New i7 Build

[equinox654]

1) What will you be doing with this PC? Gaming? Photoshop? Web browsing? etc
Gaming
2) What's your budget? Are tax and shipping included?
$1400
3) Where do you live?
Fort Worth TX
4) What exact parts do you need for that budget? CPU, RAM, case, etc. Please be very specific.
Everything but mouse and keyboard
5) If reusing any parts, what parts will you be reusing? Please be especially specific about the power supply. List make and model.
Maybe Radeon 4850
6) Will you be overclocking?
Yes
7) What size monitor do you have and/or plan to have?
28"
8) When do you plan on building/buying the PC?T
Today or this weekend
9) What features do you need in a motherboard? RAID? Firewire? Crossfire or SLI support? etc.
SLI, Raid, Xfire
10) Do you already have a legit and reusable/transferable OS key/license?
Yes

I just sold my macbook pro. I have a budget of around $1400.
I am going to use my 4850 in TV computer until I can get a 5870.
I had thought about SLI GTX 260s for 144 each. But I think the 5870 will be a better deal.

Right now im at $1257 with out a heatsink. Could you guys recommend one?

I picked the Xeon because ive read that they are binned better and I cant find one that does less than 4.2. I have a microcenter about 60 miles away. Its a shitty drive too. So I could get the $199 i920.

Let me know what yall think.

Here is my component list.

Cooler Master HAF $139.99
Cooler Master Haf

Samsung Spinpoint F3 1TB $79.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152185

Hanns-G 28" $299
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824254026

Recertified OCZ 850watt powersupply $84.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341035

OCZ Obsidian 6gb $119.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227477

Gigabyte GA-EX58-UD3R $188.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128375

Xeon W3520 $312.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819117213

Samsung 22x dvd burner $30.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827151187

 

[equinox654]

Heres an update. Found a xeon 3520 on ebay for 260 that they guy says does 4.4 at 1.3
Went ahead and ordered it. It was cheaper than a 920 on newegg.

 

[Dangman]

$85 is waay too much for a 850W PSU that can only provide 500W of power safely. Maybe $20 to $30.

So I recommend getting this PSU instead:
$100 - Antec Truepower New TP-650 650W PSU

HSF wise, I recommend this:
$40 - Thermalright Cogage TRUE Spirit HSF

IIRC, that particularly Hanns-G 28" LCD monitor isn't that good for the money. So might want to take a look at other monitors.

 

[equinox654]

Where did you hear that the ocz power supply can only output 500 watts?

I had a 28" hanspree on my last build. I paid 460 for it at best buy. I am thrilled that it is only $299 now. Granted my old one had dual hdmi. Im not worried about that though as my xbox 360 will go through the vga input. I loved that monitor. It was like having the computer on a tv. Every time we had guests someone would comment on how big my monitor was. It made my e-peen huge. lol

 

[tiraides]

I can't speak for Danny Bui, nor can I find the sources he used for that particular PSU, but the OCZ series PSUs (outside of their PC Power & Cooling line) are generally not the best you could find. It would be better for you if you spent your money on a different brand. Additionally, assuming that you are going to reuse your HD4850, you don't need an 850 watt behemoth to power it; a good PSU of at least 450 watts, with active PFC, (preferably) 80 Plus certification, and at least 35A on the (combined) 12V rail(s) would be enough for it. For your future plans, however, the TP-650 that Danny mentioned earlier is more than enough.

The big sticking point with the Hanspree monitor is that it uses a TN panel, and TN panels drive most people around here who know about monitors crazy. The long story short is that the TN panel offers low frame rates at a low price, but at the expense of nearly everything else. Compared to IPS and *VA panels, TN panels have inaccurate color reproduction, poor viewing angles, and known backlighting issues. However, if it works fine for you, go ahead and get it.

I also agree with Danny on the Cogage TRUE HSF -- get it.

 

[engiNURD]

I agree with Danny and tiraides, avoid any OCZ PSU (not PC P&C) higher than 500W (limit where the power stays clean on their FSP Epsilon based models).

I, personally, don't like the UD3R because it only has 4 DIMMs on a tri-channel platform. However, since you're not going Tri-SLI, I'd suggest dropping down to an LGA1156 build instead (i5 750 or i7 860 + P55).

 

[Dangman]

Where did you hear that the ocz power supply can only output 500 watts?

As Enginurd noted, the OCZ GameXStream 800W PSU is based on the FSP Episilon design. It's been proven time and time again that the FSP Episilon design can only provide about 500W of power safely. Anything higher than that, the PSU gets closer as well as exceeds the max voltage recommendations as provided by ATX 2.3 specs.

Since the OCZ GameXSteam is a FSP Episilon design, it therefore can only provide about 500W of power safely. If you want 800W of power and don't mind damage to your PC, then by all means use the GameXStream 800W to its full capability. At best it's a decent 500W PSU however $85 is simple too much for a "decent" 500W PSU when there are better quality 650W PSUs in that price range.