
Motherboard: Gigabyte G1.Sniper 3
If the first thing you spotted on our parts list was the motherboard, you might have figured out our original plan. We wanted this build to include three-way SLI. Unfortunately, Intel's Z77 Express chipset barely supports two cards, dropping each to eight third-gen lanes. Knowing that we couldn't fit three $400 cards (the GTX 660 Ti wasn't even close to available at the time) and an unlocked high-end CPU into our $2000 budget, we began making plans for an alternative solution. 
Read Customer Reviews of Gigabyte's G1.Sniper 3
Every video card in an SLI array operates on the same data, which helps explain why the total available memory in a multi-card configuration equals the capacity of one board.
It also explains the purpose of a feature that Nvidia used to call Broadcast in its older NF200 switch, which repeated data to multiple links simultaneously. Supposedly, this capability is built-in to the PCI Express 3.0 specification, and PLX is able to multicast 16 lanes of traffic to four slots via its 48-lane PEX 8747 bridge. Gigabyte uses that component to enable four-way SLI on its G1.Sniper 3.

The G1.Sniper 3 isn’t the only motherboard to include the PEX 8747 bridge, but it is the cheapest one that Newegg had in stock. A reasonable price didn’t prevent Gigabyte from stacking the package with features, from its on-board Killer E2200 networking and Creative CA0132 audio controllers to its added-in 802.11n module with Bluetooth capabilities. A robust bundle of features makes the G1.Sniper 3 appear a killer deal, in spite of the fact that it cost more than twice as much as many of the Z77 Express-based motherboards we’ve reviewed.
Power Supply: Seasonic X-1050
Seasonic manufactures some of the most stable power supplies we’ve used, but often charges less than some of our other top picks. We again shot for a part that would at least support three-way SLI out of the box, and found it in the X-Series X-1050 (part number SS-1050XM).

Read Customer Reviews of Seasonic's X-1050
This amazingly capable unit outputs up to 87 A of power on a single 12 V rail without skipping a beat on efficiency. It features full modular cabling that could (unofficially) support up to four graphics cards without a need for adapters. Included cables are packed in a stylish black and gold bag.
- Opening The Floodgates: 5760x1080 And More Graphics
- Budget Stretchers: The Motherboard And Power Supply
- Economizers: CPU, CPU Cooler, And RAM
- Breaking Point: Graphics Cards And Case
- SSD, Hard Drive, And Optical Drive
- Building Our Graphics-Oriented Beast
- CPU And GPU Overclocking
- Overclocked System and Benchmark Configurations
- Benchmark Results: 3DMark And PCMark
- Benchmark Results: SiSoftware Sandra
- Benchmark Results: Battlefield 3
- Benchmark Results: DiRT 3
- Benchmark Results: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
- Benchmark Results: Audio And Video Encoding
- Benchmark Results: Productivity
- Power, Heat, And Efficiency
- Which $2000 Machine Is Right For You?
That is to say, as much as this one costs, it's still pretty much worthless to the majority of high-end users. Basically it's a $1000 PC with a bunch of extras.
To put it another way, money "wasted" on the other one went towards making it more flexible and practical. Money "wasted" on this one went towards supporting future upgrades to its SLI array. It's nothing more than an expensive toy.
That is to say, as much as this one costs, it's still pretty much worthless to the majority of high-end users. Basically it's a $1000 PC with a bunch of extras.
To put it another way, money "wasted" on the other one went towards making it more flexible and practical. Money "wasted" on this one went towards supporting future upgrades to its SLI array. It's nothing more than an expensive toy.
Really? If it were me, I'd pick this one over the original $2000 PC. There are a lot more people gaming at 5760x1080 and 2560x1600 than they used to be so having more GPU performance is much more beneficial. Although that's primarily for the gamers, for other 3D purposes, video editing, etc the 6-cores 3930K and single GPU might be the best choice
At 3x1 1080p money is wasted on the mobo. If you're going to sli or even tri sli look at the gigabyte ud5h it supports 3 gfx at 8x 4x 4x which should be more than enough for a triple monitor set up.
Also, shoulda gone with the 7970's!
I feel like having additional cores and going up to i7 would help if you're the type of gamer that likes to alt tab while running/flying to a destination and play some sort of FPS in the foreground. Or since we're talking about 3 monitors here, playing different games on each monitor.
I ask this because I don't think having an i5 on a $2000 feels right. It's a really nice quad core yes, but most if not all the benchmarks run on a clean windows and whatnot. I know for a fact as a gamer I have a million different things open and most of the times I get lazy in closing one game so I just have different games open.
For those of you who may wonder as to the CPU in my computer, it was the first version of the Duo Core processors. Due to the thermo characteristics of that Duo Core processor, (which also functions in my basement as a space heater, a pretty good one at that) I did not want to replace one space heater with another space heater (i7-3930K).
(you earlier ran another story about how microstutter was caused by having 2 GPU's in SLI, and how it was solved by adding a third card...)
meaning no offense here but you don't need a $400 (or an $800) GPU to snub the 1280 and 1680 resolutions. most gamers use the 1920 resolution (21.5" - 24" is a very popular monitor range) while not bothering to buy expensive toys either (like you labeled your $2k alt build and i agree on the definition).
i haven't read of any statistics or surveys but most people i know play on 1920x1080 and when they build a p.c. or try to upgrade their aim is a good CPU (1st gen i5 was the i750, 2nd gen the 2500k and 3rd the 3570k) and the best GPU the price range of $150-$250 can buy (depending of their budget at the given time). at the same time the only good peripheral most gamers want is a good laser mouse. toys like mechanical keyboards, 2 or 3 screen setups, $150-$200 PSU's, insanely priced cases and headsets are most of the times out of the question. and to be honest that's only sensible since every couple of years any setup is rendered useless so why spend $2k when you can get satisfaction with $800-$1000.
bottomline, it would make much more sense seeing 3 rigs running on the following specs (or similar);
a. i3-2120 & hd6850 (or gtx560) @ 1920x1080
b. i5-3470 (or 3450) & hd7850 (or gtx560ti) @ 1920x1080
c. i5-3570k (or 3770 is the budget allows) & gtx670 (or similar) @ 1920x1080
p.s. i'm not an expert nor do i pretend of being one, just talking out of experience and what i see from my friends (myself included) and internet acquaintances
This series of System builders series has been the best, you have listened to readers and followed the general thoughts and tested them out.
Seems to me everyone on here though thinks they could do better, so what I suggest it creating a forum category for people to post their builds in the budget range with pics and setup specs alongside the full benchmark runs to see if it is actually better. Money where the mouth is and all that!
On this build, its the choice I would have over the previous $2000, simply because gaming is the greatest use of my PC and running some games in 3d on my 50" with all settings maxed still brings my FPS down and I am using Sabertooth Z77 with 3570k @ 4.6Ghz but have only Crossfire 2 X 5850 @ 950 Mhz! (Which bench the same as a stock 670)
Saving time for a couple of 670 cards I guess!
For me I would of swapped the Mobo and Case for a ASRock Z77 Extreme4 and a Corsair 300r, then added 2 120mm intake fans on the side, blowing cool air straight on the 670's that now have 1 slot of space between them, instead of stacked right on top of each other.
Other than that I would have gone with this 2k build over the other.