Advice on this list of parts for new build

[dcandage]

Ok. I'm going to build. Almost bought a Gateway GM5072 because it was prety fast, 2GB ram and it was right in front of me! Made myself wait and spent a lot of time at Newegg building machines on paper. I'm a photographer that spends quite a bit of time with Photoshop CS2. I also do some video editing (wedding video and the like). I'd like to do more video work. I don't think my build will be very good when I start doing serious video work, but I think it will do for now. I'm not a gamer, but I use MS Flight Simulator (and all the goodies that can go with it). I'm torn between socket 939 and AM2. I just read that there's only about a 1% gain in performance with AM2, so I'm not sure it's worth the extra $$, especially for DDR2 ram. But AM2 is what I'm looking at for future upgrading. I'm open for ideas about this. So, with that in mind, here it goes:

Mobo
Asus M2N-SLI Deluxe
CPU
Athlon 64X2 3800+
Memory
Corsair PC2 6400 2GB
Power Supply
Antec TPII 550 (550W)
Case
Antec P180 (thought about using an old case, but don'y know if they will do the job)
Hard drives
WD Raptor 74GB (for system drive)
WD Raptor 36.7GB (for Photoshop/Premiere scratch/render drive)
WD Caviar SE 320GB (for file storage)
Video card
EVGA 7600GT 256MB
Sound
Probably just use on-board unless that's just not a good idea. Although I said years ago that I didn't want my computer to be my entertainment center (there was a time when my monitor was bigger than my TV), it's looking like it will be. I'll probably put a TV card like a Hauppage in, too.

This come out to be around $1500. About $500 more than the Gateway, but I think I'll be happier in the long run. If anyone has any better suggestions than what I've come up with, I'd appreciate it. I also spec'd out a socket 939 machine and the difference wasn't that much (about $111 less).

Don't think I can spend anymore, the wife's already giving me 'that look'.

Thankx,
Dave
from Maine

[glc]

For video work, look at ATI alternatives for the video card. Flight sims don't need a killer card.

[786ARS]

you also need an OS and peripherals

[Sousuke]

If you're not going to do SLI any time in the future, you might also skimp some on the motherboard. Plus if you do end up with an ATI card, SLI would be worthless (someone correct me if I'm wrong).

I look at AM2 this way: If I'm going to cough up the extra dough for AM2 (and the pricer(?) processor), I might as well get a much better one. Otherwise just save the money..