Update for those who are interested:
I am now completely up and running and have Windows tweaked the way I want it.
I will start off by saying for someone who has not used a Windows setup as my main computer for over 10 years, the transition has not been entirely easy (but that was expected), but also nowhere near as bad as I thought.
Building the computer was possibly the best thing of the whole experience so far. I learned tons of stuff about things I never really needed to know using Macs. I am fairly informed as to how things work when it comes to personal computing, but messing around with switches and the motherboard and the general setup, I now have a broadened and greater understanding of them - and that is a definite plus.
Some things were obviously confusing. But just going over my steps very carefully, I figured everything out and powered up the PC without any issue on the first try. I used Newegg TV's how to build a PC tutorial. Informative and precise.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPIXAtNGGCw
My only real issues are the little things that set them apart. Different ways to do the same task. Different keyboard shortcuts, etc.
Pros:
This thing is POWERFUL. As stated before, for about the same price as the current iMac, I have something that is literally almost 3 times as fast. It can run ANY game on ultra settings, it blazes with Photoshop using large files, etc etc. I know speed and power are not huge factors for a lot of Mac users, but for the ones that need it, this is the only real option right now.
Hardware customization is SIMPLE. Of course I am comparing a box pc to an AIO and that isn't fair. But I am going from the AIO to this so it is new to me. Anything I need to add or extract is as easy popping the side open and popping something in or out. No more removal of the glass, carefully detaching cables, etc. It is nice now, it will be even nicer in the future come upgrade time.
Software customization is not so simple, but it is there. EVERYTHING can be tweaked in Windows. Nothing is really hidden from you. For a novice or casual user, not so much of a big deal, but it is still there if you need it. I am aware it can be done with OSX as well, but they like to hide a lot of that from you. This is mostly all in the open.
The new Windows Libraries feature. I will plead ignorant when it comes to a similar feature in OSX because I have never had a multi-drive setup like I do now... but libraries are basically folders that hold other folders from any drive and in any amount - so when you click on the library folder, it brings them all under one place instead of jumping around to different drives and such. It makes it really easy to have a pictures folder on my main drive and also on the secondary and pull them all up with one folder, for instance.
Zune software. I wasn't sure what I would be using for music, but I knew I wouldn't be using iTunes (as I hate it even on OSX). I tried the Zune software and absolutely love it.
Cons:
Fonts and image smoothness are nowhere near on par with OSX almost to jarring levels. Even with tweaking and calibrating every last thing, reading documents and webpages just do not have the same "pop" as they do on a Mac.
Having to install tons of anti-virus/malware/security software. Honestly, I should have been installing them on my Mac anyway. It is only a matter of time when people start maliciously attacking them, especially as they become more and more popular. But it is still a pain to setup. Once you do though, you never really have to mess around with them. That being said, it has already forced me to become a more safe web surfer. Again, something I should have been doing from the start.
I can't really think of many more cons at this point. Everything has ran and gone pleasantly smooth. For now. I am sure I will run into those little annoyances that I just can't understand why they're done the way they are. But that is inevitable with any OS, I guess.
I am not going to lie. I already miss a few things about OSX. The font thing is a pretty HUGE con for me. But in the end, I got a box that can do anything the iMac can do, and so much more, at half the price. I used to think "OSX is still worth the price difference" but not so much anymore. Especially since one of the reasons that helped me make the jump was when I realized I was using so many third party apps instead of stock OSX stuff... I figured 'what was I holding on to?'.
To anyone on the fence... I don't know what to say exactly. It is so far working for me, but your mileage may vary.
Now if Apple want to match this box somehow in spec and price somewhere down the line, my allegiances may shift once again
This is my build:
CPU: Intel Core i7-3770K
Motherboard: ASRock Z77 Extreme4 ATX LGA1155
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM
Storage: Samsung 830 Series 128GB 2.5" SSD
GPU: MSI GeForce GTX 660 Ti 2GB
Case: Cooler Master HAF 922 Mid Tower Computer Case with USB 3.0
Power Supply: Cooler Master Silent Pro Gold (SPG) 800 Watts Modular
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer
Monitor: Acer S271HLbid 27.0"
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (64-bit)
