AVA-DIRECT quote for i7 system

[calcmp5]

alright here is a quote i got from AVA Direct. I was thinking of ditching the expensive sound card and 95 dollar CPU cooler since i won't be doing any overclocking. Its primarily for gaming. What are your feelings on the gfx card? too much? AVA charges 425$ for it which i think is a lil pricey


PRODUCT(S) QTY UNIT PRICE TOTAL
+ CUSTOM COMPUTER, Core? i7 2-way SLI? DDR3 24GB Performance Series System 1 $2060.00 $2060.00


# ANTEC, Performance One P182 Black Mid-Tower Case, ATX, No PSU, Steel/Plastic

# CORSAIR, CMPSU-1000HX HX Series Power Supply w/ Modularized Cable Management, 1000W, 80 PLUS®, 24-pin ATX12V EPS12V, Multi-GPU Ready

# ASUS, P6T Deluxe, LGA1366, Intel® X58, 6400 MT/s QPI, DDR3-1600MHz (O.C.)12GB /6, PCIe x16 SLI CF /3, SAS RAID /2, SATA 3 Gb/s RAID 5 /6, HDA, GbLAN /2, FW /2, ATX, Retail

# INTEL, Core? i7-920 Quad-Core 2.66GHz, LGA1366, 6400 MT/s QPI, 8MB L3 Cache, 45nm, 130W, EM64T EIST VT XD, Retail

# THERMALRIGHT, Ultra-120 eXtreme 1366 RT CPU Cooler, Socket 1366, Aluminum

# CORSAIR, 6GB (3 x 2GB) XMS3 PC3-10600 DDR3 1333MHz CL9 (9-9-9) 1.5V SDRAM DIMM, Non-ECC

# eVGA, GeForce GTX 280 SC, GTX 280 621MHz, 1GB GDDR3 2268MHz, PCIe x16 SLI, DVI /2, HDTV Out, Retail

# SEAGATE, 500GB Barracuda 7200.11, SATA 3 Gb/s, 7200 RPM, 32MB cache

# RAID, No RAID, Independent HDD Drives

# SAMSUNG, Super-WriteMaster? SH-S223 Black 22x DVD±R/RW Dual-Layer Burner w/ LightScribe, SATA, w/ Software, OEM

# SONY, MPF920 Black Internal 1.44MB 3.5" Floppy Drive

# HT OMEGA, STRIKER 7.1 Sound Card, 7.1 channels, 24-bit 96KHz, PCI, Retail

# NONE, No Operating System (Choose OS or subject to Limited Support)

# UBISOFT, Free Far Cry® 2 DVD Bundle

# NONE, BFG Black T-Shirt, XL Size, Cotton

# WARRANTY, Silver Warranty Package (3 Year Limited Parts, 3 Year Labor Warranty)


Shipping method: Ground SHIPPING: $60.00
GRAND TOTAL: $2060.00

 

[calcmp5]

1. What YOUR PC will be used for. That means what types of tasks you'll be performing.
-Gaming with regular media (music, movies, etc...)

2. What YOUR budget is. A price range is acceptable as long as it's not more than a 20% spread
$2000

3. What country YOU will be buying YOUR parts from.
US

4. IF YOU have a brand preference. That means, are you an Intel-Fanboy, AMD-Fanboy, ATI-Fanboy, nVidia-Fanboy, Seagate-Fanboy, WD-Fanboy, etc, etc, etc, you get the picture.
Name brand, want an core i7, slightly concerned about doing any SLI crossfire business just because of compatibility issues


5. If YOU intend on using any of YOUR current parts, and if so, what those parts are.
none, although i thought about buying a second hdd cheap or not including the GFX card since ava direct seems to be a little expensive

6. IF YOU have searched and/or read similar threads.
some, am i missing something?

7. IF YOU plan on overclocking or run the system at default speeds.
default, i want stability more than anything. My previous ABSPC and Alienware's have both been headaches with athlon chips

8. WHEN do you plan to build it?
this week

 

[Blain]

I wouldn't get the BFG Black T-Shirt if I were using an eVGA GTX 280 card. :roll:

 

[calcmp5]

They just revised it as per my request to this for 1850...any thoughts please? just a yes is all i want from a few people so i can feel ok ordering!


# ANTEC, Performance One P182 Black Mid-Tower Case, ATX, No PSU, Steel/Plastic

# CORSAIR, CMPSU-1000HX HX Series Power Supply w/ Modularized Cable Management, 1000W, 80 PLUS®, 24-pin ATX12V EPS12V, Multi-GPU Ready

# ASUS, P6T Deluxe, LGA1366, Intel® X58, 6400 MT/s QPI, DDR3-1600MHz (O.C.)12GB /6, PCIe x16 SLI CF /3, SAS RAID /2, SATA 3 Gb/s RAID 5 /6, HDA, GbLAN /2, FW /2, ATX, Retail

# INTEL, Core? i7-920 Quad-Core 2.66GHz, LGA1366, 6400 MT/s QPI, 8MB L3 Cache, 45nm, 130W, EM64T EIST VT XD, Retail

# COOLJAG, JYC8503A CPU Cooler, Socket 1366, Copper/Aluminum

# CORSAIR, 6GB (3 x 2GB) XMS3 PC3-10600 DDR3 1333MHz CL9 (9-9-9) 1.5V SDRAM DIMM, Non-ECC

# eVGA, GeForce GTX 260 Core 216, GTX 260 576MHz, 896MB GDDR3 2000MHz, PCIe x16 SLI, DVI /2, HDTV Out, Retail

# SEAGATE, 750GB Barracuda 7200.11, SATA 3 Gb/s, 7200 RPM, 32MB cache

# RAID, No RAID, Independent HDD Drives

# SAMSUNG, Super-WriteMaster? SH-S223 Black 22x DVD±R/RW Dual-Layer Burner w/ LightScribe, SATA, w/ Software, OEM

# NONE, No Operating System (Choose OS or subject to Limited Support)

# UBISOFT, Free Far Cry® 2 DVD Bundle

# NONE, BFG Black T-Shirt, XL Size, Cotton

# WARRANTY, Silver Warranty Package (3 Year Limited Parts, 3 Year Labor Warranty)

 

[Blain]

Originally posted by: calcmp5
They just revised it as per my request to this for 1850...any thoughts please?

Originally posted by: Blain
I wouldn't get the BFG Black T-Shirt if I were using an eVGA GTX 280 card. :roll:

BTW, You don't need the DDR3-1333 if you're buying an i7-920 (and not OCng).
The Kingston ValueRAM DDR3-1066 will be more than enough.

 

[krnmastersgt]

You say it's for gaming yet you're going i7 with no SLI/CF? i7 vs. C2 is almost dead even for games, i7 excels in other apps, gaming is not a strong suit by any means, even CPU limited games don't have support for more than 4 cores. I'd rather save ~$1k and just build a nice C2 system and save the money for vid card upgrades in the future. It's gonna be years before anyone really NEEDS i7 cpus to play games.

 

[calcmp5]

ok i agree with that to an extent. but i want to have upgrade flexibility down the line. I didn't realize that i7 sees its big advantage with SLI and CF...do you have a recommendation for a SLI config that would be comparable and not much more than 400?

 

[krnmastersgt]

Originally posted by: calcmp5
ok i agree with that to an extent. but i want to have upgrade flexibility down the line. I didn't realize that i7 sees its big advantage with SLI and CF...do you have a recommendation for a SLI config that would be comparable and not much more than 400?

It's not a big advantage but it is one advantage it has over C2 systems (maybe X58 likes SLI more than nVidia's own chipset? ) As for upgrade flexibility, most games on the market don't even utilize 2 cores, let alone 4. I think S775 is a very good mark for 90% of consumers today and will be for quite a few years to come, it was a nice leap in cpu power from the p4 systems, and people are happy with P4 or Celeron processors to this day. We've hit a point where computers making advances won't affect the majority of consumers (except maybe feel a little jealous). As for SLI, most games will run fine with just a GTX260 core216, so don't spend more than you need to. (Or if you want it after you run your system with just 1 260, buy another one and add seperately instead of overpaying for it)

 

[boomhower]

I'd stick with i7 for future flexibilty but the PSU is overkill. A good 600W would be more than enough.

 

[calcmp5]

ok well i ordered this config:

# ANTEC, Performance One P182 Black Mid-Tower Case, ATX, No PSU, Steel/Plastic

# CORSAIR, CMPSU-1000HX HX Series Power Supply w/ Modularized Cable Management, 1000W, 80 PLUS®, 24-pin ATX12V EPS12V, Multi-GPU Ready

# ASUS, P6T Deluxe, LGA1366, Intel® X58, 6400 MT/s QPI, DDR3-1600MHz (O.C.)12GB /6, PCIe x16 SLI CF /3, SAS RAID /2, SATA 3 Gb/s RAID 5 /6, HDA, GbLAN /2, FW /2, ATX, Retail

# INTEL, Core? i7-920 Quad-Core 2.66GHz, LGA1366, 6400 MT/s QPI, 8MB L3 Cache, 45nm, 130W, EM64T EIST VT XD, Retail

# COOLJAG, JYC8503A CPU Cooler, Socket 1366, Copper/Aluminum

# CORSAIR, 6GB (3 x 2GB) XMS3 PC3-12800 DDR3 1600MHz CL9 (9-9-9-24) 1.65V SDRAM DIMM, Non-ECC

# eVGA, GeForce GTX 260 Core 216, GTX 260 576MHz, 896MB GDDR3 2000MHz, PCIe x16 SLI, DVI /2, HDTV Out, Retail

# eVGA, GeForce GTX 260 Core 216, GTX 260 576MHz, 896MB GDDR3 2000MHz, PCIe x16 SLI, DVI /2, HDTV Out, Retail

# SEAGATE, 750GB Barracuda 7200.11, SATA 3 Gb/s, 7200 RPM, 32MB cache

# RAID, No RAID, Independent HDD Drives

# SAMSUNG, Super-WriteMaster? SH-S223 Black 22x DVD±R/RW Dual-Layer Burner w/ LightScribe, SATA, w/ Software, OEM

# MICROSOFT, Windows Vista Ultimate 64-bit Edition w/ SP1, OEM

# UBISOFT, Free Far Cry® 2 DVD Bundle

# NONE, BFG Black T-Shirt, XL Size, Cotton

# WARRANTY, Silver Warranty Package (3 Year Limited Parts, 3 Year Labor Warranty)

for $2320...i'm pretty happy with it, i like the SLI 260's better bang for the buck compared to the single 280 so the PSU is necessary

 

[Blain]

The Core i7 920 will limit your memory speed to 1066 unless you OC.
That's why I said...
"You don't need the DDR3-1333 if you're buying an i7-920 (and not OCng)."

But you've ordered already, so... :roll:

 

[mrSHEiK124]

Originally posted by: Blain
But you've ordered already, so... :roll:

Believe me, I know the feeling.

That 1000W power supply is a complete waste too, 750W would've been enough, and maybe even too much. And you sure as hell didn't need the 1600 MHz DDR3 on a chip that won't make it that high under your ownership...

Extreme PSU Calculator sez:

eXtreme PSU Calculator v2.5
System Type: Single Processor
Motherboard: High End - Desktop
CPU: Intel Xeon X3370 3000 MHz Yorkfield
CPU Utilization (TDP): 85% TDP
RAM: 3 Sticks DDR3 SDRAM
Video Card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260
Video Type: SLI
SATA HDD: 1 HDD
DVD-RW/DVD+RW Drive: 1 Drive
Keyboard and mouse: Yes
System Load: 90 %
Recommended Wattage: 406 Watts

© 2004-2008 eXtreme Outer Vision and its licensors. All rights reserved.

And that's using the TDP of a Xeon X3370, which I believe is higher than that of a i7-920.

 

[calcmp5]

i ordered two 260's in SLI...still overkill? The last posted config is what i ordered

 

[Blain]

The SLI 260's won't be overkill if you're running an Apple 30" LCD @ 2560 x 1600 or the Samsung 30" XL30 @ 2560 x 1600.

 

[calcmp5]

hey thanks alot for the recommendation guys, i called them and they gave me some BS about their tech guru chris working on overclocking them on the 920 and that i could pay extra for that if i wanted to. I passed and he replaced it with the 1066 and the price dropped 60 bucks so i'll take it. i appreciate all the input

 

[calcmp5]

i meant overkill with respect to the power supply

 

[Blain]

Your 1kW PS will run that stuff fine.

 

[calcmp5]

nice so i switched out the ram for the 1066, any other recommendations? I don't really want to mess with the SLI cards, i like the choice and he essentially added them into the system for cost so I'm ok with that.

 

[Blain]

* Swap the 750GB Seagate for a 1TB WD "Black" version if you can.
* "Cooljag JYC8503A" is a funky looking HS.
Have you read any reviews on how it actually cools... 42dB? :shocked:
I'd opt for the TT V1 AX... 16-24dB

 

[calcmp5]

750 is enough for now, if i wanna add another HDD i can later. The cooljag is pretty weird looking, I agree- the link to all their heatsinks is here, can someone pick something else out for around $50 if you think its better?
http://www.avadirect.com/Parts...ccessories/CPU_Coolers

 

[Blain]

* The 1TB WD "Black" is not only for a capacity bump but it's also a better performer.
* I did tell you a better HS... The TT V1 AX

 

[calcmp5]

hahaha you guys are ridiculous, i love it...this guy joe at AVA direct is about to have my head chopped off if i keep changing things. His response emails keep getting shorter and shorter as he gets more fed up editing my order

 

[akugami]

Originally posted by: calcmp5
hahaha you guys are ridiculous, i love it...this guy joe at AVA direct is about to have my head chopped off if i keep changing things. His response emails keep getting shorter and shorter as he gets more fed up editing my order

It's not like he has to build the damn thing right this moment since you haven't paid. At least I'm assuming you haven't paid. All "build to order" companies make a healthy profit off of their systems on top of the retail prices. If they want your money, they have to satisfy you.

As others have stated. The 1TB WD Caviar Black is not for capacity (though it is larger than the 750GB you wanted), it is a much much better performing HD.

The other thing is the other guys are 100% correct in telling you to go for a decent Core 2 Quad. The CPU price itself might be the same for a Q9550 and i7 920 but the other parts such as motherboard and RAM may net you a $100-200 savings. the i7 does nothing for you in games. It is only in stuff like video encoding or server environments where it shines above a C2Q.

The other major reason is that "future proofing" hardly ever works. Consider that socket M2 needs motherboard revisions to run the latest AMD processors. That means, at a minimum, a motherboard and CPU change in order to upgrade your performance. The situation is the same with socket 775 from Intel. Motherboards that came out with P4's will not support Core 2's. Some motherboards that Support Core 2 Duo's will not support Core 2 Quads.

Sure, you might think, "I'll just throw in an i7 Super Deluxe to get uber performance in two years." The problem is that the i7 Super Deluxe might just require a motherboard change. Especially on such a new platform as what the i7's are running.