Building a Nehalem, gaming £2000 monster...

[Chippiewill]

I hope you have fun picking out better parts for me... (I made this list at the beginning of november so parts may be cheaper than listed)

What I need?

Motherboard (i7 please)
Case (Probably use the one I pick out)
Processor (i7 please)
GFX card (I have been looking at GTX 280)
HDD (About a terabyte, perhaps 2x 500gb)
Blu Ray drive (Writer but nothing to special
Secondary optical drive? (If cost is low, just something like lightscribe)
Audio card? (If cost is low, 5.1)
Speaker set (5.1)
RAM (DDR3, make sure it is i7 compatible)
Keyboard and mouse (Probably use the one I pick, needs 2.4 frequency)
Cheap copy of Vista Home premium
TV card (Probs Haupauge WinTV-HVR-3000 (http://www.hauppauge.co.uk/site/products/data_hvr3000.html))
Remote if not getting keyboard that I suggest
PSU, preferably quiet but not to bothered 750w>?
Wireless adapter (N1)
Screen (20-24" £200ish)
Cooling for processor (if not included)

Please post if I have forgotten something, I probably have.

My current list:

Processor: Intel Core i7-920 - £235 (http://www.scan.co.uk/Product.aspx?WebProductId=904638&Product=Intel+i7+920%2c+Socket+1366+(B)%2c+Nehalem %2c+2.66GHz%2c+Cache+8MB%2c+OEM)
Asus P6T Deluxe - £249.96 (http://www.ebuyer.com/product/151858)
Akasa Nero- £29.36 (http://www.scan.co.uk/Product.aspx?WebProductId=916080&Product=Akasa+Nero+AK-967+Intel+LGA+1366%2c+Heat+Pipe+cooler%2c+120mm+PW M+fan%2c+S775%2f1366%2f939%2f940%2fAM2%2fAM2%2b)
Corsair XMS 6gb - £ (http://www.scan.co.uk/Product.aspx?WebProductId=901727&Product=6GB+(3x2GB)+CorsairXMS3%2c+DDR3+PC3-10666+(1333)+240+Pin%2c+Non-ECC+Unbuffered%2c+CAS+9-9-9-24)210.44 (http://www.scan.co.uk/Product.aspx?WebProductId=901727&Product=6GB+(3x2GB)+CorsairXMS3%2c+DDR3+PC3-10666+(1333)+240+Pin%2c+Non-ECC+Unbuffered%2c+CAS+9-9-9-24)
Corsair 1000w - £146.84 (http://www.ebuyer.com/product/143019)
Novatech 280GTX -£316.07 (http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/specpage.html?NOV-GTX280)
x2 Samsung SpinPoint F1 Desktop Class 1tb (2tb) - £77.93 (£156) (http://www.ebuyer.com/product/143288)
LG G BD RW - HDDVD - £144 (http://www.ebuyer.com/product/136317)
Win-tv HVR-3000 (http://www.hauppauge.co.uk/site/products/data_hvr3000.html)
Keyboard and mouse - £149.99 (http://www.microsoft.com/uk/hardware/mouseandkeyboard/productdetails.aspx?pid=080)
Dell 23" Widescreen - £219 (http://accessories.euro.dell.com/sna/productdetail.aspx?c=uk&l=en&s=dhs&cs=ukdhs1&sku=184923)
N1 Wireless adapter - £45.70 (http://www.ebuyer.com/123388)
Thermaltake Armour VA8003BWS Black Full Tower Windowed Case - No PSU (http://www.ebuyer.com/product/102979)

Please note, I am going for a general max of £2000 but around £1750

[Jordy]

And what's the machine going to be used for? General home use, video editing, gaming? Pretty sure it's the first core i7 computer though on HxF, and I'm pretty sure within that budget you can be more adventurous but good choice so far.

[Josh-H]

Some of those parts are total overkill imo. But whatever, it's your money.

[DaveTaylor]

To be honest i'd wait til next feb time, markets going to hit the floor.

[Chippiewill]

And what's the machine going to be used for? General home use, video editing, gaming? Pretty sure it's the first core i7 computer though on HxF, and I'm pretty sure within that budget you can be more adventurous but good choice so far.

General use, gaming such as GTA IV ,Crysis, source games

[Agnostic Bear]

To be honest i'd wait til next feb time, markets going to hit the floor.

Agreeing with this, also Phenom II will be out so we can see how that goes.

[DaveTaylor]

Agreeing with this, also Phenom II will be out so we can see how that goes.

Thats right, Phenoms are due aren't they? The market is going to flop so just wait.

[Recursion]

As said, you'd be stupid to buy now. Core i7 isn't even that great IMO

[Technologic]

Just get an OC'd Gtx 260, no need for a gtx 280

[DaveTaylor]

Just get an OC'd Gtx 260, no need for a gtx 280

Mine came OC'd as that what XFX is about really and it woops a 280, give it that.

[Recursion]

Translating Dave's words: SUCK ON THAT BIG PENIS!

[Flisker]

Mine came OC'd as that what XFX is about really and it woops a 280, give it that.
that made absolutly no sense! you drunk or something lol!

[Technologic]

Mine came OC'd as that what XFX is about really and it woops a 280, give it that.
*High-Five*


XFX FTW.

I laugh in the face of those who bought 280's

[Chippiewill]

that made absolutly no sense! you drunk or something lol!

He means his came over-(forgot what it was), and that's what Xfx usually do, and it beats a 280...


Could people just suggest parts rather than argue please...

[Technologic]

xfx geforce gtx 260 black edition


http://www.shop.bt.com/productview.aspx?quicklinx=5BJ2


Also, lol at it being £20 less than when i paid for it ;_;

[Chippiewill]

Thanks, that is probably better than spending over £300, the main reason I didnt go for the 260 at first was because every pc magazine I have read said it wasn't as good as a Radeon one. But since these are pre overclocked or w/e this should do good.

lol, just realised above post is still editable :P, ah well made this one now

[DaveTaylor]

It was overclocked, standard, meaning it was better than the 280, standard.

[Axel]

what a rip

[Technologic]

Thanks, that is probably better than spending over £300, the main reason I didnt go for the 260 at first was because every pc magazine I have read said it wasn't as good as a Radeon one. But since these are pre overclocked or w/e this should do good.

lol, just realised above post is still editable :P, ah well made this one now

That was with old drivers, new drivers and 200 series = vroom

[Jordy]

You could just splash all your money on the best graphics card money can buy and sit there knowing your graphics card has as much memory as the average computer.

http://www.amazon.com/PNY-NVIDIA-Quadro-Workstation-Graphics/dp/B0015S2NX8

Wouldn't leave much money left and it might not even be that good for gaming but for the Adobe suite and video editing it would just own, you can't get anymore future-proof.

[Technologic]

quadro cards are crap for gaming

[Stephen!]

Wait for the GTX295

And Core i7 is worth it imo. 30% increases in most games compared to Core 2 line of processors.

[Chippiewill]

how long till 295 comes out? A screw it, I will look it up on google

What I find quite funny is that everyone is telling me to wait. But at the time it comes out there will be something else just round the corner. But yes, I will probably get the gfx card last and get the 295.

ty

[Stephen!]

yeah. GPU's are really the only thing worth leaving till the very end. Currently the fastest card is the 4870x2, however when the 295 comes out it will smoke it.

[Agnostic Bear]

I am waiting till mid-2009 to pick up either a 4870 or a 4970 when they're released late 2009 along with the Phenom II, 8gb ram & a new AM3 mobo :8

Just thought you'd like to know my life story there.


yeah. GPU's are really the only thing worth leaving till the very end. Currently the fastest card is the 4870x2, however when the 295 comes out it will smoke it.

Not likely, AMD/ATI still have a few tricks up their sleeve, the "super" specifications that push overclocking them to the max, and a sideport that allows an extra 5GB/sec communication between the 2 cores of the 4870 X2

[Jahova]

You could just splash all your money on the best graphics card money can buy and sit there knowing your graphics card has as much memory as the average computer.

http://www.amazon.com/PNY-NVIDIA-Quadro-Workstation-Graphics/dp/B0015S2NX8

Wouldn't leave much money left and it might not even be that good for gaming but for the Adobe suite and video editing it would just own, you can't get anymore future-proof.
Damn, that is one expensive card.

[Recursion]

Those Quadro FX cards can't render in real time, so they suck for gaming. They are made for 3D Modelling etc

[Chippiewill]

Should I use the on board sound card or is it worth getting seperate. I have heard it will increase gaming performence by not using the processor.

If so I have been looking at the X-fi series. Does anyone know which ones are good for gaming. I like the ones which use 5" bays for output but they look a tad bit expensive....

[Recursion]

Nowadays it won't. Just stick with onboard.

[Technologic]

Well if you have a mobo like mine which gives terrible feedback through the speakers i'd go for a sound card

[N!ck]

At the money you're planning an spending, yes, get a decent soundcard.

[Recursion]

Need some expensive speakers and headphones to go with it then..

[Agnostic Bear]

Need some expensive speakers and headphones to go with it then..

Anyone says Sennheiser 555's and they spend some time with my friend bubba who has a cupboard full of lubrication.

[Recursion]

Sennheiser 555