Help with gaming build

[def4106]

Hey guys, I'm planning on building a system for gaming and LIMITED photoshop/3dsmax work. I use a 22" 1680x1050 monitor and I don't plan on upgrading soon, all pieces will be bought from US online vendors.

Here is what I currently am looking at:

CPU: Intel Core i7 920
MOBO: ASUS P6T Deluxe V2
RAM: OCZ Platinum 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Triple Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail
Power supply: PC Power & Cooling - 750W
Case: Antec P182 Gun Metal Black 0.8mm cold rolled steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail
HDD: Western Digital Caviar Black WD1001FALS 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive -OEM
DVD Drive: LG 22X DVD±R DVD Burner Black SATA Model GH22NS30 - OEM
CPU Cooler: XIGMATEK Dark Knight-S1283V

Please let me know if you see any problems with the setup above.

My main question stems around the video card - I willing to go with top of the line - IF there is a reason for it... what is going to be the best for 1680x1050? I have no preference between Nvidia or ATi.

 

[Denithor]

4870 1GB or GTX 260/216 will handle 1680x1050 with heavy AA/AF nicely.

 

[Ausm]

With that rig you might as well team it up with a 295GTX and it will last your a looong time.

 

[def4106]

Any particular brand for the 4870 1gig or GTX 260/216? Any real reason for one over the other?

On the 295GTX:
That card will be overkill for 1680x1050 correct?

With video cards I tend to go for whats best for my resolution because bleeding edge vid cards seem to get halved in price within a year (and I upgrade my vid card it seems every 1-2 years).

 

[Denithor]

Originally posted by: def4106
Any particular brand for the 4870 1gig or GTX 260/216? Any real reason for one over the other?

4870 - XFX all the way - double lifetime warranty, even for overclocking damage!
GTX - EVGA, XFX or BFG - all offer lifetime (or better) warranty that covers overclocking.

On the 295GTX:
That card will be overkill for 1680x1050 correct?

Yes. Massive overkill for 1680x1050. Personally I'd use 4870/GTX 260 and if it starts feeling slow - throw in a second. Just make sure the motherboard you select supports SLI/CF for whichever GPU you choose (some X58 boards only support one or the other, so if you grab a 4870 and your board only supports SLI - you cannot add a second later).

With video cards I tend to go for whats best for my resolution because bleeding edge vid cards seem to get halved in price within a year (and I upgrade my vid card it seems every 1-2 years).

Yeppers, I never go bleeding edge - my wallet won't support it and my brain refuses to let me press the "check out" button. Instead, I focus on a notch below that level, in the solid mid-range of cards. Where you will find the 1GB 4870 and the GTX 260/216 today. Thus the recommendations I made above.