Critique my parts before I order Please!!!

[eVaoVe]

I've never ever built a PC before and for the past couple of months I've been trying to learn. I've been using my 4 year old Sony VAIO ever since 2000. So It's about time to upgrade, so can you guys please judge the parts im ordering.

Thermaltake VA3000 (can't decide on clear side panel or not any advantages?)
Antec 430W True430
AMD Athlon64 3200+ 90nm
ASUS A8V Deluxe / MSI K8N Neo2 (can't decide, I hear problems w/ MSI)
1GB OCZ PC3500 Enhanced Latencety
eVGA Geforce 6800GT (unless someone has a sale for BFG Geforce 6800GTs)
Seagate 200GB UATA100 Retail Drive (I already ordered but is SATA a lot nicer than IDE?)
NEC 3500A DVD Drive

Lastly is a Floppy Disk required to update my BIOS and ish? Can I update my BIOS via CD or is it only by Floppy DIsk.

I'd appreciate any advice

 

[Adn4n]

I'd get the floppy because it makes life a lot easier sometimes. Go with the K8N-E Deluxe Asus board, not the A8V Deluxe. Sata drives respond faster, but not that much. And if you're going to overclock with the K8N-E Deluxe, the IDE drive will go up to 9x271, unlike the Sata which is at 10x230 max. And since you have 3500 instead of 3200 PC ram, I'm just assuming you will be overclocking.

 

[kd2777]

Looks good I like the Neo, I have heard of a few problems, but it is still Anandtech's favorite 939 board. I also like the Soltek, it is cheaper but has a lot of features.

The advantage of a window is seeing your "stuff". Take for example the ASUS board, for the most part it is drab to look at, on the other hand the MSI and the Soltek are colorful and are just begging to be put in a windowed case to be shown off. If showing your computer off isn't you, then a window is not for you either. Also keep in mind case cleanliness. There is nothing worse than a windowed case that looks like a tornado just went through, you will have to spend a little more time tidying things up if it is on display all the time.

KD

 

[iwantanewcomputer]

looks good. i'd get a window. they're cool.
there's no reason to get a sata other than the smaller/better looking cable, but you can always get a rounded ide cable that looks good too

 

[caz67]

Nice system, good choices.