New Rig

[rabbit]

Okay, this fits into at least 3 different categories (entertainment, gaming, hardware), so I opted for here.  Someone move it if you think there's a better fit.

I'm not too experienced in building my own systems, so this is taking quite a bit of time on my part, mostly looking up comparisons and reviews for every part.

I am trying to build a new computer that will last quite a while.  My budget is $2,000.  I have a few requirements:
1. Around $1,700.  The cheaper, the better, but only if it's not a huge impact on performance.  $2,000 is the absolute max including shipping and tax, for which you can use 08090 and 19130 for calculating.
2. Dual monitors output.  Having the option of 4 would be nice, and 20 would be insane and awesome, but I really only need 2.
3. As a benchmark (and assume my internet connection can handle it), streaming StarCraft 2 at 60fps on all Ultra settings is required (and is, in fact, one of the primary goals of the computer).
4. Do not include: keyboard, mouse, monitors, sound system
5. Include: Motherboard, CPU, disc drive, HDD, RAM, video card(s), sound card (which only needs to support 2.1), Windows 7 Ultimate (yes I know it's $300....which sucks), other essentials I may have left out

I've been wading through Newegg looking at various parts, wish list builds, and other things, as well as asking around on other forums, but I know there are people here who probably know more about this stuff than most of the people elsewhere (damn random people!).

[edit]
http://secure.newegg.com/WishList/PublicWishDetail.aspx?WishListNumber=15062086
Thoughts?

[deadly7]

5. Windows 7 Ultimate (yes I know it's $300....which sucks), other essentials I may have left out

Wrong. As a student, you are eligible to get Ultimate for <$100. As an MSDN subscriber you get Win7 Ultimate, Office 2010, etc etc. for free.

[rabbit]

I'm not a student nor am I a MSDN subscriber.

[Newby]

5. Windows 7 Ultimate (yes I know it's $300....which sucks), other essentials I may have left out

Wrong. As a student, you are eligible to get Ultimate for <$100. As an MSDN subscriber you get Win7 Ultimate, Office 2010, etc etc. for free.

No you don't. You pay $2000/yr or whatever the cost for an MSDN account is to get those products. =P

[while1]

5. Windows 7 Ultimate (yes I know it's $300....which sucks), other essentials I may have left out

Wrong. As a student, you are eligible to get Ultimate for <$100. As an MSDN subscriber you get Win7 Ultimate, Office 2010, etc etc. for free.

No you don't. You pay $2000/yr or whatever the cost for an MSDN account is to get those products. =P

Nope!  My company pays the mass volume discounted subscription fee for each dev on my project!!!  Wooot.

Of course according to a co-worker, even though I get virtually unlimited product keys and downloads to all MS products old and new... supposedly only I can use it.  So if I install Win7 on my own personal machine using a product key obtained from my MSDN subscription, then only I can technically boot up that installation of Win7 and use that copy of Win7.  Not sure this is completely true, it's just hearsay from a co-worker, I haven't read the MSDN terms of service or legal stuff myself.

I'm sure Johns Hopkins has some discounted MS software program for students or w/e, so now that I'm a technically a grad student, I can also get it that way.

Anyways Mr. Rabbit, once you build your machine, we can talk, I'm sure I can come up with some way to get you a 100% legit copy of Win7.

[rabbit]

Okay, then I can discount Win7 from the cost, meaning about 1700 for hardware!  Yay!  Okay, time to get cracking...

[Newby]

Of course according to a co-worker, even though I get virtually unlimited product keys and downloads to all MS products old and new... supposedly only I can use it.  So if I install Win7 on my own personal machine using a product key obtained from my MSDN subscription, then only I can technically boot up that installation of Win7 and use that copy of Win7.  Not sure this is completely true, it's just hearsay from a co-worker, I haven't read the MSDN terms of service or legal stuff myself.

That's bullshit. I use my dad's keys all the time for various products. They're stuffing lies down your throat. You're not supposed to do that, but hey, whatever.

[rabbit]

http://secure.newegg.com/WishList/PublicWishDetail.aspx?WishListNumber=15062086
!
Tentative rig

[deadly7]

Your video card doesn't support HDMI inputs. This means you can't ever hook up your computer to a TV or make use of HDMI monitors..
Also, are you an ATI/AMD avid supporter, or are you looking for the best rig for your price range?


Also, I would go with a name brand (Antec comes to mind) for your PSU. I personally have never heard of SeaSonic.

[rabbit]

I'm not an AVID supporter, though I do like them, and the 5970 is the best card on the market, so there's not too much to be said about changing to nVidia.  As for the Phenom II, it's 6 cores and a higher clock speed, which is great for video encoding, and like I said, I'm going to be streaming quite a bit of gaming stuff.  That's the primary appeal, at least.  Comparable Intel CPUs only have 4 cores and cost nearly twice as much, and price is my other big factor.

As for the power supply...I'm still looking :|

[warz]

Corsair is the only brand of PSU that I would ever recommend. They're the best, imo. Their 12v rails are always rated well.

[rabbit]

If I ship it all to my ex roommate in Philly, it'll save me ~$120 in tax, and the total will be $1,745.44.  I'm thinking that it's pretty close to final, atm.

[nslay]

Don't get ATi or AMD!  The Intel core i7s use less power (130W max), they have QPI and turbo boost.  You're also getting a 6Gb/s motherboard with a 3Gb/s disk.  Why not spend an extra $40 on the 1TB WD with 6 Gb/s transfer rate (See list)?  You can also get an nVidia Fermi card for $350 that will play SC II with all settings turned up to maximum just fine.  Not to mention, the Fermi cards support both hardware DirectX 11 and OpenGL 3.x (The ATi one you listed shows only DirectX 11).

Here's my setup:

• Case
• Hard disk
• DVD burner
• RAM
• CPU (Burns stupid hot, hence the case ... stock fan is fine)
• Motherboard (Awesome!)
• Power supply
• VGA - Bought this especially for CUDA, but OpenCL will work with ATi or nVidia
• Keyboard

Price: ~ $1700 (with rebates and specials)

Picture ... too big to include in post.

[nslay]

I just saw your tentative rig.  I didn't realize the newer AMD processors were better with power.  They have a bunch of Istanbul nodes (6 core) at the HPC center here that apparently use 300 Watts of power.

[rabbit]

The reasoning behind my card is that I will be playing on Ultra while on-the-fly encoding and streaming the games.  If it was just a matter of playing, I'd get something cheaper.

Thanks for the tip about the HDD, though, I hadn't noticed that.  Switched out the drive for another, and in the end it only cost another $5.

[nslay]

The reasoning behind my card is that I will be playing on Ultra while on-the-fly encoding and streaming the games.  If it was just a matter of playing, I'd get something cheaper.

Thanks for the tip about the HDD, though, I hadn't noticed that.  Switched out the drive for another, and in the end it only cost another $5.

I really doubt that work load would load that GTX 470.  I ran numerical experiments on the GTX 470 achieving 100x speedups over 8 core machines (it can spawn hundreds of thousands of threads, each with its own independent set of registers). Fermi is nVidia's latest architecture released just months ago.  If you pay another $200, you can get the GTX 480 with 48 additional CUDA cores and 300MB additional video RAM.  It's still $200 cheaper than listed ATi and supports OpenGL 3.x (I'm sure you can find ATi with OpenGL support).  nVidia's drivers are also better than FireGL for Linux and the only option for FreeBSD.

As for AMD.  I was frightened by the price difference, but these benchmarks are more frightening for the X6.  The i7-975 is disproportionately (!!) faster than my processor, which is still quite faster than the slowest i7 which is still faster than the X6.  I wanted an i7-980 but couldn't see paying $1k for a processor and compromised for the i7-950.

[nslay]

I noticed your PSU isn't modular.  It doesn't matter that much if you have a big case, but even so, it's nice to keep the case nice and clear of excess wires.  Have a look at my PSU ... it has nice solid attachable cables, although it's a tad more expensive.  For the mid tower case I got, a modular PSU was very necessary.  Things got really tight with the few cables I used as it was.

[rabbit]

Yeah, I'm getting an Antec 1200 for the case, and I'll be running Windows anyway, so drivers aren't my biggest concern.  I'm confused about paying $200 more for the 480 and it being $200 cheaper....Anyway, comparisons all show the 5970 outperforming the 480, except when 480 is in SLI, and even then it's not a big enough gain to justify the extra price.

[warz]

Don't get ATi or AMD!  The Intel core i7s use less power (130W max), they have QPI and turbo boost.  You're also getting a 6Gb/s motherboard with a 3Gb/s disk.  Why not spend an extra $40 on the 1TB WD with 6 Gb/s transfer rate (See list)?  You can also get an nVidia Fermi card for $350 that will play SC II with all settings turned up to maximum just fine.  Not to mention, the Fermi cards support both hardware DirectX 11 and OpenGL 3.x (The ATi one you listed shows only DirectX 11).

Here's my setup:

• Case
• Hard disk
• DVD burner
• RAM
• CPU (Burns stupid hot, hence the case ... stock fan is fine)
• Motherboard (Awesome!)
• Power supply
• VGA - Bought this especially for CUDA, but OpenCL will work with ATi or nVidia
• Keyboard

Price: ~ $1700 (with rebates and specials)

Picture ... too big to include in post.

is that a keyboard from the stone ages? haha. upgrade that, man.

[Joe]

Dude, if you want a keyboard like that save the $70, paypal me $5 for shipping and I'll send you three. Available in PS2 only.

[rabbit]

I already have a keyboard....it's not too great but it's a low priority item.  I plan to pick up a Cherry sometime later.

[nslay]

Dude, if you want a keyboard like that save the $70, paypal me $5 for shipping and I'll send you three. Available in PS2 only.

You do realize what kind of keyboard that is, right?  $70 is actually cheap compared to original IBM Model M keyboards which sell for $100+. They are legendary!  I love my original 1987 Model M so much I decided to buy a Unicomp for the new machine. Unicomp owns the patent, design, and equipment to manufacture the IBM Model Ms, but rebranded.

Buy original IBM Model M keyboards and parts here:
http://www.clickykeyboards.com/

Just compare the prices (Lexmarks don't count ... nobody wants those)!  By the way ... these keyboards are indestructible! I don't even know how Unicomp turns a profit.  People still use the original 30 year old keyboards, let alone brand new identical ones with the Unicomp brand name.

Clean your Model M:
http://www.preater.com/modelm/

P.S. Buckling spring makes these keyboards unique.  They have a certain feel and sound that rubber dome (modern) keyboards lack.

[nslay]

Don't get ATi or AMD!  The Intel core i7s use less power (130W max), they have QPI and turbo boost.  You're also getting a 6Gb/s motherboard with a 3Gb/s disk.  Why not spend an extra $40 on the 1TB WD with 6 Gb/s transfer rate (See list)?  You can also get an nVidia Fermi card for $350 that will play SC II with all settings turned up to maximum just fine.  Not to mention, the Fermi cards support both hardware DirectX 11 and OpenGL 3.x (The ATi one you listed shows only DirectX 11).

Here's my setup:

• Case
• Hard disk
• DVD burner
• RAM
• CPU (Burns stupid hot, hence the case ... stock fan is fine)
• Motherboard (Awesome!)
• Power supply
• VGA - Bought this especially for CUDA, but OpenCL will work with ATi or nVidia
• Keyboard

Price: ~ $1700 (with rebates and specials)

Picture ... too big to include in post.

is that a keyboard from the stone ages? haha. upgrade that, man.

You've never used the IBM Model M apparently.  There's a reason people pay $70 for that keyboard.  See my response to Joe.

[nslay]

Yeah, I'm getting an Antec 1200 for the case, and I'll be running Windows anyway, so drivers aren't my biggest concern.  I'm confused about paying $200 more for the 480 and it being $200 cheaper....Anyway, comparisons all show the 5970 outperforming the 480, except when 480 is in SLI, and even then it's not a big enough gain to justify the extra price.

The GTX 470 is $349 and the GTX 480 is $499.  I don't know how it benches with the 5970.  All I know is that it's nVidia's newest architecture and I'd be surprised if it couldn't handle your load.

[Joe]

I have a model M. It's not that great, unless I want to wake up the whole family when I'm doing homework late at night.

Now, the Mac Plus in that picture is awesome. Still runs just fine with it's external 20MB hard drive, which will also wake up the whole family.

EDIT -
Also featured in the picture, a plate that says "Hello x86", a hammer, a bowling trophy, my girlfriends sewing machine, and my elbow. And yes, the picture is backwards.

[nslay]

I have a model M. It's not that great, unless I want to wake up the whole family when I'm doing homework late at night.

I disagree.  A large community of computer enthusiasts also disagree.

[rabbit]

I have a model M. It's not that great, unless I want to wake up the whole family when I'm doing homework late at night.

Buckling spring and Cherry (mostly Black and Red) type boards are hugely popular in professional gaming.  Not to mention they last far longer than rubber dome and slim keyboards.

[Sidoh]

I have a model M. It's not that great, unless I want to wake up the whole family when I'm doing homework late at night.

I disagree.  A large community of computer enthusiasts also disagree.

and that makes it right!

seriously... those keyboards are lame.  I've used them too, and I still feel like I'm in the 1980s when I use one.  Maybe that's why people like them

[warz]

I have a model M. It's not that great, unless I want to wake up the whole family when I'm doing homework late at night.

I disagree.  A large community of computer enthusiasts also disagree.

A dog ate a bowl of dog food yesterday, also.

Personally, I'd rather have the Steelseries g6v2. It's not out yet, though.

[nslay]

No lame windows keys either.

Model M and their descendants are real keyboards.  Who in their right mind would add and standardize keys that are specific to one piece of software?

[rabbit]

The logo is Windows, but it functions as a Meta/Hyper/Super key (it can be changed on Linux, <3!)  It's pretty annoying companies use the Windows logo for the key though.

[nslay]

The logo is Windows, but it functions as a Meta/Hyper/Super key (it can be changed on Linux, <3!)  It's pretty annoying companies use the Windows logo for the key though.

Unicomp will send you Apple meta keycaps upon request if you buy their PC104 keyboards

[rabbit]

What I mean is there should be a Meta symbol, not the Windows thingy or the Apple thingy.

[deadly7]

and that makes it right!

seriously... those keyboards are lame.  I've used them too, and I still feel like I'm in the 1980s when I use one.  Maybe that's why people like them

Hahahah. I +1 this post for awesomeness. I used to own several of those and have used many at my work. They are atrocious. In addition to being completely uncomfortable (for reference, I like split ergonomic keyboards) they're also just annoyingly loud. I don't need to hear my keyboard as I'm pressing buttons, tyvm.

[nslay]

Google's sophisticated page ranking system turns up contradictory results for the query: "IBM Model M" sucks

So basically, Google's page ranking system doesn't think it sucks which implies most websites and links to websites about Model M and Google users don't think it sucks.  Therefore, it's not a widely held opinion that it sucks.  Therefore, it likely doesn't suck.  Regardless of general opinion, I think it's absolutely awesome to program with.

[Newby]

Regardless of general opinion, I think it's absolutely awesome to program with.

Because everyone in your neighborhood knows when you're programing?

(I like those keyboards too. But eh, I'm not picky when it comes to keyboards. Not having a preference makes things simple.)

[nslay]

Regardless of general opinion, I think it's absolutely awesome to program with.

Because everyone in your neighborhood knows when you're programing?

(I like those keyboards too. But eh, I'm not picky when it comes to keyboards. Not having a preference makes things simple.)

It's loud relative to rubber dome.  However, in absolute, it's not really that loud.  People tend to exaggerate.  I used to bring my Model M to the office and cubicle neighbors did not find it terribly loud and were not even irritated by it.  Let's not forget about the white noise factor.

The white noise factor is the tendency for the brain to filter out a particular noise ... keyboards and chiming clocks are excellent examples.  I often don't even notice my cuckoo clock chime even though it's right next to me!  Of course, I've had it for years too ...

I think people tend to use experience as a benchmark (i.e. people tend to be relativistic).  When you've typed on rubber domes for most of your life, good God, Model M is loud!  But relative to talking cubicle neighbors and other office noises ... not really. 

[nslay]

rabbit, your tentative rig board has onboard video and PATA.  Surely you can find a similar board lacking PATA and onboard video that is cheaper... Maybe you can find a board with a faster non-overclocked memory standard.

There's also a combo deal for your processor.  $750 for your processor and a 2GB Radeon 5870.  So, it's not as good as your 5970, but a lot cheaper.

[nslay]

Hey rabbit, check this motherboard out.  It supports DDR3 1600 (yours is only DDR3 1333), no onboard video, and has USB 3.0 ports.  There's also this combo deal with your processor.  Instant $30 off ... not as good as the 5870 + Phenon II X6 combo I posted earlier (-$45).

[Sidoh]

LOL.  You think I care what the widely held opinion is?  If I did, I'd be Christian, I wouldn't be a nerd, and I'd probably try a lot harder to be a manly man.

"Defense by Google".  I hope you're trolling.

[Blaze]

According to google images, this guy is the coolest guy ever.

http://www.angelzfunnyz.com/Portals/0/Gallery/Album/8/Too%20Cool.jpg

And thus it is true!

[rabbit]

Dammit people, keep this crap out of my thread.  I'm actuall trying to build the best rig I can, and I'm spending a lot of money on it.  This isn't a "omg I want this stuff", it's "I'll be ordering it in 3 weeks".

[nslay]

LOL.  You think I care what the widely held opinion is?  If I did, I'd be Christian, I wouldn't be a nerd, and I'd probably try a lot harder to be a manly man.

"Defense by Google".  I hope you're trolling.

Well, you and others have opined that my keyboard sucks and that I ought to care what you think and buy a new one.  Right?

Example:

is that a keyboard from the stone ages? haha. upgrade that, man.

So, if I should care what the majority of the community of nerds think, I should think that the Model M and it's descendants are awesome apparently.  Originals are mostly sold out, they sell successfully for $100+ as new old stock, it made NPR, Unicomp is still in business, and gee, Google doesn't turn up results of anyone bad mouthing it.  Rabbit claims they are popular in professional gaming ... so yeah, the community seems to love Model M and it's descendants.

Of course, I'm an original owner of a 1987 Model M (from an IBM PS/2 we had when I was growing up) and always loved it regardless of general opinion.  I merely found out of its popularity through wikipedia, and I quote

Model M keyboards have been prized by computer enthusiasts and heavy typists because of the tactile and auditory feedback resulting from a keystroke.

Anything else?

While we've been arguing about my keyboard, I've been making all sorts of suggestions to rabbit about his new rig.  Why not you guys?

[warz]

While we've been arguing about my keyboard, I've been making all sorts of suggestions to rabbit about his new rig.  Why not you guys?

Because you're doing such a good fucking job of it, man. Keep it up. I only suggested getting a quality PSU because it blows donkey cock having to figure out what the fuck is causing your computer to reboot while playing a computer game, only to have it be your PSU. My only other advice would be to do what I did, just go buy an Intel i7, preferably with a mobo combo deal. Buy some kick ass RAM. Buy a Radeon 5870. Frag some faggots.

[Sidoh]

LOL.  You think I care what the widely held opinion is?  If I did, I'd be Christian, I wouldn't be a nerd, and I'd probably try a lot harder to be a manly man.

"Defense by Google".  I hope you're trolling.

Well, you and others have opined that my keyboard sucks and that I ought to care what you think and buy a new one.  Right?

Example:

is that a keyboard from the stone ages? haha. upgrade that, man.

So, if I should care what the majority of the community of nerds think, I should think that the Model M and it's descendants are awesome apparently.  Originals are mostly sold out, they sell successfully for $100+ as new old stock, it made NPR, Unicomp is still in business, and gee, Google doesn't turn up results of anyone bad mouthing it.  Rabbit claims they are popular in professional gaming ... so yeah, the community seems to love Model M and it's descendants.

Oh, I'm not suggesting you buy a new one.  If you like it more than other keyboards, then by all means stick with it.  I'm bickering because you seem to think it's in some way functionally superior to more modern keyboards.  If it's aesthetic or nostalgic or something, then I understand, and I can't argue with that.

Of course, I'm an original owner of a 1987 Model M (from an IBM PS/2 we had when I was growing up) and always loved it regardless of general opinion.  I merely found out of its popularity through wikipedia, and I quote

Model M keyboards have been prized by computer enthusiasts and heavy typists because of the tactile and auditory feedback resulting from a keystroke.

That's cool and all, but I hate the feeling and the sound of clicky keys.  It makes me feel like I'm on an old computer for some reason, and I don't like that.

Anything else?

While we've been arguing about my keyboard, I've been making all sorts of suggestions to rabbit about his new rig.  Why not you guys?

because I'm naughty, of course.

[nslay]

Oh, I'm not suggesting you buy a new one.  If you like it more than other keyboards, then by all means stick with it.  I'm bickering because you seem to think it's in some way functionally superior to more modern keyboards.  If it's aesthetic or nostalgic or something, then I understand, and I can't argue with that.

Where do I opine about the functional superiority/inferiority of either Model M or any other keyboard?  The argument started when I was told to upgrade my keyboard.  We've been arguing about my choice of keyboard.  Not functionality! I so happen to like the way it feels and sounds.  I've said so repeatedly!

You want to argue with me that the Model M sucks.  Why else would you post about it?  That's all and well, however, what is suck? I interpret absolutes of opinion to be determined by the general consensus which seems to favor Model M.  How else would you measure one opinion against another?

[Sidoh]

Oh, I'm not suggesting you buy a new one.  If you like it more than other keyboards, then by all means stick with it.  I'm bickering because you seem to think it's in some way functionally superior to more modern keyboards.  If it's aesthetic or nostalgic or something, then I understand, and I can't argue with that.

Where do I opine about the functional superiority/inferiority of either Model M or any other keyboard?  The argument started when I was told to upgrade my keyboard.  We've been arguing about my choice of keyboard.  Not functionality! I so happen to like the way it feels and sounds.  I've said so repeatedly!

shrugs... I guess I got the impression that you were arguing it was better in some meaningful way.  Sorry.

You want to argue with me that the Model M sucks.  Why else would you post about it?  That's all and well, however, what is suck? I interpret absolutes of opinion to be determined by the general consensus which seems to favor Model M.  How else would you measure one opinion against another?

No, not really.  I didn't really mean to be so argumentative.  It just seemed odd to me that someone would prefer those things over a a more... serene... keyboard.  I definitely recognize the nostalgic/retro component... I guess it just means nothing to me.

I think that's a silly way to measure all things subjective.  I don't think there exists a good way to do it, though.  When I say "it sucks", I mean "I'd never want to use that thing", not "no one should ever want to use that thing".

Sorry for the off topic.  If I were a better moderator, I'd split this off.

[nslay]

The goal is to find awesome parts for great prices, here's what I have proposed:
http://secure.newegg.com/WishList/PublicWishDetail.aspx?WishListNumber=15085686

I think rabbit's PSU is better because of the PFC feature, and with rebate it's only $5 more than the one in the above list.

The AMD Phenon II X6 has an integrated memory controller that is limited to DDR3 1333.  Unless you plan to upgrade the processor in the future, I think it's a little much to spend $185 on this motherboard.  The one in the wish list above is very good for the price.  I suppose the only limitation is 1 PCIe 2.0 slot.  Do you need more?

[rabbit]

I might want to upgrade later down the line to dual 5970s.  Muahahaha!  But really, I'm pretty set in everything except the case and the motherboard right now.  The 1200 was really just there for filler, and is the biggest and most expensive case I'd even consider buying (I know and did know it was overkill).  The motherboard I'll probably swap out for the one nslay suggested as well.

[nslay]

I might want to upgrade later down the line to dual 5970s.  Muahahaha!  But really, I'm pretty set in everything except the case and the motherboard right now.  The 1200 was really just there for filler, and is the biggest and most expensive case I'd even consider buying (I know and did know it was overkill).  The motherboard I'll probably swap out for the one nslay suggested as well.

You might want to get a more powerful PSU then.

[rabbit]

I jest (for now).  Anyway, I swapped the Antec 1200 for a 902.  Right now, the price is $1,695.25 after shipping, and there's another $30 I can save with rebates.  Woo!  That gives me a bit more for my monitor budget

[nslay]

The reasoning behind my card is that I will be playing on Ultra while on-the-fly encoding and streaming the games.  If it was just a matter of playing, I'd get something cheaper.

Thanks for the tip about the HDD, though, I hadn't noticed that.  Switched out the drive for another, and in the end it only cost another $5.

You will want a modular power supply for a mid tower case.  It gets unbelievably crowded!

This is the PSU I used for my Antec 900.  If you care about looks, it complements the Antec's blue LED style quite well.  It's more expensive, but it is 1000W and also has PFC and supposedly 80%+ efficient (Edit: It's also modular with high quality attachable cables ... see pics).  I don't particularly care for the blue LED lights of the Antec case, just the excellent air intake and the big 200mm fan on the top (Core i7 gets hot!).

[rabbit]

I'm going to be not plugging in the LED power cables.  Computer lights actually do keep me up at night.  I even put electrical tape over the power and blinky lights on my current computer.

[nslay]

I'm going to be not plugging in the LED power cables.  Computer lights actually do keep me up at night.  I even put electrical tape over the power and blinky lights on my current computer.

I have an Antec 900 which I assume is similar to the 902 and 1200.  There is no way to not plug in the LED lights.  You'll have to snip wires (I wouldn't know where).  I read a 902 review that complained that the LEDs couldn't be shut off.  This has been my experience with the 900.

EDIT:

Cons: Case is near impossible to wire efficiently without midget hands, it took 4-5 hours to run wiring cleanly for me (im a freak and cant see a single wire). stock fans have LED's that cannot be turned off (in front) so its a nightlight when im trying to sleep, for like $30 i exchanged some newer, higher performance fans all around, not cause i NEEDED them, but cause i wanted a dark case at night. If you have HUGE graphics cards like me (dual 5850's) then the hard drives will not fit directly behind them, you have to move them a slot up or down. Thats about it, very few complaints to speak of, lots of screws though, patience is key with this case.

[nslay]

Hey rabbit, here are two similarly priced modular PSUs with 850 Watts and PFC. What do you think?

• http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817121076
• http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817121067

They don't have the high quality aircraft-style connectors.  Not that it matters so much.

EDIT:
The second one has a 3-way LED switch.  So it's possible to shut off the LED on that PSU.

[nslay]

Rabbit, here are some pictures of how crowded it gets in a midtower case.  Hopefully this should also help you gauge whether your 5970 will fit or not (The GTX 470 fit fine).

With see-through cover on
Without see-through cover on

You can see some dust in my system.  The 900 has no dust cover.  You made the better choice for the 902 because it has a dust cover.

You can't really route those power cables through the back or anything clever.  Because of the placement of the PSU and the power connectors on the motherboard, I had to go over the graphics card.

You'll also notice that the chassis fans only have IDE power connectors.  This means you can't easily plug them into the motherboard which is desirable since the motherboard would throttle them.  There are little switches that control their speed, but they stay at that speed the whole time.

[rabbit]

I'm not a fan of Kingwin.  I've read a lot about them (mostly bad), and my fomer roommate's brother never used them, and he was one of those "I haven't bought the latest stuff in 3 weeks...I'm outdated!".  I never thought to ask him why, but with all the bad reviews I can make a guess.  I'm definitely not going to buy that 1st one you linked..Kingwin on Newegg with no reviews.....no thanks..

As for the case, I'm going to have to move my HDDs to fit the 5970, but:

The 5970 is about 4 inches longer than the GTX 470..still think it'll fit?  I can't really tell what with all them wires in the exact worst position to judge

[edit]
Found this while looking at other PSUs.  I lol'd.

[nslay]

I'm not a fan of Kingwin.  I've read a lot about them (mostly bad), and my fomer roommate's brother never used them, and he was one of those "I haven't bought the latest stuff in 3 weeks...I'm outdated!".  I never thought to ask him why, but with all the bad reviews I can make a guess.  I'm definitely not going to buy that 1st one you linked..Kingwin on Newegg with no reviews.....no thanks..

The PSU I bought has a 5-egg rating and I found it on the newegg 'top sellers' list.  This indepth review of the Kingwin Mach 1 1000W is also favorable (tested in a lab).  The only bad comments I've seen for Kingwin are about the lack of customer service ... and of course, the typical unlucky buyer who got a defect but discounted that possibility.

You're not limited to Kingwin, although, they do hold patents for modular PSU.  Why not check if Corsair has modular PSU?  If your case is anything like mine, you're going to want modular (read reviews).

[nslay]

The plastic component just immediately behind the graphics card in my photos is removable if that helps.  There are two drive bays (Each can hold 3 hard disks).  Each drive bay has a fan in the front (which is visible from the front of the case).  As you can see in my picture, the bottom drive bay has a disk in it.  The top drive bay is empty and used for pure air intake.  But, I'm relatively certain that plastic piece is removable.  The drive bays themselves can be interchanged too.

[rabbit]

The top result in "Best Rating" for modular 801-900W modular power supplies is a Cosair, though it's $170.  I'm thinking about this PSU.

[nslay]

Here is a picture with a measuring tape. It looks like the 5970 will be a tight fit.  You'll have to remove that plastic piece and part of the 5970 will sit in the drive bay.

[nslay]

The top result in "Best Rating" for modular 801-900W modular power supplies is a Cosair, though it's $170.  I'm thinking about this PSU.

That's a good one too.  My father has one like that.

[rabbit]

So I'm thinking it's pretty much done and ready to be ordered...Grand Total: $1,644.20 (-$40 mail-in rebates after).
http://secure.newegg.com/WishList/PublicWishDetail.aspx?WishListNumber=13363445

It says it's more but that's just because it's dumb and for some reason can't show combo deals.

[nslay]

So I'm thinking it's pretty much done and ready to be ordered...Grand Total: $1,644.20 (-$40 mail-in rebates after).
http://secure.newegg.com/WishList/PublicWishDetail.aspx?WishListNumber=13363445

It says it's more but that's just because it's dumb and for some reason can't show combo deals.

The WD disk has a promo code.  $10 off.  Not sure if you're aware.  If not, go look through your items and check for promo codes.

EDIT:
Your RAM has a promo code.  $20 off.  Re-add your items with promo codes to the shopping cart and enter the code.

[rabbit]

Both codes expire before I plan to order though.  I'll look at my paycheck on Tuesday and if I have enough then and there I'll reapply and order.

[rabbit]

Ok...so I still have access to my student discounts (yay!) and can get Windows 7 Pro upgrade for $10.  AFAIK the only things missing from Pro vs Ultimate are bitlocker, UNIX support, and other languages.  Would the other languages affect my ability to use Japanese and Russian (ie: type)?  I would hope not, especially since IME is a pretty standard tool in every other OS.

[deadly7]

especially since IME is a pretty standard tool in every other OS.

Yeah but this is Windows.

[rabbit]

especially since IME is a pretty standard tool in every other OS.

Yeah but this is Windows.

I was including other OS.  IME was in XP (though granted, if it wasn't installed by default during OS install, it was impossible to add it later).  From what I've been able to tell, it's just the displays that change language in Ultimate, and IME is still available.  I'm going to order everything sans video card Tuesday I think (since my new mobo has integrated graphics) and then get my video card in a few weeks.

[nslay]

I always thought SFU (Services For Unix) were free for all Windows operating systems.  I also always thought that input locales were independent of the "class" of Windows.  Windows 7 Starter has input locales so I would assume Pro also has it.

As far as I know, SFU is awful.  Even NFS support is terrible.  I honestly don't think you should worry about SFU.

*pokes Myndfyre* ... where's the Microsoft zealot when you need him (intended for good gesture)?

[rabbit]

I always thought SFU (Services For Unix) were free for all Windows operating systems.  I also always thought that input locales were independent of the "class" of Windows.  Windows 7 Starter has input locales so I would assume Pro also has it.

As far as I know, SFU is awful.  Even NFS support is terrible.  I honestly don't think you should worry about SFU.

*pokes Myndfyre* ... where's the Microsoft zealot when you need him (intended for good gesture)?

I honestly don't care about SFU, I was just noting the differences.  But whatever!  I'll have a working computer by next week, and a beastly gaming machine a couple weeks after that (damned expensive 5970...)

[Newby]

As far as I know, SFU is awful.  Even NFS support is terrible.  I honestly don't think you should worry about SFU.

*pokes Myndfyre* ... where's the Microsoft zealot when you need him (intended for good gesture)?

SUA (Subsystem for Unix Applications) is terrible too! But yeah, as far as I know it's a free separate download.

[warz]

The top result in "Best Rating" for modular 801-900W modular power supplies is a Cosair, though it's $170.  I'm thinking about this PSU.

Corsair PSUs are the best.

[rabbit]

It's ordered!  Well, mostly.  I didn't get the HDD (I have one I can use until my next paycheck) or video card (same deal).  I was planning to get some nice big 24" monitors, but I decided to go with a pair of smaller 20" ones...or maybe 3 if I can get them for the right price.

[deadly7]

It's loud relative to rubber dome.  However, in absolute, it's not really that loud.  People tend to exaggerate.  I used to bring my Model M to the office and cubicle neighbors did not find it terribly loud and were not even irritated by it.  Let's not forget about the white noise factor.

The white noise factor is the tendency for the brain to filter out a particular noise ... keyboards and chiming clocks are excellent examples.  I often don't even notice my cuckoo clock chime even though it's right next to me!  Of course, I've had it for years too ...

I think people tend to use experience as a benchmark (i.e. people tend to be relativistic).  When you've typed on rubber domes for most of your life, good God, Model M is loud!  But relative to talking cubicle neighbors and other office noises ... not really. 

I share an office with a guy uses a similarly loud keyboard. I assure you, keep using one in public and someone will shove a spike through your head one day.

[Blaze]

I recently received a 1GB GeForce 460.  It's pretty amazing, $230~, and if you get two of them and SLI, they're better and around $300 cheaper than Ati's best card.