Final thoughts on $3000 gaming rig?

[ispy]

Well, I have decided that it is time to replace my outdated computer and build a more advanced one. Since I already built my previous computer, I thought I would make this one more expensive.....anways here are the parts. Tell me what changes you would make =D

Case: Cosmos S http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119150

Power Supply: Tagan 1100 watt http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817814012

Motherboard: 780i Sli http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813188024

Processor: q6600 kentsfield http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115017

Third party cooler: arctic cooling freezer 7 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835186134

Memory: 2x2 OCz pc 6400 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227267

Sound Card: xfi http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829102006

VIDEO CARD: Three 280 gtx SSC edition in tri-sli http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130368

Hard Drive: two 1tb caviar greens http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136151

CD Drive: Lg blue ray drive http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827136133

Monitor: Acer 24" 1080p http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824009154

and some Arctic Silver 5



OK....how does that look? My main concern is if the three 280's will melt my case. I will not be watercooling anything.

EDIT: Yes, the Antec 900 and 1200 may be better but my old case was an antec 900 and I want something new for the sake of novelty.

 

[rodney_ws]

Sell your 15 what?

 

[Derbixrace]

why not wait for the gtx 300 series??

 

[ispy]

because after the 300 series comes out there will be something else to wait for

 

[johnyeah]

Why Tri-Sli? A regular SLI setup actually runs better in most games.

I'd get a 1.8V ram http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820146731 or http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231209&Tpk=g%20skill%20pi%20black instead.

I'd also replace those caviar greens with the black versions http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136284

For sound cards, I'd look into the HT Omega series which actually sounds equally good if not better than the Xi-Fi's (if you're an audiophile like me).

Get a Xigmatek HDT-S1283 or a Sunbeam Core Contact Freezer instead of the arctic freezer 7.

 

[eklipz330]

ok i personally would skimp on the third gtx, go for a q9650, some decent ram so you can overclock.. you'd probably get better fps that way...

two 280gtx in sli should be more than enough for now, get a better heatsink for god sakes, that artic cooler will not be sufficient for that quad... get a xiggy or a true or something tbh

monitor looks good

artic silver? 3grand you can rpobably get your hands on something better like liquid metal or some ic7

1100watts? if it suits you, hey why not.

one blue ray drive? i would personally get a second dvd drive just for the additional speed

ill be brutally honest, for 3 grand, it looks like your picked a bunch of garbage

 

[johnyeah]

ok i personally would skimp on the third gtx, go for a q9650, some decent ram so you can overclock.. you'd probably get better fps that way...

ill be brutally honest, for 3 grand, your getting garbage.

^LOL brutal indeed

 

[zenmaster]

A Pair of 4870x2 would be cheaper and faster in most games.
The Money saved could get you a much better CPU that is less likely to bottleneck the system. The Q9650 would be a good option.

 

[quietfly]

If your not stuck on sli, i'd look at going with a x38 or x48 mobo and going with a 4870 (or 4870x2) your performance will be close if not better on most things. also definately spring for a newer quad like the 9550 0r 9650

 

[WR2]

Replace the 3 280 gtx SSC with two GTX 260 Core 216 SC
Replace the Q6600 with Q9550
Replace the AC Freezer 7 Pro with Zerotherm ZEN FZ120 cpu cooler
Replace the Arctic Silver 5 thermal compound with Arctic Cooling MX-2 or OCZ Freeze

Downgrade the PSU to 1000W and upgrade the sound card

What keyboard and mouse are you going to be using?

 

[ispy]

NEW LIST




Case: Cosmos S http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6811119150


Power Supply: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371012


Motherboard: 780i Sli http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6813188024


Processor: q9550yorkfield http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115041


Third party cooler:sunbeam core contact http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835207004


Memory: 2x2 mushkin http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820146731

VIDEO CARD: two 280 gtx SSC edition in tri-sli http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6814130368


Hard Drive: one 1tb caviar black http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6822136151


CD Drive: Lg blue ray drive http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6827136133


Monitor: Acer 24" 1080p http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6824009154

 

[eklipz330]

ok hold on let me explain why q9650 than the q9550

you get the extra .5 multi, might not seem alot, but it's better than no extra multi

its stock 3.0ghz

and by far the best reason has to be that ITS GUARANTEED A E0 STEPPING!!![runs cooler, and i think lower VID, better for overclocking WHICH YOU BETTER BE DOING IF YOUR SPENDING THAT KINDA MONEY]

like seriously, its the best choice before a extreme edition... i would get it if i had money

 

[johnyeah]

Looks a lot better, but the 280GTX SSC's are not worth the money.

 

[grieve]

Need mx-2 thermal compound

You dont want to go with dual 4870x2 ?

Cosmos s
gigabyte x48 dq6
Q9550
sunbeam core contact heatsink
mushkin 2*2 ram (pc8500 get some overclocking in)
dual 4870x2 crossfire
1tb caviar black
lg blue ray
24 inch monitor
mx-2 thermal contact

 

[grieve]

Nehalem is out pretty quick... If at all possible I would wait for it.

 

[WR2]

VIDEO CARD: two 280 gtx SSC edition

Comparison of GTX280 and GTX 260/216

from GTX260/216 review @ Techreport

 

[Trialsking]

+1 to the dual 4870x2. Although this is not definitive, check out Tom's review of 3 high end systems, 1 with dual 4870x2's, 1 with 2 280 GTX's and and 1 with 3 280GTX's:
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/Blackbird-Falcon-Northwest-Vigor,2027-11.html

 

[evilshuriken]

Hmm, what can I say that hasn't already been said?

Well, the thing that bothers me the most of your build is that you went with that powersupply instead of say... Corsair's CORSAIR CMPSU-1000HX which is much cheaper and just as good if not better. Are funky lights really worth all that extra cash? I think not.
I would also recommend a single or dual HD4870X2 setup over your current pick.

 

[ragsters]

Right on the money WR2. I like all your suggestions except for the thermal compund. AS5 is just as good as MX-2 and better than OCZ Freeze.

 

[Shadow703793]

Nehalem is out pretty quick... If at all possible I would wait for it.

+1

 

[ragsters]

I like the titanium sound card by creative and the corsair 1000HX PSU.

 

[WR2]

Right on the money WR2. I like all your suggestions except for the thermal compund. AS5 is just as good as MX-2 and better than OCZ Freeze.

Both MX-2 and OCZ Freeze are non-conductive and don't have a curing period. I know for certain that MX-2 is easier to use than AS5. They're all very good in thermal performance so its the little things that set them apart IMO.
HardwareLogic Thermal Compound Round-Up

 

[grieve]

+1 to the dual 4870x2. Although this is not definitive, check out Tom's review of 3 high end systems, 1 with dual 4870x2's, 1 with 2 280 GTX's and and 1 with 3 280GTX's:
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/Blackbird-Falcon-Northwest-Vigor,2027-11.html

Dual 4870x2's owned in that review.
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/Blackbird-Falcon-Northwest-Vigor,2027.html

"Looking back at the gaming benchmarks, it appears that the Falcon Northwest Mach 5’s pair of HD 4870 X2s are often capable of beating three GTX 280 graphics cards"

 

[megamanx00]

The case is good, great ventelation. I'm not big on the idea of having a 3k budget and going with an EVGA board. You know, for the same price as that EVGA board you can go with

ASUS P5N-T Deluxe
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131231

For a little more you could go with
ASUS P5N72-T Premium
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131294

Which comes with the "SupremeFX II audio" card so you would actually save money since you could use that instead of the Xi-Fi. I'm not really too fond of the Xi-Fi's, so if you really wanted a separate audio card then you should think about going with the ASUS Xonar. You should also consider going with a Wolfdale based Quad Core. The Q6600 is a good CPU for a budget system, but if you're spending this much money go with at least a Q9000 series CPU and overclock it. The newer Wolfdale cores are faster clock per clock and overclock better than the older models.

By the way, it's already been suggested, but I'd say go with two 4870X2s instead and an X48 board.

 

[knotknut]

Everytime I read a thread like this one the first thing that comes to mind is a great big BS.
ispy needs to open a fertilizer factory.