Building an epic gaming desktop!

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Jadchor

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Well, over the past three days I've been researching parts to put together a nice gaming desktop. But I'm, subsequently, a noob when it comes to building computers. I built a custom computer around four years ago, but my uncle helped me in the process. I'm aiming to get top notch parts (around 60-75% compared to the best parts out there). Please feel free to modify or change parts that I've chosen, whether it's a better deal or more appropriate part.

CPU / Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 Wolfdale 3.16GHz
Newegg.com - Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 Wolfdale 3.16GHz 6MB L2 Cache LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor - Processors - Desktops
Price - $190

Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 260 Superclocked Edition 896MB
Newegg.com - EVGA 896-P3-1262-AR GeForce GTX 260 Superclocked Edition 896MB 448-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Desktop Graphics / Video Cards
Price - $250

RAM / Memory: OCZ Reaper HPC Edition 4GB
Newegg.com - OCZ Reaper HPC Edition 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Desktop Memory
Price - $86

Hard Drive: Seagate Barracuda 500GB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache
Newegg.com - Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 ST3500320AS 500GB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - Internal Hard Drives
Price - $75

Power Supply: CORSAIR 750TX 750W
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...Corsair%20750TX
Price - $110

Computer Case: NZXT Lexa Blackline ATX Mid-Tower Case
NZXT Lexa Blackline ATX Mid-Tower Case LEX-201 at TigerDirect.com
Price - $100

Motherboard: EVGA NVIDIA nForce 750i FTW SLI ATX Intel Motherboard
Newegg.com - EVGA 123-YW-E175-A1 LGA 775 NVIDIA nForce 750i FTW SLI ATX Intel Motherboard - Intel Motherboards
Price - $170

Monitor: Samsung Touch of Color T220 22" Widescreen LCD Monitor
Samsung Touch of Color T220 22" Widescreen LCD Monitor - 2ms, 20000:1 (Dynamic), 1680x1050 (WSXGA+), DVI, RoseBlack at TigerDirect.com
Price - $300

Operating System: Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit
Newegg.com - Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 64-bit English for System Builders 1pk DSP OEI DVD - Operating Systems
Price - $100

DVD / CD Burner: ASUS Black DVD / CD Burner with LightScribe
Newegg.com - ASUS Black 20X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 8X DVD+R DL 20X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 14X DVD-RAM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM 2MB Cache SATA 20X DVD±R DVD Burner with LightScribe - CD / DVD Burners
Price - $35

Sound Card: Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeGamer 7.1
Newegg.com - Top Sellers, Sound Cards, Sound Cards & MIDI Devices, Computer Hardware
Price - $91

Total Price:
 
Switch the GTX 260 for a Radeon HD 4870, its around the same price and is cheaper, but for most games today you really don't even need that much power, even an HD 4850 is more than enough for today's games..

Then don't get the 680i, check out a good P45/X38/X48 board like a Biostar I45

for PSU: check out a Corsair 650tx (for gaming stick with the e8500)
 
I'm an nVidia guy, so I'd say stick with the gtx 260, you won't need to upgrade that for years. That monitor will be awesome, I work at sears and we sell the 42 inch and 46 inch samsung touch of color TV and they are insanely awesome. Samsung is number 1 in monitors and TVs at the moment.
 
you won't need to upgrade that for years...
And the 4870 will???

CPU: Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550 2.83GHz
VideoCard: 4870
PSU: Corsair 750TX
Motherboard: Biostar TPower I45 ( As VernVern said )
HDD: Same one, but the 640GB version.
 
follow vern's advice. 4870 (although a 4850 is plenty powerful if your out to save some dough) + p45/x38/x48 ftw.

And vern, i know we are all tired, but he had a 750iftw in his list, not a 680i <3 i SEE wat U did there.
watermark.php
 
Ah, I changed the motherboard from 680i to 750i. The 750i ended up being $10 cheaper than the 680i, which was weird, but I'm not arguing about that. I'm going to make a list of two separate computers, including the one I have above, and a modified list with the parts vern and zedman have suggested. Maybe make some polls and with my final decision I will start buying the parts within the next week.

My previous desktop had a Radeon video card and an AMD processor, so I wouldn't mind trying something new.

Any popular DVD/CD (R+/-, RW+/- and all the others.. you know what I mean) burner drives?
 
Go with Intel for the cpu, and nvidia for graphics cards. SLI works better, I believe more games are sponsored by nvidia, and until recently they usually always have the best cards. they still have the second and third best, and I look for them to reclaim their crown and have the best card available again.
 
Crossfire actually is much easier to use then SLI. Veedub will vouch for it and he has done 8800 gt sli -> 9800gx2 quad sli. Just because a game is sponsored by nvidia doesn't always mean it works better with nvidia cards. Crysis is an exception, but you can still run decent fram rates with crossfire and an ati card. (I run way better at 1920/1200 with my 4850 then I did with my 8800 gt in crysis, and i used to play at 1024/768). They only have the 2nd best as far as I can see since the 4870 usually take the crown vs the gtx260.

And

and I look for them to reclaim their crown and have the best card available again.

But the point is, now they do not. Go buy an inferior product because they will take the lead later? Well THAT makes a lot of sense. Unless you are referring to the step up program, but that is a pain and you have downtime while waiting for the new card. ATI is the way to go now.

p.s. I've done sli, and step-up before. I think from now on I will only buy 1 good single card. (I'm still resisting to do crossfire cause I don't need to).
 
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