About two years ago I did something similar to what you're wanting to do. I spec'd out what I needed and ended up going the bare-bones route. I had new-ish parts I wanted to keep from my old system. It saved some time since the power supply, MB, memory and HD were already installed and tested. I bought mine from TigerDirect and saved some money going that route rather than starting over (and got exactly what I wanted). Just my 2 cents. Oh, and after I received my system I got offers from TigerDirect for some ridiculously cheap memory. It was high quality 1GB sticks for $9.99 w/free shipping.

I'll definitely seek out the CPers expertise when I build a desktop for my flight simulator.
I want it to kick much ass.

No problem. You can go to mwave, tigerdirect or newegg and look at their motherboard\cpu\memory bundles or any of their bare-bone kits.

Yep I usually like going the combo route or the bare-bone kits because they are tested out before you buy them and that way you get all the right parts.

Out of curiosity, what are bare-bone kits?

Can someone compare the build that Dirk posted compared to the one that TBG had done a few days ago? Trying to figure out if I should go with something like what he posted or just basically copy TBG's build.

Here's what I ended up with...

<table style="font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" width="528" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td style="border-bottom: 3px solid rgb(255, 255, 255);" width="26" bgcolor="#cccccc">Qty.</td><td colspan="2" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom: 3px solid rgb(255, 255, 255);" bgcolor="#cccccc">Product Description</td><td style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom: 3px solid rgb(255, 255, 255);" width="87" bgcolor="#cccccc">Savings</td><td style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom: 3px solid rgb(255, 255, 255);" width="72" align="right" bgcolor="#cccccc">Total Price</td></tr><tr><td style="border-bottom: 3px solid rgb(255, 255, 255);" valign="top" align="center" bgcolor="#e8e8e8">1</td><td style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom: 3px solid rgb(255, 255, 255);" colspan="2" valign="top" bgcolor="#e8e8e8">http://images10.newegg.com/ProductIm...371-015-11.jpg
Antec EarthWatts EA650 650W Continuous Power "compatible with Core i7/Core i5" Power Supply
Item #:N82E16817371015
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
</td><td style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom: 3px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); color: green;" valign="top" bgcolor="#e8e8e8">-$15.00 Instant
$15.00 Mail-in Rebate
</td><td style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom: 3px solid rgb(255, 255, 255);" valign="top" align="right" bgcolor="#e8e8e8">$99.99
$84.99</td></tr><tr><td style="border-bottom: 3px solid rgb(255, 255, 255);" valign="top" align="center" bgcolor="#e8e8e8">1</td><td style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom: 3px solid rgb(255, 255, 255);" colspan="2" valign="top" bgcolor="#e8e8e8">http://images10.newegg.com/ProductIm...128-431-02.jpg
GIGABYTE GA-770T-USB3 ATX AMD Motherboard
Item #:N82E16813128431
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
</td><td style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom: 3px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); color: green;" valign="top" bgcolor="#e8e8e8">-$10.00 Instant
</td><td style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom: 3px solid rgb(255, 255, 255);" valign="top" align="right" bgcolor="#e8e8e8">$89.99
$79.99</td></tr><tr><td style="border-bottom: 3px solid rgb(255, 255, 255);" valign="top" align="center" bgcolor="#e8e8e8">1</td><td style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom: 3px solid rgb(255, 255, 255);" colspan="2" valign="top" bgcolor="#e8e8e8">http://images10.newegg.com/ProductIm...103-846-02.jpg
AMD Phenom II X2 555 Black Edition 3.2GHz Socket AM3 80W Dual-Core Desktop Processor - C3 Revision
Item #:N82E16819103846
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
</td><td style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom: 3px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); color: green;" valign="top" bgcolor="#e8e8e8">
</td><td style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom: 3px solid rgb(255, 255, 255);" valign="top" align="right" bgcolor="#e8e8e8">$100.99</td></tr><tr><td style="border-bottom: 3px solid rgb(255, 255, 255);" valign="top" align="center" bgcolor="#e8e8e8">1</td><td style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom: 3px solid rgb(255, 255, 255);" colspan="2" valign="top" bgcolor="#e8e8e8">http://images10.newegg.com/ProductIm...231-325-02.jpg
G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 8GB (4 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory
Item #:N82E16820231325
Return Policy: Memory Standard Return Policy
</td><td style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom: 3px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); color: green;" valign="top" bgcolor="#e8e8e8">
</td><td style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom: 3px solid rgb(255, 255, 255);" valign="top" align="right" bgcolor="#e8e8e8">$199.99</td></tr><tr><td style="border-bottom: 3px solid rgb(255, 255, 255);" valign="top" align="center" bgcolor="#e8e8e8">1</td><td style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom: 3px solid rgb(255, 255, 255);" colspan="2" valign="top" bgcolor="#e8e8e8">http://images10.newegg.com/ProductIm...103-087-02.jpg
COOLER MASTER DK9-7E52A-0L-GP CPU Cooler
Item #:N82E16835103087
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
</td><td style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom: 3px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); color: green;" valign="top" bgcolor="#e8e8e8">
</td><td style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom: 3px solid rgb(255, 255, 255);" valign="top" align="right" bgcolor="#e8e8e8">$10.99</td></tr><tr><td style="border-bottom: 3px solid rgb(255, 255, 255);" valign="top" align="center" bgcolor="#e8e8e8">1</td><td style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom: 3px solid rgb(255, 255, 255);" colspan="2" valign="top" bgcolor="#e8e8e8">http://images10.newegg.com/ProductIm...116-754-01.jpg
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit 1-Pack for System Builders
Item #:N82E16832116754
Return Policy: Software Standard Return Policy
</td><td style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom: 3px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); color: green;" valign="top" bgcolor="#e8e8e8">
</td><td style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom: 3px solid rgb(255, 255, 255);" valign="top" align="right" bgcolor="#e8e8e8">$99.99</td></tr><tr><td style="border-bottom: 3px solid rgb(255, 255, 255);" valign="top" align="center" bgcolor="#e8e8e8">1</td><td style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom: 3px solid rgb(255, 255, 255);" colspan="2" valign="top" bgcolor="#e8e8e8">http://images10.newegg.com/ProductIm...102-892-03.jpg
SAPPHIRE Radeon HD 5550 100294L Video Card
Item #:N82E16814102892
Return Policy: VGA Standard Return Policy
</td><td style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom: 3px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); color: green;" valign="top" bgcolor="#e8e8e8">$15.00 Mail-in Rebate Card
</td><td style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom: 3px solid rgb(255, 255, 255);" valign="top" align="right" bgcolor="#e8e8e8">$64.99</td></tr><tr><td style="border-bottom: 3px solid rgb(255, 255, 255);" colspan="4" valign="top" align="right" bgcolor="#e8e8e8">Grand Total:</td><td style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom: 3px solid rgb(255, 255, 255);" valign="top" align="right" bgcolor="#e8e8e8">$641.93</td></tr></tbody></table>
There's 30 dollars in mail in rebates with that so your total with shipping would be 653.61 - 30 for a grand total of 623.61 out of your pocket.

Thanks for posting that TBG. I already have a copy of Windows 7, so that would be $100 off that price. So, it would basically be the same price as the build that Dirk posted for me. I would love for someone to look at the parts that Dirk posted earlier in this thread compared to the parts that TBG used to build his, and let me know what the differences would be. Also, would either of these builds work with the hard drive and DVD burner that I already have?

That is pretty good rig TBG. And to answer your question about barebones. You basically get a case, PS, motherboard\cpu, RAM and depending on the bundle maybe a hard drive or video card. They make sure it all works with each other so you know you have the correct components when you buy it.

You need a case as well right?

Thanks dude. Metro, AustinChief and PR Capone basically built it for me. I also added a 21.5 inch Asus monitor, Gigabyte midtower case and 1 TB Samsung HD. After it's all said and done, it will cost me around 900, but it's worth it.

So they basically build your rig for you and test all the parts to make sure it works. Is that more expensive than piecing it together yourself?

I hope you keep replying to me because I could look at your avatar all day.

Comparing the parts is something I'm completely in the dark about.

Hopefully, with this build, I won't need a computer for a long, long time.

so the budget have done?

Now that I think about it they may not test it but when you get a barebones you know everything is compatible. If you buy a motherboard\cpu\RAM combo from mwave they test it all to make sure it works which is cool.

You still have to put it all together. Here is an example from Tiger.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...Id_31_B69-0223

Yes, I do need a case as well.

I can't compare these things at all, so I am just looking for some advice on what is best.

Here's the case I got. Seems to work fine.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...240&CatId=1842