$1,200 for a gaming rig

[Apoca]

Greetings everyone, I will be buying a computer soon. I've been debating with going with completely from scratch (buy all the parts individually), combo/DIY, or pre-built.

My budget is $1,200. This includes the OS and the screen, that is, please keep those in mind when giving suggestions in such. The most I can go over budget is fifty dollars.

I have posted on a couple of other forums, but they are very slow in responses. I'm not sure if it is because of the Holidays or what. I am hoping I will be able to get more feedback here.


I'll start by copy-pasting what I have had in other threads:

https://secure.newegg.com/WishList/MySavedWishDetail.aspx?ID=15175812 Would this work out?

Maybe this mobo would be better than the one on the wishlist? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128445, they're both the same price.



Or would going with this be a better idea?:



http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboBundleDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.564135&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-na-_-na-_-na&AID=10446076&PID=3958534&SID=skim2403X580120

with

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130568 EVGA GeForce GTX 460 (Fermi) superclocked

and

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116754 Windows OS

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PSU - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139012

CPU - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103675

Mobo - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128441

Drive - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827151175

RAM - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231277

Tower - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129066

Graphics Card - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130568

SSD - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231377

Screen - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236052

OS - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116754

Total - $1,206.90



Or maybe I should forget about the SSD (I'm not even sure what they do, besides increase performance? But how and in what area?) and get more RAM? Or a better graphics card? Or maybe drop the SSD and go with a 6-core?



If getting a 6-core and/or more RAM would be better than having an SSD, I could always get an SSD later along the line. Or, Icould get the SSD and upgrade the RAM later.

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I have another build. It is combining the combo deal I thought about getting and your Apoca's Rig wishlist.



CPU - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103849

PSU - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371026

SSD - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231377

Case - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129066

RAM - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231277

GPU - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130568

HD - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136319

OS - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116754

Screen - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236059

MOBO - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128445

Total - 1,236.90 - but that's because It's a six core CPU. I could go with a 4-core and bring down the price by like a hundred. I could also bring down the price a bit by skipped the SSD (or should I keep it?) And getting two more sticks of RAM for $50. With the money I save, I could then maybe get a little bit better of a graphics card. What do you guys think I should do?



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Essentially, I'm trying to decide if more RAM is better than an SSD? And is the SSD I have listed in both my builds over-kill? Would it be better to go with more RAM and no SSD, or more RAM but a smaller/lesser SSD? Or keep it at 4GB with an SSD? And if the last, which SSD would be best? Or should I go with 4GB of RAM, no SSD, but a better graphics card?

Also, is it better to go with 4-cores or 6? AMD or Intel? I am, for some reason, more partial to AMD, and I also hear that it is "More bang for your buck". I want to have a good computer, but since I'm on a budget, would it be better to go with a 4 core so I can increase in other areas (like a better graphics card?)

Also, is the case I have listed to small? The 900 (I think it was) or should I go with something bigger?




Please, feel free to make a completely different build. But, please take the time to explain things, like why this part, or that part. I'm hoping to learn something from this experience, so it wont do much good if you give me a list of parts and say "Here, buy this!".



And if you know of any good combo deals, like the one I at the top of my post (maybe I should go with that combo deal?) or a good pre-built computer, please let me know. If I can get a really good pre-built that is upgradeable, I may be willing to save myself the hassle of doing it all myself.

There is a CyberPower (I think) on newegg right now that is $1,199 (I might be able to get someone to loan me the money for a screen if I get this, but I may have to wait 1-3 months or so before I could get a screen) that has 12gb of RAM, a 5770 GPU, and an i7 (I think), would that be worth looking into? There is also a similar system for $1,099 (or around that) that is the same, but has a different (I think it may be a bet behind in power than the first one I am talking about, but it is also an i7) CPU and only 4gb of RAM.

Thank you all in advance.

 

[Knox Gelatin]

I'm not a gamer, so I could be wrong, but...


I'm pretty sure most games won't take advantage of a hexacore processor.

Get an SSD.