NEW Multi-Use Build $2,000.00 budget

This is my first build but I've put a lot of thought into it...I have an opportunity to buy a computer through work. The benefits to buying through work are: tax free, interest free, and company discount.

APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: Hope to order by the end of the week 5/28/2010 or next week if need be 6/4/2010

BUDGET : $2,000.00 can go over a tad.

SYSTEM USAGE: This will be a multi-use system, surfing the internet, AutoCAD LT 2010 (other home design apps), gaming (Guild Wars), watching movies, minor photo & video editing, music down loading, OS Windows 7 professional, work station. As you can see it will be used for everything. So I need a workhorse that can do it all.

PARTS NOT REQUIRED: keyboard, mouse, speakers

PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: www.TigerDirect.com

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Bishop CA

OVERCLOCKING: I will in time SLI OR CROSSFIRE: depends on what build path I take.

MONITOR RESOLUTION: 1920x1200

PARTS PREFERENCES: i7 920 or Phenom II 1090T

AMD Build
CPU: AMD Phenom II 1090T http://www.tigerdirect.com/applica [...] u=A79-1090
Mobo: Asus Crosshair IV Formula AMD 890FX http://www.tigerdirect.com/applica [...] =A455-2898
Memory: Corsair XMS 6144MB PC12800 DDR3 1600MHz (3x2GB)http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...6&sku=C13-6136 - I heard duel was better for AMD boards and not tri channel...will this work?
PSU: Corsair HX750W http://www.tigerdirect.com/applica [...] u=C13-2510 - is this enough power?
GPU: XFX HD Radeon 5870 XXX http://www.tigerdirect.com/applica [...] =P450-5876
HDD:Western Digital WD1001FALS Caviar Black Hard Drive 1TB http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...sku=TSD-1000WD
SDD: Intel X25-M SATA Solid State Drive 80GB http://www.tigerdirect.com/applica [...] u=I69-7011
Case: Cooler Master HAF 932 Full Tower http://www.tigerdirect.com/applica [...] =C283-1187
Monitor: Samsung P2450H 24" Widescreen Touch of Color LCD Monitor http://www.tigerdirect.com/applica [...] =S203-2430
Optical Drive: Pioneer BDR-205 Blu Ray Burner http://www.tigerdirect.com/applica [...] =P725-3600
TOTAL : $2,262.90

i7 920 Build
CPU: Intel i7 920 http://www.tigerdirect.com/applica [...] CatId=4074
Mobo: ASUS P6T7 WS SuperComputer Motherboard http://www.tigerdirect.com/applica [...] CatId=4069
Memory: Corsair Core i7 Dominator 6GB http://www.tigerdirect.com/applica [...] u=C13-2048
PSU: Corsair HX750W http://www.tigerdirect.com/applica [...] u=C13-2510
GPU: Asus GTX 470 http://www.tigerdirect.com/applica [...] =A455-0470
HDD:Western Digital WD1001FALS Caviar Black Hard Drive 1TB http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...sku=TSD-1000WD
SDD: Intel X25-M SATA Solid State Drive 80GB http://www.tigerdirect.com/applica [...] u=I69-7011
Case: Cooler Master HAF 932 Full Tower http://www.tigerdirect.com/applica [...] =C283-1187
Monitor: Samsung P2450H 24" Widescreen Touch of Color LCD Monitor http://www.tigerdirect.com/applica [...] =S203-2430
Optical Drive: Pioneer BDR-205 Blu Ray Burner http://www.tigerdirect.com/applica [...] =P725-3600
TOTAL: $2,369.90

Please critique my two builds, I am trying to decide what to go with and I need your help. How can I improve and lower the cost a bit...I need options and alternatives.

Thanks for your time.

I'd say the AMD build, as you have a 5870 in it and also I'd say the 1090T is more suited to your only moderate gaming system.

However are you sure you need this high end a system?

If you run three modules in an AMD build it will run at single channel, so get just 2 4GB modules.

I'd suggest the Samsung Spinpoint F3 over your HDD. Also in the Intel build you have chosen Corsair Dominators, these are more expensive then others and thus I suggest getting some G.Skill Ripjaws or something else.

Hope this helps.

Ugh ok there's a lot of changes you should be making. First off none of the links work.

For AutoCAD you'll work you'll want as many threads as you can get, so go i-7. In fact, you should be getting the i7-930.

Also, do you know what CUDA is? Actually, considering you use AutoCAD I really hope so. If you're using it for work purposes then you should really be going with Nvidia. In fact, depending on how intensive work you actually do, you could consider a quadro.

Don't need the TX PSU, a 750 HX is fine.

Mobo is unnecessarily expensive.

Either of these MOBO's is fine. Same price on newegg atm.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] -_-Product
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] -_-Product

RAM, you'll be fine with G SKill PI or Tridents.

HD spinpoint F3 is better as mentioned.

Monitor shouldn't be more than $200

Do you really need a blue ray burner?

At $2,000, I wouldn't be considering AMD

Case / PSU - If ya like the HAF 932, I'd keep that as your choice but upgrade to the HX850 but consider the $310 cost compared to the comparable Antec 1200 w/ CP-850 which is $70 cheaper. Lights have off switches if ya ain't into the bling. THG article compares the two cases favorably with them trading advantages / disadvanbatges. The PSU's bot get a 10.0 performance rating but the CP-850 is quieter which gets it on silentpcreview.com's Editor's Choice List. Other choices would be the SG-850 from Antec and XFX 850W Black Edition. Problem is Tiger doesn't offer either the Antec 1200, CP-850 or HX850

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Comb [...] mbo.387490

So I guees that leaves us with the HAF 932 = the XFX Black Edition

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applica [...] CatId=2534

MoBo / CPU - There's a new king on the block and the WS Supercomputer has been usurped by the ASUS Rampage III Extreme LGA 1366w/ SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 which is $40 cheaper

http://www.vortez.co.uk/contenttel [...] iew,1.html
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applica [...] CatId=4070

Likewise, forget the 920 and move on to the 930 .... $6 difference on newegg is $30 at Tiger
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applica [...] CatId=4072

RAM - CAS 8 RAM for $199 isn't very exciting price wise and the high heat spreaders on the dominators can cause interference issues with 3rd party heat sinks. These are faster, low profile and cheaper on newegg.

3 x 2GB Corsair DDR3-1600 CAS 7 $40 cheaper on newegg http://www.tigerdirect.com/applica [...] 3M3C1600C7

Also http://www.tigerdirect.com/applica [...] etailspecs

GFX Card- For AutoCAD, you'll want an nVidia card.

Monitor - I'd spend an extra $20 and get a 1920 x 1200 monitor
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applica [...] S%20VW266H

Hard Drives - Check out the performance charts and pick whatever 500 GB per platter drive performs best under your usage patterns. The 2 TB WD Black and XT from Seagate are good choice but at smaller capacities, you are limited to the Seagate 7200.12 or the Spinpoint F3. The 7200.12 excels in gaming, multimedia and pictures whereas the F3 wins at music and movie maker. See the comparisons here (copy past link in manually, link won't work in forum):

(http://www.tomshardware.com/charts/2009-3.5-desktop-hard-drive-charts/compare,1006.html?prod[2371]=on&prod[2770]=on)

Look at the tests that reflect your usage and choose accordingly.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applica [...] CatId=2459

Heat Sink - Promimatech Megahalems ($69)

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applica [...] CatId=4314

TIM - OCZ Freeze
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applica [...] =0&Recs=10

HS Fans - Tiger not much on PWM fans. One will do for moderate (3.6 Ghz) Overclocks, get two and the cable splitter for serious (4.2 Ghz) OC's.

http://www.frozencpu.com/products/ [...] 36c365s936
http://www.frozencpu.com/products/ [...] Cable.html

Ram - Tiger doesn't sell G.Skill...I wish they did. OSZ, Corsair, Crucial and Kingston are my options for now.

HDD - same as above, no samgung.

PSu - I am assuming you mean - don’t need the 750HX, a 750TX is fine (is cheaper too)?

mobo - I thought the Asus P6T7 was a bit high...Tiger sells the Gigabyte GA-X58A-UD3R at $199.99 hell of a lot cheaper. Other mobos around the $200 range, Tiger has - EVGA X58 SLI $219, EVGA X58 SLI SE $199, ASUS P6T $229...comments to these boards, they got good reviews on tiger (4.5 to 5 stars)

I know the monitor and blue ray burner combo together add a lot to the budget...what other options can you suggest? The combo will be used in the room as a multi media station also...