New PC build...need help

[kirb1971]

1. What YOUR PC will be used for. That means what types of tasks you'll be performing.
Mainly gaming. Other simple home PC stuff, but nothing big or intensive outside of gaming (though will want plenty of storage as well)
2. What YOUR budget is. A price range is acceptable as long as it's not more than a 20% spread
under $1,000...the lower the better, without sacrificing too much on an already cheap-ish build.
3. What country YOU will be buying YOUR parts from.
US
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.
All my past builds have been AMD, but I haven't build a PC in a little over 4 years. Seems Intel is the way to go now, so was planning to go with that. For video card, I was wanting to go nvidia. I've only used ATI once, and had a lot of compatibility issues with some games I played (this was probably 4-5 years ago though).
5. If YOU intend on using any of YOUR current parts, and if so, what those parts are.
only monitor...rest of my PC is too old to reuse I think.
6. IF YOU have searched and/or read similar threads.
Been mulling over a build off and on for about a year now, and try to look over threads to get ideas as much as I can.
7. IF YOU plan on overclocking or run the system at default speeds.
default for now. maybe minor overclocking if it's fairly easy, but I haven't done that for years either so I'm rusty.
8. WHEN do you plan to build it?
near future I hope...was wanting to order in next few days.

What I have after going over threads here and the guides at the top is as follows:

CPU&MB (combo deal at newegg) - $274.98:
Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 Wolfdale 3.0GHz LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor Model BX80570E8400 - Retail
ASUS P5Q Pro LGA 775 Intel P45 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
RAM - $62.99:
G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail
Graphics - $269.99:
EVGA 896-P3-1260-AR GeForce GTX 260 896MB 448-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail
Power Supply - 109.99:
CORSAIR CMPSU-650TX 650W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Power Supply - Retail
Case - $79.99:
COOLER MASTER RC-690-KKN1-GP Black SECC/ ABS ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail
Hard Drive - $79.99:
Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD6400AAKS 640GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM
DVD - $25.99:
SAMSUNG Black 22X DVD+R 22X DVD-R 16X DVD-ROM 2MB Cache SATA 22X DVD±R DVD Burner with LightScribe - OEM
CPU Fan - $19.99:
ARCTIC COOLING Freezer 7 Pro 92mm CPU Cooler - Retail

Total of about $925+shipping (minus $80 in mail in rebates)

Main questions:
1) Is it worth saving about $50 to get E7200 instead of the E8400?
2) Is it worth spending only $7 more to get the 1000 RAM instead of 800? (G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1000)
3) Spend $20 more to get 750W PS over the 650W above?
4) Should I get the system builders version of Vista they sell here? or stick with a full boxed version?
5) Any other bits of advice? Am I missing anything?

 

[disports]

Pretty solid I must say.

1) Hmm, E7200 is also a solid buy at it's price range (was down to $87 at frys, but sold out now I think). But then the combo deal is gone right? If you were to go to the E7200, you could get the Gigabyte P35 or P45 boards to save a little bit also.
2) Honestly, it's your choice whether or not you want to spend $7 more for DDR2-1000 (it will give you more leeway if you choose to overclock higher). DDR2-800 can overclock decently (i.e. I'm using 445 FSB)
3) 650TX PSU should suffice, 750 PSU is overkill but I guess you were to upgrade your video card in the future, it wouldn't hurt.
4) I use XP so I'll let someone else answer this.

Also, what resolution will you be gaming at? ATI cards are doing reasonably well right now (4850, 4870). Give it a try and they're a little shorter in length if that matters.

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

4870

 

[thecrecarc]

Stay with your CPU, its fine. No need getting a higher speeded ram, the benefits are minimal. If you are not planning on overclocking, the stock heatsink is perfectly suitable. It can even withstand minor overclocking if you choose. A corsair 650w is perfectly fine, there you do not need a 750w.


All in all, its a very good rig. The only major change is I would personally get a 4870 over the GTX 260. The 4870 is faster than the GTX 260, and as shown here: http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814125225
It's even cheaper if you count the rebate.

Also, I dislike your case, but admittedly, a case is generally a personal choice about looks.

Your rig looks fine, GJ.

 

[Roguestar]

The 4870 1GB is like $20 more and will outperform the GTX260 quite considerably, I'd even get it over the standard 512MB 4870.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814121277
DDR2-800 is good for a mild overclock.
Get the Vista x64 OEM System Builders copy.

 

[kirb1971]

thecrecarc,
what case would you suggest? all I really care about for case is I like the USB connections a lot of cases have at the top now (just seems handy for one that sits on the floor), and something that works well/cools well. Looks aren't a big deal to me either way since no one else really sees it. function > form.

Roguestar (or anyone)...I'm fine going with vista...question was more about the system builders bit. Are there any drawbacks to getting that over a "normal" copy? or is it just like oem vs retail for other parts?

 

[Roguestar]

It's like going OEM or retail, but additionally it is "tied" to a single system, the system the presume you are buying it to build. If you want to move the install to another computer, once activated, you may have to call MS support. They are generally good about it, though, if you explain that you had to replace the motherboard or something then they'll reactivate it for you.

FYI the Coolermaster CM 690 is quite a nice case. I like that is has the ports on the top too, and eSATA as well.

 

[kirb1971]

any last minute advice? just thought I'd ask once more...think I'll try to put in an order later this evening.

Also, right now I'm planning on just ordering everything from newegg. Any other major sites with good reps that I should check prices on? I know there are a ton of random sellers, but just want to stick with a couple that have really good reps.

 

[disports]

Zipzoomfly.com, If there's a microcenter nearby, I'm sure there are some others, Frys.com

 

[sonnygdude]

Mwave has some good deals. Ewiz maybe?

 

[kirb1971]

Ok, I didn't pull the trigger yet. The system I listed in the initial post is still the system I'm looking to build. I've put off buying so far simply on the chance that prices drop for holiday shopping. So I thought I'd add a couple questions if anyone is willing to answer.

1) Since I haven't built in quite a while, would a system as listed in the original post likely see much of a discount by waiting till Thanksgiving weeked or shortly after, or are the parts probably at stable enough prices now that I'm about as well off buying now as I would be in a few weeks (sometime after turkey day).

2) I still think I may go with the 260 vid card, mainly due to the loads of trouble I had way back when with ATI...kinda burned me out on them with all the driver problems and game crashes I had, though that may all be in the past. But with that in mind, would spending the extra $60-75 more for a 216 core 260 over the 192 one show marked improvement? To me that amount of money is not a make or break deal, but if I'd hardly notice the difference, I'd probably just go with the cheaper one.

Games on my horizon are WoW's expansion and the eventual Diablo 3, and perhaps any interesting games in between. I don't play first person shooters or games like that that tend to be really taxing on systems, just those along the lines of MMOs/RPGs and Diablo 3 types.

I'd really like the system prior to WoW's expansion release so I don't have to mess with set-up shortly after the release, so it's the main reason I'm seeing if people think holding off for 3-4 weeks would likely benefit in price, or not so much and I might as well get it built now. Thanks again for any help, and appreciate all the advice so far (here and on many other threads I look through).

 

[disports]

Well I don't how much more prices will drop, but for one, that ram has dropped from $62.99 to $49.99, PSU down to $69.99 AR, HD down to $74.99