$1,200 Gaming/Multimedia Rig

[yusky03]

APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: In 1 month unless something significant is coming out in the next few months that I can afford.

BUDGET RANGE: $1,200

SYSTEM USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: WoW: Cataclysm, Other various games including Crysis, High Quality Blu-ray Rips, and PS3 Media Server

PARTS NOT REQUIRED: Keyboard, Mouse, Monitor, OS, and Speakers

PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: Newegg.com and/or Amazon.com

PARTS PREFERENCES: Intel and nVidia (I use CoreAVC a lot so I would like to have CUDA support)

OVERCLOCKING: The heat sinks I have in this current build I know will not get me far but I made room to upgrade with this setup but yes I will be Overclocking

SLI: Yes... as a future upgrade

MONITOR RESOLUTION: 40" Bravia 1920 x 1080

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: This is my first build. I have wanted to do this for many many years but did not have the money. I originally planed to buy this around Black Friday this year but I am very impatient and I built a rig off newegg that does everything I need. So unless you know something that is coming out in the next 4-5 months that I can afford for this build I think I will buy it early.


Case = COOLER MASTER HAF 922: If you recommended a dif. case... I can not stand blue LEDs
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119197

Mobo = Intel Desktop Board DX58SO Extreme Series: This mobo supports everything that I can think of that I need including a must for my setup DTS Connect since I am going optical to my Sony STR-DH800. This is the main part I am sketchy on. Is there something better for me?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813121361

GPU = EVGA GeForce GTX 465: This is the most I am willing to spend on a GPU.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130555

PSU = Rosewill Xtreme Series RX950-D-B 950W: The huge power is for future upgrades. another 1TB drive, DVD-RW or Blu-ray, another GeForce GTX 465, more RAM, and a 200mm fan for the side of that case.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817182097

Processor = Intel Core i7-930: I have seen quite a few get this thing up to 3.8-4Ghz. Will I need water cooling to do this or just a V8 heat sink?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115225

Memory = Mushkin Enhanced Ridgeback 4GB (2 x 2GB): I just realized that the Mobo recommends no ram over 1.6v and this is 1.65... any other suggestions?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820226123

HDD = SAMSUNG Spinpoint 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152185

Grand Total (inc Shipping): $1,190.72

So what do you think. This is my first build I didn't miss anything did I?

 

[banthracis]

Re: Mobo, technically, the Realtek ALC889 used by both GA and asus support DTS connect. Whether it's actually enabled I've got no clue.
Asus P6x58D-E and GA x58 ud3r are 2 to look into.

GPU, you're better off with a 470 if you want CUDA support. The 465 is completely not worth the the money. It's way to close performance wise to a 5830.

CPU- Gaming go i5-750. Any i7 is just a waste of money for gaming. If faster coreavc is worth the large price premium, then I guess go for it. ($80 CPU, $50 mobo, $60 RAM)

PSU-Don't get a generic PSU. Worst decision you can make in a new build. Also 950 is completely unnecessary.

A Corsair 750TX is fine for your needs. Actually, it's overkill, it'll be ready for sli.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139006&Tpk=750tx

RAM: If you're going x58 you want 3 DIMM RAM kits. ATM G Skill Pi would be best buy
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231335&cm_re=g_skill_pi-_-20-231-335-_-Product

FOr P55, G Skill Ripjaw or Eco works.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231303&cm_re=ripjaw_1600-_-20-231-303-_-Product

Your current build is ~$1150, it's feasible to do either a p55 or x58 470 build with that money.

Good HSF Scythe Mugen or CM hyper 212 plus are great bang for buck, assuming you get them at $30 and $37 respectively.

Top end would be Megahalem, NH-D14, and tower 12 extreme. Bear in mind though, that you're paying 2-3x the cost for about 6C temp difference.

 

[yusky03]

Thanks for your reply it was very helpful and I am happier with this setup. Here are my revisions...

Case = CM HAF 922
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119197

HDD = 1TB 7200RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5"
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152185

GPU = EVGA GeForce GTX 470
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130550

PSU = Corsair 750W
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139006

Memory = G.Skill Ripjaws 4GB (2 x 2GB) DDR3 1600
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231303

Mobo = ASUS P7P55D-E Pro LGA 1156 Intel P55 SATA 6Gb/s
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131621

CPU = Intel Core i5-750 Lynnfield 2.66Ghz LGA 1156
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115215

Grand Total (inc Shipping): $1,078.77


The reason I picked that previous PSU is because Neweggs PSU finder said that is what I would need to power what I planed on adding in the future. So that PSU I have now will let me add another GTX 470, a Blu-ray or DVD-RW, 2 more sticks of that RAM, upgrade to a i7 core, and another 1TB drive for RAID 0?

Also should I get a different drive since that Mobo supports SATA 6Gb/s or is that for SSD drives?
Edit: Upgrade the HDD to this?

WD Caviar Black WD1002FAEX 1TB 7200 RPM 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136533

 

[banthracis]

F3 is best bang for buck. The $20 price premium for the WD isn't worth it. Mechanical HD's are barely saturate the original SATA I interface, not even close to SATA II limit, so SATA III is just a marketing gimmick.

You'll need a SSD to even consider needed SATA III.

Peripherals power usage is insignificant. Biggest are GPU + CPU. Everything else combined isn't even 50watts.

 

[nuke123]

I agree with the stuff about the blue leds,

sometimes they look so cheap and tacky.

 

[yusky03]

I just don't like blue lol. The sky is blue and plants are green. Those colors are everywhere and I am tired of them. ^_^... leave it to a gamer to basically say he hates the outside. "Dude you need to go outside"... "Outside WTF is that?"

Thanks for your help banthracis I will be sticking with that setup until I get the money for this in about a month unless someone else has some better ideas or prices dramatically increase for some reason.

I was just reading the review on here about the GTX 470 and I get multi-channel LPCM through it. So I don't really need DTS Connect and I can just have the HDMI from the GTX 470 going to my Sony STR-DH800 carrying the video and audio. One less cable and I don't have to tax the CPU to encode my LPCM to DTS.

Good buy Maxed out Vostro 1500