This is the new rig I was looking at. my budget really doesnt matter seeing as Im just gonna buy it piece by piece, so long as I get it done for next fall.

tell me what you think

ASUS P6T Deluxe LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
Model #:P6T Deluxe
Item #:N82E16813131346
$299.99

APEVIA X-TELSTAR-BK Black Aluminum ATX Full Tower Computer CaseNo Power Supply - Retail
Model #-TELSTAR-BK
Item #:N82E16811144184
Instant $154.00

SONY 20X DVD±R Burner Black IDE Model DRUV202A - Retail
Model #:DRUV202A
Item #:N82E16827131058
$29.99

Intel Core i7 920 Nehalem 2.66GHz LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor Model BX80601920 - Retail
Model #:BX80601920
Item #:N82E16819115202
$294.99

Seagate ST3640323AS 640GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM
Model #:ST3640323AS
Item #:N82E16822148335
$79.99

CORSAIR XMS3 3GB (3 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Triple Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model TR3X3G1600C9 - Retail
Model #:TR3X3G1600C9
Item #:N82E16820145223
$120.00

ASUS ENGTX280 OC/HTDI/1G GeForce GTX 280 1GB 512-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail
Model #:ENGTX280 OC/HTDI/1G
Item #:N82E16814121282
$354.99

FSP Group Blue Storm II 500W ATX 2.2 SLI Ready Active PFC Power Supply - Retail
Model #:Blue Storm II
Item #:N82E16817104034
$89.99
^^only weak link I can think of

Should be pretty good for gaymen.

SONY 20X DVD±R Burner Black IDE Model DRUV202A - Retail
Model #:DRUV202A
Item #:N82E16827131058
$29.99



Its not that great.

yeh looks fairly standard

If you don't need it for a while, save your money and buy better hardware later. Things invariable get outdated quickly.

RDP

^^Yeah, if you wont need it for a while then wait, theres good stuff coming out later this year, and prices on everything else are falling too.

ASUS P6T Deluxe LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
Model #:P6T Deluxe
Item #:N82E16813131346
$299.99


Doesn't look like a bad board, but I'd probably get this board (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813188039) instead. Reason being is if you look at how to the two bottom PCIe x16 slots are positioned on that ASUS board, I don't think you'll be able to run triple SLi with too many cards, since most cards take up two slots. The EVGA board I linked to cost exactly the same, the slots are spaced out better, it looks cooler, has bigger heatsinks (could be a bad thing, depending on what else you have in your case), and fewer people have reported problems/bitched about it. Other than that, the two boards are very similar.


APEVIA X-TELSTAR-BK Black Aluminum ATX Full Tower Computer CaseNo Power Supply - Retail
Model #-TELSTAR-BK
Item #:N82E16811144184
Instant $154.00


Looks nice.


SONY 20X DVD±R Burner Black IDE Model DRUV202A - Retail
Model #:DRUV202A
Item #:N82E16827131058
$29.99


Save yourself $5, and trash an IDE ribbon cable (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827136152)


Intel Core i7 920 Nehalem 2.66GHz LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor Model BX80601920 - Retail
Model #:BX80601920
Item #:N82E16819115202
$294.99


Good. If you want to OC it, I'd suggest getting an aftermarket heatsink, that supports the LGA 1366 socket. This one (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835702007) looks pretty good.


Seagate ST3640323AS 640GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM
Model #:ST3640323AS
Item #:N82E16822148335
$79.99


I would probably spend more and get a VelociRaptor (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136296). You'll get more performance if you keep your data stored on a larger, slower drive, such as the one you mention, and have OS, apps/games on a dedicated drive, that's a lot faster. It would theoretically increase the life of the drive with all your data on it, since there will be fewer reads/writes, and it will make it easier to backup your stuff when you reinstall your OS, or upgrade to a better system.


CORSAIR XMS3 3GB (3 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Triple Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model TR3X3G1600C9 - Retail
Model #:TR3X3G1600C9
Item #:N82E16820145223
$120.00


Here's a little trick I'd suggest doing: Instead of getting a 3GB kit, but two 2GB kits. I'd recommend these (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145199). The RAM I linked to has a $40 mail in rebate, and Corsair is pretty good about MIR's, from what I hear. You could go ahead and buy three of those kits I linked to, and have 6GB triple channel install, and pay the same as that 3GB triple channel kit in your post.

However, the reason why I suggest getting multiple memory kits, over a single one, is not necessarily to save money (the cost is usually about the same), but for more better up time. Suppose one your sticks is dies (or is DOA)... If one stick in your kit of three sticks dies, you will have to send back all three sticks, when you RMA them. Obviously, you won't really be able to operate if your system is missing all of it's RAM. The way around this is to buy multiple kits. If you ever have to RMA a stick, you will have the memory from your other kit in your system.


ASUS ENGTX280 OC/HTDI/1G GeForce GTX 280 1GB 512-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail
Model #:ENGTX280 OC/HTDI/1G
Item #:N82E16814121282
$354.99


I'd probably just get the 260 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130434) just to save money. There will probably never be a game that a 260 cannot run and 280 can. The image quality and performance will probably not be much different either, unless you're gaming on a 52" plasma. If you have a standard size monitor, I'd say the 260 is good enough. The $80 you save would probably be of better use going towards another 260 (or two more) when the prices come down.


FSP Group Blue Storm II 500W ATX 2.2 SLI Ready Active PFC Power Supply - Retail
Model #:Blue Storm II
Item #:N82E16817104034
$89.99


When I look for a PSU for a new system, I like to think of everything I could possibly do with that system, and pick the PSU that would most likely be able to handle it, and that is within what I'm willing to pay for one. This way, even though I'm not likely to add every possible thing I can to my system, I will more than likely be able to reuse my PSU for many upgrades to come.

If you're willing to pay $90 for a PSU, I would get this one (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817703019). It's a 750 watt made by PC P&C. 750W is what it can put out continuously, and it peaks out at 825W. PC P&C has a reputation of making solid PSU's. If you were to get three 260's, with that system, it's peak usage will probably be around 800W. It's average usage would be much less, so therefore, that PSU I linked to should be capable of handling three 260's, if you ever decide to go 3 way SLi. I have that same PSU, and I probably will never go 3 way SLi, but I like knowing that I can if I wanted to.

Doesn't look like a bad board, but I'd probably get this board (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813188039) instead. Reason being is if you look at how to the two bottom PCIe x16 slots are positioned on that ASUS board, I don't think you'll be able to run triple SLi with too many cards, since most cards take up two slots. The EVGA board I linked to cost exactly the same, the slots are spaced out better, it looks cooler, has bigger heatsinks (could be a bad thing, depending on what else you have in your case), and fewer people have reported problems/bitched about it. Other than that, the two boards are very similar.



Looks nice.



Save yourself $5, and trash an IDE ribbon cable (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827136152)



Good. If you want to OC it, I'd suggest getting an aftermarket heatsink, that supports the LGA 1366 socket. This one (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835702007) looks pretty good.



I would probably spend more and get a VelociRaptor (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136296). You'll get more performance if you keep your data stored on a larger, slower drive, such as the one you mention, and have OS, apps/games on a dedicated drive, that's a lot faster. It would theoretically increase the life of the drive with all your data on it, since there will be fewer reads/writes, and it will make it easier to backup your stuff when you reinstall your OS, or upgrade to a better system.



Here's a little trick I'd suggest doing: Instead of getting a 3GB kit, but two 2GB kits. I'd recommend these (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145199). The RAM I linked to has a $40 mail in rebate, and Corsair is pretty good about MIR's, from what I hear. You could go ahead and buy three of those kits I linked to, and have 6GB triple channel install, and pay the same as that 3GB triple channel kit in your post.

However, the reason why I suggest getting multiple memory kits, over a single one, is not necessarily to save money (the cost is usually about the same), but for more better up time. Suppose one your sticks is dies (or is DOA)... If one stick in your kit of three sticks dies, you will have to send back all three sticks, when you RMA them. Obviously, you won't really be able to operate if your system is missing all of it's RAM. The way around this is to buy multiple kits. If you ever have to RMA a stick, you will have the memory from your other kit in your system.



I'd probably just get the 260 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130434) just to save money. There will probably never be a game that a 260 cannot run and 280 can. The image quality and performance will probably not be much different either, unless you're gaming on a 52" plasma. If you have a standard size monitor, I'd say the 260 is good enough. The $80 you save would probably be of better use going towards another 260 (or two more) when the prices come down.



When I look for a PSU for a new system, I like to think of everything I could possibly do with that system, and pick the PSU that would most likely be able to handle it, and that is within what I'm willing to pay for one. This way, even though I'm not likely to add every possible thing I can to my system, I will more than likely be able to reuse my PSU for many upgrades to come.

If you're willing to pay $90 for a PSU, I would get this one (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817703019). It's a 750 watt made by PC P&C. 750W is what it can put out continuously, and it peaks out at 825W. PC P&C has a reputation of making solid PSU's. If you were to get three 260's, with that system, it's peak usage will probably be around 800W. It's average usage would be much less, so therefore, that PSU I linked to should be capable of handling three 260's, if you ever decide to go 3 way SLi. I have that same PSU, and I probably will never go 3 way SLi, but I like knowing that I can if I wanted to.

thanks for the information. I really appreciate it.