Gaming System - AMD with Radeon HD 5850

[vbman]

APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: As soon as XFX RADEON HD 5850 card available
SYSTEM USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: (Gaming, Dual Screen Programming VS2008, watching movies, surfing the internet)

PARTS NOT REQUIRED: (keyboard, mouse, OS, DVD Burner Sony Optiarc)
PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: (newegg.com)

OVERCLOCKING: Maybe SLI OR CROSSFIRE: NO

MONITOR RESOLUTION: wanted 1900*1080 (currently using 2 19” Hanns-G HX191DPB(DVI) 1280x1024)

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS:
Can you mix resolutions between monitors with Radeon ATI HD 5850 Card?
Ie 1900*1080 center and 1280*1024 side monitors?

What changes to the below parts list would you make and why.

I want to stick with AMD Core in case I don't overclock and am not familiar with I5 builds and equipment to use with or without overclocking.

SELECTED PARTS:
CORE: AMD Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition Deneb 3.2GHz 4 x 512KB L2 Cache 6MB L3 Cache Socket AM3 125W Quad-Core Processor - Retail $189.00 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103674

CORE PASTE : What should be used?

MB: MSI 790FX-GD70 AM3 AMD 790FX ATX AMD Motherboard – Retail $164.99 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130223

Memory: mushkin HP 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model 996652 - Retail $89.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820146868

PSU: PC Power & Cooling S75CF 750W EPS12V SLI Certified CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Power Supply – Retail $129.00
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341011&Tpk=PC%20Power%20%26%20Cooling%20S75CF%20750W

Cooling: XIGMATEK HDT-S1283 120mm Rifle CPU Cooler - Retail $ 36.50
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835233003&Tpk=Xigmatek%20HDT-S1283

GPU: XFX ATI RADEON HD 5850 This is no longer listed on newegg site as of 11am 10/20/09 not sure why? What other brand would you buy if this stays unavailable Sapphire, Asus and warranty?...

MONITOR: ASUS VH242H Black 23.6" 5ms HDMI Full 1080P Widescreen LCD Monitor 300 cd/m2 1000:1 (ASCR 20000:1) Built in Speakers - Retail $199.99 SPDIF out connector http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236052

 

[vbman]

The PSU is no longer available at newegg.
What would you replace it with?

Also several of the HD5850's are no longer active items at newegg as well.
So what brand would you go with

 

[vbman]

I just read an article stating that to use a 3rd monitor you need a special hdmi converter cable with the HD 5850. Has anyone worked with 3 monitors and if so what cable did you get and where. Will the 5850 card work if the center and side monitors are set to 2 different resolutions namely 1280*1024 for the side and 1900 by 1080 for the center.

 

[tecmo34]

The PSU is no longer available at newegg.
What would you replace it with?

CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX 750W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 Power ... - Retail

 

[Sou1Ca1iber]

For your thermal compound I'd recommend Arctic Silver 5.

 

[vbman]

Thanks - nice psu. Wasn't original sure when I saw that it said for i7 that it would work with amd but have since seen many people using with amd.

What other changes would anyone make.

Cooler? Memory?, Case?

 

[tecmo34]

I recommend buying this combo, since you don't list a hard drive...

Western Digital Caviar Black 640GB Hard Drive & COOLER MASTER RC-690 Case

Memory: I'm a fan of the G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) DDR3 1333, since they have tight timings and lower voltage.

I'm good with the CPU cooler...

On your graphics card: If you can't get XFX card, I would get either a Sapphire or HIS card... IMO.

 

[vbman]

Actually, thats the HD I planedn to buy. I missed putting in the list when I was copying as I was struggling with cooling/case/psu. Thanks for mentioning it.
Thanks for the advice on everything else. Not sure why xfx and some other cards are deactivated on newegg. I'll check out the CM case as well.

Arctic Silver 5 - Thanks

 

[obsidian86]

newegg lists items not to be in stock for a while as deactivated

 

[mizzl]

What about the Scythe Mugen 2 as CPU cooler? Same price ($36) and one of the best coolers if i am to believe some reviewers..

 

[vbman]

The Ripjaws memory is rated at V1.5. Most other memory seems to be around 1.7. Will this be a problem if I want to OC?

 

[tecmo34]

The Ripjaws memory is rated at V1.5. Most other memory seems to be around 1.7. Will this be a problem if I want to OC?

It will actually help since you have more room to add voltage to the RAM to make higher OC's stable and still be under 1.65V.

 

[vbman]

Thanks everyone for the replies.

Waiting for the cards to become available and decide what to do if I want to try multiple screens.

Can anyone recommend an active displayport connector if I decide to try 3 monitors.

Do all 3 monitors have to have the exact same resolution? or can say the widths be different if the heights are the same?