My 360 RRoD'd a few weeks ago, and since I have been exploring other gaming options.

I've been interested in building a computer since I was 12, but never had the money. Now I have a job and it might take saving the majority of my paycheck for 3-4 months, but I think it might be worth it.=
I'm a junior in Highschool, and plan to go to college to get a BS in Computer science, and I think this would be a great and beneficial investment. I've done tons of research about it, so I think I have the appropriate knowledge to build one.

My concern, is that through my eyes, it seems that PC gaming is slowly dieing. I spend most of my free time playing games, and it seems that PC gaming is being edged out.

As long as I get that initial $1700 or so (Newegg shipping is $300 for all the components, to alaska :sadvaultboy: ) I like being able to upgrade my PC, it sounds fun and something I'd love to do.

Can I also get advice on how this system would perform with today's games? Also, how future proof would it be?

Sapphire Radeon HD 6970 2GB - Also considering a GTX570, haven't decided yet
G.Skill Sniper 8GB DDR3 (2x4GB) 1600 - is 8GB enough? Its not much to get another 8GB set.
Intel Core i5-2500K Sandy Bridge 3.3GHz - Is it worth the extra $100 to get an i7 sandy bridge instead? They seem to similar to warrant a 50% increase in price, IMO.
ASRock Z68 EXTREME4 GEN3 LGA 1155 Intel Z68 -Am getting this since it has PCI Express 3.0, though I would have to upgrade my CPU to the next gen of intel processor to get the proper 3.0 speeds. Should I go with this or just a "current gen" mobo without PCI Ex 3.0?
Heres the link since it doesn't explain that much. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157264


Also, how difficult is it to upgrade your CPU? Is it as simple as reversing the installation, or is it harder? I can never find info about replacing your CPU, only installation.


Thanks for taking the time to help me out, I appreciate it.

I'm not sure if PC gaming is "on the decline." Steam reports suggest that Skyrim has sold a comparable number of copies for the PC as it has for the consoles, and SOME developers are still realizing the benefits of trying to push the envelope, such as DICE with Battlefield 3. To go over your components:

• A 6970 is about the most you can justify paying for. Unless you want extreme resolutions (beyond 1080p) it'll run even BF3 absolutely maxed-out and get 60fps. Any half-expensive video card is overkill for Skyrim.
  
• 8GB is enough for now, definitely, and likely will for some time to come. And you can always add a second pair of sticks later.
  
• No, it's not worth getting more than the 2500K. There is literally no reason for a gamer to buy something more expensive; if you need more power (while most games will max on this, Skyrim is CPU-dependent and can use more) you'll get that out of overclocking, and the 2500K overclocks better than the 2600K.
  
• I'm not sure if PCI-express 3.0 is really necessary. You might just do to save some money here.

Anyway, be careful on other components, too. ESPECIALLY the PSU. You want one that's from a GOOD maker; the wattage rating they tell you is only part of the story.

As for replacing the CPU, it is, indeed, mostly just a reversal process. The reason few mention it is often enough, the socket originally used has gone obsolete, so there's no point to swapping the CPU. In most cases you're better off replacing the whole system after a few years rather than "incremental" upgrades like that.

PC gaming can be worth it, but it can also be a big investment. PC gaming is far from dead, but its at a point where it is what it is, it'll never take forefront over consoles in the mainstream market for most games/gamers, but it's still worthwhile for getting the best of the best.

My advice, if you're happy with what you have, and money is tight, keep what you have and enjoy it.

Ignorance is bliss.

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Replacing anything but the hdd(because of OS obviously) on a pc is as simple and plug n play basically, cpu included. Putting it together is just as simple.

Don't I need to update/install the drivers to new parts when I upgrade my PC?


Does it take awhile to get used to a mouse and keyboard? I have a couple games on my laptop, and moving my hands to press keys feels a bit awkward (especially the # keys)

Also, thanks for the quick answers, I appreciate it.

Yeah, but you can get all those from manufacturer websites, no problem at all to install/uninstall/update.

I prefer mouse/keyboard over a controller for everything but racing and sports.

I couldn't tell you about number keys, I've got a mouse with plenty of buttons, and everything else I map to the keys around wasd (qerzxcfv mainly). Never mess with the number keys.