OK Ant's here is revision 1:
Case: Antec 1100 - $135
Mobo: Asrock Z77 OC Formula $199 (before you flame look at board and what can do the Maximus V is out of budget)
CPU: Intel I5 3570K 3.4ghz $255
RAM: G.Skill 1600 DDR3 16gb $185 (decent ram that can be overclocked safely)
HDD1: Samsung 840 250gb ssd $185
HDD2: Western Digital Green 2tb $98
DVD: Samsung dvd rw $18
GPU: Power Colour HD7970 3GB GDDR5 $369
PSU: Antec 520w Modular gaming PSU $82 (Machine uses 401w @ 90% util so this should be perfect)
Total Price: $1526 - Tried to keep it under $1500
Only major change I would make is the Mobo, I would spend the extra $150 for ghr Maximus V and get a free copy of assassin's creed.
As a Parent...your never ready, Kids are like the ultimate ninja's.
They know all of your weaknesses and can reach out and break you mentally at any time.
Advanced Micro Devices, They make Cheaper CPU's and nowday's APU's.
Some of the newer AMD Chips are really good and priced in a manner that allows for more coin to be spent on Mobo and GPU.
Some manufacturers make Generic Ram that has better Latency than the big names but slightly lower clock speeds...time to OC that shit and same some dollars.
I'll spec up an AMD system after dinner
in 17 years I have
-Built 6000 AMD systems to date, had 4 fail inside warranty
-Built 8-9000 Intel systems and had considerably more fail (upwards of 200) inside warranty (that being said I have built nearly 3000 more of them)
Not the systems I build, My job used to be the design and supply of systems to Chrome studio's and Creative Assembly before I took the job I have now. I still build a few rigs for the lads that work there every couple of years.
Kawana was good, Excellent club turnout and nice skyline dominance at the meet. A few really stylish Toyota's and some truly horrible excuses for Imports as well.
Great company and conversation. McDonalds did not know what to do with us all.