Looking for build advice :)

Gravestone Doji said:
Why spend over $30 more for the DS3R if you're not planning on running a RAID configuration? RAID is great for servers and such but has no advantage in gaming rigs (lets not get started on a RAID debate).

You can certainly buy what ever board you like and get one that does everything. But if you don't utilize those features then it's really extra money spent for nothing.
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For $30 more, the DS3R also has four additional SATA ports (for a total of eight), one eSATA port (located in the I/O panel), and a bracket that converts two internal SATA ports into two eSATA ports. The DS3L only has four SATA ports, and two of those ports would be used right away (with the hard drive and DVD burner, which are both SATA). In this case, it's not a bad idea to spend a little bit more for some extra features.
 
Well its not a total waste... the DS3R does have 4 more SATA ports, aside from the RAID, and it also has a bigger NB heatsink as well as 6-phase power for the CPU circuitry. Personally, I only paid $105 for my DS3R, so it was worth it, to me. ;) But I do agree that if you don't need it, don't buy it. However, its all relative in how much you value your money, right? If $30 is nothing to you, then this debate is useless.

EDIT: I need to hit refresh before I post... it would save me some typing, lol.
 
silent-circuit said:
The DS3R also has better stock cooling than the DS3L, hence the recommendation. The DS3R she's looking at is also a newer revision than the DS3L would be, hence the Energy Saver stuff.
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Mainboards featuring Silent-Pipe heatpipe cooling system for chipset cooling acquire an additional S-word and can be called S4 instead of S3. However, if the heatpipes are used only to cool down the chipset North Bridge, the board will still belong to the S3 series. For example, GA-P35-DS3R. Not sure where you're getting that the cooling is any different between the L and R. And the Energy Saver stuff is not worth + $30. Running games at full throttle is not going to save you any energy no matter what board you're using. They also make better (and very cheap) NB heatsinks.
 
Gravestone Doji said:
Not sure where you're getting that the cooling is any different between the L and R.
Click to expand...

The heatsink is bigger, hence, better. No, its not as good as heatpipe cooling... but its still better. I have both boards, and I do find that the HS gets hotter on the DS3L faster than it does on the DS3R, while ramping up the FSB. In either case, you'll need better cooling to reach high fsb speeds. So, if you need a board to reach high fsb speeds (e.g. if you're using an E6550 or E8400), then go for the MSI Neo2-FR, since its the cheapest board, AR, with heatpipe cooling for the NB/mosfets.

@OP: you may want to also consider a UPS unit instead.
 
enginurd said:
The heatsink is bigger, hence, better. No, its not as good as heatpipe cooling... but its still better. I have both boards, and I do find that the HS gets hotter on the DS3L faster than it does on the DS3R, while ramping up the FSB. In either case, you'll need better cooling to reach high fsb speeds. So, if you need a board to reach high fsb speeds (e.g. if you're using an E6550 or E8400), then go for the MSI Neo2-FR, since its the cheapest board, AR, with heatpipe cooling for the NB/mosfets.

@OP: you may want to also consider a UPS unit instead.
Click to expand...

UPS unit...?:eek: I'm a noob....;)
 
Uninterruptible Power Supply.

Pretty much, a big battery and some power regulation circuitry along with a high end surge protector in a box. They can get pricey, unfortunately. Mine was nearly $200.
 
silent-circuit said:
Uninterruptible Power Supply.

Pretty much, a big battery and some power regulation circuitry along with a high end surge protector in a box. They can get pricey, unfortunately. Mine was nearly $200.
Click to expand...

Unless I can get that cheaper LJ monitor on Clearance..I can't afford a UPS then haha. It's not necessary is it?

Also, this is a LITTLE unrelated.. but you guys are still the most tech savvy people I know ;) I'm also shopping for a new TV. Looking for about a 32" HDTV LCD... I found a pretty nice one, anyone else think so?

Sony - BRAVIA 32" Flat-Panel LCD HDTV
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8473653&type=product&id=1186005983963
It's pretty expensive... but It's Sony, so I assume that's normal ;) I have an $800 max budget for a TV so this one will work, if you think it's worth the money. I really want to go with a good name brand TV instead of one of the lesser known brands.
 
Samsung generally has some really nice LCD TVs as well, and they tend to be a bit less expensive than the Sonys.

And no, the UPS isn't necessary. It's just a nice thing to have.
 
silent-circuit said:
Samsung generally has some really nice LCD TVs as well, and they tend to be a bit less expensive than the Sonys.

And no, the UPS isn't necessary. It's just a nice thing to have.
Click to expand...

I was looking at the Samsung too :) It is a bit cheaper.. But this is my first time buying myself a TV (Right now I'm using a 10 year old POS one ;) ) and I really want to step up and buy a really nice great brand. Plus... After being hurt for two years and receiving NO money... I deserve some nice things with my settlement money :D But I will look into the Samsungs though too for sure.
 
It's necessary if your working on things that are important and you don't want power to just cut off on you and you lose your work because it wasn't saved. This will play a critical part in this type of situation.
 
HardwareGuru said:
It's necessary if your working on things that are important and you don't want power to just cut off on you and you lose your work because it wasn't saved. This will play a critical part in this type of situation.
Click to expand...

Hmm.. That does suck when that happens, although I've never had it happen to me before.. It would be nice to make sure it doesn't happen in the future too :) If I can afford it, I will definitely look into the UPS. I know nothing about them.. so provide me a link to a good one, and I will be sure to get it most likely! :)
 
Not urgent, A good surge protector will do. Most of the UPS is common within a workplace because of potential loss of hours of work done on the pc that will be lost due to a power outtage. I don't have a UPS at home. My brother who does work at home uses a UPS for his CAD drawing.


Syribo said:
Hmm.. That does suck when that happens, although I've never had it happen to me before.. It would be nice to make sure it doesn't happen in the future too :) If I can afford it, I will definitely look into the UPS. I know nothing about them.. so provide me a link to a good one, and I will be sure to get it most likely! :)
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LCDs are cheaper than Plasmas, but I think Plasmas look better. The more expensive LCDs probably use LED backlighting, which lasts longer than conventional backlighting. My main advice is to check out the TV in-person before buying anything.

You also have to consider your source. If you plan on watching mostly Blu-Ray movies, then a 1080p TV would be your best option. If most of the stuff you're watching is OTA HD or HD via cable/satellite, then you really don't need 1080P -- 720P will suffice. But again, make sure you check out the TV's in person, and make sure you watch a 720P source on a 1080P TV, and vice versa... so you know what you're getting. For $800, you should be able to find a decent 1080P 37" LCD, or a higher quality 32" 1080P LCD. Don't forget to take into account how far you'll be from the TV.
 
enginurd said:
LCDs are cheaper than Plasmas, but I think Plasmas look better. The more expensive LCDs probably use LED backlighting, which lasts longer than conventional backlighting. My main advice is to check out the TV in-person before buying anything.

You also have to consider your source. If you plan on watching mostly Blu-Ray movies, then a 1080p TV would be your best option. If most of the stuff you're watching is OTA HD or HD via cable/satellite, then you really don't need 1080P -- 720P will suffice. But again, make sure you check out the TV's in person, and make sure you watch a 720P source on a 1080P TV, and vice versa... so you know what you're getting. For $800, you should be able to find a decent 1080P 37" LCD, or a higher quality 32" 1080P LCD. Don't forget to take into account how far you'll be from the TV.
Click to expand...

Great advice. I'm definitely going to check the TV's out in person, just shopping online for prices right now. I actually saw a Plasma screen for about $900.. That's just a little too expensive for me :)

I haven't watched one DVD or movie in at least a year, maybe more! I really watch TV 24/7 (Cable). So a 720P should be okay- HOWEVER.. I do play a lot of video games, and will also be purchasing one of the newer consoles (Can't decide between the Wii, PS3 and 360 yet.. Probably a Wii or PS3) so I think that a 1080P would be better for that?
 
Yah get a 1080P better. I would not bother with 720P tvs. Unless that is all you do is watch mainly TV. If you hookup a Blue ray, PS3, Xbox 360., 1080P is the way to go. 32" tvs now supporting 1080P. Before, the minimum size for 1080P was 36-37" size tvs.
 
Wii is only 480P :(

Yah, a 32" at 1080P is optimal. If you want to hookup your PC to it, 1080P is a must, IMO.

The thing I hate about cable/satellite HD TV is that its always compressed with lower bitrates. :( OTA gives you the best quality because its not compressed, but then you're limited to what you can watch.
 
enginurd said:
LCDs are cheaper than Plasmas, but I think Plasmas look better. The more expensive LCDs probably use LED backlighting, which lasts longer than conventional backlighting. My main advice is to check out the TV in-person before buying anything.

You also have to consider your source. If you plan on watching mostly Blu-Ray movies, then a 1080p TV would be your best option. If most of the stuff you're watching is OTA HD or HD via cable/satellite, then you really don't need 1080P -- 720P will suffice. But again, make sure you check out the TV's in person, and make sure you watch a 720P source on a 1080P TV, and vice versa... so you know what you're getting. For $800, you should be able to find a decent 1080P 37" LCD, or a higher quality 32" 1080P LCD. Don't forget to take into account how far you'll be from the TV.
Click to expand...

Uhmm.. I've been searching around a lot of shops and sites.. and can NOT find a 1080P LCD TV within my $800 budget.. Geez I can't even find one under $1000!

If anyone would love to help me in this search, go for it.. but I have come up emptyhanded ;)

I mean... If anything, the 32" Sony BRAVIA 720P is still nice, isn't it? Heh.. I really do want a 1080P though... It would be great watching NASCAR in HD every weekend.

Also, 720P TV's still get HD correctly, right? The 1080 is just much nicer?
 
Yah, you most likely will spend over $1,000 for a 32" 1080P LCD/TV. I would still wait or get a 1080P. I will not settle for a 720P tv nowdays. My coworker bought the 52" 1080P XBR. He was waiting on the tvs prices for months till it came down in price. Finally he got it when it went on sale before the super bowl.
 
Yah, 720P is still HD. The 1080P just offers more pixels for higher definition. Some will argue that you can't tell the difference anyways, especially if you're watching TV/Cable/Satellite. Wait for the holiday sales. My 37" Westy 1080P was only $800, but the deal is long gone. :(

EDIT:
The cheapest 1080P I could find is this: http://www.bestbuyplasma.com/product.html?postId=110934
Then again, I didn't look too hard. :p
 
the difference between 720p and 1080p is entirely dependent on screen size. You bet you can see the difference on a 50" TV, maybe not so much on a 20-30",
 
If it were up to me, I would spend $1000 on a new TV. It's an investment, it's going to last a loooong time (Hopefully.). Problem is, even though I just won all this money in court, my father is taking control of the money.. because well.. I've been irresponsible in the past. And he's cheap. VERY VERY cheap.

He bought himself a new TV a year ago... a $90 piece of garbage standard definition. He buys himself $200 piece of garbage laptops from a used computer place, and then they stop working after a few months and he wonders why. He would never let me spend $1000 (OF MY OWN MONEY) on a TV.. He just got mad at me for even suggesting it. Totally not cool.

The only way I will be able to get a 1080P TV is if my brother-in-law still has a friend who works at PC Richards or something... at Christmas, he bought a TV from his friend for my nephew and got $200-$300 off of the regular price because he knows a guy who works there.

Otherwise its 720P for me and I'll have to be happy with it. Trust me, my father almost had a conniption when I said I would be spending $2500 on a new PC. I really don't see his logic of "spending $1000 on a TV is throwing all your money away". I have way more than enough money right now to be able to afford that... $11,000 I won and I honestly should be able to do what I want with it. What a pain :(

Hopefully the prices will come down soon.
 
The projected lifespan of a plasma or lcd tv is 7yrs, btw, but thats only if its in constant usage, 24/7. They won't last as long as a CRT, but they should be good for a while. I agree, they're too expensive right now, but eh... what can you do? You shouldn't be too disappointed with a 720P -- it'll still look good for TV.
 
enginurd said:
The projected lifespan of a plasma or lcd tv is 7yrs, btw, but thats only if its in constant usage, 24/7. They won't last as long as a CRT, but they should be good for a while. I agree, they're too expensive right now, but eh... what can you do? You shouldn't be too disappointed with a 720P -- it'll still look good for TV.
Click to expand...

Yeah.. and most importantly, it will be 100 times better than the crappy TV I have right now ;)
 
Yeah, it's a good investment because you will be using it on a daily basis. You might as well get a good one.
 
16 Items Total
Thermaltake Armor Series VA8000BWS Black Aluminum / Steel ATX Full Tower Computer Case - $149.99 -$20 MIR
GIGABYTE GA-EP35-DS3R LGA 775 Intel P35 ATX Dynamic Energy Saver Ultra Durable II Intel Motherboard - $121.99
CORSAIR CMPSU-620HX ATX12V v2.2 and EPS12V 2.91 620W Power Supply - $138.90 (( ZipZoomFly )) -$25 MIR
Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 Kentsfield 2.4GHz 775 Quad-Core Processor - $254.99 (( Clubit.com ))
G.SKILL 4GB(2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit - $84.99
EVGA 768-P2-N831-AR GeForce 8800GTX 768MB 384-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - $414.99 -$50 MIR
Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD5000AAKS 500GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - $99.99
SAMSUNG 20X DVD±R DVD Burner with LightScribe Black SATA Model SH-S203N - $33.99
Creative 70SB046A00000 7.1 Channels PCI Interface Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeGamer Fatal1ty Professional Series - $135.99 -$50 MIR
Logitech Z-5500 505 Watts 5.1 Speakers - $229.99 (( ClubIt.com ))
ZEROtherm Nirvana NV120 120mm 2-ball UFO Bearing / Transparent CPU Cooler - $45.99 -$10 MIR
SAMSUNG 24ST-BLACK Black 24" 6ms HDMI Widescreen HSMI LCD Monitor - $659.99
Microsoft Windows Vista 64-Bit Home Premium for System Builders Single Pack DVD - $109.99
CORSAIR Flash Voyager 2GB Flash Drive (USB2.0 Portable) Model CMFUSB2.0-2GB - $14.99
Arctic Silver Ceramique Thermal Compound - $4.99
BELKIN BE112234-10 10 feet 12 Outlets 4120 joule Surge Suppressor with Phone/Modem, RJ45 and Coax Protection - $34.99

Store Totals
NewEgg: $1912.87 (13 items)
ZipZoomFly: $138.90 (1 item)
Clubit: $484.98 (2 items)
Total: $2477.75

Shipping
NewEgg: $39.96
ZipZoomFly: $0.00
Clubit: $34.99

Entire Total: $2611.70

Mail-In Rebates Total: $155
 
Okay, I was trying to sleep but I'm still too excited by all this computer stuff to sleep! (I'm a giant geek aren't I?) And I still have a few more questions I would love answered if you could :)

1. I asked before, but no one answered.. perhaps no one has any advice? ;) Should I be purchasing a separate Network card? I play a lot of online games (And also download/upload A LOT of stuff).. Should the Ethernet port on the mobo be good enough? If not.. can you recommend a good card? :)

2. Is the mobo I picked able to do SLI (In case I ever decide to do it.. which I may)? I can't find anything saying it is or isn't.

3. If the new video cards come out on Monday, and I'm making my purchases on Tuesday.. Who thinks the 8800GTX price will come down that day? I hope it does ;) If so...

4. Should I stick with the mobo I picked, or is there one that I could upgrade to a little bit, even if it costs just a little more? I want to know the most important things to upgrade in case I have the extra money to spend, in case the prices drop, I get more money to spend, etc.

5. To those who have it.. How nice is the G9 mouse? I may get one eventually, if not next week.. I'm using a Logitech MX-518 and it's pretty good, but I will need another mouse since I only have one and will soon have two PC's.. So I may use the MX-518 on this PC and maybe get the G9 for the next one, if it's worth it.. And perhaps one of those RatPadz mouse pads? I heard they were good.. Worth the money? I have the Logitech G15 keyboard which I LOVE.. and will be putting this keyboard on the new PC. I have a generic cheap Logitech keyboard I'll keep on this computer, so I don't need to buy a new one thankfully.

Long story short... Network card? Is my mobo SLI able? Should I upgrade my mobo, if not.. should I upgrade anything, even just a little? Video card prices? G9 and RatPadz? Thanks for all the help again, you guys rock ;) I'll also post the current system build since it's not on this page- Actually, I'll post that right before this post to make it easier.
 
Okay I realized that none of my parts seem to be SLI ready hah.. I didn't realize that.. I really wish I had made an SLI ready system.. I'm going to try and see if I can do so without making the price TOO high.. is that even possible? Or is SLI just expensive in general to go for?

I did the math, and I should be able to afford it if I get these parts instead:
OCZ SLI-Ready Edition 4GB(2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - $103.99
EVGA 132-CK-NF78-A1 LGA 775 NVIDIA nForce 780i SLI ATX Intel Motherboard -$259.99
Thermaltake Armor Series VA8003BWS Black Full Tower Case w/ 25CM Fan -$154.99 -$25 MIR
CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX TX 750W Power Supply Retail - $155 -$35 MIR (( ZipZoomFly ))

It's only a bit more expensive than my current setup.. And I would really love to be able to have two video cards (I would buy another one in a month or so).

Are these parts okay? Is it worth it? Would you suggest any different part? Please, tell me if so :) I really would looooove SLI... so please let me know if these parts seem good ;)

Edit: Here, I did the entire build and the prices and everything. Really doesn't come out to too much more than my other build!

OCZ SLI-Ready Edition 4GB(2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - $103.99 -$30 MIR
EVGA 132-CK-NF78-A1 LGA 775 NVIDIA nForce 780i SLI ATX Intel Motherboard -$259.99
Thermaltake Armor Series VA8003BWS Black Full Tower Case w/ 25CM Fan -$154.99 -$25 MIR
CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX TX 750W Power Supply Retail - $155 -$35 MIR (( ZipZoomFly ))
Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 Kentsfield 2.4GHz 775 Quad-Core Processor - $254.99 (( Clubit.com ))
EVGA 768-P2-N831-AR GeForce 8800GTX 768MB 384-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - $414.99 -$50 MIR
Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD5000AAKS 500GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - $99.99
SAMSUNG 20X DVD±R DVD Burner with LightScribe Black SATA Model SH-S203N - $33.99
Creative 70SB046A00000 7.1 Channels PCI Interface Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeGamer Fatal1ty Professional Series - $135.99 -$50 MIR
Logitech Z-5500 505 Watts 5.1 Speakers - $229.99 (( ClubIt.com ))
ZEROtherm Nirvana NV120 120mm 2-ball UFO Bearing / Transparent CPU Cooler - $45.99 -$10 MIR
SAMSUNG 24ST-BLACK Black 24" 6ms HDMI Widescreen HSMI LCD Monitor - $659.99
Microsoft Windows Vista 64-Bit Home Premium for System Builders Single Pack DVD - $109.99
CORSAIR Flash Voyager 2GB Flash Drive (USB2.0 Portable) Model CMFUSB2.0-2GB - $14.99
Arctic Silver Ceramique Thermal Compound - $4.99
BELKIN BE112234-10 10 feet 12 Outlets 4120 joule Surge Suppressor with Phone/Modem, RJ45 and Coax Protection - $34.99

Store Totals
NewEgg: $2074.87 (13 Items)
ZipZoomFly: $155.90
ClubIt: $484.98

Shipping
NewEgg: $42.61
ZipZoomFly: $0.00
ClubIt: $34.99

Total: $2793.35

MIR: $165 (( $2628.35 ))
 
Fine, I'll answer them...

1) You don't need a standalone NIC. You're more likely to be crippled by the bandwidth allowed by your ISP than by what the onboard NIC/router can handle. (A lot of motherboards out today have Gigabit Ethernet ports... and there are several routers with Gigabit as well.)

2) SLI is only beneficial if you use it right away (e.g. get a second video card now). One (G92) 8800GTS is capable of playing most games on your 24" monitor at medium/high settings (save for Crysis and World in Conflict). If you're going to wait over six months to get another graphics card, then you're better off spending what you would have spent for the SLI board towards getting a better card like the 8800GTX or the HD3870X2. (This also answers question 4.)

3) Don't expect prices to come down immediately. In fact, we're only a few weeks removed from the last price drop.

It seems like the new 9800GTX/GX2 are merely refreshes to the 8800GTX/Ultra line. There may be a price drop on the GTX/Ultra, but I doubt there would be one for the rest of NVIDIA's product line.

4) See my response to question 2....

5) I still use the MX518 mouse and it suits my needs fine. (I'm probably in the minority, but I don't see much difference performance-wise between the MX518 and the G5.) I'd say go with what's more comfortable with you.

Though you didn't ask, you don't really need any special/high-performance RAM for the Q6600... even if you plan on overclocking the CPU. Just get a 4GB kit under $100, like the ones from A-DATA or G.Skill.
 
Thanks for the reply :) I actually am getting the 8800GTX already... I was thinking of getting another 8800GTX in a month to do SLI.. Wouldn't that make the SLI stuff worth it?

I also found some cheaper prices to save some more money.. and it's only about $100 more expensive now than the other build. I definitely won't wait 6 months to get the new card, one month.. a month and a half tops.
 
Wait on getting the second 8800GTX... depending on the games you play, you may not need it.

Also, make sure you register your 8800GTX with EVGA. With its 90-day step-up policy, it may be easier (if not cheaper) for you to just swap the 8800GTX for either a 9800GTX or a 9800GX2.
 
No, your motherboard isn't SLI ready. If you'd like one, the MSI P7N Diamond is a great choice, since you're getting a quadcore.

I agree, a single vidcard should be fine (if not the GTS 512MB or HD3870X2, hopefully a newer 9000 series card). However, since you are getting a 24" monitor, SLI would be a good option to have if you end up not liking the performance of a single card.
 
+1 on the MSI P7N Diamond. People are now having success with E8400s too. I'd say its the best 780i board available.
 
Markyip1 said:
+1 on the MSI P7N Diamond. People are now having success with E8400s too. I'd say its the best 780i board available.
Click to expand...

Only one I would even consider. The reference boards seem to be an even bigger joke this time around... but maybe I'm asking for a lot. Expecting progress and all. :rolleyes:

Let's see... SLI build...

Assuming you get the $300 LCD to free up some cash..

$250 - Q6600
$50 - Zerotherm Nirvana NV120 ($10 MIR)
$300 - MSI P7N Diamond 780i SLI
$700 - 2x 8800 GTX (AR, or used)
$160 - PC Power & Cooling Silencer 750 Quad Black
$115 - 500GB Seagate 7200.10 SATA
$30 - 20X Samsung DVDRW SATA
$100 - 4GB OCZ DDR2-800 ($30 MIR)
$15 - AS Ceramique / AS5 / whatever
$100 - case of some description
$300 - LG 24" LCD (Circuit City in store clearance)
$230 - speakers
$160 - soundcard

~$2500 + shipping.

I think I over-simplified on the prices a bit... but you're close. Look for a few deals and I see no reason you can't sun SLI right out of the gate, assuming the 24" doesn't end up costing you $600+.

Did I forget something...?
 
The P7N Diamond is in a sense the only 780i board that is a progressive jump from the 680i collection. With the 680i boards (and with other 780i boards,) you had two options -- go with a reference (evga & xfx) board which OCs easily, but accept the very real risk of component failure due to quality and reliability issues, or go with a non-reference board that won't have those issues, but also won't OC worth a damn. The P7N Diamond features significantly better components than the reference board and can OC just as well. It's truly an SLI board worth considering.
 
If budget is a problem drop the soundcard first. Also consider finding an old full height X-Fi XtremeMusic (not the new half-heights, they're horrible) for like $50-60 instead of the Fatality card. Practically the same hardware, and soundcards don't exactly 'wear out'. My PCI SoundBlaster Pro is testament to this. ;)
 
$220 - Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 G0 Stepping Kentsfield 2.40GHz 8MB L2 LGA 775 Processor OEM HH80562PH0568M SLACR (coupon works without adding a motherboard)
$30 - Kingwin Revolution H.D.T. (Heat-pipe Direct Touch) CPU Cooler RVT-12025, for Intel LGA775 and AMD Socket AM2/754/939/940 CPUs
$70 - 4GB DDR2 PC6400 DUAL A-DATA
$105 - ASRock Penryn1600SLI-110dB LGA 775 NVIDIA nForce 650i SLI ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
$245 ($30MIR) - MSI NX8800GTS-T2D512E GeForce 8800GTS (G92) 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail
$245 ($30MIR) - MSI NX8800GTS-T2D512E GeForce 8800GTS (G92) 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail
$140 - SAMSUNG Spinpoint F1 HD753LJ 750GB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM
$34 - SAMSUNG Black 20X DVD+R 2MB Cache SATA 20X DVD±R DVD Burner with LightScribe - OEM
$120 (YMMV) - Rocketfish Aluminum Full Tower Case--BestBuy Clearance
$130 - Rosewill RX950-S-B ATX 12V v2.2 & EPS 12V v2.91 950W Power Supply 100 - 240 V TUV, FCC, UL, CE, ROHS - Retail (use code EMCADAEAB)
 
Don't agree with the above build.

650i SLI is... blah, and at 1920x1200 the 8800 GTX is a better choice than the 8800 GTS 512MB, though there's no denying the price is good on the MSI cards, and I could probably get behind them for budget reasons.

I also am not a fan of ASUS, so their "value" brand is even worse in my eyes. No ASRock stuff.

Even at 950 watts, without knowing the OEM for that Rosewill PSU I wouldn't touch it with a 10 foot pole.
 
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