I've been working again so I've got some money to spend on a new box. I think that my budget is around 3k...I can increase it if I want to but would like to stay in that realm or less if possible.So what is the most kick butt gaming system I should put together. Please include any recommended OS versions along with your hardware choices if you wouldn't mind.Mark

I've been working again so I've got some money to spend on a new box. I think that my budget is around 3k...I can increase it if I want to but would like to stay in that realm or less if possible.So what is the most kick butt gaming system I should put together. Please include any recommended OS versions along with your hardware choices if you wouldn't mind.Mark

----------------------------------------------------Go to Dell's refurbished site...and check out the XPS 730x rig if they have any. I say that you won't be sorry to have done that... :) A gaming powerhouse built like a brick-you-know-what!I own one....Mitch

----------------------------------------------------Go to Dell's refurbished site...and check out the XPS 730x rig if they have any. I say that you won't be sorry to have done that... :) A gaming powerhouse built like a brick-you-know-what!I own one....Mitch

Is the XPS730 overclockable in the Bios? That's the problem I have with the XPS720, which I have with a E6850 C2D 2GB Corsair Dominator memory @1066Mhz with EPP, which just recently failed. Corsair has since made a slight voltage change in it's memory, so the replacement memory no longer was stable @1066Mhz. Since Dell locks out system mods in it's BIOS on the XPS720, I had no choice but to turn off EPP dropping my memory speed to 800Mhz. It doesn't hurt performance too much, but still it would be nice to get what I paid for!!

$3000 would allow one to build whatever they desire. Heck, you could build two high-end systems for that price. Now's not the best time to buy at the high-end though, Intel's 980x will be out soon as will NV's GTX 380. I would wait for those parts before building, if they were in my budget.

Now's not the best time to buy at the high-end though, Intel's 980x will be out soon as will NV's GTX 380When are these going to be available?Mark

I think we are looking here about April-May, or possibly even later...

Now's not the best time to buy at the high-end though, Intel's 980x will be out soon as will NV's GTX 380When are these going to be available?Mark

NV's high-end GTX 300 series will be released in March, Intel has the 980x on their roadmap for the same timeframe.

Is the XPS730 overclockable in the Bios? That's the problem I have with the XPS720, which I have with a E6850 C2D 2GB Corsair Dominator memory @1066Mhz with EPP, which just recently failed. Corsair has since made a slight voltage change in it's memory, so the replacement memory no longer was stable @1066Mhz. Since Dell locks out system mods in it's BIOS on the XPS720, I had no choice but to turn off EPP dropping my memory speed to 800Mhz. It doesn't hurt performance too much, but still it would be nice to get what I paid for!!

---------------------------------It SURE IS! Only look at either an i7-965 or an i7-975 as you only then will have to crank up the multiplier and nothing much else. Check out this video, which will show you how to over-clock what might be, (your call) your new Dell 730x... :)In my 730x, I have a i7-975/nVidia GTX285 1 GB setup. My sound card is the Creative Titanium XtremeHere is the vid:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RCmJWT15j0 and this one about the guts.. : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctI3YZHbWX0 Do stay away from the liquid-cooling as there have been problems. The air cooled (what I have) is huge...efficient, and with nothing to break, leak, etc. It handles an i7-975 overclocked to 4.1 GHz, no problem! I had it there for months. Here a guy reviews his purchase about three weeks after this beast's launch in Britain: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qINm2pO3yt8Mitch