display port, pivot (ability to turn verticle) ect. The prices are listed in Euros, and not all of the monitors are easily found in the states, but still a great tool. GL with it.