New i7 Build - Need Advice

APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: In 2-3 weeks

BUDGET RANGE: $1300/$1400 After Rebates

SYSTEM USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: surfing the internet, gaming, MS Office

PARTS NOT REQUIRED: mouse, monitor, speakers, OS

PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: Microcenter

PARTS PREFERENCES: n/a

OVERCLOCKING: Not in the beginning/ Eventually Yes in the future (Most concerned with having a stable system)

Maybe SLI OR CROSSFIRE: No

MONITOR RESOLUTION: 2048 by 1152

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: (Major preferences in order of importance 1.Stable 2.Fast 3.Quiet 4.Everything Else)


I was totally set on the following setup, but the whole Foxconn socket pin contact/burning issue made me think if i should go for a i7 920 - 1366 setup.

Any feedback is welcome. Thanx in advance.

Intel Core i7 860 Processor
http://www.microcenter.com/single_ [...] id=0317378

Asus P7P55D Socket 1156 P55 ATX Motherboard
http://www.microcenter.com/single_ [...] id=0317309

EVGA e-GeForce GTX 275 896MB DDR3 PCIe 2.0 Graphics Card
http://www.microcenter.com/single_ [...] id=0309888

Corsair Memory TX 650 Watt ATX Power Supply
http://www.microcenter.com/single_ [...] id=0273361

Corsair Memory XMS3 4GB DDR3-1600 (PC-12800) CL8 Memory Kit
http://www.microcenter.com/single_ [...] id=0317422

OS Drive > OCZ Technology Vertex Series 2.5" 120GB SATA II Solid State Drive
http://www.microcenter.com/single_ [...] id=0304106

Storage Drive > I need some ideas for $50-$60, 500GB, 7200rpm, no western digital

CD/DVD Drive > something for $30

CPU Cooler > need something for around $30

Case > Mid Tower - Black - $50-$80 - Conservative design (no lights, etc.)
What do you think about:

Antec Sonata Elite ATX Case
http://www.microcenter.com/single_ [...] id=0306000

Cooler Master Centurion 590 ATX Mid Tower
http://www.microcenter.com/single_ [...] id=0282871

Antec Three Hundred ATX Case
http://www.microcenter.com/single_ [...] id=0283272


Feel free to suggest anything. I am pretty much open minded. Thank you again.

Thank you, aford10.

I am not sure about the 4890. I probably need some more persuasion since i had good experience with evga products in the past but I am not married to the gtx 275 either.

Dvd drive and cooler look good.

The cm690 case almost made it to the above shortlist so i definitely will take a look at it.

Since two different Western Digital drives died on me few years ago i only have been using Maxtor and Seagate.

The Samsung drive looks good. It looks like i will order at least that from Newegg.

Thanx

Here is that Cooler Master 690 case with a 640gb harddrive combo:
$100
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Comb [...] mbo.273732

For a good decent cooler that performs:
Hyper 212+
http://www.provantage.com/cooler-m [...] OOL077.htm

Really can't beat the price/performace of that cooler.

OK

I made the following changes so far:

I decided to go with 5850 instead of gtx 275 (I just have to find one at below $300)


OCZ vertex prices skyrocketed within the past week or so so now i am thinking maybe about:

crucial 128 GB SSD

or

for now one intel x25-m G2 80GB and eventually later another one to be added in RAID 0 when prices come down

what do you think?

I'd recommend against counting on being able to get an identical drive down the road for RAID0. Chances are, there will be a different model with different firmware out by the time you are ready to get a second drive. I'd suggest just getting the performance you want now and not worrying about it until the next generation comes out.

Also, TRIM and SMART are issues with SSDs in RAID. You don't want to exclude yourself from TRIM after you've done a lot of writes to the device.

A corsair 750TX will be more then enough. And for the same price as the P6T Deluxe v2 you can get a P6TD which is a newer version of the deluxe v2