Gaming PC for around 1500 trying to decide AMD or Intell

[schitzoflink]

So thanks in advance, I’ve built a few computers but now I’m trying to map out a HTPC/Gaming pc.

I usually build what I call an upper middle class PC, not the newest but it will run for about 2-3 years before I need to start slapping in new parts. That being said the MoBo needs to be new enough that I can buy some more RAM, a new video card (or two…SLI/Crossfire) and eventually a new CPU.
I’m working on a budget of around $1500 USD and hoping to build it between Jan and Apr of 2010
I’ll be using it to game (Diablo III/Star Craft 2, Dragon Age), and as a DVR/Streaming/BluRay player
I want to use this computer in my living room so I’ll be hooking it up to my Samsung LN-T4661FX the resolution is 1980x1020
I usually buy my parts from Tiger Direct, CopmUSA or Amazon, but I don’t really care where I get them from.
I live in the USA if you haven’t gotten that already lol
I have never OC any of my PC’s so I’m not really sure I want to, and as for SLI/Crossfire I’ll be saving that for an upgrade later on.
Since this will be in my living room I would like to keep it as quiet as possible, but without compromising on cooling or performance.

I don’t really know the differences between AMD and Intel builds so I have mocked up one based on each. And I plan to try an run it on a copy of Win 7 Pro 64bit
These parts should stay the same, if the fans need to change or if there is a good upgrade then please let me know.
The HTPC Case
A rear exhaust fan and a front mounted HDD/Fan enclosure
An aluminum HDD heatsink
And 2-3 80mm fans
Hauppauge WinTV-HVR-2250 Dual TV Tuner
And as a Video card I’m looking at the GeForce 280 GTX or possibly the 285 1GB
I’m thinking of getting a 1.5TB HDD
And the last unchanging part of the two builds would be 6-8 GB of RAM

Now for the Intell MoBo/CPU combo
ASUS P6T LGA 1366
And
i7 950
AMD Mobo/CPU
ASUS M4N82
And
AMD Phenom II x4 945

 

[Outlander_04]

The intel cpu is more powerful than that AMD , but most people would be better off with an i5 750 or 860 , which is also more powerful than the amd

graphics card look at the new ATI 5870 or 5850 . Just reviewd by toms last week

 

[hunter315]

You really really dont want to put a gaming system in a HTPC case, the cooling is totally inadequate, and the heat produced by either of those processors and a GTX275 would be enough to make the case physically hot to the touch. Get a nice large case with good air flow like an antec 900 or a HAF 922 to house the system in.

An i7 860 build would be cheaper than the i7 950, perform similarly, and perform significantly better than any AMD build.

However by the time january comes around offerings will have changed significantly. Stop by about 2 weeks prior to your purchase date and we will help you pick out a good build then, its impossible to predict that far into the future with computers.

 

[schitzoflink]

Well thanks for the info and I'll check back later then.

 

[rkaye]

"hoping to build it between Jan and Apr of 2010 "

eep. sooo much will have changed by then, i hope... the 6core cpus will be out, the sata3 (6gb/s) will be out. sata2 prices should be dropping fast,...

$1500 should be a good budget, especially if you are not upgrading monitors and might be able to salvage a pc case or hard drives or soemthing...

 

[schitzoflink]

I'm not looking to use the newest hardware at that time. I'll prob use somewhere around what is good/best now. sorry I didn't know the dates would be so distracting lol So everyone else just disregard the dates please, I'm just looking for advice on the builds, thanks!

Oh and after Hunter315's suggestion on a different case I'm thinking of using the Cooler Master Cosmos