I was in the same boat as you about 5 years ago. Honestly, it's not that hard and you really have to actively try in order to screw things up. Just look at some do it yourself guides. It really is quite easy. However, if you're really opposed to building yourself, that's fine. My other points still stand. :)

THB, I don't know enough about either, and I'm loathe to recommend any parts in ready mades...

ummmmm as far as origin.. no workstation stuff.. no xeon, no quatro. The further you get from standard PC bits the more the chance you'll introduce incompatibilities...

How much can you spend?

Well, I can spend about $2000 give or take.

Dang, that'll get you a very nice machine these days. Have fun shopping!

Then don't go by what the custom builders say... you wouldn't get optimum for that there.

It's been a while since I had to think about this stuff.. so TBH ask around some more.. maybe go to overclockers forum somewhere like that you'll get the best advice there.

If you're willing to spend that kind of cash they can advice you better than I ever will with my current knowledge of the market.. For me to get up to speed on the proc and mobos it'd take a day or two.

Probably not what you wanted to hear, but I'd rather butt out than steer you wrong.

Take what I've said as good advice for a place to start.. but specifics are best found from someone else ATM

Indeed ;) I'm just wondering what graphics card I need for the ungodly demands of The Witcher 2, that's probably my primary concern.
Oh that's alright, any info helps.

By the way, I was asked about how much I could spend on the PC by a fellow GOGer named rooshandark8 via private message. After I told him, he then asked me if I had Steam. Maybe i'm paranoid for asking this, but he wasn't trying to phish for info was he?

Regarding the posts above about multi-core and hyperthreading CPU's, I'm pretty sure the reason they don't improve games (almost all of them) is that very, very few were programmed to take advantage of the multi-core/hyperthreading capabilities. There are lots of apps that do, but not very many games IIRC.

I'm going off memory from reading about this, and my memory is so flaky it's a 50/50 coin toss as to whether it's right, but I think that's the explanation.

I've not heard the name so I can't really say, good rule of thumb though.. don't go into details in PM's.. if you want or need to talk specifics do it in an open forum... but again, further details along those lines are no-one business but your own... but some people are just bloody nosey, lol.

But really, for info on a new pc build go to a good site for it.

Yeah, I found it odd he asked me this in a PM and not in the thread.

yeah, I can see why it struck you as a bit off.

You're right. But hyperthreading is of no real value with games that don't take advantage of that many cores. Core i5 is not better per se, just a better bargain if gaming is your purpose.

Anyway, if this is not for immediate purchase, best to wait until next month, when Intel's "Ivy Bridge" CPUs come out.

No actually don't. Wait til a couple of months after that for the shakey first gen to be finished. ;)

Finally found a benchmark for The Witcher 2 running on an AMD Radeon HD 7870:
http://www.techspot.com/review/504-amd-radeon-7870-7850/page10.html

Would anyone say that's accurate or should I choose another card?

Should I go for a Core i7 or would my original choice of Core i5 2500K be enough to run The Witcher 2?