I can't afford i5 or i7, because I'd have to up the mobo, and RAM as well.
But why would I want to? In Photoshop, I'm not gonna notice the difference between q9400 and i7
But I will notice the difference in games, especially in the future, between 2x gtx260s and anything lesser.
If I can strike a compromise between powerful long-term graphics, and plenty of CPU for Photoshop, then q series is fine, right?
In any case, I can't find any reason to get non-evga mobo. They have the best layouts and reputation that I can find. Remember, I started the build by choosing the most popular parts, then whittling it down by brand, then I cut costs to stay within budget.
The set up right now is at $1365 ($200 for Win7. I would get vista 64bit OEM for $100 and free win7, but I heard that with the OEM System Builders version, you aren't allowed to upgrade your computer.). So I have $135 to work with. If I use some of that to get good cooling, then I can overclock the q9400. Is that really so bad?
MOBO:
EVGA 790i SLI FTW
CPU:
q9400
GPU:
2x EVGA GTX260
PSU:
Ultra 650w LSP650
HDD:
WD 1T 32MB
RAM:
4x OCZ Titanium 2g DDR3 Dual Channel
CASE:
Cooler Master HAF 932
My only concerns then are:
- How many watts PSU do I need for dual gtx260? Is 650 good?
- What CPU cooler do you suggest? If I do it right, I can get another HDD and a CPU cooler with the extra $135.