I recently completed my first build, or so I thought. I built the desktop primarily for graphics/photo-shop/design. My laptop, an old Toshiba work-horse that somehow managed to survive three years in an 18 wheeler before I retired, (medical). With time to fill, I took-up my old love of photography to keep me occupied, but soon realized that I just did not have the ram nor the processing speed to handle the good graphics software respectably. As I am on a fixed income and by no means affluent, I soon realized that if I were to purchase a computer retail, I would need to start at 1500 bucks and move-up from there. (see previous comment lol !) I walked blindly into my first build confident I would spend a few hours on the web and be able to put what I needed together. What I did not count on was getting sucked-into the cyber-world of gaming! I'm addicted. I purchased a fair video card I think, for graphics and photo-shop, but I am not so sure about the gaming, so I am seeking input from all you "younger" wiser gaming geeks! (Grandpa was born analog...), MID-TOWER CASE,(NOTHING FANCY),/HECX ORION 585W POWER SUPPLY/ASUS M4A78LT-M 760 SOCKET AM3 M/B /AMD PHENOM II X 4 955 3.2 GHz PROCESSOR/ AMD STANDARD PROCESSOR COOLING FAN/ 6GB DDR3 1333MHZ PC-10600/ 1000 GB SATA 2 32MB CACHE/ 22XDVD-RW DUAL LAYER W/LIGHTSCRIBE/ REALTEK 8 CHANNEL DIGITAL SOUND ONBOARD, (yea, I know I know...)/ logitech g-11 keyboard/ logitech performance mx wireless mouse, and lastly, because I did not at the time think it mattered, a set of 2.1 Altec Lansing VS 4221 SPEAKERS. I have an Western digital external drive for a TB of off-board storage. (surprising how fast you can fill-up one TB with the new games they have out now!) And so keep my love of films and music off my on-board HD. Hear is the question you probably thought I would never get around to asking, If you had 200 bucks, where would you put it? and why? Can anyone help me out here? Is my M/B the weakest link? more ram? better cooling? RAID 0 and a Velocerapter HD to improve data transfer? GURU'S DO WHAT YOU DO.....SO WELL,, chuckle...