For all you computer/electronic fan-boys out there, here is a treat for you. I just finished building my new workhorse computer; ready for hardcore video editing, rendering, and entertainment. The case is ancient, its probably 10 years old. But it is one of those old school Antec Towers that serious computer users sought after. For modern day components, the case was due for some serious modifications to both the cooling and the looks. Here is a brief list of things modified: 3x120mm Radiator with grill, carrying handles, HDD LED relocation, VU stereo meter (the ring of LEDs), Tinted Plexy front window, Glass side window, custom made fan controller, 80mm rear fan converted to 120mm, black paint job, improved dust filters, and more.

So the next question people are probably going to bring up is, why the AMD 955 instead of the Intel i7? The answer is a no brainier for me, I confidently support AMD over its ruthless competitor. The hard fact is that the i7 is a stronger CPU, but ever since my first AMD computer made for video editing (1Ghz Althon) I’ve been an AMD enthusiast. Plus after hearing the news about Intel’s non-competitive scandal, I can’t help but make my purchase a statement. Please take a moment to read the article. Intel already holds the majority of the PC & Mac market, but they just couldn’t stop there, they had to black-mail other companies to avoid supporting AMD products. So please next time you consider buying a new computer, give AMD a chance. With every AMD sold, Intel is forced to lower their inflated prices.

So in case you were wondering about the specs, here they are. As for CPU overclocking, I’m holding off on that for the time being. I plan to Lap the CPU surface to maximize my water-cooled investment. Overall cost without the case – $850

AMD AM3 955 Black Edition 3.2 Ghz Quad-Core
4GB DDR3 1600Mhz memory (7-7-7-20 2.0VC)
MSI 790FX GD70 Motherboard
MSI 250 GTS 512MB video card
1TB Seagate Hard drive (7200 generation 12)
650watt Antec Earthwatt 80 Plus Powersupply
Dual Boot – Windows 7 & Windows XP x64

One another note, I’d like to make a bold statement and recommend people take a leap of faith and try out MS’s new OS, Windows 7. This is without a doubt the best OS windows has had to date! It is very stable, fancy, and full of features that even expert computer users can appreciate. At first glance, you may say it’s just Vista or an OSX clone. But it is actually a totally new OS that is fresh and inspiring. Make sure to check out the Aero view, the new “windows – tab” function, the new task bar, and responsive feel. I discover new features everyday I use it! I even feel that it is more fancy than OSX, in comparison to the Mac Pro I use everyday at work.