Looking for advice on new rig.

[Pipo]

I need a new rig to play UT3 and I feel completely clueless about current PC hardware and need some guidance in fleshing out this new build. Most of these components are taken from what you guys have recommended to other people on the forum, but I don't really know if they apply to me or even work together. =P

Background info:
-I don't want SLI or crossfire
-I'm not into overclocking
-I only run games at 1024x768 because I have a smaller monitor
-I plan on salvaging my Audigy 2 Value for this new pc - is this a good idea or bad idea?
-I'll be sticking with Windows XP Pro
-I'm a bang per buck kinda guy and would like to keep this pc affordable

Links are taken off newegg.com but I'm open to other reputable sites:

Motherboard - Abit IP35-E - The p35 seems to be the hottest chipset out and I like the price.
CPU - ????? - I narrowed it down to an Intel Core 2 Duo but not sure which to get. I'll probably use the stock HSF.
RAM - G Skill 2GB - Not familiar with this brand but seems to be recommended around here. WIll it play nice with this motherboard and core 2 duo? Is it too fast or too slow?
Vid Card - I was thinking of just getting the cheapest 8800GTS or waiting for a 8800 GT.
HDD - I'm not sure what the difference between these two seagate drives: barracuda and sv35.2
DVD burner - Are Lite-On drives still reliable? I was thinking of going with a black SATA drive but have no clue what the differences between all of these drives are.
PSU - Corsair 550vx - Seems to be highly recommended around here, not sure if its enough to run this setup.

 

[engiNURD]

Whats your budget?
How often do you upgrade the CPU?
What size monitor do you have?

Now is a good time to get into OC'ing. Its easy and these Core2 chips pack so much potential, it would be a waste not OC'ing them -- even modestly. Are you sure you don't want to try OC'ing?

If you want a dual core right now and don't plan to upgrade for a while, get the E6750 ($195). If you plan to upgrade to a quadcore within a year or so, go with an E2160 ($85) or E4500 ($120) instead.

Yes, it will play nice with the mobo you chose. I have a few sets of those NQ sticks, and they're great. They're too fast for stock speeds, but great if you want a modest OC. RAM prices for slower sticks are most likely similar anyhow, so just go with these instead.

Wait for the 8800GT.

The Barracuda ES is for enterprise/workstation class systems -- they supposedly have lower failure rate than standard 'cudas. The SV35.2 is specifically designed for the video surveillance market. What happened to the regular 'cudas?!?!? lol. WD and Samsung drives are more quiet than 'cudas, btw.

Yes, Lite-Ons are still reliable. Samsungs are quiet and good, too.

The Corsair VX550 isn't bad, but if you want to save money, you could go for the XClio Goodpower 500W. If you'd like a better quality PSU, the Enhance 5150GH or Stablepower 500W are good. The next higher would be the SIlverstone Element 500W and the Corsair 520W. I'd go for the Corsair HX520 if you its within your price range, simply because of the modular cables -- /me likes modular psus.

PSU FAQ: http://www.jonnyguru.net/forums/showthread.php?t=1036

PSU Suggestions:
http://forums.extremeoverclocking.com/showpost.php?p=1590883&postcount=193
http://www.jonnyguru.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1460
http://www.jonnyguru.com/forums/showthread.php?t=103