Config review and questions..

Ticket Number: 381120
Total Price with Instant Savings: $2,816.00

Direct Load URL: http://www.digitalstormonline.com/comploadsaved.asp?id=381120

Specifications:
Chassis Model: Cooler Master CM Storm Sniper (Black OPS Edition)
Exterior Finish: - Standard Factory Finish
Trim Accents: - Standard Factory Finish
Processor: Intel Core i7 920 2.66GHz (Quad Core)
Motherboard: EVGA X58 LE Edition SLI (Intel X58 Chipset) (Supports SLI or CrossFire)
System Memory: 6GB DDR3 1600MHz Digital Storm Certified Performance Series  (Highly Recommended) (Hand Tested)
Power Supply: 750W Digital Storm Certified (Dual SLI Compatible) (Silent Edition Recommended)
Expansion Bay: - No Thanks
Hard Drive Set 1: Operating System: 2x (500GB Western Digital (16MB Cache) (7200 RPM) (SATA)
Set 1 Raid Options: Configure HDD Set 1 to a Raid 0 Config - Stripe Performance (Requires Two HDDs)
Optical Drive 1: DVDąR/RW/CD-R/RW (DVD Writer 22x / CD-Writer 48x)
Internet Access: High Speed Network Port (Supports High-Speed Cable / DSL / Network Connections)
Video Card: 2x SLI Dual (NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260 896MB (216 Cores) (Includes PhysX Technology)
Sound Card: Creative Labs X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty Professional (PCI-Express Slot Based)
Extreme Cooling: AIR: Stage 2: Noctua NH-D14 Extreme Performance Cooler (Compatible With ONLY i7 Processors)
Internal Lighting: Internal Chassis Lighting System (Blue)
Noise Reduction: Noise Suppression Package (Optimized Airflow & Fan Speeds with Noise Dampening Material)
Boost Processor: FREE: Stage 1: Overclock the processor between 3.3GHz to 3.9GHz (Requires Air Cooling Upgrade)
Boost Video Card: FREE: Yes, Overclock the video card(s) as much as possible with complete stability
Boost Memory: - No Thanks, Please do not overclock my memory
Boost OS: FREE: Yes, Disable and tweak all of the non-crucial services on the operating system
Windows OS: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium (64-Bit Edition)
Restore Kit: Digital Storm Specialized Recovery System (DVD Image Based)
Exclusive T-Shirt: FREE: Digital Storm T-Shirt - Black (Large)
Priority Build: - No Thanks, Ship Within 5-10 Business Days After Order Is Successfully Processed
Warranty: 3 Year Platinum Care Extended Parts & Labor Warranty

Few Questions..

Is the EVGA X58 LE good compared to the Asus P6X58D, I have been a fan of Asus for a long time.

the DS Hand Tested memory, is this as good in performance/etc as the Corsair DXH ?

750W seems low for expansion, should I upgrade to a 1000W Corsair or DS? ie if upgraded what brand?

Is RAID0 the fastest option for a good sized OS drive? (no SSD)

I am an nVidia fan, I can't stand ATI, with that in mind, the reviews I have seen say for the price, the SLI GTX 260 core 216 card combo is very good bang for the buck.

Is the Noctua D14 better than the other Noctua model and Cooler Master V8? (Yes I want to OC)

Should I worry about updataing the Chassis Cooling?

Is the $99 buck Noise package worth it or needed? My PC sits on the desk by me, can't put it on the floor or under the desk.

Is it worth another 250 or so, for a 5 yr warranty or will this machine be irrelivent in 3 years?

Anything seen in this config I can do to pull down the price? Ideally I would like about 2500 total.

Thanks for the input!! 

Originally posted by Mekerek Is the EVGA X58 LE good compared to the Asus P6X58D, I have been a fan of Asus for a long time.

Considering your budget the EVGA X58 LE is a great board, I'd stick with it.

Originally posted by Mekerek the DS Hand Tested memory, is this as good in performance/etc as the Corsair DXH ?

DSs memory should still be high quality brand name memory.  I'd say you're safe to go with it.

Originally posted by Mekerek 750W seems low for expansion, should I upgrade to a 1000W Corsair or DS? ie if upgraded what brand?

You could might be able to get away with 2 of the new 400 series Nvidia cards with a 750W PSU but I would go with the 1K Corsair PSU if possible.  The 750W is plenty for 2x 260s.

Originally posted by Mekerek Is RAID0 the fastest option for a good sized OS drive? (no SSD)

One of the 10k HDDs will outpreform 2 7200 RMP drives in Raid 0

Originally posted by Mekerek I am an nVidia fan, I can't stand ATI, with that in mind, the reviews I have seen say for the price, the SLI GTX 260 core 216 card combo is very good bang for the buck.

If you refuse to go with ATI I would just stick with one 260GTX and wait the months for the 470 or 480 to come out then upgrade to one of them.

Originally posted by Mekerek Is the Noctua D14 better than the other Noctua model and Cooler Master V8? (Yes I want to OC)

D14>D12>V8.  D14 seems to be ~2C lower than the D12 under load.  The D12 should be fine for a stage 1 OC.

Originally posted by Mekerek Should I worry about updataing the Chassis Cooling?

Probably not necessary.

Originally posted by Mekerek Is the $99 buck Noise package worth it or needed? My PC sits on the desk by me, can't put it on the floor or under the desk.

With a decent headset or speaker system it will be a non-issue.

Originally posted by Mekerek Is it worth another 250 or so, for a 5 yr warranty or will this machine be irrelivent in 3 years? This configuration should be upgradeable to provide reasonable performance in games 5 years from now.  Really up to you. Anything seen in this config I can do to pull down the price? Ideally I would like about 2500 total. Thanks for the input!!

Edited by Herniter - 06 Feb 2010 at 8:54pm

in the next few months there is going to be atleast 6 dx11 games coming out and then there is going to be even more.

why don't you want for the fermi then? if you want to push the oc yourself then you may want to think about LC.

let me know what you think about waiting for fermi and LC and I will config a system for you.

Herniter, there is no way I think anybody can sli 2 fermis with a 400w psu.

cards that support dx11 will do better in fps in games that are dx10 and dx11.

if you don't like ati that much, just wait 30 days, nvidia is coming out with their dx11 cards (fermi) then.

for your res a 260 is not enough, you would need 2 x 260 or 2 x 275 or the best option currently being 1 x 5870.

if you like to stay with stage 1 oc and if all you are doing it mainly gaming then I would recommed you stay with stage 1 oc then you don't need LC and air will be fine.

also the noise package you had listed is completely pointless.

Here you go Ticket# 381439 --- Price: $2403 (To see this build click here) Price after current promotion $2403

Copy of Specifications:
Chassis Model: Special Deal Hot Seller - Cooler Master CM Storm Sniper
Exterior Finish: - Not Available
Trim Accents: - Not Available
Processor: Intel Core i7 920 2.66GHz (Quad Core)
Motherboard: EVGA X58 LE Edition SLI (Intel X58 Chipset) (Supports SLI or CrossFire)
System Memory: 6GB DDR3 1600MHz Digital Storm Certified Performance Series (Highly Recommended) (Hand Tested)
Power Supply: 1000W Corsair (Dual/Triple/Quad SLI Compatible)
Expansion Bay: - Not Available
Hard Drive Set 1: Operating System: 1x (1TB Seagate/Hitachi/Western Digital (7200 RPM) (32MB Cache) (SATA) (Extreme Speed)
Set 1 Raid Options: - Not Available
Hard Drive Set 2: Multimedia\Data: - No Thanks
Hard Drive Set 3: Backup\Misc.: - No Thanks
Optical Drive 1: DVD±R/RW/CD-R/RW (DVD Writer 22x / CD-Writer 48x)
Optical Drive 2: - No Thanks
Internet Access: High Speed Network Port (Supports High-Speed Cable / DSL / Network Connections)
Video Card: 1x ATI Radeon HD 5870 1GB
Add-on Card: - No Thanks
Sound Card: Integrated Motherboard Audio
Extreme Cooling: AIR: Stage 2: Noctua NH-D14 Extreme Performance Cooler (Compatible With ONLY i7 Processors)
H20 Tube Color:- Not Available
Chassis Airflow: Standard Factory Chassis Fans
Internal Lighting: Internal Chassis Lighting System (Blue)
Enhancements: - Not Available
Chassis Mods: - Not Available
Noise Reduction: - Not Available
Boost Processor: FREE: Stage 1: Overclock the processor between 3.3GHz to 3.9GHz (Requires Air Cooling Upgrade)
Boost Video Card: - Not Available
Boost Memory: - Not Available
Boost OS: - Not Available
Windows OS: Microsoft Windows 7 Professional (64-Bit Edition)
Restore Kit: Digital Storm Specialized Recovery System (DVD Image Based)
Virus Protection: - Not Available
Office: - Not Available
Benchmarking: - Not Available
Install/Test Game: FREE: Please include a free copy of a hot-selling game
Display: - No Thanks
Surge Shield: - No Thanks
Speakers: - No Thanks
Keyboard: - No Thanks
Mouse: - No Thanks
External Storage: - No Thanks
Exclusive T-Shirt: FREE: Digital Storm T-Shirt - Black (Large)
Priority Build: - No Thanks, Ship Within 5-10 Business Days After Order Is Successfully Processed
Warranty: 3 Year Platinum Care Extended Parts & Labor Warranty

If I were you seein how you like nvidia I would wait for the fermi.

I like ATI over nvidia products personally but the fermi's are well worth the way. Especialy now since they are comming  in about a month. If you can hold off till then, i will say hands down wait for the fermi models. Thats what i'm doing myself and will probably drop about 2500 or so on a new system here.

keep in mind that if you want to run  current games at max settings, no Graphics card will do that for 3-5 years, usually 2 years is about all.

we have to see, I'M sure the first 3 month prices will be up but then they will drop some.

justin is correct, there is no real future proofing, if one card is all you need now, I would just go with that, in 2 or 3 years, get a new card which like the 5870 all it will probably need is its self, so what card you had before it will not matter, just like if you were to upgrade right now, instead of a old dual cf or sli ati or nvidia, all you would need is a 5870.