gaming pc $2000 limit! first build pls help

[ginaB519]

Currently I have a dell xps laptop but it just isn't cutting it. I need more RAM and HD space. The graphics card is integrated. So I've saved up $2000. I'm building a pc for the first time.

I'm a graphic design major. I have the Adobe suite CS4 (Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign) I also use Dreamweaver, Flash. I also do a very small amount of 3-D rendering and CAD.

On an everyday basis I'm multitasking-- Itunes, having AIM on, and browsing the internet while designing. I play some RTS games (Age of Empires 3) and the Sims 3. Basically I'd like a very good graphics card, but I don't need top of the line.

For now, I'm going to be needing a small monitor, widescreen would be nice, maybe 19". I've heard a few are energy efficient, I'd like to find one.

To get even more specific, I need an integrated card reader with SD and XD cards, and some kind of adapter (either PCI or USB) for my linksys router (g, a networks).

I've chosen a case, a cpu, HDs, memory, and Mobo but I'm open to suggestions. Like I said, this is my first time, so I'm still lost.

I have a $2,000 budget which I know isn't much, but I'm in college, so for now I'll do the best I can, with intention to upgrade in the future. For that purpose I was looking at the i7 920 processor. I thought maybe I could OC it, but I'm hesitant about liquid cooling. If I could afford it within the budget maybe I'd go for the 940 and not OC. Suggestions would be nice.

Cases
The cases I was looking at were the CoolerMaster Storm Sniper and the CoolerMaster Cosmos.
SNIPER
or
COSMOS

I like that theres lots of room, and I can turn off the LED. I found that to be more professional than some of the other cases. They also aren't very loud considering the airflow, from a few reviews I read. Would the case fans be enough to OC the 920? (And not be that loud). I don't need silence, but the quieter the better.

HD
Western Digital Caviar Black WD1001FALS 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive

in addition to

Western Digital VelociRaptor WD3000HLFS 300GB 10000 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive

RAM
These came as a combo deal on newegg for both the i7 920 and the i7 940.
OCZ Platinum 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Triple Channel Kit Desktop Memory


Mobo

EVGA 132-BL-E758-TR LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel Motherboard


Thanks so much in advance!

 

[Hefemeister]

Go i7 920 no need for the 940 even if you do not OC the 920.

If you want to OC a bit go with the sunbeam core contact after market heatsink for your cooling needs.

With $2000 you can build a great computer.

What are, if any, your gaming needs? This would determine what type of video card would be best for you.

 

[ginaB519]

I play some Unreal Tournament, Call of Duty 4. In the future I might invest in a second of the graphics card that I get now, So I would like to to be pretty good. But I also don't need a $400 graphics card. Thanks for your help!

 

[saltynay]

Newegg.com - BIOSTAR TPOWER X58A 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 - OCZ Platinum 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Triple Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Desktop Memory
Newegg.com - PC Power & Cooling S75CF 750W EPS12V SLI NVIDIA SLI Certified (Dual 8800 GTX and below) CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Power Supply - Power Supplies
Newegg.com - BFG Tech BFGEGTX2851024OCPE GeForce GTX 285 1GB 512-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Desktop Graphics / Video Cards
Newegg.com - Western Digital Caviar Black WD6401AALS 640GB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - Internal Hard Drives (same speed as a raptor in real world tests)
Newegg.com - Western Digital Caviar Green WD10EADS 1TB 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - Internal Hard Drives
Newegg.com - COOLER MASTER Storm Sniper SGC-6000-KKN1-GP Black ABS Bezel, SECC Body ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Computer Cases
Newegg.com - Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 64-bit for System Builders - Operating Systems
Newegg.com - Noctua NH-U12P SE1366 120mm SSO CPU Cooler - CPU Fans & Heatsinks

total - $1533.90 - $115 in rebates

 

[myowngod]

^ Build looks really good... I like the EVGA x58 better but that is personal preference... it over clocks very well based on my research..

I would take a look at the Antec 1200 and/or HAF932... more room never hurts.. both probably flow better than the sniper...

Otherwise your build looks almost exactly like mine, except I'm doing water...

Another cooler to look at would be Xigmatek Thors Hammer, with a push-pull setup...

 

[Hefemeister]

Ok lets put something together.

cpu i7 920 $289
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

motherboard evga x58 $270 $10mir
Newegg.com - EVGA 132-BL-E758-TR LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel Motherboard - Intel Motherboards
Video Card evga gtx260 superclocked $194 $20 mir
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
Could go to a gtx280 or gtx285 or ATI 4870 1gb if you want to spend more. This card will fulfill your needs.
Edit: like Saltynay's gpu better worth the extra $30
Newegg.com - BFG Tech BFGEGTX2851024OCPE GeForce GTX 285 1GB 512-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Desktop Graphics / Video Cards

Ram ocz 1600 6gb $108 $20 mir
Newegg.com - OCZ Platinum 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Triple Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Desktop Memory

psu corsiar 750tx $125 $20 mir
Newegg.com - CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX 750W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 Power Supply - Power Supplies

Hard Drive Storage WD 1tb $110
Newegg.com - Western Digital Caviar Black WD1001FALS 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - Internal Hard Drives

Hard Drive OS WD 640gb $75
Newegg.com - Western Digital Caviar Black WD1001FALS 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - Internal Hard Drives
I would skip the velociraptor and either wait for ssd drives to drop in price or pick one up now. Never hurts to have an extra 640gb lying around.

Monitor Acer 19" widescreen $120
Newegg.com - Acer X193W+BD Black 19" 5ms Widescreen LCD Monitor 300 cd/m2 2000:1 (ACM) - LCD Monitors
Really 19"? I would go 22 to 24 inches.

OS vista home premium 64bit $99
Newegg.com - Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 64-bit for System Builders - Operating Systems

$1390 with $70 mir

$610 left for your other items

Case is a personal choice.
Get any DVD burner you wish or 2.
Same with the flash card reader.
Go for a dlink pci wireless card unless you could run cat5 cable to your computer which would be better.
Aftermarket cooler if you wish to overclock

 

[saltynay]

lol Worth the extra $30 lol its going from the 6th fastest card on the market to number one fastest single gpu card on the market I was shocked when I found it.

Crtique with hef's build
Why pay extra for a storage drive to be 1mb/sec faster for an extra $10 plus the blacks are more power hungry then the greens it just seems like a needless extra to me.
Corsair are a good psu company but PC power and cooling are the best! At the same price PC P&C wins everytime.
Guessing you meant this evga mobo all it brings extra to the table is the third pci-e slot being x8 but this person isn't a hardcore gamer or likely to be an extreme overclocker but from reviews they seem about on par with overclockability.

 

[ginaB519]

Go for a dlink pci wireless card unless you could run cat5 cable to your computer which would be better.

Should I use the EVGA mobo for this? That way I have extra PCI slots? Thanks

 

[Hefemeister]

Correct on the evga board changed the link. Extra sata ports and had been around a bit longer but the biostar looks nice and for $50 less.

I could not believe that price on the 285. Had to look twice at that one.

 

[saltynay]

Should I use the EVGA mobo for this? That way I have extra PCI slots? Thanks

Both boards are equal and both will accept 2 pci cards therefore accepting the wireless card. I see my build as being the best so far as the changes hef has made don't really add anything except mixing items around however they are excellent item choices. Both will be very good pcs though so the decision is upto you.