Super-computer!

[Westley]

If you had exactly 1300 bucks to build the best gaming/protools/photoshop computer you could, what would you buy? I've been using New-Egg mostly. I don't know whether to wait till Sept. for the new graphics cards from Nvidia or not.

[Nolano]

oh my, what a computer it would be. I've been specing one out for when I get paid next month, but it's gonna be a $550-$600 computer, yet still nothing to laugh at.
As far as video cards, I don't know if I've bother waiting, but they may lower current prices.

[Pescados666]

I like TigerDirect, but I wanted one of the DFI Lanparty motherboards as I've heard good things about them. TigerDirect doesn't carry them. Tiger does have some nicely priced barebone systems you might want to look at though.

[Nolano]

Newegg > TD. Every time. I've heard a lot of people getting really terrible service from them, and their prices don't even compare. I have never had a single problem with Newegg, and they always have close to the lowest prices.

[ThatReallyHurt]

Choose your video card carefully - do some investigation first. Nvidia is allegedly having some problems with their packaging, allegedly lots of alleged chip failures, allegedly mainly in their mobile products. HP and Dell have allegedly been replacing Nvidia video modules at a high rate for some of their allegedly high-end products, and there is allegedly some concern that there may also be problems with their desktop chips.

I haven't been keeping up with this for the last few weeks, but last I heard, Nvidia has denied (or declined to comment) on these allegations. Even though several manufacturers are allegedly replacing tons of Nvidia products.

Allegedly.

(And I'm not saying stay away from them - I'm running both Nvidia and ATI kit and like them both a lot.)