New Computer for Christmas

[Ciufo19]

I've been planning on building a new system at the end of the year (waiting for X-Mas/after-X-mas sales). Here are the components I'm considering; I'm hoping you can give me some feedback regarding compatibility/bang for the buck. Next to each item are questions/issues that might come up.

Case: Antec P160 or PlusView1080AMG (depending on deals I find; also, am I correct in assuming that BTX won't be standard for a long time? I want the case to last through future systems if at all posssible.)
PSU: Antec TruePower 480 or 550W (issue: I Googled but couldn't find a straight answer regarding 20 pin vs 24 pin connectors; is the EPS 12v the same as the 24 pin ATX? I noticed some ATX PSUs have a 20 pin connector and another 4 pin connector, so would they be connected next to each other?)
CPU: AMD Athlon 64 3200 or 3500, s939, 90nm
MB: Not entirely sure; probably ASUS A8N-E when available, maybe SLI but I highly doubt it. (I assume there won't be compatibiity issues with the 90nm processor?)
RAM: 512 MB of PC3200 now, then add another stick later for dual channel 1GB. (I assume any brand like Kingston or Crucial will be fine? Also, what about DDR-433,466,and 500; are those just for overclocking?)
Video: Probably some variant of the PCI-E 6600GT or 6800GT when available

I already have speakers, mouse, KB, IDE HD (will buy an SATA one later) and monitor.

I'm looking for a system that will compete well in games and that has decent upgrade potential, for a good price. Also, I will not be overclocking, at least not right away. (Just to give me an idea of what performance I can expect, can anyone with a similar system tell me what FPS they get in Flight Simulator 2004 with max detail and 1280x1024? I get about 3 (yes, 3) on my current system).

Finally, I downloaded WinXP Pro 64bit beta; has anyone used it, and is it fit for daily use?

Thanks for your help.

 

[Gnoad]

I think your all set really. I believe you can use the 64bit windows, but it will be much more unstable and you may not always get things to work correctly. Your probably better off just using normal WinXP until MS releases the finished product.

 

[KayKay]

Originally posted by: Gnoad
I think your all set really. I believe you can use the 64bit windows, but it will be much more unstable and you may not always get things to work correctly. Your probably better off just using normal WinXP until MS releases the finished product.

yeah, it might be good to try it out a little bit to see the direction that that OS is taking, but it's probably better to use just XP if you want a more stable OS with better compatibility.

also check this link regarding eps12v
http://www.rackmount.com/Rackacc/ATXGES.htm

 

[dc5]

512mb is the minimum if you want to play the latest games. so just get the 1gb pc3200 dual channel kit.

 

[gururu]

Originally posted by: dc5
512mb is the minimum if you want to play the latest games. so just get the 1gb pc3200 dual channel kit.

I agree, its better to get a kit just to make sure they are compatible. Also, 1 gb makes for a huge difference, particularly in HL2 (loading times, in game autosaving, etc.).

 

[Dethfrumbelo]

If you can, it'd be a good idea to wait until after Xmas to upgrade. The retailers are in scam mode right now on NF4 and popular PCI-e cards, although I understand the supply/demand thing is really out of whack.

Xmas is just another day after all, nothing special.

 

[rcomo]

I would avoid PCI-E like the plague right now. Whenever you by bleeding edge hardware, you get screwed. I think a high end nForce3 Ultra/AGP setup will last you longer. Just my HO.

 

[Ciufo19]

About Windows: I have Windows 98, and was planning on waiting for Longhorn before I upgrade, since XP is 3 years old already. I might get the OEM XP from Newegg, but I have 2 hard drives so I don't mind fooling around with 64.

About RAM: I see I can get 2x512 Kingston for about $130 now, so maybe I'll do that (I had previously been assuming 170+). I'm on a fairly tight budget, so I was trying to conserve, but if it's a huge difference then I'll go for it.

PCI-E: When you mean screwed, do you mean quality wise or price wise (or both)? I probably won't be getting a whole new system for 4-5 years; so I wouldn't mind paying a LITTLE more now. Like i said, my choices might change; I'm waiting until everything hits the market to see.