Help me build my holiday gaming rig!

[Magnus042]

1) What will you be doing with this PC? Gaming? Photoshop? Web browsing? etc
Browsing and gaming. right now starcraft2 and soon diablo 3 and a few games here and there.

2) What's your budget? Are tax and shipping included?
I'd like to stay around $1000

3) Where do you live?
New Jersey, near a microcenter.

4) What exact parts do you need for that budget? CPU, RAM, case, etc. The word "Everything" is not a valid answer. Please list out all the parts you'll need.
Case, PSU, MOBO, GPU, CPU, SSD,RAM
5) If reusing any parts, what parts will you be reusing? Please be especially specific about the power supply. List make and model.
Keyboard and mouse
sony 40" 720p HDTV for monitor at the moment
1 TB HDD for storage
DVD burner

6) Will you be overclocking?
Not against it

7) What size monitor do you have and/or plan to have?
sony 40" 720p HDTV for monitor at the moment
Would like to get something nice with a high resolution, maybe in 6 or 7 months.

8) When do you plan on building/buying the PC?
ASAP

9) What features do you need in a motherboard? RAID? Firewire? Crossfire or SLI support? USB 3.0? SATA 6Gb/s? etc.
SLI for upgradability, and sata 6 for the SSD

10) Do you already have a legit and reusable/transferable OS key/license? If yes, what OS? Is it 32bit or 64bit?
no

 

[E4g1e]

With SLI, you're very much stuck with an Intel-based platform at this point. And Intel is coming out with its new Sandy Bridge CPU sometime next month. As a result, some of the components currently cost more than they would become (if the pricing trends on DDR3 memory are to be believed).

 

[Magnus042]

I agree, and thank you for your input, but i want to build this rig on christmas day.
Im going to put some of the components in my christmas list

 

[tiraides]

Define which "few games here and there" you plan on playing.

 

[Magnus042]

Mostly RTS games, but I do dabble in WOW and FPS like portal.
Basically, like everyone else, I'm looking for the most performance per dollar.
I just want to make sure I don't have any comparability issues or end up with subpar gear