First timer, help

[C6CorvetteZ51]

Hey guys, this is my first time posting in the forums. From what i can see there is a lot of a experience here. So here i go with my questions. I will be building a computer from the ground up for the first time ever. Im looking for a complete gaming machine for about 2500. I picked up a lot of info from posts in the forum. So im going to post what i have gotten and would love to hear some feedback about if everyting will work together and if there are better items i could replace mine with for cheaper.

Case: Thermaltake Armor Series VA8000BWS $149.99
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/Produ...ductCode=371252

Motherboard: eVGA 122-CK-NF68-AR Socket T $254.99
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/Produ...ductCode=246707

CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 $310.9
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/Produ...oductCode=80860

CPU Cooler: Zalman CNPS9500 $52.99
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/Produ...ductCode=373509

Grease Arctic Silver 5 $5.99 + 4.99 = 10.98
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...N82E16835100007

RAM: Corsair 2GB DDR2-800 $261.00 – 40.00 = 221.00
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/Produ...uctCode=85025-5

Video Card: EVGA GeForce 8800GTS $454.99 – 20.00 – 30.00= 404.99
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/Produ...ductCode=322839

Hard Drive: Western Digital Caviar SE16 500GB 179.99 – 10.00 = 169.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16822136014

Optical Drive: SAMSUNG Black 16X $32.99 + 5.64 = 38.63
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...N82E16827151136

Power Supply: Thermaltake W0106RU 700W $155.99 – 16.52 = 139.47
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...N82E16817153039

Sound Card: Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeGamer $145.99 + 6.34 = 152.33
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16829102005

Speakers: Logitech Z-5500 $263.99 + 31.93 = 295.92
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16836121120

Monitor: SAMSUNG 204B-BK Black 20.1" 5ms LCD Monitor $349.99 + 15.44 = 365.43
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16824001226

Mouse: My own

Keyboard: My own

Operating system: Microsoft Windows XP Home $99.99 +4.99 = 104.98
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16837116194


Price: $2672.68


As you can see the price is a little high right now for what im trying for, but stll is ok. The MoBo may be a little overkill, wondering what you think. Im really unsure about the ram, i see the same exact ram from the same company for wide range of prices. Mine would be a cheaper one, it still ok? I could get two 250gb hard drives and run at raid 0, would it be any different from the 500gb? It seems like i could get a cheaper sound blaster too, opinions? And finally my moniter, widescreen or not to widescreen? It would seem you have more viewing area on a 4:3 moniter at the same size. But some gamers are saying go with a widescreen instead? I see some 22" widescreens for the same price as mine, opinions? Anyways, what else am i missing for building a system? I think just some wires. I would love alot of feedback, this is my first time i want it to go smoothly so i dont have to buy another dell..

 

[Ste]

Better Motherboard
Better PSU For same Amount as the one you posted

And Really you can buy this PSU and its still way more than you need

Better quality Optical Drives are Optorite and Plextor

 

[KBlair]

Also, any particular reason you want Windows XP Home? I'd go for the extra $10 for Windows Media Center Edition.

 

[C6CorvetteZ51]

Sure i could certainly the media center edition XP, Qustion is why are the Mobo and PSU better then the ones i posted? Also could you post a specific optical drive thats better for around the same price and why? ty for your response

 

[KBlair]

That motherboard would do fine if you can afford it, but it would be a waste if you don't plan on SLIing your 8800GTS.

And that power supply Ste suggested would do fine, but I prefer an OCZ GameXStream 700w for about the same price as your original.

Also, your links are horrendously crippled, please fix them.

 

[C6CorvetteZ51]

Ok im going to try to fix the links. i see what i did, i put them into word and pasted them from there. As a result they all were shortened.

Case: Thermaltake Armor Series VA8000BWS $149.99
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=371252

Motherboard: eVGA 122-CK-NF68-AR Socket T $254.99
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=246707

CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 $310.9
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=80860

CPU Cooler: Zalman CNPS9500 $52.99
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=373509

Grease Arctic Silver 5 $5.99 + 4.99 = 10.98
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16835100007

RAM: Corsair 2GB DDR2-800 $261.00 – 40.00 = 221.00
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?roductCode=85025-5

Video Card: EVGA GeForce 8800GTS $454.99 – 20.00 – 30.00= 404.99
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=322839

Hard Drive: Western Digital Caviar SE16 500GB 179.99 – 10.00 = 169.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16822136014

Optical Drive: SAMSUNG Black 16X $32.99 + 5.64 = 38.63
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16827151136

Power Supply: OCZ GameXStream 700W Power Supply 149.99 -25 = 124.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817341002

Sound Card: Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeGamer $145.99 + 6.34 = 152.33
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16829102005

Speakers: Logitech Z-5500 $263.99 + 31.93 = 295.92
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16836121120

Monitor: SAMSUNG 204B-BK Black 20.1" 5ms LCD Monitor $349.99 + 15.44 = 365.43
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16824001226

Operating System: Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 109.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16832116171


Ok the links should be fixed. As for the mobo, would it be a good idea to the have ability to sli the two 8800Gts when i need more power or just get a new card is say 2 years? Another thing is some of these links are oem parts. They will still need cords and such. Will my cords for the hard drive and opictal drives from my 4 year old dell work? or they not sufficient or possible incompatable? I was wondering is the paste necessary for all gaming comps? or just for those that are going to overclock? I still have a couple of questions in the original post that im unsure about too. Again, TY for your time.

 

[bzflag]

As for the mobo, would it be a good idea to the have ability to sli the two 8800Gts when i need more power or just get a new card is say 2 years? Will my cords for the hard drive and opictal drives from my 4 year old dell work? or they not sufficient or possible incompatable? I was wondering is the paste necessary for all gaming comps? or just for those that are going to overclock?

Well considering the 8800 can easily handle anything on the market today I would say you have a few years before you would be forced to upgrade. In 3-4 years who even knows if SLI will still be a good idea or there might be a better alternative out there. I would just go with the cheaper mobo.

All the cords you need will come with your mobo.

The paste is always a good idea. The lower the temperatures the better, and at 5 bucks its well worth it.

 

[Ste]

If your going to Spend 250$ something on a motherboard, than Get the Best overclocking one.
ASUS P5B E or a Gigabyte DS3. And they Are Cheaper.

The optical drives were just a suggestions you would only want Plextor or optorite if you wanted to burn money or Do a ton of DVD ripping/Burning.

 

[C6CorvetteZ51]

Ok so im sitting at this:

Case: Thermaltake Armor Series VA8000BWS $149.99
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/Produ...ductCode=371252

Motherboard: ASUS P5B-E Socket T $150.99+6.41 = 157.40
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813131070

CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 $310.9
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/Produ...oductCode=80860

CPU Cooler: Zalman CNPS9500 $52.99
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/Produ...ductCode=373509

Grease Arctic Silver 5 $5.99 + 4.99 = 10.98
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...N82E16835100007

RAM: Corsair 2GB DDR2-800 $261.00 – 40.00 = 221.00
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/Produ...uctCode=85025-5

Video Card: EVGA GeForce 8800GTS $454.99 – 20.00 – 30.00= 404.99
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/Produ...ductCode=322839

Hard Drive: Western Digital Caviar SE16 500GB 179.99 – 10.00 = 169.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...N82E16822136014

Optical Drive: SAMSUNG Black 16X $32.99 + 5.64 = 38.63
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...N82E16827151136

Power Supply: OCZ GameXStream 700W Power Supply 149.99 -25 = 124.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...N82E16817341002

Sound Card: Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeGamer $145.99 + 6.34 = 152.33
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...N82E16829102005

Speakers: Logitech Z-5500 $263.99 + 31.93 = 295.92
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...N82E16836121120

Monitor: SAMSUNG 204B-BK Black 20.1" 5ms LCD Monitor $349.99 + 15.44 = 365.43
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...N82E16824001226

Operating System: Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 109.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...N82E16832116171


Ok so im at this build. Everthing look ok? I just want the best products for around these price ranges. Im still unsure about the Mobo and the ram, they both high quality? I think the optical drive should be fine, i dont do much burning. Unless the drive is crap, dont think i should spend more on it. My moniter, widescreen or not to widescreen? It would seem you have more viewing area on a 4:3 moniter at the same size. But some gamers are saying go with a widescreen instead? I see some 22" widescreens for the same price as mine, opinions? Anyone see my case in person? it seems nice, but there are soo many to chose from

 

[RalliArt882]

You're links are broken

By the way, do you drive a Corvette?