New build with no $$ limit??

[itz_speld_rong]

This is my first computer build and after reading reviews on the motherboard I picked out, I decided to put in the extra work and post my build on here hoping that a more experienced builder could lend some incite or even save me from making a big mistake.

First thing I'd like to note is that I don't really have a price limit. I'm hoping to keep it under $3,000 and as the build stands, I'm looking at ~$2,200. With that in mind, here is my build thus far (and it excludes items like SATA cables, input devices and optical drives):

Chasis:
Thermaltake Armor Revo VO200M1W2N White SECC ATX Full Tower Computer Case (My friend had a TT case and I loved it. I have already purchased this gorgeous tower and this one is not up for changing)

MotherBoard:
ASUS P9X79 PRO LGA 2011 Intel X79 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard with USB BIOS (I have read so many reviews about this MoBo having issues. D: Is purchasing this a mistake? Is the Deluxe version worth the extra money over the Pro version?)

CPU:
Intel Core i7-3820 Sandy Bridge-E 3.6GHz (3.8GHz Turbo Boost) LGA 2011 130W Quad-Core Desktop Processor BX80619i73820 (I honestly just picked the best I could find on NewEgg. I am uninformed and open to criticism!)

Heatsink:
Thermaltake CLP0596 130mm Frio Advanced CPU Cooler (I verified that this fit the socket and that it will have clearance in both the case and over the RAM. It's also pretty attractive)


RAM:
CORSAIR Vengeance 16GB (4 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model CML16GX3M4X1600C7 (2X = 32G) (Filled all 8 slots with a ridiculous amount of memory and also got heatsink-less sticks to avoid issues with the CPU heatsink.)

PSU:
Rosewill LIGHTNING Series LIGHTNING-800 800W ATX12V/EPS12V 80 PLUS GOLD Certified Modular Active-PFC Power Supply (I wanted a modular PSU and this one stood out as far as reviews, performance, and the 80 Plus Gold rating. Is it enough wattage?)

HDD
Western Digital AV-GP WD3200AUDX 320GB IntelliPower SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive (4X = 1280Gb w/ Raid 5) (I debated one or multiple SSD, but they are so expensive and I have never had an issue with HDD speeds. These drives are decent price, 6Gbps, and basically fit my needs.)

OS:
Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate SP1 64-bit - OEM

I have quite a few questions that up until this point, I was just going to play the "gamble and return if it doesn't work" game, which seems like too much work and stupid.

Questions off the top of my head:
Does the MoBo i picked out have as many issues as the reviews/forums say it does?

Do I have a better option there (that works with the CPU)?

Does the RAM I picked out work with this MoBo (I know there are a lot of different specs that need to match up)

Does the PSU I picked out provide enough power?

I have two "27 Samsung monitors at home. Should I purchase two Graphics Cards?

Is RAID 5 going to result in a noticeable performance reduction on the 6Gbps drive/cable/port? Should I even be considering RAID?


I really appreciate your time and thanks in advance for any unput!

 

[TheBigTroll]

2 builds.

very high end gaming
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/hCXb

not much of a performance gain but just looks more badass
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/hCYz

you can switch the 7970 and the 670 interchangably. the 680 lightning is not worth it

 

[TheBigTroll]

if you dont like the brown nh-d14, get this instead

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007ZZE63A/?tag=pcpapi-20

they perform the same

 

[itz_speld_rong]

if you dont like the brown nh-d14, get this instead

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007ZZE63A/?tag=pcpapi-20

they perform the same

So have you rejected everything in my build above and given me a completely new build? I'm just curious as to your reasoning.

 

[TheBigTroll]

some more things to note

1: x79 performs the same as z77 in gaming
2: you dont need that much ram
3: the 750w psu i provided is more than enough
4:you dont need windows ultimate
5:raid 5 is more for work usages. if you are considering raid 5, id suggest a raid controller

 

[TheBigTroll]

So have you rejected everything in my build above and given me a completely new build? I'm just curious as to your reasoning.

read my following post

 

[itz_speld_rong]

some more things to note

1: x79 performs the same as z77 in gaming
2: you dont need that much ram
3: the 750w psu i provided is more than enough
4:you dont need windows ultimate
5:raid 5 is more for work usages. if you are considering raid 5, id suggest a raid controller

PCPartPicker is fantastic. I'm already ecstatic you've given me that much. So far, it's showing most of my build matching perfectly.

1: x79 looked to have more features, but I will take that into consideration!
2: I don't need any off this build. 0:] Let's just say I have this girl....
3: The 750w PSU you gave me is enough for supporting 1 Gcard. What If I get two? Should I go Radeon?
4: True. It was only like a $40 difference from Pro.
5: I see your point on the Raid. I went to school for IT and was force-fed this RAID idea so it's stuck with me. I know the x79 specs says it has 6 ports that supported RAID, but does that mean I will still need a RAID controller? I assume so.

Thanks for the feedback thus far!

 

[TheBigTroll]

1: x79 is more for higher end workstations or 3way to 4 way video card rigs
2:the 750w is enough for 2 cards.
3: if you are going for radeon, i might suggest the 850w version given they do draw more power than the 680s. ill do a repost for that
4ro isnt that useful as well since gaming rigs dont ever use more than 16gb of ram (which is already too much)
5: you probably wont need a raid controller but adding one does help

repost
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/hD7v

 

[TheBigTroll]

the only actual difference between ultimate and pro is that ultimate comes in many languages other than english and that it has bit locker (hardly anyone uses that)

 

[itz_speld_rong]

the only actual difference between ultimate and pro is that ultimate comes in many languages other than english and that it has bit locker (hardly anyone uses that)

You are a gentleman and a scholar. I appreciate all the feedback!

 

[TheBigTroll]

no problem.

as for a scholar, im just a 15 year old....

 

[guerrero]

So have you rejected everything in my build above and given me a completely new build? I'm just curious as to your reasoning.

it sucks

 

[wavetrex]

All X79 builds are for hardcore work, encoding, rendering, pro stuff...

For gaming Z77 / Ivy Bridge are always better ( there are no games right now and in the near future that use more than 4 cores, so it's better to have 4 really fast cores than 6 slower ). It will only happen after the next generation consoles (which are expected to have 6-12 cores ), then the ports might use more than 4 cores themselves.

16 GB are more than enough for gaming, you would only need 32 if planning to use some form of advanced RAM disk caching ( like Fancycache )

Unless you have 2560x1600 monitor ( 30" ), there's no point in getting more than one card. Today's high-end videocards are so fast that they can run any game at 1920x1080 with max antialias and highest quality. You only need SLI/XFire for multi-monitor setups or Ultra-HD resolution.

That's about it. Spend the rest of money in high-end peripherals, a nice set of speakers, mechanical keyboard, awesome gaming mouse, etc. You will feel much better with them than with a 6 core CPU.

Windows 7 x64 Home Premium
If you're alone and there's no business network to connect to, there's absolutely NO point in getting any higher tier!

 

[itz_speld_rong]

Best answer selected by itz_speld_rong.