$2200 gaming build ready to hit buy button today

A very "robust" and fully fledged build. ...

I am of the belief that Sapphire GPU and Corsair PSU might be a "tinch" ... ... ... better.

= APPROVED ! = .

Of course, if money means anything to you at all, ... A socket 1156 Core i5-750 would clock and game every bit as well ... and more than 4GB of RAM is rarely utilized, at this time ... So, you COULD shave about $300 and not feel it anywhere ...
... but I DO like the way you think and I just said that because of my "obligations", here.


= Al =

Thanks Alvin! I'll check them out. I don't mind the extra $300 to have the top of the line stuff with maximum upgradability.

Alvins clapping guy avatar.....

Well done.

There is a 2GB version of this ... If you really wanna get freaky.

SAPPHIRE Vapor-X 100281VX-2SR Radeon HD 5870 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

CORSAIR CMPSU-850HX 850W ATX12V 2.3 / EPS12V 2.91 80 PLUS SILVER Certified Modular Active PFC Power Supply
Voted Best Power Supply Manufacturer by Custom PC 2009

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

You *DID* want 1600/Cas7 RAM, dint ya ? ... It can run slower if you want it to.

G.SKILL PI Series 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL7T-6GBPI

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

Certainly more is better but if you were going to up the video here's a step up.

Sapphire 5970.
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E1681...

I mean the guy is at $2200 CA so what's $2500 CA.. no?

BUt ... REMEMBER ...

... Your build was approved when you walked in the door ...

THE ONLY TRULY FUNCTIONAL CHANGE WAS THE RAM ... DO THAT FOR SURE.

= Al =

Oh damm I didn't even see that. Yes go with the DDR3 1600 recommendation.

Even if someone tells you 1333 and 1600 are not that different why would you want to go with a lower speed on a new build.
(And heatsinks look nicer, there I said it)

The only concern I would have about getting an OEM Blu-ray burner is that it won't have any software with it. If you have CD-burning software from another source, then you should be fine (unless it doesn't handle Blu-ray for some reason?) or if you're willing to rely on native OS support. If you want to get software with the drive, get a retail version.

Other than that, everything looks good.

I don't see a need to go with the Corsair PSU Alvin recommended, except for the fact that the Antec power supply only fits in a few cases. If that's a long-term concern, then you might want to change it out. If you don't mind, then there's no reason to switch the PSU.

Not only that ... but if your scalp should start to itching, during your build, you can kill two birds with one stone and fluff out yer "doo", at the same time.

And, yeah ... Unless you already have exact, specific software tools and work-flow, in mind, ditch the blu ray till after next Christmas ... It really is an expensive paperweight, 'till then and, look at how much standard DVDRs are ... $22 ?! ... You will be able to snag that BR drive for like $40, in February 2011, and there will actually be stuff you can use it for, by then.

Also ... as an aside ... I have been distributing my 1080P/25Mbit productions as standard .wmv files, on regular DATA DVDRs ... Why? ... (1) Looks much better/cleaner than BR ... (2) Only 10% of my friends/family/neighbors have BR player ... (3) I am not mastering audio in surround ... (4) Many of my friends live in England, Austrailia, Japan ... China, and north and south of the US border ... They could not play MY BluRays, even if they DID have a player ... But ... Progressive scanned data files are region-independent and Broadcast-Standards Independent.

I also own a regular, stand-alone, component BR player I got from Wal-Mart, for cheap. ... The remote has fine freeze/zoom and frame-accurate slow-mo and navigation ... Try that with your onboard drive!

I am in no hurry to "go blu-ray" (for burning) and will not do that until EVrybody is doing it ... and, even then, only as an alternative local-regional format ... .wmv is FAR cleaner and more platform-portable. .. For purchase or rent-to-view playback? ... SURE! ... but my dedicated component player is far less expensive and much better suited than an on-board drive.

Whatever, tho ... I guess "bling-is-bling".

= Al =

And ... Lastly .... I live in a hi-rise condo and there are lot's of home theaters in the building and, most of my friends that do own blu-ray live right here ...

... We invite one-another "over", to watch movies, and when folks come to MY place ... I like to turn my computer OFF, to eliminate the "hover-craft" like noise of my system cooling fans (PLURAL! ) ... Think about this very practical consideration.

I also bet your tea-money that you already have a BR "deck", in your rack.

= Alvin =

Samsung BD-P1600 Blu-Ray Player - 1080p, HDMI, USB, Ethernet, Netflix Ready, DVD/CD, Remote Control, (Refurbished)

$89

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/ite...

Thanks for the input guys. I'll change out the RAM and also ditch the blueray burner for now.

totally off topic... Post counting are we? Never post one reply when two will do???

Take it up with the moderator.

= &KMA =

Actually .. It was YOUR POST that was OT and totally unneccessary ... Do you actually Help folks, Much ?

Take it up with the moderator....

.... looks like we both just added a few "valuable" points to our "ill-gotten" post count ... teee-heee ... kinda makes me feel like I got something for nothing ! ... Know what I mean ? ... I'm feeling more "experty" already !

= jeeesh! =