EggXpert

Hi folks,

Some time ago I posted requesting help on a build (http://www.eggxpert.com/forums/469034/ShowThread.aspx#469034). Finances intervened and I was never able to buy it, but now I'm back in the market again, and would like your advice! The good news is, the budget has gone up as well. :)

Here's what I'm looking for:

Budget: $1800 (incl. shipping)
Brands: No preference
Multitasking: I suppose "moderate" multitasking
Gaming: I do intend on gaming, but the machine really only needs to be an "adequate" gaming machine. I'd like to be able to run new release games, but I'm not going to be playing online real-time FPSs or anything like that.
Calculations: I will be doing some video and graphics editing, Flash development, and running games like Out of the Park Baseball that are calculation-intensive.
Overclocking: I have no plans on overclocking, unless someone can convince me it's worth my while
Storage: I don't have particularly large storage needs. Would be nice to get an external backup drive.
Operating System: Windows 7
Case: Please recommend. I have no specific size constraints. I'd like the machine to be REASONABLY quiet and well-cooled.
Accessories: Keyboard, mouse not needed (if the budget has room, I might splurge for a nice new wireless mouse / keyboard of some kind
Monitor: I have one of these (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824009145), and want a second, similar monitor. If there's anything out there in the 1600x1200 resolution in my budget, that would be nice. I'd love to get 2 monitor adjustable mounts, but I'm not sure if that will kill the budget.
Location: U.S.
Sound: Would like to get a decent 2.1 sound system with this rig, as well as a decent sound card to go with it. I'm not looking to do high-end sound editing, nor am I looking to blow the neighbors' walls down, but I'd like to have nice sound, for games and for playing music.
CD/DVD: I will need a CD/DVD burner
Case
Other: Need a wireless network card. If there's an antenna-less one out there that functions decently, I'd love that.

So, thoughts? Questions? Recommendations?

Thanks very much!

Here's my suggestion; others will comment on it or suggest their own as they feel necessary.

CPU: i7 920 $280 It may seem like too much, but I know from doing my own graphics editing and reading reviews that (depending on programs) you can benefit from a fast CPU

Mobo: UD5 $279 I tend not to be on top of things as far as mobos go, but I've seen a lot of other members recommend this board

RAM: 3x 2gb  $130 OCZ makes stellar RAM and, unless you're editing graphics for a living, you probably won't need more than 6gb

GPU: 4870 1gb $145 This will help with the second monitor and will help with graphics editing/gaming

Storage: Barracuda 1tb (data) $90 Graphics editing can leave you with lots of big files

Storage: Velociraptor 150gb (apps) $180 Your budget can handle it, and it'll help reduce startup speeds and app loading

PSU: 750W  $120 Excellent brand, will help future proof without too much overkill

Optical: 24x DVD burner $30 Don't need anything fancy; I'm sure someone will find a cheaper one

Case: HAF 932  $140 One of the most popular cases on these forums

Monitor: 22" $160 No reason why you can't have two identical monitors

Sound: Logitech 2.1 $49 Solid brand, don't need a sound card for only 2.1 speakers and most mobos have good onboard anyway even if you go beyond 2.1

Keyboard: Das Keyboard (site is down so I can't link) ~$120 Supposed to be a good keyboard, is probably the only one I'd buy without being able to test it out first.

Total: $1423

I'll post this for you, there have been some new technology, and this will help you in the decision making hopefully.

 You should choose i7 9XX (Bloomfield) and X58 (LGA 1366) if:

MrFox:

I'll post this for you, there have been some new technology, and this will help you in the decision making hopefully.

 You should choose i7 9XX (Bloomfield) and X58 (LGA 1366) if:

You plan to run multiple GPUs in SLI or Crossfire and want the maximum performance possible (16x + 16x PCI-E bandwidth on X58 vs. 8X + 8X bandwidth on most mid-high end P55)

You want to overclock your processor as far as possible WITHOUT increasing voltage

You want to overclock your processor as high as possible for "extreme" benchmarking or record setting (6 GHz+)

You want the more memory bandwidth with triple channel DDR3 (NOTE: only negligible gains in real world performance over dual channel DDR3; primarily increases synthetic benchmark performance)

You want a cheaper solution to cramming as much memory into your computer as possible (6 slots on X58; roughly $110 for 6GB DDR3 vs. 4 slots on most P55 boards; roughly $80 for 4GB DDR3)

You want the possibility of buying a 6 core processor with hyperthreading support sometime in 2010 (Gulftown; possibly very expensive)

You need a greater number of PCI-E lanes for expansion cards (storage controllers or RAM disks in addition to graphics cards; x16 + x16 + x8 on some X58 vs. x16 + x4 or x8 + x8 + x4 on some P55)

Low power consumption isn't your most important goal

Lowest overall system cost isn't your biggest concern ("low"-mid range X58 and i7 920 is still comparable in price to mid-high range P55 and i7 860)

Stock processor performance is not your most important goal


You should choose i5 750 / i7 8XX (Lynnfield) and P55 (LGA 1156) if:

You want your system to draw less power both at idle and at full load

You plan to run your processor at stock speeds and want the greatest performance possible (Lynnfield turbo boost beats Bloomfield turbo boost)

You want to keep the overall system cost as low as possible by buying a low-mid range P55 board ($100-130), i5 750 ($159 at Microcenter / $200 elsewhere; lacks hyperthreading) and dual channel DDR3

You want the slight, perhaps negligible, performance advantage of Lynnfield's integrated PCI-E controller

You plan to use a single graphics card, or don't care about squeezing every possible frame per second out of your system using dual graphics cards.

You only plan to do reasonable overclocks (under 5-6 GHz), not record setting suicide runs

You want to keep costs as low as possible (i5 750) and DO NOT need hyperthreading for greater multi-threading support (4 cores on i5 750 vs. 4 cores + HT for 8 total on i7 8XX and i7 9XX)


In the end, you can't go wrong with either one. Bloomfield and X58 seem to be a better "extreme" platform, while Lynnfield and P55 are a much better midrange solution. That's not to say that a Lynnfield system can't keep up with Bloomfield; the only time Bloomfield really starts to excel in real world performance is when using multiple ultra-high-end graphics cards in SLI / Crossfire or overclocking to the extreme. With that said, it's somewhat silly to buy a high-end Lynnfield system ($200+ on a P55 motherboard, etc.) when Bloomfield and X58 will be priced similarly - unless your primary goal is power consumption and "stock" speed (turbo boost). X58 may stay "current" a bit longer with the 6 core, 32nm Gulftown coming out sometime in 2010, but who knows for sure what they have planned for either socket? Chances are Sandy Bridge will make both sockets obsolete in the not-too-distant future (2011?) anyway.

I read in another post (can't remember which) that LGA-1156 is supposed to replace LGA-775 and probably be obsolete in 2011, but that LGA-1366, the high-end version, might last longer so the person revealing this info said that 1366 would be better from a future-proofing stand point since Gulftown is supposed to use LGA-1366

MrFox:

I'll post this for you, there have been some new technology, and this will help you in the decision making hopefully.

Thanks for all of this. I suppose I should have mentioned, I am NOT a build expert. This will be the first machine I've built myself, and really I'm only considering doing so because others here have convinced me that if I can use a screwdriver and read directions, I should be able to make it happen. (Time will tell. Others have underestimated my ability to f things up in the past, at their peril. :D)

In fact, most of your post, while very much appreciated, went entirely over my head. :D So, bottom line is, I don't have any intent on overclocking or really pushing the graphical performance, so it sounds like I really don't need to go the extreme route. It sounds like the Lynnfield is the way to go.

Keep the ideas coming, folks!

Thanks!

Steve

Cap'n Insane, of course thanks for your post too! ;)

Hmm, trying this. Here's what I have so far:

Qty.	Image	Product Description	Unit Price	Savings	Total Price
1		Intel Core i7 920 Nehalem 2.66GHz LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor Model BX80601920 - Retail Model #:BX80601920 Item #:N82E16819115202 Return Policy:CPU Replacement Only Return Policy In Stock	$288.99	-$9.00 Instant	$279.99
1		GIGABYTE GA-EX58-UD5 LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail Model #:GA-EX58-UD5 Item #:N82E16813128362 Return Policy:Limited Replacement Only Return Policy In Stock	$298.99	-$20.00 Instant	$278.99
2		OCZ Gold 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Low Voltage Desktop Memory Model OCZ3G1600LV6GK - Retail Model #:OCZ3G1600LV6GK Item #:N82E16820227365 Return Policy:Memory Standard Return Policy In Stock Mail in Rebate Card20-227-365	$141.99	-$12.00 Instant	$259.98
1		XFX HD-487A-ZWFC Radeon HD 4870 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Retail Model #:HD-487A-ZWFC Item #:N82E16814150436 Return Policy:VGA Standard Return Policy In Stock Mail in Rebate14-150-436	$149.99	-$10.00 Instant	$139.99
1		Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 ST31000528AS 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive - OEM Model #:ST31000528AS Item #:N82E16822148433 Return Policy:Standard Return Policy In Stock	$99.99	-$10.00 Instant	$89.99
1		Western Digital VelociRaptor WD1500HLFS 150GB 10000 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive (bare drive) - OEM Model #:WD1500HLFS Item #:N82E16822136296 Return Policy:Standard Return Policy In Stock	$179.99		$179.99
1		CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX 750W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 Power ... - Retail Model #:CMPSU-750TX Item #:N82E16817139006 Return Policy:Standard Return Policy In Stock Mail in Rebate Card17-139-006	$179.99	-$60.00 Instant	$119.99
1		LITE-ON CD/DVD Burner - Bulk Black SATA Model iHAS124-04 - OEM Model #:iHAS124-04 Item #:N82E16827106289 Return Policy:Standard Return Policy In Stock	$29.99		$29.99
1		COOLER MASTER HAF 932 RC-932-KKN1-GP Black Steel ATX Full Tower Computer Case - Retail Model #:RC-932-KKN1-GP Item #:N82E16811119160 Return Policy:Standard Return Policy In Stock	$159.99	-$20.00 Instant	$139.99
1		Acer X223Wbd Black 22" 5ms Widescreen LCD Monitor - Retail Model #:ET.EX3WP.001 Item #:N82E16824009145 Return Policy:Monitor Replacement Only Return Policy In Stock	$189.99	-$30.00 Instant	$159.99
1		ERGOTRON 45-179-195 LX Desk Mount LCD Arm (black) - Retail Model #:45-179-195 Item #:N82E16824994007 Return Policy:Limited Replacement Only Return Policy In Stock	$169.99	-$55.00 Instant	$114.99
1		Logitech X-240 25 Watts 2.1 Speakers - Retail Model #:970285-0403 Item #:N82E16836121010 Return Policy:Standard Return Policy In Stock	$48.99		$48.99
1		EDIMAX EW-7128G PCI Wireless Card - Retail Model #:EW-7128G Item #:N82E16833315041 Return Policy:Standard Return Policy In Stock	$24.99	-$5.00 Instant	$19.99
1		Microsoft Windows 7 Professional 64-bit 1-Pack for System Builders - OEM Model #:FQC-00765 Item #:N82E16832116758 Return Policy:Software Return Policy Out Of Stock	$139.99	-$5.00 Instant	$134.99

More questions:

1. If I switch to the i5/P55 build, what else does that impact? Which memory should I get with that?

2. If I get the i5, should I get the P55, or the X58, based on that discussion above? Which specific product would that be?

3. If I want to get Windows 7, which one should I get? (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116758)? Does the version of Windows 7 affect how much RAM I can get, like it did for Vista?

4. Does everyone agree with Capt. Insane regarding the point that I don't really need a sound card? If I'm going to be recording stuff occasionally, in that case would I need a sound card? Is the sound quality on games good if you don't have a sound card?

5. Last time I did this, everyone was adding additional cooling units into my build. Why don't I need one here? Or do I? Or is it just that the case mentioned is well-cooled?

Thanks everyone!

Steve

1. I think i5 uses DDR2 RAM so you can't use the RAM chosen there.

3. Most people think that 7 Home will be fine. I'm, personally, probably going to get 7 Pro since I'm planning on building a NAS soon

4. I missed your comment on sound recording. What types of inputs will you need? If you've got a basic mic, you won't need a different card (probably), but if you've got a 1/4inch jack or a traditional microphone jack, you will need one

5. The cooling units are more for overclocking; you won't really need it if you're not going to OC

i5 uses DDR3 , faster speeds as well.

I agree to a certain extent on the utility of an after market, yes, one isn't mandatory unless OCing, but consider, the stock HSFs with the i7 and 1156s are atrocious. One goes paying upwards of 2-3oo for a CPU, I'd want to cool that baby as optimally as possible. Heat over the long will shorten the life of any CPU no matter how hot, so is a $40 investment in a after market is probaby a wise choice. Only thing, there's plenty of 1366s but 1156 seems to be sparse still.

Dump the Lite-On, had a few of those just die without notice, a nice Plextor for $40, nice pluck.

So, any specific recommendations for DDR3 RAM or a Plextor? Or an aftermarket cooling device? 

Newegg linkies would be most appreciated. :D

Thanks very much, as always!

Steve

Someone on another forum mentioned this:

"Have you considered the i7-860? It's still in the $280 range, but it puts you in a P55 motherboard which performs just as well and is a good bit cheaper. You can also get away with less expensive memory kits."

 Thoughts?

OK, based on feedback here, I've made some updates (below). Basically, I picked matching RAM, and swapped out the storage for some less expensive stuff, and switched to Windows 7 Home. I still have some questions, which are mostly minor:

1. I heard some people on other forums recommending I stay away from this video card and go with a Asus (Asus P5Q Pro) or Sapphire. Any thoughts?

2. Any problem with the wireless card? Some have suggested I go with a card that matches my router brand.(Linksys)

3. If wanted some kind of external drive or something for backup purposes, what would you suggest?

4. Any other thoughts about this build?

Thanks!

Qty.	Image	Product Description	Unit Price	Savings	Total Price
1		Logitech X-240 25 Watts 2.1 Speakers - Retail Model #:970285-0403 Item #:N82E16836121010 Return Policy:Standard Return Policy In Stock	$48.99		$48.99
1		Kingston SNV225-S2/64GB 2.5" 64GB SATA II MLC Internal Solid state disk (SSD) - Retail Model #:SNV225-S2/64GB Item #:N82E16820139030 Return Policy:Limited Replacement Only Return Policy In Stock	$184.99	-$10.00 Instant	$174.99
1		SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD502HJ 500GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive - OEM Model #:HD502HJ Item #:N82E16822152181 Return Policy:Standard Return Policy In Stock	$54.99	-$5.00 Instant	$49.99
1		OCZ Platinum 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Low Voltage Desktop Memory Model OCZ3P1600LV6GK - Retail Model #:OCZ3P1600LV6GK Item #:N82E16820227381 Return Policy:Memory Standard Return Policy In Stock Mail in Rebate Card20-227-381	$159.99	-$15.00 Instant	$144.99
1		Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit 1-Pack for System Builders - OEM Model #:GFC-00599 Item #:N82E16832116754 Return Policy:Software Return Policy Out Of Stock	$109.99	-$10.00 Instant	$99.99
1		COOLER MASTER HAF 932 RC-932-KKN1-GP Black Steel ATX Full Tower Computer Case - Retail Model #:RC-932-KKN1-GP Item #:N82E16811119160 Return Policy:Standard Return Policy In Stock	$159.99	-$20.00 Instant	$139.99
1		GIGABYTE GA-EX58-UD5 LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail Model #:GA-EX58-UD5 Item #:N82E16813128362 Return Policy:Limited Replacement Only Return Policy In Stock	$298.99	-$20.00 Instant	$278.99
1		XFX HD-487A-ZWFC Radeon HD 4870 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Retail Model #:HD-487A-ZWFC Item #:N82E16814150436 Return Policy:VGA Standard Return Policy In Stock Mail in Rebate14-150-436	$149.99	-$10.00 Instant	$139.99
1		CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX 750W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 Power ... - Retail Model #:CMPSU-750TX Item #:N82E16817139006 Return Policy:Standard Return Policy In Stock Mail in Rebate Card17-139-006	$179.99	-$60.00 Instant	$119.99
1		Intel Core i7 920 Nehalem 2.66GHz LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor Model BX80601920 - Retail Model #:BX80601920 Item #:N82E16819115202 Return Policy:CPU Replacement Only Return Policy In Stock	$288.99	-$9.00 Instant	$279.99
1		Acer X223Wbd Black 22" 5ms Widescreen LCD Monitor - Retail Model #:ET.EX3WP.001 Item #:N82E16824009145 Return Policy:Monitor Replacement Only Return Policy In Stock	$189.99	-$30.00 Instant	$159.99
1		ERGOTRON 45-179-195 LX Desk Mount LCD Arm (black) - Retail Model #:45-179-195 Item #:N82E16824994007 Return Policy:Limited Replacement Only Return Policy In Stock	$169.99	-$55.00 Instant	$114.99
1		LITE-ON CD/DVD Burner - Bulk Black SATA Model iHAS124-04 - OEM Model #:iHAS124-04 Item #:N82E16827106289 Return Policy:Standard Return Policy In Stock	$29.99		$29.99
1		EDIMAX EW-7128G PCI Wireless Card - Retail Model #:EW-7128G Item #:N82E16833315041 Return Policy:Standard Return Policy In Stock	$24.99	-$5.00 Instant	$19.99
Subtotal:					$1,802.86

It looks good. As for your external drive concern, you could just a third internal drive and use that for backup. Not the best solution, but it'd generally be cheaper than getting a 500+gb external drive. Or you could get a cheaper internal drive and an external enclosure. You just have to look for deals: sometimes NE has good external hdds on sale.

This is a pretty good one if you don't mind an AC adapter cord.

Thanks guys. Yeah, I'd be inclined to go external. That's what I have now, only it's just 100 GB, so it's not going to do a whole lot of good for this larger system.

 Thanks!

Steve

That wireless card is working great for me. I did go to the edimax website and grab the updated Vista driver and it works great with Win7 64bit RC.

I really am not fond of LiteOn but do really like Samsung, so I think its worth a couple of bucks more for this DVD drive:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827151188

A couple of suggestions, you may know this already but always look at all the combo deals, you can save a lot of money that way. For example that mobo and cpu purchased as a combo saves you $ 15.00.  Of course many combo's expire at the end of the month to be slowly replaced with new offers.  

Have you subscribed to the email promotions from Newegg, and do you check the ShellShocker item on the homepage.  I noticed that this morning they had a WD external 640GB drive for $ 69.99.

Also keep an eye on free shipping, sometimes a slightly more expensive item is cheaper if it includes free shipping.  (OK, so I'm a cheapskate)

Among ASUS, Sapphire and XFX, I would choose XFX, just be sure you register it to get the lifetime warranty.

Thanks everyone for the additional suggestions. I've added in an external drive for backups, and swapped out the video card for another one that came pretty highly recommended.

OkieJohn, I like the idea of checking out the shipping, etc., but honestly, part of the problem is I'm just not familiar enough with all of the parts to know whether to swap things in and out!

Question: Will I have to purchase some kind of DVD-burning software, or will something come with the DVD drive or the Windows 7 OS?

This is where I've ended up for now. Thoughts always welcome!

Qty.	Image	Product Description	Unit Price	Savings	Total Price
1		SAMSUNG DVD Burner Black SATA Model SH-S223L LightScribe Support - OEM Model #:SH-S223L Item #:N82E16827151188 Return Policy:Standard Return Policy In Stock	$31.99		$31.99
1		COOLER MASTER HAF 932 RC-932-KKN1-GP Black Steel ATX Full Tower Computer Case - Retail Model #:RC-932-KKN1-GP Item #:N82E16811119160 Return Policy:Standard Return Policy In Stock	$159.99	-$20.00 Instant	$139.99
1		GIGABYTE GA-EX58-UD5 LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail Model #:GA-EX58-UD5 Item #:N82E16813128362 Return Policy:Limited Replacement Only Return Policy In Stock	$298.99	-$20.00 Instant	$278.99
1		HIS H487QT1GP Radeon HD 4870 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported IceQ 4+ Turbo Video Card - Retail Model #:H487QT1GP Item #:N82E16814161265 Return Policy:VGA Standard Return Policy In Stock Mail in Rebate Card14-161-265	$174.99		$174.99
1		CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX 750W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 Power ... - Retail Model #:CMPSU-750TX Item #:N82E16817139006 Return Policy:Standard Return Policy In Stock Mail in Rebate Card17-139-006	$179.99	-$60.00 Instant	$119.99
1		Intel Core i7 920 Nehalem 2.66GHz LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor Model BX80601920 - Retail Model #:BX80601920 Item #:N82E16819115202 Return Policy:CPU Replacement Only Return Policy In Stock	$288.99	-$9.00 Instant	$279.99
1		Kingston SNV225-S2/64GB 2.5" 64GB SATA II MLC Internal Solid state disk (SSD) - Retail Model #:SNV225-S2/64GB Item #:N82E16820139030 Return Policy:Limited Replacement Only Return Policy In Stock	$184.99	-$10.00 Instant	$174.99
1		OCZ Platinum 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Low Voltage Desktop Memory Model OCZ3P1600LV6GK - Retail Model #:OCZ3P1600LV6GK Item #:N82E16820227381 Return Policy:Memory Standard Return Policy In Stock Mail in Rebate Card20-227-381	$159.99	-$15.00 Instant	$144.99
1		Western Digital My Book Essential 640GB Black External Hard Drive WDH1U6400N - Retail Model #:WDH1U6400N Item #:N82E16822136306 Return Policy:Standard Return Policy In Stock	$89.99	-$20.00 Instant	$69.99
1		SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD502HJ 500GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive - OEM Model #:HD502HJ Item #:N82E16822152181 Return Policy:Standard Return Policy In Stock	$54.99	-$5.00 Instant	$49.99
1		Acer X223Wbd Black 22" 5ms Widescreen LCD Monitor - Retail Model #:ET.EX3WP.001 Item #:N82E16824009145 Return Policy:Monitor Replacement Only Return Policy In Stock	$189.99	-$40.00 Instant	$149.99
1		ERGOTRON 45-179-195 LX Desk Mount LCD Arm (black) - Retail Model #:45-179-195 Item #:N82E16824994007 Return Policy:Limited Replacement Only Return Policy In Stock	$169.99	-$55.00 Instant	$114.99
1		Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit 1-Pack for System Builders - OEM Model #:GFC-00599 Item #:N82E16832116754 Return Policy:Software Return Policy Out Of Stock	$109.99	-$10.00 Instant	$99.99
1		EDIMAX EW-7128G PCI Wireless Card - Retail Model #:EW-7128G Item #:N82E16833315041 Return Policy:Standard Return Policy In Stock	$24.99	-$5.00 Instant	$19.99
1		Logitech X-240 25 Watts 2.1 Speakers - Retail Model #:970285-0403 Item #:N82E16836121010 Return Policy:Standard Return Policy In Stock	$48.99		$48.99

You should swap that XFX card I recommended back in. If you register it (which you should), you get the industry's best warranty. Basically, no matter what happens to the card, XFX will either repair or replace it, free of charge.

Also, if that hdd is today's Shell Shocker, it will be available for a limited amount of time, but certainly won't be available after today.

Capt. Insane:

You should swap that XFX card I recommended back in.

Heh, here is where I start to get into trouble. I have multiple people recommending different GPUs, all of whom know more about this stuff than I do. :)

There isn't much difference among brands.

1. Sapphire: I usually buy from them: good prices, have had no service issues

2. EVGA: I bought twice from them: once screwed me with a bad factory OC card (couldn't return it; long story), other time had no problems. Generally, though, EVGA is most expensive

3. XFX: Never bought from them, but they've got the best warranty (like I mentioned above). From what I've heard, they've got good customer service and seem to have good prices as well

4. Gigabyte and Asus: All around good brands with usually good prices

5. BFG and PNY: Not sure if they make ATI cards, but I've not bought from them. Heard they are pretty good

6. Other brands (including HIS): Never bought these brands, but I don't know much about them either, other than they've usually got good prices. I don't buy from them because I don't know much about them

I have to admit, part of my struggle with making decisions on this build is that I'm very new to this, and really don't know enough about processor/motherboard wars to be able to make a really intelligent decision.

It seems like I've built a bleeding-edge build, when all I need is "cutting edge." So, if I were to switch to, say, the i7-860 and the 1156, two questions:

1. What would be your recommendation for a specific processor, motherboard, and RAM to go with it?

2. What would be the long-term ramification of going with that combination? In X years down the road, what will that mean to me? Just that I can't upgrade to 6 cores?

Thanks,

Steve

Also, a friend of mine mentioned this:

 Just a hunch but I think you will be happy with a much cheaper motherboard.  The PCI x16 is the lastest gold standard for graphics cards and you will be hard pressed to find anything else that will use them.  If you see more than one on a motherboard (this model has 3)  then it means you can put 2 or more identical graphics cards in them and almost double the graphics speed (of course the graphics card has to be designed with this in mind and you have to buy more than one). Only the most hard core enthusiasts do this and I think the card you selected will wow you for some time to come by itself. If you would like to try this in future then just get something with 2 PCIx16 slots. You pay a lot less for that feature – I’m guessing you have no need for 2 or graphics cards so getting a motherboard with just 1 PCIx16 will automatically save you $200.

Thoughts on this? I definitely don't see an immediate need for multiple graphics cards, certainly. Perhaps another area where I could safely "downgrade"?