i5, C2D is dead.

 

This.

Also instead of the GTX 260, you could get the ATi 4890 Overclocked/Turbo which has similar performance to the gtx 275/gtx 280:

http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=3539&p=18

The above stats show the stock-clocked 4890, so the performance is even better than what the graphs show.

Link here: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...4161298&cm_re=ati_4890-_-14-161-298-_-Product


It helps that it overclocks even further beyond the initial overclock.

edit: It's also $20 cheaper than the gtx 260

 

I bought the computer, and I did go with the i5. But I went with the GTX 260 because at the store I went to, it was priced at $189 with a 30 dollar rebate. However, I'm thinking I should return it because my motherboard doesn't support SLI, but crossfireX.

 

If money wasn't an issue Oz, that's what I'd recommend first. But the vibe I got was that havoc was on a tight budget and that he didn't want to spend the $US350 for a 5870 or the $US599 for the ATi 5970.

Get the 4890 if you're on a budget for now and crossfire it later. If money is not an issue than the 5970 (5870X2) is definitely going to be the best thing on the market for a while (one 5870, a single card can keep up with the GTX 295, nvidia's dual card, in most benchmarks)