Lucas Cooper - ASUS Master Challenge Top 10

NOMINATED ASUS MOTHERBOARD: Maximums III Gene

NOMINATED ASUS GRAPHICS CARD: ASUS EAH5870

CPU: Intel Core i7 870
I decided on this CPU because it is, at stock level, the fastest Core i7 CPU that the ASUS Maximus III Gene supports (http://www.asus.com/product.aspx?P_ID=YwO7uzOlu1js0TqM&templete=2 CPU Support List) at 2.93 GHz. It can also be overclocked to 4.3 GHz at 1.448 Volts.

CPU COOLER: Noctua NHC12P
I chose this because I have had bad experiences with the Intel coolers (breaking heatsinks, once I got a Quad Core which didn't have enough thermal gel) and if overclocking you REALLY need a good cooler and this is the best performer I could find according to this review (look at the chart) under load.

MEMORY:  6GB, Gskill Perfect Storm
 F3-17066CL9T-6GBPS, DDR3 Ram, 2133 (PC3 17066)
I chose this memory because it is on the ASUS QVL for the chosen motherboard which was the fastest. It also comes packaged with dual fans and heat-sink, this will allow for overclocking.

 AUDIO: Onboard
I am using on-board but feel the need to justify it! I LOVE the on-board audio because it has X-Fi and 8 Channel audio which means games and movies will have the most beautiful audio possible.

HARD DRIVE 1: GSkill  FALCON] FM-25S2S-256GBF1 Solid State Drive, 256GB
I chose this because SSD's are really fast and this drive is among the fastest. The reason I chose a SSD is because the speed can cut through loading times in games and allow the operating system to load in seconds.

HARD DRIVE 2: Western Digital Caviar Black (Mechanical), 2TB 7200 RPM
 The Western Digital Caviar Black is a very fast drive (for gaming) and it is MASSIVE. This I would use as a second drive for backups and general storage.

OPTICAL DRIVE: Sony BWU-200S
I chose this drive because it can read and write blu-rays and DVDs and since this PC will be a gaming PC there is a good chance that they may want to watch HD movies as well.
 
PSU: Thermaltake TRX-1200M
This PSU has 1200W of power and quite a few PCIe power connectors for the graphics card(s) and 80% efficiency.

CASE: Thermaltake VH600LBWS
This case just emanates pure quality. It has more 5.25' bays than any sane person would need, it has a slide out motherboard tray it also has a lot of space for fans too although this case has built in LIQUID COOLING!!! This is it's main feature and for a gaming PC is very useful.

MONITOR: Dell 3008WFP 30-inch
I chose this because it is huge and that is what I would want for gaming. It also has 2560 x 1600 resolution which surpasses full HD and it has a huge range of inputs which allow you to connect TV for example of a game console.

KEYBOARD - OR KEYBOARD/MOUSE: Razer Tarantula
I chose this keyboard because it is more responsive and I didn't really use the LCD screen on my G15 much and found it unnecessary but the main thing is that this is an AWESOME keyboard and has all the features of the G19 except for the screen. It has the programmable buttons too.

MOUSE: Razer Mamba
I chose this mouse because it is a wireless gaming mouse which allows you to use it from a distance if need be and it also prevents getting the cable tangled (which can cost you a game). You can also use it as a USB mouse (cabled) which also charges it and increases performance. It also has programmable buttons and easy to switch profiles.

SPEAKERS
 I choose the Creative GigaWorks S750 speaker system because they are 7.1, THX certified and they will take full advantage of the on-board audio. Creative also has great customer support.

OPERATING SYSTEM: Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit
I chose Windows 7 because nowadays it is the newest and fastest. It also takes advantage of the DirectX11 that the GPU offers which is wonderful. I chose ultimate because you can use bitlocker and for someone who may want this for the office as well that could be useful.