Building a New High End Gaming PC, How this?

[Edwin Fiasco]

Starting a new build and I am a first timer at this. I really like what I've gotten put together and hope everything is complete as far as essentials are concerned. Have been utilizing this forum, NewEgg, and other sites for valid information to assist me in this endeavor. I really like all the kind and knowledgeable support I'd seen on these forums with other members putting together new builds and wanted to post here to make sure I am on the right track with my selected components. I am certainly open to any and all suggestions or better websites that may offer better prices, though it seems most go with newegg. Would really like to remain under 2000 USD, however, if there is a component that would drastically improve the quality of my build that may push me above that amount I am certainly open to the suggestion.

So here as follows:

Approximate Purchase Date: 4-6 months
Budget Range: 1500-2000
System Usage from Most to Least Important: gaming, internet, movies and music, photoshop...
Preferred Website(s) for Parts: Neweggo.com
Country of Origin: US
Parts Preferences: by brand or type: AMD Phenom x4 955 B.E., Asus Crosshair IV formula, 24" monitor
Overclocking: Maybe
SLI or Crossfire: Yes
Monitor Resolution: 1920x1080
Additional Comments: A good balance of performance and style would be nice

This is what I have so far in my wishlist at Newegg:

CASE:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119197
MOBO:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131644
CPU:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103808
RAM:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231193
GPU:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121399 x2
PSU:
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/Homebuilt-Systems/new-subject.htm
HD:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152185
SSD:
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/Homebuilt-Systems/new-subject.htm
COOLING:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835608018
DVD:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827269008
Monitor:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236049

 

[Edwin Fiasco]

I will also be running Windows X64 and would love to grab an excellent Keyborad/Mouse combination I to this point have not researched these components though. Also, I would like to get a nice sound card/surround system for my new PC.

Thanks to everyone who bothers to open and offer their advice!

Sorry for the long thread,
EF

 

[eloric]

The most expensive board and the cheapest memory? You are building a racing machine and you say "maybe" on the overclocking? Two HD 6850's is not high end, but will play any game really well.

Scale back on the air conditioner, and replace it with a cheaper model that will still get you an everyday overclock. How about a Cooler Master Hyper 212+? Then, buy a reasonable motherboard for half the price - pick one between $125 and $150 that still has crossfire capability and 6Gbs SATA/USB3 - look for a rebate or combo that gets those features.

Put the difference into your monitors - yes I meant plural. How about instead of one 24 inch monster, get three 21 to 22 inch? WOW - it will blow your firends away!!!

I like your case a lot and wish I could get one.

 

[1-anh]

Everything looks solid to me. Should all work together, however both your PSU and SSD link both don't work but aside from that looks like a good high end AMD build. I am not sure I personally would want to spend so much on the motherboard (dont get me wrong, its an excellent board but its fairly pricy IMO). Also your DVD drive is fairly pricy, Im pretty sure you can pick one up at around $20. Also agree with most of the comments from eloric. Really up to you how much you want to OC but ya the Noctua NH-D14 is pretty pricy.

 

[Edwin Fiasco]

Thanks for the great information guys. Now, if its not too much to ask can I have a suggestion for both scenarios?

What do I need to do to complete my "racing machine" as you so eloquently put it eloric? And how much more may I be spending on doing so?

Any suggestions on an alternative PSU/SSD combonations that are compatable?

What would you suggest to decrease and trim the fat on my build to lower price but still allow high-end gaming???

Again, thanks for the outstanding help!
EF

 

[banthracis]

If you're not building this for 4-6 months then come back in 4-6 months.

You'll have next gen SSD's on 22nm Flash, Sandy Bridge and Bulldozer and 69XX GPU's all out within that time period.

 

[1-anh]

Get this mobo, very reliable and still has two card slots for crossfire if needed.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128435&Tpk=gigabyte%20890gpa

If you really need an SSD, get this.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227551&cm_re=OCZ_vertex_2-_-20-227-551-_-Product

For PSU either.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139010&Tpk=corsair%20hx%20750w

or

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817207003&Tpk=xfx%20750w

Whichever one you prefer more.

As eloric has said the cm hyper 212 plus is a good bang for buck cooler.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103065&Tpk=coolermaster%20hyper%20212%20plus

Also I agree with the poster above, if you arent gonna build for a while wait it out. Lots of good components are to be released soon.

 

[Edwin Fiasco]

Thanks a lot guys for all of your help and I am taking all suggestions under consideration and will probably make a couple of changes.

As for the coming components do any of you have any suppositions on the cost of the new SSD's, Sandybridge/Bulldozer? Whereas I've stated that boosting cost isn't much of an issue I don't want to get to far north of 2000 USD.

In reference to Sandybridge/Bulldozer, I haven't done my homework on these components admittedly and should do so, which of the two would you suggest and what exactly are they going to be bringing us that isn't possible on current techonology??

Thanks again everyone for your top notch expertise and guidance!
EF

 

[1-anh]

Cost of current gen SSD should drop a bit in price when the next gen of SSD's are released. Here is an article about sandy bridge http://www.anandtech.com/show/3922
and heres another one on pricing of sandy bridge http://www.overclock3d.net/articles/cpu_mainboard/sandy_bridge_and_p67_prices_revealed/4
As for bulldozer, not much has been said and if they dont start releasing some stuff soon, alot of people will probably go intel cuz they cant wait forever for AMD to release bulldozer.

 

[Edwin Fiasco]

Thanks for the info guys. I will update throughout the process as warranted!

EW

 

[vindictive]

If you're not building this for 4-6 months then come back in 4-6 months.

You'll have next gen SSD's on 22nm Flash, Sandy Bridge and Bulldozer and 69XX GPU's all out within that time period.

+1.
there's not even a point in having this thread so far away, lets go over what would be changed.
1. CPU will definitely be changed.
2.^ that therefore means mobo will be changed.
3. New GPU's will be out, means GPU will be changed.
4. New SSD's will be out so that'll be changed.
5. Idk what kind of RAM will be used with the new mobo so that will be changed + new series of RAM will most likely have been released.
6. New HD's.

Cases, PSUs, Monitors stick around longer than the other parts so the one you pick now MIGHT be the same one you'd get in 6 months, but the PSU might not be because it depends on the draw of #3 ^.