Sons 16th Birthday gaming PC gift - please look over and make suggestions??

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OK --- I think I got it now. Everything is in my NewEgg Cart. Just got a pull the trigger- "nervous" as this is my first build and I don't want to screw up. I will wait on the new GPU and a SSD until I have the build up and running with the on board video and the regular HHD. Then add one of my 5770's , then decide which GPU I want to get for this build. Total including shipping is $645 with $40 in rebates still coming - hopefully. *Update* - the order is in- thanks again to all for the super help. I may be asking how to do this or that. Great to have this place to come to for advice- you guys are a wealth of knowledge. I think the best thing that will happen about this build is that I will spend quality time with my son learning how to build this together.
 
Thanks Roark - I would have been searching soon for that exact stuff. UPS tracking says all parts will be here tomorrow. Nothing back ordered. YEAH !! Still have to decide if I will give my son this set up or give him my order but still decent Phenom 965 build. Since he will be just gaming and doing homework in his room I may give him the phenom as the rest of the family uses the house computer as a true multi-media system- it is hooked up to my 50 inch plasma for a monitor = DVD player, downloading moving from Hulu, Zudu, etc...
 
Well got this built - had some help - but it was very smooth- could not use both of the fans for the CPU cooler - it covered up both 1st and 2nd RAM slots. And had to take off the upper side panel case fan as well due to it hitting the CPU cooler it is a beast. Now need to read up on how to overclock the i5. Get a SSD, get another monitor, and decide on the GPU - probably a 560ti or a 6950- for now I put in a 5770.
 
Well I changed my mind- he brought home 2 D's on his report card- so the new setup is now for the whole family- he is off gaming for a while . That is why I need a monitor- had originally planned on him using his 26 inch HD TV for a PC monitor- but since this is no longer going to be "his" = in his room I need a monitor. What about this one- Newegg.com - ASUS VE247H Black 23.6" 2ms Full HD HDMI LED BackLight LCD Monitor w/Speakers 300 cd/m2 10,000,000:1 (ASCR) promo code- gets another $30 off and a $10 rebate = $149 total.
 
this is no longer going to be "his" = in his room I need a monitor
Frankly, kids should not have computers in their rooms anyway. Despite what every kid thinks, they are not invincible, they don't know everything, and it can happen to them. Kids will download tunes and videos from anywhere they can get them for free. These are the very type files and places badguys frequent to launch their malware and to seek out and stalk their next targets/victims. Kids are frequent targets of cyberbullies at social networking sites. Because kids don't "practice safe computing" these computers are frequently infected by badguys. As such, these computers become a threat to them, and in turn your network and therefore your computers, and you.

Badguys will use these computers to steal identities, bank account numbers and passwords. Predators will use them to seek out their next victims to cause bodily harm, or worse.

While you may totally trust your child, peer pressure often dictates their behavior (5 kids and 8 grandkids - I know). This is especially true if they are allowed to have "friends" in their room, behind closed doors. Can you trust all their friends?

Kids' computers should be located in a central location where parents can see what they are doing. Will the kids hate you for it? Probably. Oh well! Life isn't fair!

And kids should never have administrator accounts either, or the passwords to your accounts. And of course, you need to ensure their computers are kept fully updated, behind a firewall, and have a good anti-malware solution in place at all times too.
 
I agree with the PC in the kids room without monitoring is a NO NO !! I was going to set up a DNS monitor on the PC via the router and let him know that I can and will be monitoring him by sending the history and all links/downloads to my office PC. In fact does anybody know how to do that? Just in case I decide to let him buy his own laptop next summer. I know that all kids will attempt to circumvent any and all monitoring or filtering as it is an invasion of their privacy = crap-o-l-a!!, but ya cant keep them in a bubble either. So yes the PC's are located the dinning room and the rec room for now- and it looks like that is the way it will be for a while.


Trotter- you think the Hannspree is better than the ASUS? Or was it because it is a little cheaper?
 
OK - now ready to purchase a new Video card for this PC. Max price is $300. The PC is hooked up via HDMI to a 55 inch Vizio HD LED TV currently. Also have a 24 inch ASUS waiting to be used. IF you don't want to go back and look the setup has a i5 2500K CPU and an OCZ 600 watt modular PSU.

Contenders =

1) The new 560 ti (448 core) - on sale today for $290 on the Egg= Newegg.com - EVGA 012-P3-2066-KR GeForce GTX 560 Ti (Fermi) 448 Cores FTW 1280MB 320-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card

2) 2gb regular 560ti Newegg.com - EVGA 012-P3-2066-KR GeForce GTX 560 Ti (Fermi) 448 Cores FTW 1280MB 320-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card

3) 2gb 6950 ASM Newegg.com - MSI R6950 Twin Frozr II OC Radeon HD 6950 2GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card with Eyefinity

All opinions welcomed.... Thanks in advance
 
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