Help me choose one of these three computers!

[ComputerNoob2009]

Hi guys! I'm new to this forum and unsure which of these systems to buy. I want to get a high performance computer for gaming and video editing and for it to last me a few years for the best deal possible. Let me know what you think.

System One: Newegg.com - Velocity Micro Edge Gx535 Intel Core i7 920(2.66GHz) 6GB DDR3 1TB Dual ATI Radeon HD 4850 Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit - Desktop PCs
System Two: Newegg.com - Gateway FX6800-09 Intel Core i7 920(2.66GHz) 6GB DDR3 1TB NVIDIA GeForce GTX 280 Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit - Desktop PCs

System three: Custom Build (Would cost me $1700!!!!)
Case: Antec 900
Power supply: Corsair HX 750 watt
Motherboard: MSI Platinum
Processor: Core I7 920 – overclocked by professional to 3.6 ghz
Memory: 6gb of Corsair Dominator 1600mhz
Graphics Processor: EVGA GTX 280
Optical: LG 22x DVDRW
Sound Card: Creative Audigy 7.1
Hard Drive: 640gb Western Digital Caviar Black with 32mb of cache

I think I'm leaning toward System One, to save myself some money. What do you think?

 

[Yami]

Your custom build is pretty expensive, how does all that add up to $1700?

 

[NvidiaSLIX58]

Id go with option 3 for sure. The motherboards in those factory systems are crap and you cant oc them. Why get an I7 that you cant overclock? Also dominator is really good ram. that factory stuff in the gateway doesnt even have a heatsink on it and isnt good for gaming. plus its 1333mhz. you want 1600. I would go with the custom build but see if you can get the ASUS P6T or EVGA motherboard. The MSI is good but not as good.

I think $1700 for that system isnt expesnive. Think about it
I7 = 300
Antec = 100
HDD = 100 - Caviar blacks only 10% worse than VELOCIRAPTOR!
Dominator = 300 - maybe get cheaper ram to decrease price?
Power supply = 150 Good choice! Corsair PSU is awesome!
GTX 280 = 350 -- what about the 285?
Mainboard = 250 for the MSI Platinum
Sound card and DVD player = 100

Total: $1650 Thats a good deal if only cost 50 to build and overclock.

 

[Pinscher]

Build it yourself. The premades are decent but you could get much better for your money and you will learn something really cool in the process. It is not hard to do. There are plenty of people here, including me, that will be glad to help you with every step. Give me a sec and I will post a list of parts that will be much better for you.

Here you go:

Newegg.com - LIAN LI PC-A70B Black Aluminum ATX Full Tower Computer Case - Computer Cases

Newegg.com - Western Digital Caviar Black WD6401AALS 640GB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - Internal Hard Drives

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

Newegg.com - PC Power & Cooling S61EPS 610W Continuous @ 40°C EPS12V SLI Certified CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Power Supply - Power Supplies

Newegg.com - G.SKILL PI Black 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Triple Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Desktop Memory

Newegg.com - EVGA 132-BL-E758-A1 LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel Motherboard - Intel Motherboards

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

Newegg.com - Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 64-bit for System Builders - Operating Systems

Xigmatek HDT-S1284EE HDT Universal CPU Cooler (Enhanced Edition)

Xigmatek Crossbow ACK-I7363 Retention Bracket, for All Intel LGA775 / LGA1366 CPU Coolers - Discount Online Store Dallas Texas

Newegg.com - SAMSUNG Black 22X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 16X DVD+R DL 22X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 12X DVD-RAM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM 2MB Cache SATA 22X DVD±R DVD Burner with LightScribe - CD / DVD Burners

That will be an awesome build right there.

 

[philbar71]

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

Newegg.com - GIGABYTE GA-EX58-UD5 LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel Motherboard - Intel Motherboards

Newegg.com - OCZ Flex EX Series 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Triple Channel Kits Desktop Memory - Desktop Memory

Newegg.com - Western Digital Caviar Black WD6401AALS 640GB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - Internal Hard Drives

Newegg.com - SAMSUNG Black 22X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 16X DVD+R DL 22X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 12X DVD-RAM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM 2MB Cache SATA 22X DVD Burner - CD / DVD Burners

Newegg.com - EVGA 01G-P3-1281-AR GeForce GTX 285 1GB 512-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Desktop Graphics / Video Cards

Newegg.com - CORSAIR CMPSU-850TX 850W ATX12V 2.2 / EPS12V 2.91 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready Active PFC Power Supply - Power Supplies

leaves room for case of choice.

 

[Pinscher]

Use the ram Philbar suggested, its got better timings.

That PSU is a little much philbar.

Both the motherboards we put up are good and the rest is pretty much the same.

 

[philbar71]

That PSU is a little much philbar.

lol, with that kind of budget i dont see why not to get it. it's a good psu that will be able to handle 3 GTX 285's

and we posted builds at the same time, lol.

 

[Pinscher]

lol ya we seem to do that alot.

 

[Puddle Jumper]

The Sunbeam Core Contact is a slightly better cooler than the Xigmatek and it also comes with the best thermal paste, Tuniq TX-2.

Newegg.com - Sunbeam CR-CCTF 120mm "Core Contact Freezer" CPU Cooler - CPU Fans & Heatsinks

Newegg.com - Sunbeam CR-LGA1366 LGA 1366 Core I7 Retention Bracket - CPU Fans & Heatsinks

 

[Pinscher]

Good call. You can get it from newegg too.