My first build! I would love advice/opinions!

Welcome first of all.
I'm going to ask that next time you post like this, please do list the specifications with the link next to it rather than a hyperlink.

Thank you.


Okay, let's have a look. Will update this post in some minutes.

A couple of things I would change. First is the Mobo and Processor. Get the i5-2500k and a 1155 motherboard from Asus. The 2500k is faster and cheaper. That will save you about $100+ and use that savings to purchase a 128GB SSD for your operating system and programs. If you change to this, then the memory will be fine. if you are not overclocking though, 1333 would be adequate for your needs and a little cheaper.

The power supply you chose is great although I wondered why you linked it on the canadian site. Another option, instead of an SSD would be a second monitor. If you are going to do that much multitasking, 2 monitors will be a HUGE help.

Perhaps for your needs, you could go for the i7-980X (crazy price X6) or the AMD Thuban processors (hexa-core).

For the price, the 2500k is still the better option

http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/203?vs=288

And thanks for updating your links with descriptions. Awesome!!!

Rosewill is a "Bargain brand" and not something I would ever put in a build.

You'r pairing a 1366 MoBo with RAM for an 1156/1155 socket

At present time, a 950 is almost same price as 930

"Green" = slow

That's an older design monitor , get the LED version for same price
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

You will undoubtedly get recommendations to switch to Sandy Bridge build, and if the goal is gaming, I'd echo that advice. However,with your listed programs, other than getting a CUDA capable card and very fast storage (SSD + HD suggested), I just haven't seen enough tests on SB with all of the programs on ya list to recommend strongly one way or the other.

For a SB build, I'd do this:

Case - $70 - Antec 300 Illusion http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
PSU - $90 - Antec TP-650 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
MoBo - $390 - ASUS P8P67 Pro http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?Ite...
CPU - incl above - Intel Core i5-2500K
Cooler - $40 - Scythe SCMG 2100 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
TIM - $6 - Shin Etsu http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
RAM - $80 - 2 x (2 x 2GB) Corsair CAS 9 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
GFX - $250 - Asus GTX 560 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
HD - $65 - Spinpoint F3 1TB 7200 rpm http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
SSD - $200 - OCZ Vertex 2 2.5" 120GB http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
DVD Writer - $22 - Asus 24X DRW-24B3L w/ LS http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
OS - $100 - Win 7-64 Home Pre http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
Card Reader $35 AFT XM-35U http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
Monitor - $180 - ASUS VE247H 23.6" LED http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

Cost $1,528 w/o any combo discounts

If ya wanna go 1366, this would be my build

Case - $90 - Coolermaster HAF-922 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
Case Fans - Later - CM Red 200 mm http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
PSU - $110 - XFX Black Edition 850 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
MoBo - $200 - Asus Sabertooth http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
CPU - $295 - Intel i7-950 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
Cooler - $40 - Scythe SCMG 2100 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
TIM - $5 - Shin Etsu http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
RAM - $170 - 3 x 4GB Mushkin CAS 9 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
GFX - $250 - Asus GTX 560 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
GFX - Later - Same
HD - $70 - Samsung F3 1TB http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
SSD - Later - OCZ Vertex 2 3.5" 120GB http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
DVD Writer - $22 - Asus 24X DRW-24B3L w/ LS http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
OS - $140 - Win 7-64 Pro http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
Monitor - $180 - ASUS VE247H 23.6" LED http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

Cost $1,572 w/o any combo discounts

Note there's a significant case and PSU upgrade here, which I'd have to recomemend dropping another $120 and stepping up to a 570 superclocked. The XFX PSu could handle two of them.

GFX - $370 - EVGA GTX 570 Superclocked http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

I still feel there is no reason to go with the i7-950. The only "advantage" it has over the 2500k is hyperthreading. The chipset will be dead in 6 months and the motherboards are just as expensive as 1155 and don't offer anything that will be of value to ember as he is not gaming. Clock for clock, the 2500k is more efficient so in single threaded applications it will dominate. In threaded applications, it will at least keep pace with the 950 even if it looses a couple of benchmarks here and there. If you want hyper-threading get the i5-2600k which is only $35 more then the i7-950.

Also I don't see the need for an aftermarket cooler unless he will be overclocking a lot. A "mild" overclock to 4.2-4.5 will work on the stock cooler and he can save the cash.