Maximum PC

http://secure.newegg.com/WishList/Publi ... r=21700705

Everything I've read says I don't need what i7 offers for gaming, maybe running a few virtual distros while tinkering.

It seems that the 680 v the 7970 varies depending on test/game... but I should be able to run most things on high.

16gb of ram may seem overkill but I plan on, when not gaming, allocating a few gb to each virtual distro.... since the type I have selected is out of stock, will likely switch with 2 more gskills.

Will add a blue-ray reader as well.

I think I can save on the power supply by getting bronze instead of platinum, but in my current job I change so many freakin power supplies out perhaps it may be worth it for the quality? The juice is a little higher than needed but does provided upgradibility/expandability.

Thoughts? If your going to leave an ass comment and then be like, 'and thus I'm not commenting', keep it to yourself please. Looking for constructive criticism, not an asshat remark

Wattage wise that really isn't overkill but pricewise YIKES is that powersupply overkill. Generally even Bronze rated power supplies are pretty reliable nowadays but I can understand your hesitation in going with a base grade model. I would save yourself $60 and go with a Seasonic X650 Gold which is only a step down from Platinum and plenty reliable. To be completely honest though even a Bronze power supply would be fine and you could get a Seasonic 650 watt for $100. With all of the cash you're spending on this build I would also add something like a Samsung 840 120GB SSD to the mix. It adds another $110 to the pricetag but you'll definitely see a difference in using it vs using a standard HDD. Otherwise it looks like a solid build.

Awesome, thanks!

680 is an awful buy when the 670 is extremely similar in performance. Also the 7970 is vastly cheaper and includes 2 free games, while competing with the 680.