PC piece compatibility check & AMD or Intel?

[BirdzThaWord]

I've researched a lot about computers and its components and I'm planning on making one for this Christmas. I have come up with 2 desired rigs, one AMD and the other Intel. I was hoping to find out if the pieces are compatible with one another in the rigs or to at least know how to make sure they are compatible myself. The pieces I have chosen are what I believe to be compatible.

Universal:
Case - Cooler Master HAF 932 ATX Full Tower
Hard Drive - Western Digital Caviar Blue 640GB 7200RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0GBs
OS - Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
CPU Heatsink/Fan - Thermaltake Frio
PSU - Corsair 950TX 950W, SLI Ready, 80+ Bronze Certified
Graphics Card - EVGA AR GTX 470 (Fermi) 1280MB 320-bit GDDR5

AMD:
Motherboard - ASRock 890FX Deluxe4
RAM - G.Skill Ripjaws (2x2GB) 1600, Cas Latency = 7 , Timings = 7-8-7-24-2N, Voltage = 1.65V
CPU - AMD Phenom II X4 BE 3.4Ghz

Intel:
Motherboard - Asus P6X58D-E
RAM - Corsair Dominator (3x2GB) 1600, Cas Latency = 8, Timings = 8-8-8-24, Voltage = 1.65V
CPU - Intel Core i7-950 3.06GHz

I tried to specify the best I can so you guys would have an easier time except on things with too much information to list. The AMD pc comes out at about $1160 while the Intel pc comes out at about $1385. If you want to recommend something instead of a certain piece that I'm using, please go right ahead, I'd love the help. If you don't know if they are compatible, I'd still appreciate it if you told me which rig you'd choose and why. Also for the AMD motherboard, I read some reviews on it and looked up info on it and it seems to be a pretty nice mobo especially for the price even though it is not brand name, but if you think I could do better, once again, please give me your recommendation. As well for the Ripjaws RAM I am unaware of what the 2N on the timings stands for, if anyone knows what it is I'd appreciate the help. This pc will also be used mainly for gaming. Sorry for this big request and the help is very appreciated. Thank you.

 

[mosox]

For gaming? Better wait for a week or so, AMD is about to release the new HD 6950 and 6970. What's your current system, Intel will release a new socket ate the beginning of 2011.

 

[BirdzThaWord]

I actually just read about this... Sandy Bridge and the new 6xxx and 5xx series so soon... I am so lost pc wise now D:

 

[mosox]

Wait for the 6 series at least.

 

[suteck]

I would go with the SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive from Newegg for the same price. It's more dependable in my opinion and it's 1 TB so it's almost double what you're looking at.
In order to check the compatibility of the ram for both builds we will need a little more information. Actually all we need is the model number. The G-Skill will be something like F3-12800CL7D-4GBPI and for the Corsair will be something like TR3X3G1600C8D. Or go HERE and choose your own. For guaranteed compatibility you will want to go to each boards manufacturer and download the memory QVL. For Asus HERE and for Asrock HERE
I'm an Intel guy so I would pick the intel/asus/i7-950 every time. Plus, down the road you can upgrade to the 980X that so far, including the new sandybridges about to come out, nothing can touch. You can start a whole debate about which to get but the jist is the AMD is a great value cpu while the Intel outperforms, (benchmarking results), it.
That cooler will work with both boards but I find that most people are choosing the COOLER MASTER Hyper 212 Plus that you can get here at Newegg for only $38 including shipping. It is also compatible with both boards. It might be good for a small overclock if you add some higher cfm fans. If you're planning on a medium to high-end overclock if you will want the Prolimatech Megahalems Rev.B CPU Cooler if you want air, but they will only work on the 1366 board I believe.
Your graphics card will work with either board and you will be able to SLI later if you get another card down the road

 

[BirdzThaWord]

I would go with the SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive from Newegg for the same price. It's more dependable in my opinion and it's 1 TB so it's almost double what you're looking at.
In order to check the compatibility of the ram for both builds we will need a little more information. Actually all we need is the model number. The G-Skill will be something like F3-12800CL7D-4GBPI and for the Corsair will be something like TR3X3G1600C8D. Or go HERE and choose your own. For guaranteed compatibility you will want to go to each boards manufacturer and download the memory QVL. For Asus HERE and for Asrock HERE
I'm an Intel guy so I would pick the intel/asus/i7-950 every time. Plus, down the road you can upgrade to the 980X that so far, including the new sandybridges about to come out, nothing can touch. You can start a whole debate about which to get but the jist is the AMD is a great value cpu while the Intel outperforms, (benchmarking results), it.
That cooler will work with both boards but I find that most people are choosing the COOLER MASTER Hyper 212 Plus that you can get here at Newegg for only $38 including shipping. It is also compatible with both boards. It might be good for a small overclock if you add some higher cfm fans. If you're planning on a medium to high-end overclock if you will want the Prolimatech Megahalems Rev.B CPU Cooler if you want air, but they will only work on the 1366 board I believe.
Your graphics card will work with either board and you will be able to SLI later if you get another card down the road

Wow thank you very much that was really helpful. I'm totally getting the Samsung HDD (didn't even consider anything besides WD and Seasonic haha but now I see this is clearly better). I did not know that the boards had lists of which RAMs it could use so thank you ill use this a lot from now on. And to be honest I wasn't really going to OC till a few months after I got it; I just want a good heatsink/fan so I could do it in the future and it wasn't even gonna be too much of an OC, those CPUs are really good already. But now I actually think I'm gonna hold out on buying anything for my pc till I know exactly whats gonna come out and whats better than what.