My next build

[Dewey]

1. What YOUR PC will be used for. That means what types of tasks you'll be performing.

I develop software, do some digital photography with Photoshop and play some games (WOW).

2. What YOUR budget is. A price range is acceptable as long as it's not more than a 20% spread

Probably less than $2000.00

3. What country YOU will be buying YOUR parts from.

USA

4. IF YOU have a brand preference. That means, are you an Intel-Fanboy, AMD-Fanboy, ATI-Fanboy, nVidia-Fanboy, Seagate-Fanboy, WD-Fanboy, etc, etc, etc, you get the picture.

Unaffiliated

5. If YOU intend on using any of YOUR current parts, and if so, what those parts are.

I already have an Antec p182 and Windows Vista.

6. IF YOU have searched and/or read similar threads.

Yes

7. IF YOU plan on overclocking or run the system at default speeds.

No overclocking.

The Plan

My priority is to be quiet, but not silent. With quiet in mind I picked the PSU, HD and Video.

Current List:

Case:Have the Antec p182

Mobo:GIGABYTE GA-EP35-DS3P

PSU:CORSAIR CMPSU-520HX

Video:MSI NX8800GT 512M OC GeForce 8800GT 512MB

CPU:e8400

RAM:8GB so 2xG.SKILL 4GB(2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800

HD:Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 (Perpendicular Recording) ST3400620AS 400GB

Mass Storage:Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 ST3750330AS 750GB

DVD:Liteon

Questions

A. This video is fanless so I'm interested:ECS N8800GT-512MX+ GeForce 8800GT 512MB

B. Any issues with 4 RAM modules (8GB)in this mobo? RAM just seems so cheap.

C. Will this machine be on the quiet side?

 

[MarcVenice]

The 8800gt from MSI shouldn't be audible in your case, perhaps when gaming if it revs up ( which my older 8800gts 320mb never does ) and even then, you're gaming with a lot of sound, so who cares ?

The passively cooled ECS is nice, but it's ECS Dunno, I don't think ECS is the most solid brand out there. You could always just get the MSI card, and if it's to loud, buy a aftermarket passive cooler, like the one on the ECS board.

I'd get the samsung f1 750gb HD btw, it's faster then the Seagate. And why the ds3p ? Why not a ds3l ? Or ds3r ? Or this one: http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/...7195&prodlist=celebros

Rest of the build looks good Oh, 8gb might be overkill btw, could go with 2x2gb first and see if you ever use all 4gb or not ...

 

[GuitarDaddy]

I've seen several reviews of the fanless 8800gt's and they work and are very quiet, but they run way too hot for my taste and I can't beleive the heat won't effect their lifespan.

However Anandtech tested the Thermalright HR-03 GT
And it did an unbeleiveable job running fanless

And I agree with Marc that ECS isn't the brand I would want to buy a highend GPU from. Get a stock EVGA 8800GT for $200 and put the HR-03 on it.

And I have a general observation/suggestion, you state no overclocking then you present a list of components that would make a gamer/overclocker drool. In other words your stated purpose/usage doesn't line up with you list of components.

For your stated budget and purpose I would change the components quite a bit. For a development/photoshop box that plays WOW with no overclocking.

Drop the 8800gt to a 9600gt or less
Drop the the mobo from DS3P to DS3L
Switch the drives as Marc suggests
UP the CPU to a quad QX9650,Q9550,Q9450,Q6600 (the highest one that fits your budget)

The general idea being if the only gaming your doing is WOW you don't need to spend your money on highend graphics or an overclockers mobo and dual core CPU. You should spend the most on the fastest stock quad you can afford. I don't know what kind of development you will be doing but photoshop can certainly make use of a quad

 

[Roguestar]

I'd even drop the motherboard to the Abit IP35-E.