High Performance Build

[Jewelspoint]

Hi everyone, thanks to help in the past I've come up with this build, it's my very first, I'd appreciate if someone could look it over and give me a review. If all goes well I plan to order the parts tomorrow.

i7 920 Processor (Should I still get a quadcore, if all I'm really focusing on is gaming?)
Newegg.com - Intel Core i7-920 Bloomfield 2.66GHz 4 x 256KB L2 Cache 8MB L3 Cache LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor - Processors - Desktops

Which heatsink for my I7 920?:
>>
GELID CC-Spirit CPU Cooler (will it fit with my motherboard? Will it be sufficient for a newb overclock?)
Newegg.com - GELID Solutions CC-Spirit-01 100.5mm CPU Cooler - CPU Fans & Heatsinks
or
Noctua NH-U12P SE2
Newegg.com - Noctua NH-U12P SE2 120mm SSO CPU Cooler - CPU Fans & Heatsinks
<<

Need help on mother board:

>>
(Asus P6T)
Newegg.com - ASUS P6T Deluxe V2 LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel Motherboard - Intel Motherboards

or

($80 cheaper Asus P6T) (wtf? I don't understand!!!)
Newegg.com - ASUS P6T SE LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel Motherboard - Intel Motherboards
<<

Need some opinions on the card:

(Radeon 20HD 5870)
Newegg.com - SAPPHIRE 100281SR Radeon HD 5870 (Cypress XT) 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card w/ATI Eyefinity - Desktop Graphics / Video Cards

I don't like a few things about this card, including the price, but I do like how powerful it sounds, and the support for DX11. Thoughts?


OCZ Platinum 6GB (3 x 2GB) RAM.
Newegg.com - OCZ Platinum 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Low Voltage Desktop Memory Model OCZ3P1600LV6GK - Desktop Memory

Western Digital Internal Hard Drive (640GB)
Newegg.com - Western Digital Caviar Black WD6401AALS 640GB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive

OCZ 120GB SATA II Internal Solid state disk
Newegg.com - OCZ Agility Series OCZSSD2-1AGT120G 2.5" 120GB SATA II MLC Internal Solid state disk (SSD) - Solid State Disks

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

Antec ATX Full Tower Computer Case
Newegg.com - Antec Twelve Hundred Black Steel ATX Full Tower Computer Case - Computer Cases

I am not too concerned about price. (Let's put it this way: I starved myself for 2 months to save up $ for this PC So yes I do care about price, but I care oh so much more about performance)

I am mainly getting this PC for games, anything from Bioshock 2 and Crysis, to The Sims 3, The Witcher, Dragon Age, C&C 4, and more. I might also get back into map editing, which can be real demanding for CPU power when compiling, etc.

This will be my first build ever, and I would also like to do some mild (safe, easy) overclocking (I have no experience with overclocking) so I tried to build with that in mind.

Big thanks to JamesMW and Slaymate for the build.

I will buy Windows 7 for this PC.

screen:
ASUS 25" 2ms HDMI LCD 1000:1 (with built in speakers I'll never use!)
Newegg.com - ASUS VW246H Black 24" 2ms(GTG) HDMI Widescreen LCD Monitor 300 cd/m2 1000:1 (ASCR 20000:1) Built in Speakers - LCD Monitors

or
ACER 23" 5ms HDMI Full 1080P 40000:1
Newegg.com - Acer X233Hbid Black 23" 5ms HDMI Full 1080P Widescreen LCD Monitor 300 cd/m2 40000:1 (ACM) - LCD Monitors

I don't like my screens to be super wide, but I do like BIG!


Speakers:
Bose Companion Speaker System
Newegg.com - Bose® Companion® 2 Multimedia Speaker System - Speakers

I live in a dorm-room with thin walls, so I don't want heavy bass and subs or anything, but I want sound quality.

Bring on the critics and any opinions or changes I should make! Or does it look good as is?

Thanks so much!
~ Jules

 

[Slaymate]

Get the Noctua Heatsink and the Asus P6T Deluxe V2 mobo.

The ATI 5870 is a very good card, you'll be happy, if you can find one in stock.

The Corsair 750watt power supply should be plenty, but the 850 watt unit will give you extra headroom, it's up to you

 

[james.wired]

Get the Noctua Heatsink and the Asus P6T Deluxe V2 mobo.

The ATI 5870 is a very good card, you'll be happy, if you can find one in stock.

The Corsair 750watt power supply should be plenty, but the 850 watt unit will give you extra headroom, it's up to you

+1 to everything Slay said, of course!

For the monitors, I would stick with the 23" as it's a nice size and the difference between the two is one inch and it costing $50 more for it doesn't seem worth it. 23" is a good size.

IMO, Bose speakers are overrated, and not anything you really need. You can get great sound quality off of a good set of Logitech speakers. But if you are really an audiophile then hit up a sound card with the money you save from going Logitech over Bose, but in all honesty, I love me some quality sound but I haven't yet felt the need to get a sound card.

Everything else looks great man, you will enjoy the build very much

 

[Nubbleet]

Looks like a great build.

 

[Jewelspoint]

Thanks for the help, I'll let you know I went with each option you guys suggested

I am having no luck getting that Radeon HD 5870, and I have the rest of this beautiful computer sitting under my desk (semi assembled). Just need to put a video card in and turn it on! LOL.

I opted to get Windows 7 x64 bit and a 1t drive instead of 650g (it was 10 dollars more on Amazon for the same HDD type, 1T instead of 650g), and some Logitech speakers that I really enjoy.

Here's my question. Should I just get something like this:

Radeon HD 4890
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150438

Which is in stock now, ready to go?.. Or with this build would it kind of be a bottleneck, and I should wait to get that HD 5870? I'm soo anxious to get this thing turned on

Or maybe I'll get like a cheap $75 dollar gpu to last me until I can get 5870, however long that will take.

 

[newbiebuilderguy]

I would definitely wait for the 5870. Can you say DX -11? You may have to camp in front of your computer , checking constantly for the next shipment. They sell out almost instantly.

 

[kmote]

I would get a cheap card to tide you over till you find a 5870
1) It will let you test your other components to make sure they are good
2) It will let you use your new computer! YAY!
3) A spare card is always handy

 

[Hefemeister]

^^ I agree. Plus if you end up waitning for a gtx300 series you can pick up an nvidia card now and use it as a physics card later. If you get a ATI card later it never hurts having a spare card around.

 

[SapperX]

If you live in a dorm room, I would recommend scraping the idea of speakers at all and just get a nice headset. If you really need speakers, get a very cheap 2.0 system until you get out of those dorms!

 

[Jewelspoint]

get a very cheap 2.0 system until you get out of those dorms!

Done =P And they're working perfectly for my music until I get out.

I will go with an Nvidia. Holding out until the new gtx300 series had crossed my mind, I might do that. Using my Nvidia as a physics card sounds sweet too =P

Opinions on a temp card? I'm thinking of this one, and will give it to my little brother for xmas after I get mine =P

Geforce 9800
http://www.amazon.com/XFX-PVT98GYDLH-Geforce-9800-Graphics/dp/B001DU7HWK/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1259172627&sr=8-3


I can't wait to get this thing turned on!!

Thanks