Ok, so I am planning on upgrading my computer since the cpu went down, and it is about time anyways, here goes:

E6850 3.0ghz C2D with 1333fsb (I'm not an OCer, so I want to go with the higher clockspeed)

ASUS Maximus Formula (X38 chipset) - supports the new 45nm Penryn and Yorkfield, and their 1600fsb, for easier down the line upgrades and has 2 PCI-e 2.0 slots for the newest cards.

2GB DDR2 Corsair Ballistixs 1066mhz

     Here is my dilemma, can't decide between the Radeon 3870 or the 8800GT.  I was thinking of getting the 8800gt and upgrading next year when the new top-of-the-line geforces come out.  Since the X38 mobo I am getting supports Crossfire, I could just throw in another 3870 around february, and be good for the next year, and wait for the next revisions.  The only thing with that would be that I need to get a new Power Supply, but I would probably need to get a new one anyway eventually.

    So what do you guys think?  I've always liked ATi, and I really want to get the 3870, but the 8800gt is faster in just about everything, although I only play games in 1280x1024 anyways, so does it really matter?  Do you think the 3870 will speed up once ATi gets their drivers cleared up...because on paper it seems like it should be ahead of the 8800gt, and some people I talked to said it should speed up quickly with driver releases.

    What do you guys think about what I am getting, and what do you think I should do about the GFX Card situation?  Any help would be much appreciated, THANKS!!! 

get a board supporting 780i

No thanks, because of nvidia not licensing SLI to intel I hear that those boards are having issues with the 45nnm Penryn chips. The 680is were supposed to support them, but recently i read they do not.

no the 680i was the ones with issues. The 780i fixes the issues and adds tri-sli capability. And why would nvidia have to license their tech? so intel can use it for their integrated cards in SLI? lmfao

read customer reviews.

EVGA 780i board - http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductReview.aspx?Item=N82E16813188024

XFX 780i board - http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductReview.aspx?Item=N82E16813141005  

Umm, the 780i was delayed two months because of issues with Penryn, you should read up on that, so don't say it doesn't have issues. Not only that, Nvidia said it was designed for the 1333mhz FSB current CPUs, and that when the 1600FSB CPUs are released, they will have new products available for those. I don't want to have to upgrade my mobo again to take advantage of the new CPUs

you could always use EVGA's step-up program. and I know about all that. And the original issues was sdue to intel changing the penryns before release. The demo processors worked 100% on the 680i boards.

oh and I understand, I'm waiting on the QX9770 and the nvidia 9800 GTX =D by February the 790i boards will be out lmfao

Yeah, well I can't wait till Feb is my only problem, but i see what you mean. This setup I am thinking about should last till late next year, and then I can throw in a Penryn/Yorkfield, and the 9800gtx, which is what I am also waiting for.
If I get the 8800gt it is the evga one, for the exact same reason you mentioned, the step-up program. SSj, could you tell me exactly how the step up program works? Oh, and the main reason I dont want the 790i or whatever they call the penryn cert. boards, is that I don't want to spend that much money to run two nvidias in SLI, just isn't worth it for me. I should be fine with a single board for everything I need. Thanks for the help.

Do I have to order the card directly from EVGA to do the step-up program, or can I order off NewEgg, which is where I am ordering everything else.

 the main difference between the 780i and 790i is that the 790i supports DDR3. So it makes really no difference so your find with a 780i. 

here is info on the step-up program from the horses mouths.. i mean evga;s site: http://www.evga.com/stepup/

oh and tri-sli would be useful as when you upgrade to the next nvidia series all you would have to do is buy another card when you see slow down in games then another after that which by the time you buy the third card it should be very cheap.

Yeah, if I thought I would ever plop down $500+x2 for SLi setup, the 780i would be my choice, but I should be just fine with 1 9800gtx. Are you seriously planning on running more than 1 9800 when they come out?