Advice wanted re: NEW HTPC build

[NHNovice]

Hello everyone and thank you for taking the time to read my post. Any advice would be appreciated.

I decided I wanted to build the ultimate HTPC that could handle all the latest games while staying cool and quiet.
For a case and power supply I chose the:
Items Ordered Price
Zalman HTC HD160XT-S Home Theatre PC Enclosure - Silver [Electronics]
Condition: New
Sold by: Amazon.com, LLC
$578.98
p/s: ZM1000-HP http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0012WXFNE/?tag=tec06d-20

That is what I have ordered so far. Following is the rest of my shopping cart. Let me know what you think please.

subtotal = $2,442.66
ASUS Rampage II Extreme LGA1366 Intel X58 DDR3-1600 ATX Motherboard - Asus
Condition: New
In Stock
Shipped from: Infotech Systems
$379.99
You Save:
$40.00 (10%)

EVGA 017-P3-1291-AR GeForce GTX295 1792 MB DDR3 PCI-Express 2.0 Graphics Card - Lifetime Warranty - EVGA
$549.99
Western Digital 1TB SATA 32MB Cache Green Power Bulk/OEM Hard Drive WD10EADS - Western Digital
$102.90
Western Digital WD3000HLFS 10K 3.5-Inch 300GB SATA Velociraptor Hard Drive - Western Digital
$229.99
Windows Vista Ultimate with SP1 64-bit for System Builders - 1 pack - Microsoft Software; DVD-ROM
$179.99
You Save:
$60.00 (25%)
Intel Core i7 965 3.2GHz 8M L3 Cache 6.4GT/sec QPI Hyper-Threading Turbo Boost LGA1366 Extreme Processor - Intel
$999.80
You Save:
$160.19 (14%)


Still looking for optical drive and memory.

And ideas or comments?

 

[Easy Rhino]

heh, that is more of a hardcore gaming setup that happens to be in an htpc case!

 

[BrooksyX]

Get the i7 920 and overclock it. It can easily reach 4.0 on air and 4.5 on water. The 965 won't give you any noticeably better results.

 

[NHNovice]

Do you think the Zalman case can keep the components cool enouph?

 

[LittleLizard]

for a htpc ultimate gaming pc get this case as it looks very profesional and its perfect, http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811112187

WARNING: its expensive

 

[Skywalker12345]

idk how your going to fit that in that case, but i think you can with a little modding. as for cooling it maybe a v8 or v10 if you can fit it

 

[NHNovice]

I already purchased the case and power supply.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000PE0I58/?tag=tec06d-20

$580 for the case and $260 for power supply

for a htpc ultimate gaming pc get this case as it looks very profesional and its perfect, http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811112187

WARNING: its expensive

 

[NHNovice]

Was told it would fit but I am not sure:
http://www.zalman.com/ENG/product/Product_Read.asp?idx=192

Did I get bad info?

idk how your going to fit that in that case, but i think you can with a little modding. as for cooling it maybe a v8 or v10 if you can fit it

 

[Skywalker12345]

my bad itll fit that case looks a lot smaller than it is

 

[NHNovice]

I have never OC anything and not sure I want to. That would save $$$ but I am afraid I would break something.

Get the i7 920 and overclock it. It can easily reach 4.0 on air and 4.5 on water. The 965 won't give you any noticeably better results.

 

[JrRacinFan]

I like the parts used and all but what exactly will you be doing on this? I mean even an Intel Core 2 Duo is more than plenty for Hi Def 1080p and fine for gaming. I mean Im nto trying to crap your thread but ..

Why purchase an i7 setup if all your going to be doing is watching DVD's and listening to MP3? Surely an AMD 7750BE + 780G baord using the onboard video would be plenty enough.

I still love the i7 build tho! Great if you got the cash, why not right?

 

[NHNovice]

The reason I am doing this is because I plan on using this computer for games and video editing as well as HTPC. When looking around I could not find a HTPC with the specs I wanted so I decided to build my own. I am trying to build this one so that it will be as future proof as possible. My budget was under $4k so I decided to put together the best components I could find. You are not crapping on the thread just asking a good question.

I like the parts used and all but what exactly will you be doing on this? I mean even an Intel Core 2 Duo is more than plenty for Hi Def 1080p and fine for gaming. I mean Im nto trying to crap your thread but ..

Why purchase an i7 setup if all your going to be doing is watching DVD's and listening to MP3? Surely an AMD 7750BE + 780G baord using the onboard video would be plenty enough.

I still love the i7 build tho! Great if you got the cash, why not right?

 

[JrRacinFan]

The reason I am doing this is because I plan on using this computer for games and video editing as well as HTPC. When looking around I could not find a HTPC with the specs I wanted so I decided to build my own. I am trying to build this one so that it will be as future proof as possible. My budget was under $4k so I decided to put together the best components I could find. You are not crapping on the thread just asking a good question.

Yeah, just remember though. There is no such thing as futureproofing. Also my suggestion to you, use an ATi card UNLESS you you have a sound card that has an internal SPDIF heaer to allow sound over HDMI with the GTX295. Other than that the whole build looks ok. Could probably pull down the cpu to an i7 920 and the board to something not as expensive and invest in a 2nd GTX295.

 

[n-ster]

IMO, you shouldn't spend so much...

Here... buy this and a decent 300$ WC instead

Oh and maybe you can add this too

 

[JrRacinFan]

Solid SOLID build n-ster!

 

[n-ster]

thxs Jr... your thoughts about the sound card?

oh and I forgot the OS... you can add vista if you want... personally, I wouldn't pay so much for a OS since it's so easy to get without any money... you could get OSes so many different ways I am NOT insinuating illegally ... or am I?

oh and don't forget Water Cooling! I'm am not the person to ask when it comes to watercooling Oh and OCing is VERY simple... and even if you would break an i7, you can always RMA it... and anyways, you can go through 3 920s before you will pay more than a 965

 

[NHNovice]

Really??? 965 vs 920???

Am I hearing that the 965 is not worth the extra money?

 

[NHNovice]

It's almost here!

I did as was suggested and replaced the i7 965 with the i7 920 and I waited till the classified board came out!

I have never overclocked before and I will be looking for any assistance I can get.
What do you guys think of the system? Some of the system is here. It will all be here by Wednesday.

Is there anything else I need?



Amazon.com 3/20/2009 1 of: Corsair TR3X6G1600C8D Dominator 6 GB 3 x 2 GB PC3-12800 1600MHz 240-Pin DDR3 Core i7 Memory Kit [Electronics] $174.50
Amazon.com 3/20/2009 Western Digital Caviar Black 1 TB Bulk/OEM Hard Drive 3.5 Inch, 32 MB Cache, 7200 RPM SATA II WD1001FALS[/URL][/URL] $109.99 NYS
newegg.com 3/20/2009 1*x*Pioneer Black 8X Blu-Ray DVD Burner w/ Software SATA Model BDR-203BKS - Retail $199.99
newegg.com 3/20/2009 1*x*Intel Core i7 920 Nehalem 2.66GHz LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor Model BX80601920 - Retail $279.99
newegg.com 3/20/2009 1*x*Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate SP1 64-bit for System Builders - OEM $179.99
newegg.com 3/15/2009 [URL="http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16899261004"]1*x*Rosewill RTK-090 90 Piece Professional Computer Tool Kit - Retail On Site[/URL]
Amazon.com 3/15/2009 1*x*EVGA 017-P3-1291-AR GeForce GTX 295 1792MB 896 (448 x 2)-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail $502.91 On Site
newegg.com 3/15/2009 1*x*Elemental Technologies 1638653SF Badaboom Media Converter v1.1.1 Downloadable Software $29.99
EVGA.com 3/20/2009 EVGA X58 SLI Classified PART NUMBER: 141-BL-E759-A1 $449.99
Amazon.com 3/6/2009 1 of: Zalman HTC HD160XT-S Home Theatre PC Enclosure - Silver [Electronics] $578.98 On Site
Amazon.com 3/6/2009 ZM1000-HP Heatpipe Cooled Modular 1000W $260.99 On Site
$2,786.41

 

[n-ster]

core i7 920 is 230$ at Microcenter

cheaper RAM that you can't really OC... but I don't think you need to...

 

[JrRacinFan]

I suggest you go on NewEgg.com and grab up the cheap Crucial 6GB kit. They gotz D9JNL's. xD

In other words, they are known clockers man.

 

[n-ster]

yea but they OC to about 1600 in average... if you are scared of OCing, get some 80$ 1600 cl8 6gb kit, or else, get those crucials... they cost 80$ and OC to about 1600 cl8 pretty often... and if your lucky, you can go over the 2ghz mark like Fit!