this has turned into a nightmare... Honestly, my AMD x2 5600+ at 3480MHZ 1160DDR2 1160HT with an 8800GTX, dual Seagate 7200.10's serves gaming well, all which can be had for under $1000. and my memory bandwidth is well over 10K/MBPS read write and copy. AMD's are just cheaper. they are more bang for the buck CPU's. I honestly, don't see why you would sit at your PC for 3 hours, watching a damn movie. maybe the tv and couch.. but not a damn chair.. helll nooo. it sounds more like you want a high end HTPC which will run you well into the $3000+ range, and there is no need to have a $180 sound card, for mid range speakers and headset. Get the logitech z-5500's if you want high def sound. you're basically asking for the luxuries of a bentley in a ford. there is noooooooooooooooo reason to watch blu ray on your pc, when you should have a tv for that, at least that's what MOST people do..you're trying to step up from the sempron days into the quadcore's at over 3GHz days with no idea what you're getting into.. what games do you intend to play anyways?
I just want help dude. I don't know what I'm doing. I mean I know some about computers, but probably not half as much as you. We also probably have different preferences also. I would also like to explain my situation to you, so you know why I want the things I do. First, I live with my friends Grandmother in the lowest level of their house (it is a weird, staggered tri-level), basically like a basement. I do have a TV, but it is very crappy & the TV in the living room is her husband's--he had a stroke--and her new HDTV--which of course is hers--is either in use by her or my friend's brother. So, therefore, my entertainment is my computer. She graciously got me a computer for Christmas 2 years ago--the computer I am on now. I spend all my time on my computer--in a very comfortable, squishy armchair I might add--watching movies, playing games, surfing the internet, writing papers, living my life, etc. So, as you can see, I do a great deal with my computer. That is why I WANTed to make it an all around machine. Now, I have gotten my money, and I would like to start talking very seriously about my computer components. If you would like to help me I would appreciate the help. Also, I don't have much experience with building computers or the use of much computer components. The only computer I've ever know is this one.
On to what you suggested. The chip to my untrained eye looks good; however, everyone up to this point has convinced me to go Intel, so...that is some pretty impressive RAM freq. I hear that the D9s are the way to go for OCable RAM. I was thinking about not going the 10k HD anyway. I just heard that it was good for gaming. What is memory band width? I have also heard that if you want to OC, then Intels are the way to go, but just what I've heard. I have usually stay on my computer all the time in the winter. lol. I've sat at my computer for almost 2 days straight once playing WoW (not healthy). I don't think 3 hours (which is long for a movie) would affect me any. I basically do sit on a couch. This chair ROCKS! I'm never going back to a computer desk chair, EVA! HTPC? I could in fact spend $3000+ if I wanted to, but I don't. Well, I don't know about the speakers that much, but how is the headset mid-range? I have read reviews that say they are exquisite. I just want nice sound in my basement man! & the headset is for gaming that I need to speak to others/ late night movie watchin'. The z5500s sound good, but man that price! Do they have a built in sound card? I want to watch HD movies (I say that because I want to watch both HD DVDs & Blu Ray; I hear that HD DVDs are going out, but we have Netflix which is HD DVDs=free HD movies for me!) on my computer, because I don't have a TV to watch them on & I figure that I spend all my time on my computer anyway. I might as well get a great monitor to watch them on. I know I have no idea what I am doing, dude! Don't be so mean about it. I want to hopefully play Crysis. It looks Great! Bioshock also looks great. I play BF:2142 (which barely runs on my computer); I've played WoW, but I ran out of time. I'll probably play a little WoW on my friends account. Umm...my GF bought me a cheap game (because she loves me, but is tech illiterate) called Dungeon Lords. It's alright. I got hooked on games because of Runescape, lol. Then, I played Diablo & Diablo 2, Empire Earth, Age of Empires, WC2 & 3. I've never been that great at games, but I like to play them. I want to play CoD 4, which I played on my friend's Dell that he bought for 2.5K lol. It is a good computer, but I doubt that it was worth it. Well, I mean it does what he wants it to, but he payed too much for it.
honestly. if you want a computer to do all the things you are saying to do, and a list of games you intend to play. give me a $3000 budget, and I will show you a system to meet your needs.
I would rather not.