[mobayrasta]

I think I have decided to build a computer with these parts. It will be built for gaming. ( I am a huge iRacer iRacing.com Motorsport Simulations ) and for my headphone use.

I all ready have a modded x-fi as my dac ( it was the very first card in the x-fi modding thread that is about a billion pages long.). My x-fi will be hooked up to my Bijou amp made by Donald Basel.


Intel Core i7 920 Nehalem 2.66GHz LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor Model BX80601920 - Retail

Newegg.com - Intel Core i7 920 Nehalem 2.66GHz 4 x 256KB L2 Cache 8MB L3 Cache LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor - Processors - Desktops

ASUS P6T LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail

Newegg.com - ASUS P6T LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel Motherboard - Intel Motherboards

XFX GX285NZDFF GeForce GTX 285 1GB 512-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail

Newegg.com - Computer Parts, PC Components, Laptop Computers, Digital Cameras and more!

G.SKILL 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Triple Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F3-10666CL9T-6GBNQ - Retail
Newegg.com - G.SKILL 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Triple Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Desktop Memory

OCZ StealthXStream OCZ700SXS 700W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready Active PFC Power Supply - Retail
Newegg.com - OCZ StealthXStream OCZ700SXS 700W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready Active PFC Power Supply - Power Supplies

I will be using a 1TB Western Digital Black HD and a LIAN LI Case with a single DVD burner as I all ready have an external burner. (Along with a couple of terabytes of external hard drives)


What do you think?

 

[gpalmer]

Do you really do anything that would need or take advantage of a quad core? Generally speaking you'll get better performance from a dual core that is running faster for less money than a quad processor.

 

[TheMarchingMule]

Um...wow, yeah that will do for the next few years!

I'm wary about OCZ PSUs though because OCZ is namely a RAM company, and even then I had some of their RAM fail on me in the past.

Flip through overclock.net though; the threads there may give you better suggestions/tweaks to your shopping cart.

 

[mobayrasta]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gpalmer /img/forum/go_quote.gif Do you really do anything that would need or take advantage of a quad core? Generally speaking you'll get better performance from a dual core that is running faster for less money than a quad processor.

Problem is last time I went with a processor at the end of its life span and ended up not being able to upgrade. I7 being the brand new thing I figure it has a few upgrades for me later on. I think you are right and that right now I would benefit more from a dual core but I am looking a year and a half two years down the road when I want a better processor. I should really be able to upgrade without having to buy a new motherboard and ram ( I plan on going to 12 gigs of ram in the next month or so. )

 

[smrtby123]

Wow that is quite a build. I am very jealous.

Quote:

Originally Posted by gpalmer /img/forum/go_quote.gif Do you really do anything that would need or take advantage of a quad core? Generally speaking you'll get better performance from a dual core that is running faster for less money than a quad processor.

With the new i7's you can get overclocks equal to a dual-core but the triple channel memory controller of the i7's is heads and tails above every other chip and i7 is only quad-core so why not.

So the question is are you planning on overclocking the chip?

If you are, and you can drop this kind of dough on a new PC you might want to go up to the i7 940, since you can get a little bit better overclocks with less voltage, but if not the 920 should get you a great overclock, on par with the previous gen Intel dual-cores.

If you aren't planning on overclocking, the i7 might not be your best bet because you will get better performance from a higher speed dual-core rather than these quads. However to really wrench the kind of performance you want from a dual-core you need to overclock it so you might as well learn how to do it and go with the i7, because the performance you will get with the high clock speeds AND triple channel memory is ridiculous.

You have a Lian Li case so I can assume your going to be using some kind of liquid or phase change cooling? If not a nice water-cooling kit might be a good buy, or for air go for an exposed copper tower, in this style Newegg.com - XIGMATEK HDT-S1283 120mm Rifle CPU Cooler - CPU Fans & Heatsinks. The stock just doesn't cut it.

I would go for a nicer PSU. OCZ is a good company, but I would want to go with a company that specializes in PSU's. It is often overlooked but a nice PSU can really keep your PC in a stable overclock and a bad PSU can affect your performance. Go for a CoolerMaster or another known brand. Look for a modular PSU since they make your case nice and tidy.

I love ASUS mobo's, every computer I have built in the last 8 years have been with them and they are always rock-solid and feature filled.

I would go with an EVGA card. This is the highest one you can get, and it is not much more than the one you have listed (COD:WaW is not that great IMO, go pick up COD4 you will be much happier). Newegg.com - EVGA 01G-P3-1285-AR GeForce GTX 285 SC Edition 1GB 512-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Desktop Graphics / Video Cards
EVGA has a lifetime guarantee, EVEN including overclocking, so it is well worth it. PLUS they have a step-up program so if Nvidia comes out with a new flagship in 6 months you can trade in your 285 and get the next best thing for the difference in price you originally paid.

RAM is good, but if your going balls to the wall go for the lower latencys Newegg.com - GeIL 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10660) Triple Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Desktop Memory. I think 9-9-9-24 is pretty standard but you will notice the 6-6-6-24 if you can afford it. You might want to go with a Corsair or Kingston because they are usually more reliable, but its preference most of the time and the differences between reliable brands is not that huge.

Note: If you are not using Vista or XP 64-bit, go with a 3x 1GB pack rather than the 3x 2gb because you will have a max of about 3~3.5 gb in XP 32-bit.

 

[mobayrasta]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheMarchingMule /img/forum/go_quote.gif Um...wow, yeah that will do for the next few years! I'm wary about OCZ PSUs though because OCZ is namely a RAM company, and even then I had some of their RAM fail on me in the past. Flip through overclock.net though; the threads there may give you better suggestions/tweaks to your shopping cart.

Straight from extremeoverclocking.com

The OCZ StealthXStream should be the first choice for any PC enthusiast or gamer that requires a serious power supply to run their system. With uncompromising quality, an excellent warranty, there is no way you can go wrong with this power supply.

I was a little worried also but it seems their power supplies are great , I have read alot of good things about them.

We will see. I will have to change the power supply anyway when I decide to stick three Nvidia 285's in there.

 

[smrtby123]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mobayrasta /img/forum/go_quote.gif We will see. I will have to change the power supply anyway when I decide to stick three Nvidia 285's in there.

Hah, it is going to be a few years before you can see the advantages of that. At this point you get a maximum frame rate because the GPU's are such monsters the CPU cannot feed it data fast enough. This build should keep you at max settings for a long time.

 

[mobayrasta]

Quote:

Originally Posted by smrtby123 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Wow that is quite a build. I am very jealous. With the new i7's you can get overclocks equal to a dual-core but the triple channel memory controller of the i7's is heads and tails above every other chip and i7 is only quad-core so why not. So the question is are you planning on overclocking the chip? If you are, and you can drop this kind of dough on a new PC you might want to go up to the i7 940, since you can get a little bit better overclocks with less voltage, but if not the 920 should get you a great overclock, on par with the previous gen Intel dual-cores. If you aren't planning on overclocking, the i7 might not be your best bet because you will get better performance from a higher speed dual-core rather than these quads. However to really wrench the kind of performance you want from a dual-core you need to overclock it so you might as well learn how to do it and go with the i7, because the performance you will get with the high clock speeds AND triple channel memory is ridiculous. You have a Lian Li case so I can assume your going to be using some kind of liquid or phase change cooling? If not a nice water-cooling kit might be a good buy, or for air go for an exposed copper tower, in this style Newegg.com - XIGMATEK HDT-S1283 120mm Rifle CPU Cooler - CPU Fans & Heatsinks. The stock just doesn't cut it. I would go for a nicer PSU. OCZ is a good company, but I would want to go with a company that specializes in PSU's. It is often overlooked but a nice PSU can really keep your PC in a stable overclock and a bad PSU can affect your performance. Go for a CoolerMaster or another known brand. Look for a modular PSU since they make your case nice and tidy. I love ASUS mobo's, every computer I have built in the last 8 years have been with them and they are always rock-solid and feature filled. I would go with an EVGA card. This is the highest one you can get, and it is not much more than the one you have listed (COD:WaW is not that great IMO, go pick up COD4 you will be much happier). Newegg.com - EVGA 01G-P3-1285-AR GeForce GTX 285 SC Edition 1GB 512-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Desktop Graphics / Video Cards EVGA has a lifetime guarantee, EVEN including overclocking, so it is well worth it. PLUS they have a step-up program so if Nvidia comes out with a new flagship in 6 months you can trade in your 285 and get the next best thing for the difference in price you originally paid. RAM is good, but if your going balls to the wall go for the lower latencys Newegg.com - GeIL 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10660) Triple Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Desktop Memory. I think 9-9-9-24 is pretty standard but you will notice the 6-6-6-24 if you can afford it. You might want to go with a Corsair or Kingston because they are usually more reliable, but its preference most of the time and the differences between reliable brands is not that huge. Note: If you are not using Vista or XP 64-bit, go with a 3x 1GB pack rather than the 3x 2gb because you will have a max of about 3~3.5 gb in XP 32-bit.

WOW super great info. I will be using Vista64 . I wish I could take all of your advice as I really think you are correct with everything you say. My biggest problem is budget. I am limited to 1300 dollars total. I am at $1,217.44 including shipping and discounts without ordering the 1tb Western digital black Hard Drive I plan on adding to it when newegg gets it back in stock.

Edit- If you could upgrade from this list either the Graphics card to the EVGA, or the memory to faster latency which would you do?

 

[Dr Evil Dan]

I prefer PC power & cooling, but OCZ is good as well. Also, I would go for the MSI X58 mobo, it has better reviews (and I have an MSI thats basically been running nonstop for a year without a hiccup). The rest looks perfect if you aren't willing to shell out for a 4870x2 or a GTX 295

 

[smrtby123]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mobayrasta /img/forum/go_quote.gif If you could upgrade from this list either the Graphics card to the EVGA, or the memory to faster latency which would you do?

Hmm wow that is a great question. The vid card that I linked too was a factory overclocked version so I think there is a regular version of the 285 for about the same price as the one so I would go for that IF its about the same price, if not XFX is a solid brand, I have had a few of them.

I was only really putting that RAM out there for a bit of a laugh. From reading a story on Tom's Hardware, the Clock Cycles on DDR3 is rated at 1.5 ms so going from a timing of 9 to a timing of 6, your going from a latency of 13.5ms to 9ms which I don't think will be noticeable. That will be a drop in the bucket compared to the speeds you will see with the triple channel memory of the i7/ X58 chips.

I think MSI is a great brand, but ASUS is always rock solid for overclocking and the P6T-Deluxe is one of the top mobos so yours will be fantastic.


Unless you do graphics, high-quality movie editing on this PC, or run a server off it then getting 12 gb of memory will just be so you can say you have 12 gb of mem. 3 gb would be more than enough to run every application you would ever want, and the 6 you are planning on getting will be even more than that.

Consider yourself lucky that you are getting all this stuff at a great price. I built a new gaming machine last spring and I paid about $800 for less than a quarter of the performance you will see. I had to settle for a AMD dual-core at 3.2 with only 4 gb of RAM and an 8800 GTS 512. It still rocks max settings but, man I would drool over the beast that you are assembling.

EDIT - You could probably drop down to the 280 if you wanted to save a little dough. You will not see the benefits of having the 285 unless you go into very high resolutions of at least 1920x1280 and maybe not even until you get above 2000.

 

[Libertad]

Just as a note that system as upgrade friendly it may be is over kill unless your gaming at 1920x1200 and up. What resolution do you run Nativity on your monitor. I have a 24inch LCD and game at that resolution all the time and that GPU will be of real use. Im just advising you match your GPU to a resolution that wont sell it short the 285 is a very high caliber card that can feed high resolutions displays take full advantage of it.

 

[mobayrasta]

Quote:

Originally Posted by smrtby123 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hmm wow that is a great question. The vid card that I linked too was a factory overclocked version so I think there is a regular version of the 285 for about the same price as the one so I would go for that IF its about the same price, if not XFX is a solid brand, I have had a few of them. I was only really putting that RAM out there for a bit of a laugh. From reading a story on Tom's Hardware, the Clock Cycles on DDR3 is rated at 1.5 ms so going from a timing of 9 to a timing of 6, your going from a latency of 13.5ms to 9ms which I don't think will be noticeable. That will be a drop in the bucket compared to the speeds you will see with the triple channel memory of the i7/ X58 chips. I think MSI is a great brand, but ASUS is always rock solid for overclocking and the P6T-Deluxe is one of the top mobos so yours will be fantastic. Unless you do graphics, high-quality movie editing on this PC, or run a server off it then getting 12 gb of memory will just be so you can say you have 12 gb of mem. 3 gb would be more than enough to run every application you would ever want, and the 6 you are planning on getting will be even more than that. Consider yourself lucky that you are getting all this stuff at a great price. I built a new gaming machine last spring and I paid about $800 for less than a quarter of the performance you will see. I had to settle for a AMD dual-core at 3.2 with only 4 gb of RAM and an 8800 GTS 512. It still rocks max settings but, man I would drool over the beast that you are assembling. EDIT - You could probably drop down to the 280 if you wanted to save a little dough. You will not see the benefits of having the 285 unless you go into very high resolutions of at least 1920x1280 and maybe not even until you get above 2000.

Well I decided to go for the faster ram as I had a code from Newegg and got it for 10 dollars more G.SKILL 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Triple Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail same latency but 1600 vs. 1333mhz . I will be running at 1920x1080 on a 37 inch monitor. I am sticking with the graphics card because the price is just right. I do like the trade up option but the 75 bucks isn't quite worth it to me.

I cannot find a decent cooler that fits this I7 processor. Any ideas?

 

[smrtby123]

From what I have seen, you can just go with a LGA 775 heatsink and buy a new mounting kit, which will run you around $10.

Newegg.com - LGA 1366 / 775, CPU Fans & Heatsinks, Fans & Heatsinks, Computer Hardware

I would go with either this cooler:


or this one

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835207004

I love the direct contact heatpipes, because they are light, you get unbelievable air flow through them and they keep your CPU cool and solid.

Always go for 120mm because you get the same airflow at lower RPM's (lowering your decibels), and never use silicone grease. Arctic Silver 5 FTW (or similar).

 

[Seaside]

Your selection looks good to me.
You're going to need high end stuffs when you game a lot.

If I were you I would go for the system that makes minumum noise, because those noise often drives me crazy.

The first thing I will look is gonna be the VGA that has bigger, quiet fan. I will buy aftermarket VGA cooler if I have to. Then, I may choose 120mm cooler either from zalman or zerotherm for the CPU.

Good luck w/ your choice.

 

[budman90]

37in. monitor....holy crap.