First custom build... could use some advice

[Proprioceptive]

So I was given money by the Geography department here at my school as a bonus for my TA contributions and I wanted to use this money to build a killer rig. I can spend around $5,500 to $6,000, and if I've got the money, I might as well use it, right? Anyways, I plan on using this rig for intensive gaming, a lot of PVR use, and general media use. This is my first build and I'll be building with a more experienced modder, but hardware selection I wanted to learn about on my own and make the decisions. However, I'd love to have any input or advice that you guys might have. ANyways, here's what I've decided on so far:

Lian-Li V-1000B (opted against PLUS because of loud extra fans)
A8N-SLI Premium
Athlon FX-60
Enermax Liberty 620watt
TwinX2048-3500LLPro (2gb) memory (anyone have any better suggestions?)
eVGA e-GeForce7800GTX KO (2 in SLI)
Soundblaster x-fi Xtrememusic

Zalman REserator 1 Plus (adding another VGA block for second GPU)
WD Rapter 150GB
WD Caviar RE16 400GB (2 of these)

Plextor PX-716AL DVD/CD Writer (2 of these... want to be able to do disc to disc writing and I really like the slot look... plus good drives)

Hauppauge 500 MCE (I'm also looking at the Adaptec PVR 3610 [USB])

Windows MCE 2005
Dell 2405fpw (2407fpw if it comes out soon, or I may just use my existing monitor and wait... HDCP SUCKS!)

APC 750VA UPS battery backup
Gyration Ultra Cordless Optical Mouse

I would love any opinions or suggestions/alternatives... again, even with all of this, I'm still sitting around $5,400. Thanks a ton.

EDIT: I don't plan on doing much OCing... as I'm not privy to the practice, but eventually I want to learn and implement it.

 

[Ricemarine]

If you got $5.5k - $6k to spend right now, wait until socket am2! Then blow all your money! Cmon. G71 is coming out March 9th, AM2 in May... You can wait a while right?

But if it had to be now...

2GB memory of OCZ DDR500 GXT's (end in GXT in model#)
DFI Lanparty Expert (doesn't it support crossfire? Iunno)
2 7800gtx or x1900xt's for whatever the thing supports
AMD Opteron 180 FTW!!!! :laugh:

and yeah, whatever you had in mind.

 

[Proprioceptive]

Originally posted by: Ricemarine
If you got $5.5k - $6k to spend right now, wait until socket am2! Then blow all your money! Cmon. G71 is coming out March 9th, AM2 in May... You can wait a while right?

But if it had to be now...

2GB memory of OCZ DDR500 GXT's (end in GXT in model#)
DFI Lanparty Expert (doesn't it support crossfire? Iunno)
2 7800gtx or x1900xt's for whatever the thing supports
AMD Opteron 180 FTW!!!! :laugh:

and yeah, whatever you had in mind.

I need to build soon, unfortunately, otherwise I'd wait for am2... however, I am wary of am2 right away because of potential bugs and issues that come with first time releases. Anyways, I'm going to read some more on Opteron processors... but what would be the benefit to going Opteron?

Also, I was looking into getting that DFI LANparty UT Expert, but it looks like the northbridge fan would be a concern with the 7800gtx cards in it. (it does support SLI)

 

[alimoalem]

Originally posted by: Ricemarine
If you got $5.5k - $6k to spend right now, wait until socket am2! Then blow all your money! Cmon. G71 is coming out March 9th, AM2 in May... You can wait a while right?

 

[alimoalem]

o, just read your second post...yea your build looks good.

for the ram, Crucial Ballistix would be better. maybe the g.skill extreme or mushkin redline too

 

[Proprioceptive]

I was thinking about the Ballistix, but the timing on the Corsair is by far superior.

 

[Bobthelost]

I'd go for the 4800X2, the FX-60 offers less than 10% improvement and it's just a waste of money for a difference that's near impossible to spot.

Don't get two plextors, i think they are rebrands of the BenQ 1640, which is a top drive, but you'd be better off with one Plextor and one NEC 3550, different drives have different strengths and weaknesses.

Spend the extra cash on a few Dell 3007s

 

[Proprioceptive]

You know, I looked at the 3007s for quite a while but eventually decided that the 2405 would be fine. I really want to have the S-video input, and the 3007 unfortunately doesn't offer this.

 

[purpleparalyzer]

Dual opterons? 8 or 16g of ram? I dunno much about these kinds of builds but I know they are out there - (like a g5 quad core). but if you have 5000 why not go for it

 

[m1ldslide1]

Anyways, I'm going to read some more on Opteron processors... but what would be the benefit to going Opteron?

From everything I've read the opterons are a crazy overclocker. Somehow the architecture is more robust and can withstand the stress better than the athlon even (we're talking like 1ghz of OC or something here)

As far as RAM goes, the OCZ platinum is a great solution with low timings and excellent overclocking. The OCZ plat is probably one of the top 3 solutions available for OC'ing. From newegg:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820227056

However, if you're throwing away money, I believe this is about the best RAM for OC'ing you can get right now:
http://www.mushkin.com/doc/products/memory_detail.asp?ID=273

It's pricey but apparently gets up around 285mhz @ 1:1, which = insane.

2x1GB of the OCZ plat combined with the opteron 180 would be SICK SICK SICK. Stock speeds will be all you'll need for a good while, and then when you're ready to OC you'll get even sicker.

 

[jlbenedict]

Originally posted by: purpleparalyzer
Dual opterons? 8 or 16g of ram? I dunno much about these kinds of builds but I know they are out there - (like a g5 quad core). but if you have 5000 why not go for it

Thats what I'm thinking..

Dual Opteron 270's, 275's or 280's.. 8GB or ram

 

[TankGuys]

This might sound *really* dumb coming from a guy who sells computer parts, but I have to ask: Just because you have $5-6k to blow, why "waste" it on super high end parts? Consider the FX60... $1000 and does it really offer you that much more performance than an Opteron 165/X2 4400? I mean, especially if you don't plan to OC much, an unlocked FX seems like a really silly expense

I'm with you on the nice monitor, and possibly the battery backup. I guess my thought is that you ought to use some of the money to build a GOOD rig, and save the rest for something else... someday those thousands of dollars could come in really handy for something a bit more... practical?