New build for school

[Geistmann]

1. What YOUR PC will be used for. That means what types of tasks you'll be performing.
gaming, schoolwork (will likely include CAD for engineering coursework)

2. What YOUR budget is. A price range is acceptable as long as it's not more than a 20% spread
$2-2.5K

3. What country YOU will be buying YOUR parts from.
U.S.A.

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.
none

5. If YOU intend on using any of YOUR current parts, and if so, what those parts are.
spare 19" sony monitor, mouse, headset, external drive

6. IF YOU have searched and/or read similar threads.
yes

7. IF YOU plan on overclocking or run the system at default speeds.
hoping to get cpu to 4.0Ghz+ and graphics cards as high as possible

8. WHEN do you plan to build it?
build on august 20, but i have to order within 2 weeks due to my situation

9. What resolution do you use?
new 23" 1920x1080 old 19" 1280x1024


Current Choices:

Case-COOLER MASTER HAF X RC-942-KKN1 Black Steel/ Plastic ATX Full Tower Computer Case with all the optional fans

CPU-Intel Core i7-930 Bloomfield 2.8GHz LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Desktop Processor BX80601930

Mobo-ASUS P6X58D-E LGA 1366 Intel X58 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard

Graphics-2X GIGABYTE GV-N460OC-1GI GeForce GTX 460 (Fermi) 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card

RAM-CORSAIR XMS3 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model CMX6GX3M3C1600C7

Hard-drive-SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD502HJ 500GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
2 in RAID 0

Optical-ASUS DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS Black SATA 24X DVD Burner - Bulk - OEM

Fan controller-Sunbeam RHK-EX-BA Rheobus-Extreme Fan Controller Panel

PSU-CORSAIR HX Series CMPSU-850HX 850W ATX12V 2.3 / EPS12V 2.91 80 PLUS SILVER Certified Modular Active PFC Power Supply

Monitor-ASUS VH236H Black 23" 2ms(GTG) HDMI Widescreen Full HD 1080P LCD Monitor

Keyboard-Logitech G15 2-Tone USB Wired Standard Gaming Keyboard

Heatsink-Prolimatech Megahalems Rev.B CPU Cooler with a push pull using Scythe DFS123812-3000 "ULTRA KAZE" 120 x 38 mm Case Fan

My main concerns are if the PSU will supply enough power or is i need to go to the 1000w version and if I should bother with the HAFX's 120mm air duct fan or the 80mm support bracket fan.

Any help or opinions y'all can offer are greatly appreciated.

[fishingfanatic]

Hi. I built a machine for CADD and actually have most of the parts you have. The memory may be a bit on the expensive side. Try looking at Mushkin or Patriot. Mushkin is my favourite. Any quality lifetime is my usual choice.
As for psu, I have 5 HDDs, 12gbs of ram, a hex core, a piezo electric cooler, extra fans and 2 5970 blacks in xfire on a 1000w Corsair. 850 should be fine. However if you decide to upgrade and go sli with say 2 480s then you'll need the 1000. 2 460s with the 850 should be fine as well. The psu will only draw what it needs. Good luck and enjpy the build and resulting machine!
I hope you'll be using 64 bit, as I believe it works with new CADD programs but make sure because I had to install 32 for 2007-2008 CADD programs. Ended with a dual boot system with 64 bit for gaming.

[dr_dream]

Great choices !!! Really! The only thing I'd change is the memory kit, I'd go for a G.Skill 6GB 1600Mhz CL8 @ $160
Watch out, Prolimatech will soon release the Super Mega CPU cooler, an enhanced Megahalems. Even if the HX850 is an awesome PSU, Corsair recently launched its Gold AX PSUs and you might want to get one (AX850). 850W are really more than enough for your build

[Kilauea]

What others said it right, but I am unsure about the decision of going for that monitor with such a budget and those GPUs. Let me explain, you have a good budget and you will have a pretty powerful combo of GPU and you will game on a smallish (by today's standards) monitor. I'd try to bump that to at least a 24in monitor (I know its not a big difference, but if possible go for bigger than that). Here are a few possible choices:
Asus VW266h
Dell 24-30in monitors My personnal preferance would be a 30in one, but its really up to you.

[ForTheGG]

I'd recommend EVGA GTX 460 EE (External Exhaust) instead of those Gigabyte ones.

[Geistmann]

Thanks for the quick replies and advice. I switched over the RAM to the G.skill that was mentioned and decided to go for the 25.5" ASUS. I've been looking for EE versions of the 1gb 460 on newegg since it came out. I haven't seen it yet, but maybe i'll get lucky and it will show up before i order.

[Rison]

Yeah, I don't know about the 38mm ultra kazes.. They're 50db - I have 4 of them in my garage going full tilt.. and it's like a jet engine is sitting in there (I can hear them in my rec room with the garage door closed)
I know you are going to use a controller, but when I set mine up with a ULNA it made a highly annoying whining noise at low RPMs. I tried using a basic rheostat (ie: fan controller) with the same noises.. only when you got into the 2000+ rpm range, the whining noise went away - but the fan noise was loud by that point. They do have excellent static pressure, to each his own though.

The S-FLEX is a good line, and the 25mm SFF21E is best suited (and quiet stock) - you'd probably move up to the F or G

850W is over wattage for your setup, but will last a long time + any additional upgrades you're looking at. If you're looking to SLI two 480s with that 850, you would be fine. (for anyone who wants to state otherwise, go read around a bit before you post - total system wattage on w/ an OC'd 920 + 480 ~420W)

As others have said, I would recommend the EVGA due to modder-friendly, and lifetime warranty. Dual 1GB 460s would be similar performance - but you would be using more power and putting out more heat. :)