Alright, I think I'm finally ready to build the computer that I've been waiting 6 months to get. Here's what I've got lined up currently. Let me know if you have any suggestions or changes that I could make; but keep in mind that I'm already stretching my budget as it is, so I can't pay any more than I'm already planning. All these prices include shipping/tax:
Case: Thermaltake Kandalf VA9000BWS Retail
Price: $185.50+$18.99 ship=$204.49
Site: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811133152
Motherboard: MSI K8N Neo4 Platinum Ultra
Price: $142+$3.50ship= $145.50
Site: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813130484
Processor: AMD Athlon 64 4000+ San Diego(Retail?)
Price: $499.00
Site: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16819103529
Heatsink: Zalman CNPS7700-CU 120mm (Retail)
Price: $52.99+$5.99ship= $58.98
Site: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16835118115
Graphics Card: MSI RX850XT-TD256E PCI-Express
Price: $489+$4ship=$493.00
Site: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814127160
Power Supply: Antec NeoPower 480
Price: $58
Site: Already purchased
RAM: Corsair XMS 512MBX2 DDR SDRAM PC3200
Price: $94 x 2= $188.00
Site: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820145520
Hard Drive: 250GB Western Digital Caviar SE16 Drive,7200RPM Drive,16MB cache,SATA II
Price: $199
Site: http://store.westerndigital.com/product.asp?sku=2643746
Sound Card: Soundblaster Audigy 2 ZS
Price: $99.99-25%+$2.99ship=$77.98
Site: http://us.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=1&subcategory=204&product=4915
Floppy Drive: I/O Magic IFLP02 Black 3.5" Internal Floppy Drive- Retail
Price: $19.8+$3=$22.80
Site: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16821153104
DVD-RW Drive: BenQ Black DW1620 Pro BLK Bonus
Price: $61.99+$4=$65.99
Site: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16827101639
Mouse: Logitech MX310 Optical Mouse-Retail
Price: $22+$4.99= $26.99
Site: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16826104136
Keyboard: Lite-On SK-1688A/B Black PS/2
Price: $5.75+$5.55=$11.30
Site: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16823107119
Monitor: ViewSonic G90FB Black 19" CRT Retail
Price: $219.99+$16= $235.99
Site: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=24-116-282&depa=0
Arctic Silver AS5 Thermal Compound: $10 or less at retail stores(such as Fry's)
Windows XP-64 Pro OEM:
Price: $155.95+1.99= $157.94
Price Breakdown:
Case: $204.49
PSU: $58.00
Mobo: $145.5
Proc: $499.00
HSF: $58.98
VGA: $493.00
RAM: $188.00
HD: $199
Sound:$77.98
FD: $22.80
DVDRW:$65.99
Mouse:$26.99
key: $11.30
Monit:$235.99
AS5: ~$10
Soft: $157.94
Total Estimated Cost: $2,454.96
My only big doubts lie in my video card and OS selections. I realize that ATI cards don't have shader 3.0 support, but it seems like the current-gen nVidia cards have such poor support for it that it doesn't even really matter. And I've been waiting so long that I just don't feel that I can wait another 3 months for the next-gen G70 or r520 cards to come out. And also, do you think that xp-64 will have better driver support any time soon? I've heard that right now it's quite poor.
Thanks for reading through all this if you did, I know posts like this get to be a hassle; just seems like this is the best place to come for this sort of thing. Your feedback is much appreciated.
Case: Thermaltake Kandalf VA9000BWS Retail
Price: $185.50+$18.99 ship=$204.49
Site: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811133152
Motherboard: MSI K8N Neo4 Platinum Ultra
Price: $142+$3.50ship= $145.50
Site: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813130484
Processor: AMD Athlon 64 4000+ San Diego(Retail?)
Price: $499.00
Site: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16819103529
Heatsink: Zalman CNPS7700-CU 120mm (Retail)
Price: $52.99+$5.99ship= $58.98
Site: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16835118115
Graphics Card: MSI RX850XT-TD256E PCI-Express
Price: $489+$4ship=$493.00
Site: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814127160
Power Supply: Antec NeoPower 480
Price: $58
Site: Already purchased
RAM: Corsair XMS 512MBX2 DDR SDRAM PC3200
Price: $94 x 2= $188.00
Site: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820145520
Hard Drive: 250GB Western Digital Caviar SE16 Drive,7200RPM Drive,16MB cache,SATA II
Price: $199
Site: http://store.westerndigital.com/product.asp?sku=2643746
Sound Card: Soundblaster Audigy 2 ZS
Price: $99.99-25%+$2.99ship=$77.98
Site: http://us.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=1&subcategory=204&product=4915
Floppy Drive: I/O Magic IFLP02 Black 3.5" Internal Floppy Drive- Retail
Price: $19.8+$3=$22.80
Site: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16821153104
DVD-RW Drive: BenQ Black DW1620 Pro BLK Bonus
Price: $61.99+$4=$65.99
Site: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16827101639
Mouse: Logitech MX310 Optical Mouse-Retail
Price: $22+$4.99= $26.99
Site: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16826104136
Keyboard: Lite-On SK-1688A/B Black PS/2
Price: $5.75+$5.55=$11.30
Site: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16823107119
Monitor: ViewSonic G90FB Black 19" CRT Retail
Price: $219.99+$16= $235.99
Site: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=24-116-282&depa=0
Arctic Silver AS5 Thermal Compound: $10 or less at retail stores(such as Fry's)
Windows XP-64 Pro OEM:
Price: $155.95+1.99= $157.94
Price Breakdown:
Case: $204.49
PSU: $58.00
Mobo: $145.5
Proc: $499.00
HSF: $58.98
VGA: $493.00
RAM: $188.00
HD: $199
Sound:$77.98
FD: $22.80
DVDRW:$65.99
Mouse:$26.99
key: $11.30
Monit:$235.99
AS5: ~$10
Soft: $157.94
Total Estimated Cost: $2,454.96
My only big doubts lie in my video card and OS selections. I realize that ATI cards don't have shader 3.0 support, but it seems like the current-gen nVidia cards have such poor support for it that it doesn't even really matter. And I've been waiting so long that I just don't feel that I can wait another 3 months for the next-gen G70 or r520 cards to come out. And also, do you think that xp-64 will have better driver support any time soon? I've heard that right now it's quite poor.
Thanks for reading through all this if you did, I know posts like this get to be a hassle; just seems like this is the best place to come for this sort of thing. Your feedback is much appreciated.