Spec build first time - max 1200

[eXalin]

Hi, am going to university in september and so will be building a new pc when i get my grant/loan money.

The reason I have chose AMD set up because I dont think the i7 route is worth it when I could spend more on a better graphics card, and I havent read anywhere that tri channel is seriously worth getting over dual channel.

New build will be used for -

Basic Study work
Gaming ( I want to be able to play games on max settings)

I dont know whether prices for the items I have chosen will lower by the time i purchase all the parts (november/december - anyone reckon there will be any worthwhile price cuts?)

So this is what I have selected, any recommendations or advise on what I should change or improve would be greatly appreciated as I dont really have a clue and cannot be bothered to read mass reviews of all the products im purchasing!

any new set up baskets will also be welcomed!

 

[eXalin]

excuse my n00bness but what is the difference between a modular psu and the atx sli compliant one? benefits/negatives?

as im getting the crosshair motherboard (im just choosing it cos its the most expensive sexy looking mofo ) i thought it would be a good idea incase i chose to buy another gfx card for crossfire.


the reason I chose the 3D monitor was so I could expierence the new technology(obviously buying the glasses at some point), i dont know whether it is incredibly overpriced at the moment and whether to wait and just get a nice LCD?

 

[eXalin]

oh right! so ati is not yet 3D ready? only nvidia.

the reason I wanted to get ati is because i have read that they are leagues ahead of nvidia in the graphics card market and that the 5870 blows everything out the water(with the exception of the 5900 series), also i swear nvidia cards are more pricey!


so maybe its worth scrapping the whole 3D gaming thing for now, i dont know whether it would just be a novelty or whether it would be something I would use frequently.

so instead of a 3d monitor/nvidia set up, maybe I should get a 23inch or + regular lcd, ( I would like to watch films in really good quality)? and keep with the ATI card

 

[eXalin]

I do not care for eyefinity really, I found that I could get an ATI HIS 5870 for around 290/300, the cheapest nvidia 480 i could find on overclockers was 365, so is it really worth paying the extra 65 for the nvidia? would the difference between the 2 cards make the nvidia considerably better for gaming?

the one attraction i can see for the nvidia is ofcourse the 3d aspect which ati does not have.

is it true that AMD set ups are optimised to work with ATI, and nvidia to work optimally with intel based systems?