Help me build my next computer!

[Fliko]

I'm thinking about going along and purchasing a new computer. I have a few choices of which I'd like help in deciding. I have a recent advance in music, in a band and a recording studio would be a nice option to have at my house (Though I am accesible to several recording studios of fine quality.)
(I would like to add I do not need to get a monitor, keyboard or mouse.)
(Please only show me builds or hardware from Canadian sites, preferably NCIX. Duty fees kill.)

Options
1. Get a new beast computer.

2. Get a new pre-built capable of gaming to a level and save up more money to get recording equipment for a recording studio.

3. Get a beast laptop, and a USB Recording Board to record with.

(Personally I like Option 3, but Option 2 seems most reasonable. I have a 360 that is perfectly able to game.)

NEW BEAST COMPUTER (OPTION 1)
*STILL NEED A POWER SUPPLY AND CASE
Motherboard
ASUS Maximus Formula

Processor
Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600

Video Card
EVGA E-GEFORCE 8800GT

RAM
OCZ Platinum XTC PC2-6400 4GB 2X2GB

Hard-Drive
Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 320GB SATA2

DVD-Drive
Samsung SH-S203B
TOTAL PRICE: $1,104.18


OKAY COMPUTER (OPTION 2) (Seems like best deal so far)
Acer AM5630-E1206A (I have a spare ATi Card I can put in this that'll work fine for gaming until the later DX10 cards come out. Or I can cough out a 100$ or so for a new card.)
TOTAL PRICE: $639.98


LAPTOP (OPTION 3)
ASUS F8P-X1W
TOTAL PRICE: $1,339.99

 

[Javert]

Does your beast computer include the cost of PSU and case?

 

[Fliko]

No, beast computer does not include cost of PSU and Case, which is why it's kinda sketchy.

 

[Gordon_X]

GPU:

http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=27704&vpn=512-P3-N801-AR&manufacture=eVGA

 

[bigburpco]

You don't need such a motherboard, that's for serious overclocking. I would go option 1 and with a cheaper pre-x38 chipset motherboard (the cheaper ones as well).

 

[Qonfused]

For the love of God, Fliko, find a way to shave off two dollars from that final price.

 

[Naudian]

^ Oh lol.

I'm thinking you might be happier with Option 2...how much would this recording equipment cost?

 

[Fliko]

Recording equipment would go around 600$, but I found the problem with my computer is a cracked motherboard and my Mom loaned me money for a new Video Card + Motherboard making the idea of a new computer completely useless seeing as how these 2 pieces will make my computer top of the line again. That and I'll be able to run games while being stable (I think I cracked my motherboard when I was putting in the Intel Heatsink. It was like, 4 AM in the morning and I was getting pissed off, that and I didn't know about those little washer-like things that stand the motherboard off the case which mighta done it too. I did never luckily run the computer though. I had to underclock my videocard and games still crashed + crazy artifacting)

 

[Top Secret]

1. Unless you're going with Vista, only get 2 gigs of ram. For one, XP is only going to recognize about 3.5 gigs of it. Secondly, the video card ram is counted towards this, meaning you are going to only have about 3 gigs of ram.

2. Unless you have a 32 inch LCD that you plan on running AA on 8x all the time, get the 256 meg version of the card. For one, if you ever want to upgrade to SLI, it won't cost as much, and you will have a very reasonable 512 megs of video ram. If you go with the one you have now and upgrade, you will have 1 gig of video ram, giving you an effective 2.5 gigs of system memory anyways.