Upgrading my Computer

[Psychoxr20]

Hi, first time posting here.

I'm looking to upgrade my computer. I've done upgrades before, but the last time I got any new parts was a little over 3 years ago, so I am feeling kind of rusty. I want to make sure that all the parts I am getting are compatible before I buy them. Being a poor college student, I am on a somewhat tight budget, so I have chosen parts I feel are quality enough for what I need (mainly gaming) but cheap enough that I can afford them. Here's what I got so far.

Motherboard
BIOSTAR A770 AMD Motherboard
Newegg.com - BIOSTAR A770 A2+ AM2+/AM2 AMD 770 ATX AMD Motherboard - AMD Motherboards

Processor
AMD Athlon 64 X2 6400+ Dual-Core Processor
Newegg.com - AMD Athlon 64 X2 6400+ Windsor 3.2GHz 2 x 1MB L2 Cache Socket AM2 125W Dual-Core Processor - CPUs / Processors

RAM
CORSAIR 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 800
Newegg.com - CORSAIR 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Desktop Memory

Graphics Card
EVGA GeForce 8800GT 512MB
Newegg.com - EVGA 512-P3-N801-AR GeForce 8800GT 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Desktop Graphics / Video Cards

Power Supply
COOLMAX 700WPower Supply
Newegg.com - COOLMAX CUG-700B 700W ATX 12V( V.2.2) Power Supply 115/ 230 V - Power Supplies

I'm not trying to build a monster of a system, I just need something that will hold me over for 6-12 months or so until I graduate (been playing off a Athlon 3200+ and a GeForce 7800 for the last three years). I've read various reviews and I am fairly certain that the motherboard and processor are compatible, but I'm a little unsure on the ram, and I could use some advice on the power supply as well (it had good reviews and it's cheap).

Any insight would be much appreciated.

 

[veg1992]

Drop the X2 6400+ to a X2 5000+ BE, that should save you some cash, and it overclocks a lot better than the 6400+ and runs cooler while consuming less power

Newegg.com - A-DATA Vitesta 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Desktop Memory

get that Kit

and that PSU is a crappy brand name, you could get away with a Rosewill RP550

Newegg.com - Rosewill RP550-2 ATX12V v2.01 550W Power Supply 115/230 V CSA,UL,TUV, FCC - Power Supplies

or get a Corsair 550VX or Corsair 450vx

since you saved some cash on the x2 5000+ BE and the PSU and the RAM Kit, you can get the extra $10 and its a bit more powerful
Newegg.com - ECS N8800GTS-512MX GeForce 8800GTS (G92) 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Desktop Graphics / Video Cards

 

[Sora]

Go Intel...much more powerful for the money now. You built it 3 years ago when AMD was king. However Intel has taken over since summer of 06 and AMD is having a hard time competing.

I can see you are 3 years out of the loop by your choices heh...

Change the CPU to an Intel Core 2 Duo E7200 and the motherboard to a Gigabyte EP35-DS3L
Newegg.com - Intel Core 2 Duo E7200 Wolfdale 2.53GHz 3MB L2 Cache LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor - CPUs / Processors
Newegg.com - GIGABYTE GA-EP35-DS3L LGA 775 Intel P35 ATX Intel Motherboard - Intel Motherboards

This ram is better as Corsair ram is not that good for it's money or quality..now days you pay for the name.
Newegg.com - A-DATA Vitesta 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Desktop Memory

The Rosewill RP550-S-SL that vernog linked has plenty enough power and stability.

OR you could choose this one which has slighlty more power and a 5-year warranty.
CORSAIR VX550W 550W Power Supply CMPSU-550VX Power Supply Retail at ZipZoomfly

Corsair have moved from great ram to AMAZING PSU's especially for the money.

Use the money we saved you to upgrade to an 8800GTS 512 like the one vernong also linked

However you have to understand this system contradicts what you want to do.....this IS a monster of a system if thats a problem ...especially when overclocked.

 

[Psychoxr20]

Drop the X2 6400+ to a X2 5000+ BE, that should save you some cash, and it overclocks a lot better than the 6400+ and runs cooler while consuming less power

Can you elaborate more on this? I'm not particularly interested or fond of overclocking, just not my cup of tea, so wouldn't a 3.2 Ghz be better than a 2.6 Ghz? And while I did say I'm not trying to make the ultimate gaming PC, I do want to be able to play games like Crysis, Bioshock, Age of Conan (main reason I decided to upgrade) etc. with high graphics (though I suppose that's more the graphics card and RAM isn't it).

 

[veg1992]

Its a really simple OC, its a just a matter of increasing the Multiplier one time, and its at 3.2ghz at the same speed of the x2 6400+, but you could go Intel, its more powerful

 

[Sora]

Can you elaborate more on this? I'm not particularly interested or fond of overclocking, just not my cup of tea, so wouldn't a 3.2 Ghz be better than a 2.6 Ghz? And while I did say I'm not trying to make the ultimate gaming PC, I do want to be able to play games like Crysis, Bioshock, Age of Conan (main reason I decided to upgrade) etc. with high graphics (though I suppose that's more the graphics card and RAM isn't it).

perhaps you should become interested. I myself am also soon to be a poor college kid come fall and let me tell you from one poor one to the next that overclocking is 100% safe and 100% worth it these days. These are not the 90's or even 3 years ago when you built your system. The Athlon X2 and Core 2 Duo with the new features of motherboards changed overclocking into a VERY good option. These chips can increase your value by hundred of dollars when overclocked. Look at my chip...it was $186 bucks almost 2 years ago and was stock 1.86ghz. 2 years later i have it running at 3.5ghz+ and beating the new chips that are stock.

Don't expect to play the newest games at that high settings with an old Windsor....move up to Core 2 Duo. Come to dark side once and still known as Intel

The parts me and vernong have chose:

CPU:E7200
Mobo: Ep35-DS3L
RAM: 2x2GB A-Data Vitesta
PSU: RP550V2-2-SL OR Corsair 550VX
GPU: 8800GTS 512

can be had for under 600 before shipping (even less after all the MIR's)

That system will burn pretty much any game these days stock...overclocked it will be a monster of a rig that will eat up games and greatly increase your value.

 

[veg1992]

Actually the 5000+ BE is a Brisbane 65nm CPU 95w

But Sora's right in terms of overclocking, you can have a 1000$ CPU in you control for like $200 (oc that e7200 to like 3.5ghz [like Sora has]) can perform better than this

Newegg.com - Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9650 Yorkfield 3.0GHz 12MB L2 Cache LGA 775 130W Quad-Core Processor - CPUs / Processors

 

[Psychoxr20]

However you have to understand this system contradicts what you want to do.....this IS a monster of a system if thats a problem ...especially when overclocked.

Haha, I have no problems with it being a monster of a system, I just didn't want to spend an arm and a leg for it .

I have some serious reservations about going back to Intel, especially after the experiences I have had with AMD, but if you guys really think it that much more superior, I won't try and argue, like you said, I am 3 years out of the loop, I really haven't spent much time at all these last few years keeping up with CPU's and I guess it shows.

 

[Sora]

You should have been around for the last 2 years.....at first everyone hated the dark side of intel...then slowly one after one people moved to intel after seeing AMD lost this round. Die hard AMD fans kept their hope up with the Phenom which is AMD's quad cores but they aren't as fast as Intel's.

Trust us....i have been watching the computing market like a hawk since the release of core 2 duo.

 

[Psychoxr20]

Looking at the motherboard, I couldn't tell, does it have any IDE slots? I'm 90% sure my DVD-drive is IDE, and if I don't have to, I don't really have any reason to replace it. I noticed the board comes with an IDE/PATA cable, but it doesn't say anything about an IDE slot (unless IDE/PATA are interchangeable or something (clearly I am way the f out of the loop)) The picture looks like it has one, but I'd just like to be sure.

I appreciate all your guys' help. I'm sure I sound like a blabbering idiot, I just take buying computer parts extremely seriously, as I don't have a huge amount of funds to "test" stuff out.