I thought I was completely set on getting an AMD system until I saw the Gigabyte EP45 board on ZipZoomFly for $85 with the rebate. That opened up the possibility of getting an Intel system for me. However it was still a bit more than what I was planning so if I was seriously considering spending the extra money there, I had to consider spending extra money on an AMD system to compare it with. I've come up with the following options. What are the pro's and con's of each? I picked the Arctic Cooling CPU Coolers because they are basically the same for each chipset. I may or may not get that cooler.
Intel 8400 Build
99.99 - GIGABYTE GA-EP45-DS3La Intel P45($15 MiR)
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=10008669
88.50 - CORSAIR CMPSU-550VX 550W ($20 MiR)
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=10006757
86.50 - CORSAIR TWIN2X4096-6400C4DHX 4GB PC2-6400 (DDR2-800)($35 MiR)
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=10007942
274.99 + 9.08 shipping = 284.07 (ZipZoomFly
189.99 - MSI R4850-512M Radeon HD 4850 512MB Free Rainbow 6 Vegas2 ($30 MiR)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127370
99.99 - Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 64-bit
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116488
74.99 - Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD6400AAKS 640GB
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136218
64.99 - mushkin 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 ($15 MiR)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820146692
51.99 - Antec Three Hundred Black Steel ATX
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129042
26.99 - SAMSUNG Black 22X DVD+R DVD Burner with LightScribe
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827151173
26.99 - ARCTIC COOLING Freezer 7 Pro 92mm CPU Cooler
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835186134
5.99 - Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835100007
644.88 + 13.85 shipping = 658.73 (NewEgg)
=$942.80
-$100.00 Mail In Rebates
=$842.80
or AMD Quad Core Build
189.99 - MSI R4850-512M Radeon HD 4850 512MB Free Rainbow 6 Vegas2 ($30 MiR)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127370
159.00 - AMD Phenom 9950 2.6GHz 4 x 512KB L2 Cache 2MB L3 Cache Socket AM2+ 140W Black Edition Processor - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103285
99.99 - COOLER MASTER RC-690-KKA1-GP Black SECC/ ABS ATX Mid Tower Computer Case Real Power Pro 550W Power Supply($50 off in combo deal, orig 149.99)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119142
99.99 - BIOSTAR TFORCE TA790GX A2+ AM2+/AM2 AMD 790GX
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813138128
99.99 - Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 64-bit
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116488
74.99 - Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD6400AAKS 640GB
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136218
64.99 - mushkin 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 ($15 MiR)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820146692
26.99 - SAMSUNG Black 22X DVD+R DVD Burner with LightScribe
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827151173
26.99 - ARCTIC COOLING Freezer 64 Pro 92mm CPU Cooler
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835185125
5.99 - Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835100007
848.91 + 47.66 shipping = 896.57
-$45.00 in Mail in Rebates
=$851.57
Intel 8400 Build
99.99 - GIGABYTE GA-EP45-DS3La Intel P45($15 MiR)
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=10008669
88.50 - CORSAIR CMPSU-550VX 550W ($20 MiR)
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=10006757
86.50 - CORSAIR TWIN2X4096-6400C4DHX 4GB PC2-6400 (DDR2-800)($35 MiR)
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=10007942
274.99 + 9.08 shipping = 284.07 (ZipZoomFly
189.99 - MSI R4850-512M Radeon HD 4850 512MB Free Rainbow 6 Vegas2 ($30 MiR)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127370
99.99 - Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 64-bit
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116488
74.99 - Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD6400AAKS 640GB
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136218
64.99 - mushkin 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 ($15 MiR)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820146692
51.99 - Antec Three Hundred Black Steel ATX
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129042
26.99 - SAMSUNG Black 22X DVD+R DVD Burner with LightScribe
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827151173
26.99 - ARCTIC COOLING Freezer 7 Pro 92mm CPU Cooler
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835186134
5.99 - Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835100007
644.88 + 13.85 shipping = 658.73 (NewEgg)
=$942.80
-$100.00 Mail In Rebates
=$842.80
or AMD Quad Core Build
189.99 - MSI R4850-512M Radeon HD 4850 512MB Free Rainbow 6 Vegas2 ($30 MiR)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127370
159.00 - AMD Phenom 9950 2.6GHz 4 x 512KB L2 Cache 2MB L3 Cache Socket AM2+ 140W Black Edition Processor - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103285
99.99 - COOLER MASTER RC-690-KKA1-GP Black SECC/ ABS ATX Mid Tower Computer Case Real Power Pro 550W Power Supply($50 off in combo deal, orig 149.99)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119142
99.99 - BIOSTAR TFORCE TA790GX A2+ AM2+/AM2 AMD 790GX
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813138128
99.99 - Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 64-bit
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116488
74.99 - Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD6400AAKS 640GB
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136218
64.99 - mushkin 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 ($15 MiR)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820146692
26.99 - SAMSUNG Black 22X DVD+R DVD Burner with LightScribe
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827151173
26.99 - ARCTIC COOLING Freezer 64 Pro 92mm CPU Cooler
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835185125
5.99 - Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835100007
848.91 + 47.66 shipping = 896.57
-$45.00 in Mail in Rebates
=$851.57