EDIT: I'm in the process of fine tuning my system - such as replacing the Server RAM and finding a proper monitor when I noticed something. 12GB's of DDR3 Desktop RAM can either be 300$ or 460$. So, [url=http://www.newegg.com/Product/Productcompare.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100007611&IsNodeId=1&srchInDesc=12gb&page=1&bop=And&ActiveSearchResult=True&CompareItemList=147|20-220-499^20-220-499-TS,20-231-356^20-231-356-TS]I compared[/url]. NewEgg is really nice by including most of the product into in the title, but that's a minor relation to the point. I noticed the speed in one was 1333MHz and the other was 1600MHz and read that most systems can't differentiate between 1333 and 1600. Posted in January of '10, it could be outdated by now

So, I'll just save myself a few bucks and go with the 1333Mhz. Any other ideas?

I'll get a new Wishlist made up in the next day or earlier, going to try and get the price a little lower. Say, If I use lower end video cards could I SLI or set them up in Crossfire could I get the same performance or better as a higher end card for less? Given that the combined cost of both cards is less than one high end card.

EDIT: Here's the new list. I added in dual 5770 Radeon Graphics cards just for the higher price point (really so I knew how much it'd be). Same thing with the Monitor. There is a 24" and a 21.5" version, not sure where to go so I included the 24" just for a higher price point to save up for. Both have 2 HDMI slots, which I really want.

The new setup is similar in specs, but with lower cost items. It's a risk. But I choose mobo's with SLI/CrossFire support + USB3.0 and I stuck with the 5770 because of the HDMI connector.

Decreased number the 2TB HDD's from 5 to 3 and included an out of stock 250GB bare HDD for a price holder. I'll likely go with a 250GB Master Drive. It's what my laptop has and it's more than enough for school documents, programs and stuff. But no greater than a 500GB. I've got to think about space for programs:

Music/Video Library 60GB's
Games ~70GB's (15 just for UT2004, if I include downloads from Steam and Spore...)
OS ~15GB's
Various Programs <4GB's for CS5, LR3 and OpenOffice. Website work is all with a text editor, such as Notepad (or XCode/Dashcode on OS X, which I'll miss)

So that's around 150GB's for programs. I doubt I could fill up another 99GB's with documents as photos will be saved on the RAID array - with the exception of recreational photoshop files. Those'll likely reside on the main drive. So, a 500GB wouldn't be a bad idea.

Now, here's a bad idea. It'll mostly be a work and game computer (bad combo, but that aside). I really want to limit the internet availability. I'll remove all browsers, mail programs and other internet download things. I won't stop Steam, UT from downloading via internet (as those are 100% virus free).

Upload to FTP would be allowed as I'll likely be updating my website from it as well. I'll leave the downloading to my Laptop. Another reason I want to restrict the internet on it is that my friends are not the most savvy users and I know they'll think it as just a normal desktop when they come over and see it there. So... Yay, nay?

That monitor is a POS. Again, you need accurate colors, thus you *need* an IPS. A U2311 would be a good "budget" choice: http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/products/Displays/productdetail.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19&sku=320-9270

Just password your computer and don't let your friends use it.

It doesn't sound like staying under a budget is his biggest concern here.

But I would get a better brand: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227538 (only $5 more)

Pointless waste of money unless you really want SLI/CF. Get a 5850 instead: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150494&cm_re=5850-_-14-150-494-_-Product

That monitor is a POS. Again, you need accurate colors, thus you *need* an IPS. A U2311 would be a good "budget" choice: http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/products/Displays/productdetail.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19&sku=320-9270

Hook it up to the desktop via DisplayPort, and then get an HDMI->DVI adapter for whatever else you want to hook up (DVI and HDMI have literally the exact same video signal - hence the reason adapters are like $5)

Save another $100: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115066

And stick with the mobo you had - not worth getting a cheap brand board when it isn't much cheaper: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131641 <- don't skimp on the mobo!

Same with the PSU - there is a *HUGE* difference in quality and a shoddy PSU *WILL* fry your crap. Corsair's HX line is awesome, but if you want to save a bit the TX line is cheaper and still good: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139013

Uh, WHY? 250GB for $75 is stupid expensive when a 2TB drive is $110. Here, get this for your personal stuff: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136592 (it's faster than the 2TB drives)

Just password your computer and don't let your friends use it.

No, it doesn't do that at all. If you have 50W of hardware running, it'll pull somewhere in the area of 60-70W. If you're running 500W of hardware, the PSU is taking somewhere in the area of 600W-700W (depending on efficiency) from the wall.

Solar panels are mind-bogglingly expensive though; are you made of money?

It brings you back to the user login, but everything is still running, so you type in your password and you're back to whatever you were doing.

They do but I believe it's for home applications, not for what I'm going to use it for.

The panels likely have to be wired into the home, and for someone who lives in a room - and soon an apartment - those subsidies won't do anything.

I'll look around for IPS monitors then. ANd staying under budge is a plus. Sorry Kerm, but my main goal here is to build/buy a computer that will trump the 12-Core Mac Pro and it's price. While the Six Cores is a little low for my minimum of 8, I think I'll last for now. The good thing with Windows is that upgrading is cheaper than buying a new Mac!

Alright... I like the display ports on that. 1HDMI + 2DVI. I'll likely purchase two monitors for a true multitasking experience. I'm assuming the Max Resolution is on one monitor and not ideal for max resolution on two monitors?

Why wouldn't I want to hook the Desktop up via DVI, then? Or even HDMI? What real world advantage would I have with DisplayPort than I can't get with DVI/HDMI?

Just .13Ghz slower, but I think I could live! I've caved and went down to a 4-Core 3.2GHz CPU for 560$.

I like the reviews on that. I choose a weaker PSU because I wasn't sure if the PSU would always pull 850, 950watts or if that's the maximum power it can pull/produce. It'd be a very inefficient PSU if that was the case. But all these high-power PSU's have me looking at solar panels as a way to subsidize the cost of running this thing.

Also, remember that the Mac Pro doesn't come with a monitor, has only 6gb of RAM, and 1TB of hdd space. It has 12 cores, and practically nothing else. You've built that machine up in your mind quite a lot.

DisplayPort is the replacement for DVI (and HDMI isn't for monitors). It offers some cool stuff, like 10-bit color support (*IF* the monitor supports it). More importantly, with ATI's 5xxx series you can actually drive up to 6 monitors with 1 card, but 4 must be DisplayPort. The 5850 I linked can "only" drive 3 monitors with the one card, though.

If you're going quad core just get the 930 for $290: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115225&cm_re=930-_-19-115-225-_-Product

I know the Mac Pro doesn't come with a monitor, no Mac does except for their Laptops & iMacs. I was actually planning on saving money and buy a non-Apple monitor for the Mac Pro. I wasn't going to put much thought into the Monitor because I figured they all displayed the same 16.7 Million colours and I could always calibrate it.

I can't find any monitors with DisplayPorts, even Mini Display Ports. Would it be cheaper to just use HDMI for now?

I'll definitely be over-clocking this to at least 3.0 or 3.2 if possible!

Kllrnohj, so what _is_ a good place to buy monitors then, if I ever want to upgrade my 22" Acers?

I'm looking at a 25" ASUS on Amazon, IPS and all.

Also at, this NEC

You can find out what type of panel a monitor has with this: http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/panelsearch.htm