$2,000 Gaming PC - Help, Advice, Tips

[mischief87]

I'm looking to build a gaming PC and have most of the parts that I would like. Since this is such a big purchase, I want to double check and make sure everything looks good. Any recommendations or suggestions will be appreciated

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Approximate Purchase Date: within the next month Nov 16, 2010 - Dec 31, 2010


Budget Range: $1500-$2000


System Usage from Most to Least Important: Gaming -> Media -> Internet -> Work


Parts Not Required: Keyboard, Mouse, Monitor, Speakers, Harddrive


Preferred Website(s) for Parts: newegg.com -> amazon.com -> buy.com


Country of Origin: USA


Parts Preferences, by brand or type: Intel CPU, Nvidia video card


Overclocking: Maybe


SLI or Crossfire: Yes


Monitor Resolution: 920x1080 or 1920x1200


Additional Comments: Looking for a cool running and quiet system. Easy to possibly upgrade/overclock in the future. Making sure that all parts are compatible with each other.


Parts That I Own:
-ASUS MS238H 23" LED
-Logitech 2.1 Z-2300 THX Certified
-OCZ Vertex 2 90GB 2.5" SSD

Parts Researched:
-LITE-ON CD/DVD Burner - Bulk Black SATA Model iHAS124-04 - OEM = $19.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106289

-COOLER MASTER HAF 932 RC-932-KKN1-GP Black Steel ATX Full Tower Computer Case = $139.98
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119160

-2x EVGA 012-P3-1472-AR GeForce GTX 470 (Fermi) SuperClocked 1280MB 320-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card = $539.98 ($269.99 each)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130549

-Creative 70SB073A00000 7.1 Channels 24-bit 96KHz PCI Interface Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeGamer = $79.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829102006

-CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX 750W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 Power Supply = $109.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139006

-CZ Platinum 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model OCZ3P1600C6LV6GK = $149.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227573

-ASUS P6X58D Premium LGA 1366 Intel X58 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard = $284.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131614

-Intel Core i7-950 Bloomfield 3.06GHz 4 x 256KB L2 Cache 8MB L3 Cache LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor BX80601950 = $294.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115211

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[vindictive]

sound card is a waste of money now unless your an audiophile since onboard has gotten so good.
if its just gaming you could drop down to an lga 1156 i5 760 (same performance in games as the i7 950) with a Asus p7p55d-e Pro mobo. Sata and USB 3.0 and its one of the p55 boards that doesn't take away from your graphics cards lanes to run SATA and USB 3.0.
and you only need 4GB of ram for gaming. but the x58 need 6gb for tri channel. so ram for p55 is Mushkin Enhanced Blackline DDR3 1600 Cas 7 - $80
That alone would save you:
on mobo goes from 285 ->180 = $105
on CPU 295 -> 209 = $86
on RAM 150 -> 80 = $70
= $261
if you don't get the sound card = $341

Also get the XFX Black Edition 750W silver certified (Modular Kicks ass) - $130 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817207003

CPU Bench Battle (games) - http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/100?vs=109&i=47.48.49.50]]http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/100?vs=109&i=47.48.49.50
NOTE: This is the i5 750 not the 760 and it still is equal or better. So the i5 760 ($9 more than 750) will OUTPERFORM the i7 950 in games.

If you take all my suggestions (even the PSU) I improved your gaming performance and saved you: $321 (+ gave you a modular PSU)

i5 760 link - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115067&cm_re=i5_760-_-19-115-067-_-Product

Asus p7p55d-e Pro Link - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=13-131-621&SortField=0&SummaryType=0&Pagesize=10&PurchaseMark=&SelectedRating=-1&VideoOnlyMark=False&VendorMark=&IsFeedbackTab=true&Page=2#scrollFullInfo this just got back in stock within the last 5 minutes.