Let me know what you think of this

[SIK1]

I think I have finaly decided on what I am going to use in my new comp build.
Let me know what you think.

Asus P5E X38; mobo
Intel E8400 Wolfdale; CPU
4GB Crucial Ballistic Tracer DDR2; memory
XFX Geforce 8800GT 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI-E; vid card
WD 36GB Raptor; HD
Rosewill RX850-D-B 850W; PS
antec 900; case

[Condor]

You may want to consider the 512MB 8800GTS for the better cooling configuration.  I'm sure either card will be great for AH.  The 8800GT cooling vents through the same slot that the card occupies.  The 800GTS  vents through the ajacent slot which results in greater air flow.  At the New Egg pricing of a few weeks ago I only had to spend $30 more for the 8800GTS. Since I had to spend $50 for an after market fan to cool my ATI 800XL which had the same configuration as the 8800GT I decided on the GTS.

[SIK1]

Thanks Condor that is just the kind of information I'm looking for.

[Hamltnblue]

I would also up the raptor to the 74 or 150 Gig version.

[Getback]

Looks great! especially with the other suggestions. Although I am shy about the raptors. Still others swear by them.

Good luck with the build.

[Reschke]

If I was you getting a GTS get the most RAM you can get. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130299.

[Condor]

In my research I learned that the 640MB GTS is an older card.  The 512MB GTS outperforms it by a big margin. 

[SIK1]

Last night, unexpectedly Newegg had the E8400 Wolfdale back in stock, (wasn't suppose too be in until 4/22) so I pulled the trigger.

Here is what I ended up with.

Asus P5E LGA 775 X38 mobo,
Intel E8400 Wolfdale processor,
4GB Corsair XMS2 DHX DDR2 800 memory, (after instant, and mail-in rebate I got the 4Gigs under $100)
WD Raptor 150GB HD,
XFX 8800GTS (G92) 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI-E 2.0 x 16 vid card,
Rosewill RX850-D-B 850W PS,
Asus HR-0205T HD DVD-ROM drive, ($10, as part of a package deal with the mobo)
Zalman CNPS9500 CPU cooling fan,
Windows XP Pro SP2 OS,
Antec 900 case.

[The Fugitive]

So Sik, what was the grand total for the rig?

[SIK1]

Before taxes and shipping just under $1,400.   That is a little more than what I wanted to spend, I was trying to keep it around $1,200, but not that far off.

The gov did go to all the trouble of giving me some extra cash to help the economy out, so I did   

Now if I could just figure out where they found all that extra cash.

[Toad]

They found it in China and billed it to your children. 

[SIK1]

They found it in China and billed it to your children. 

Yeah that is what I was afraid of.

[Skuzzy]

Hmmm,...I would have gone with a 750W PC Power and Cooling power supply.  Newegg had them on sale.

[Reschke]

In my research I learned that the 640MB GTS is an older card.  The 512MB GTS outperforms it by a big margin. 

And if you can personally tell the difference in the two cards without looking it up at some site online or running some hardware testing it would actually mean something. I have seen AH2 played on both cards and without any outside software telling me the game runs at max on both cards.

[SIK1]

Hmmm,...I would have gone with a 750W PC Power and Cooling power supply.  Newegg had them on sale.

Now you tell me
I guess that 's what I get for pulling the trigger so quickly.

Just an FYI, the cost of this comp build is still less than what I would have spent on cigarettes in the last year.
This was my reward for being a quitter.