My first PC build - high end system, please help :)

[cuse]

Hi everyone! Sorry if this post is too long (in advance) - I am just posting because I am looking to build a new PC for the first time and I need some advice/help so that I donÂ’t completely butcher this somehow and waste a whole lot of money lol (I am on an older laptop right nowÂ… andÂ… well enough is enough!). Any help is *truly* appreciated!!!

I know intel has a new chip coming out soon but I can’t wait and I don’t want to wait. I am not willing to spend a million dollars on this thing, but I definitely want to build a PC that will last me a while without needing to upgrade it and will give me an advantage while gaming. I also work fulltime (40 – 56 hours per week) online and I run a billion programs at once, so going dual core should really just make my life better and less frustrating lol.

So yeahÂ… this is what IÂ’ve got so farÂ…

Case: NZXT LEXA-NP Black/ Silver Computer Case With Side Panel Window (124.99) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811146018

Power Supply: Antec TRUEPOWERII TPII-550 550W Power Supply ($89.99) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817103931

Motherboard: ASUS A8N-SLI Premium Socket 939 NVIDIA nForce4 SLI ATX AMD Motherboard ($157.99) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813131540 (Do I need the Premium?)

Processor: AMD Athlon 64 X2 4800+ Toledo 2000MHz HT 2 x 1MB L2 Cache Socket 939 Dual Core Processor ($632.00) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16819103544

Memory: CORSAIR XMS PRO 2GB (2 x 1GB) 184-Pin DDR SDRAM Unbuffered DDR 400 (PC 3200) Dual Channel Kit System Memory ($245.00) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820145503

Hard Drive: Seagate Barracuda 7200.8 ST3250823AS 250GB 7200 RPM 8MB Cache Serial ATA150 Hard Drive ($89.00) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16822148065

Video Card: 2x eVGA 256-P2-N564 Geforce 7900GT KO 256MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 Video Card (2x $319.00 = $638.00) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814130015 (Is eVGA reliable? Should I be going with a different one? ASUS?)

Sound Card: Creative Sound Blaster Audigy2 ZS SB0350 7.1 Channels 24-bit 192KHz PCI Interface Sound Card ($75.00) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16829102178

CD ROM: Sony/Plextor/NEC Combo drive – recommendations for something cheap yet effective would be nice . I am more concerned with just getting quality + reliability than anything else at this point. ($~40.00)

Monitor: Trying to decide between the following two: ViewSonic VX922 Black/Silver 19" 2ms LCD Monitor 270 cd/m2 650:1 0.294mm Pixel Pitch ($299.99) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16824116375 and Acer AL1951C Silver-Black 19" 4ms LCD Monitor 400 cd/m2 700:1 Built in Speakers 0.294mm Pixel Pitch ($339.99) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16824009075

TOTAL COST (minus shipping) = around $2,400.00 + shipping + OS (windows), etc.

Should I be buying any additional cooling devices, or is the standard stuff that comes with everything sufficient? Is everything compatible (IÂ’m pretty sure it is)? Any recommendations to save a few bucks, or recommendations for upgrades/downgrades, etc.

THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR YOUR HELP!

 

[aliasaid]

looks great.

2 7900gt's?! if you're not gaming thats total overkill... are you a hardcore gamer?

and for the sake of future upgradeability... (and i reckon cheaper as well.. ) get just one 7900gtx instead.

the stock cooling is sufficient, however, if you plan on overclocking your system you should get an aftermarket cooling solution.

edit: ...forgot to say.. only get that vid card if you're a hardcore gamer. if not, then get something like a 7600gt/gs

 

[Fwiffo]

Video Card: 2x eVGA 256-P2-N564 Geforce 7900GT KO 256MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 Video Card (2x $319.00 = $638.00) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...N82E16814130015 (Is eVGA reliable? Should I be going with a different one? ASUS?)

If i were you i'd just grab one 7900GTX instead of two 7900GT's, the 7900GTX is alot better and more future proof, but it costs quite a penny (like $800), if you can't afford that, then buy a cheaper video card (like the 7600, which is a really good video card and cheap) and save up till you can afford the over the top ones.

 

[cuse]

Hey guys, thanks so much for your replies . I wouldn’t exactly call myself a hardcore gamer (maybe a recovering one though ). I used to play CS:S, DOD:S, HALO, Rainbow 6:3, and some other RPGs on my PC pretty hardcore – I haven’t played a PC game in months though, but that is partially because my laptop is so annoying to game on. With this new computer I want to be able to get back into it, and have simply awesome graphics.

Is the 7900GTX significantly better than the 7900GT? And are you recommending going with only one if I only game casually and two if IÂ’m looking to use this as a hardcore gaming rig? For a hardcore gaming PC, would it make more sense to go with 2x 7900GT or 1x 7900GTX (or, letÂ’s go even crazierÂ… 2x 7900GTX)?

 

[aliasaid]

yes i recommend going with one 7900gtx. it will fullfil all your gaming needs. if some time in the future a new game is released and you wanna max it out on 1600X1200 then you can easily add another 7900gtx later.

 

[cuse]

yes i recommend going with one 7900gtx. it will fullfil all your gaming needs. if some time in the future a new game is released and you wanna max it out on 1600X1200 then you can easily add another 7900gtx later.

Ok, awesome .

 

[Vodreb]

Good build, If i was you, id go with ocz ram/psu. OCZ is a very good high end brand.
Ram
and the PSU
PSU

 

[reckliss]

i suggest getting DDR 500 RAM

 

[aliasaid]

i suggest getting DDR 500 RAM

he has a 4800+ so chances are he won't be doing much overclocking... so sticking with DDR400 with tighter timings will be better... as vodreb suggested maybe getting OCZ with tighter timings (and cheaper as well) might be a good idea.

as for PSU.. i'd stick with the one you already chose..

 

[cuse]

Good build, If i was you, id go with ocz ram/psu. OCZ is a very good high end brand.
Ram
and the PSU
PSU

he has a 4800+ so chances are he won't be doing much overclocking... so sticking with DDR400 with tighter timings will be better... as vodreb suggested maybe getting OCZ with tighter timings (and cheaper as well) might be a good idea.

as for PSU.. i'd stick with the one you already chose..

Hey guys, is OCZ as reliable though? I am not overclocking, and I am looking for RAM that is simply reliable - that's why I don't want to necessarily gamble with cheap stuff.