This is what I'm aiming for, comments?

[vacanthead]

When I return from my Easter vacation, I will be buying the parts for the following:

Asus P5N-D Motherboard
Intel Core2 E8400 CPU
1 x Gigabyte Geforce 8800GT 512 MB (maybe get a 2nd in the near future)
2 x 1024 DDR2 800 RAM
Samsung (or WD) 500GB HDD 7200 rpm 16 MB SATA II

I will use the existing 600W Thermaltake PSU from my old machine, along with the DVD ROM and DVD R/RW.
Windows XP 32 bit for now (again from my old machine), with an option to make a dual boot with Vista at a later date.
This will all cost me CHF 1250, which I think isn't too bad.
Any comments? Will my PSU be sufficient? Any recommendations on RAM? Also, if i were to get a 2nd 8800GT, do I need to purcahse a brideg for the 2, I'm not at all sure about this dual GPU stuff?
Compared to my current machine, I should see a huge performance increase in gaming

[Khalil]

Originally Posted by vacanthead When I return from my Easter vacation, I will be buying the parts for the following: Asus P5N-D Motherboard Great Board but SLI is not recommended with Intel boards Intel Core2 E8400 CPU Great CPU 1 x Gigabyte Geforce 8800GT 512 MB (maybe get a 2nd in the near future) I would go with eVGA, Gigabyte makes good hardware but eVGA shines when it comes to Video cards 2 x 1024 DDR2 800 RAM What brand? The wrong brand could be the demise of this nice system Samsung (or WD) 500GB HDD 7200 rpm 16 MB SATA II I would stay away from Samsung hard drives, Seagate is your bet bet with their 5 year warranty I will use the existing 600W Thermaltake PSU from my old machine, along with the DVD ROM and DVD R/RW. How old is your Thermaltake PSU? If it is more than a year old I would get a new one, PSU is the most import part in your computer! Windows XP 32 bit for now (again from my old machine), with an option to make a dual boot with Vista at a later date. This will all cost me CHF 1250, which I think isn't too bad. Any comments? Will my PSU be sufficient? Any recommendations on RAM? Also, if i were to get a 2nd 8800GT, do I need to purcahse a brideg for the 2, I'm not at all sure about this dual GPU stuff? I would stay away from building an SLI rig with Intel, not recommended. One 8800GT should rock and roll for you and play any game out there nicely. If you want more power then wait till the new 9600GTX comes out, you would be far better off stick to one VGA card with Intel rigs. Compared to my current machine, I should see a huge performance increase in gaming

Good luck

[vacanthead]

Thanks for the reply. Actually, having read some other people's build threads, I have since realized that I don't need the P5N-D and might just go with the P5K. Which boards are recommended for SLI set-ups anyway?
Regarding GPU, the best retailer locally has the Gigabyte cards, can't see any eVGA anywhere near.
RAM: don't remember the brand, but should I stick with Corsair, Kingston? I used to get Crucial in the past and it served me pretty well.
HDD: again the retailer only has WD and Samsung HDDs, if you don't recommend Samsung, I'll get the WD.
PSU: about 10 months old and is actually 650W, not 600.

I'm hoping to get the lot from a local shop (Media Markt, German company with many shops here in Switzerland) as I have a Customer Card and can pay back monthly. OK so I pay a little more in the long run, but monthly payments would fit nicely into our budget.
Regarding my existing DVD and DVD R/RW, they're both IDE, so will they fit with a P5K mobo? I don't do a huge amount of burning, so super-speed isn't a huge priority for me.

[perkster]

the IDE drives arent recommended with P5k, or most modern motherboards, IDE is old tech, and on the P5k its IDE support is through a 3rd party, so its not the best support for it, better to get a new SATA drive, DVD burners are dirt cheap anyway. you can get external enclosure to make use of old drives through USB.

P5k doesnt support SLI, but SLI really inst necessary, better to save money and upgrade yoru GPU more often to the next gen card.

WD over samsung anyday.

for RAM go for corsair, crucial, kingston etc, stick to those ones.

for the DVD burner go for lite-on SATA model, go retail to get latest nero software with it.

[Katreat]

I generally agree with perks recommendations. I dont use Kingstone ram because of past problems but Corsair, Crucial, Mushkin are all good brands.

Personally not a fan of SLI, but if you decide to go that direction your PSU probably wont handle it. Most SLI set up require 700 w minimum and usually more, check out this list before you commit.

http://www.slizone.com/object/slizone_build_psu.html

Also, make sure your MB supports the 8400. I think the 6xx series chipset had problem with them which is one reason the 7xx series was rushed out. I have not idea what chipset that MB has, you have no link and I am lazy.

Kat

[perkster]

the P5k is fine for the E8400, it has a 1333FSB as does the processor.

[vacanthead]

Hmm, been looking a little more closely at what is available. As far as Mobo, how does the Gigabyte P35-DS3R compare to the P5K, which at the shop is available only in the P5K-E (pricey) or P5K premium with Wifi adaptor (which I don't need). Prices are as follows (in Swiss Franc):
Gigabyte P35-DS3R - 179.-
P5K premium - 279.-
P5K-E - 379.-

Regardng RAM, the options are:
4 GB Corsair DDR2 667 - 178.-
or
2 GB Corsair Dominator DDR2 1066 - 289.-
For DVD drives:
LG DVD +/- RW 20x SATA - 59.-
and HDD:
WD 500GB 7200 rpm 16 MB cache SATA II - 179.-

And I'm delighted to say that the shop also has a couple of these in stock:
eVGA eGeForce 8800GT - 399.- ,which I hadn't spotted earlier.
I know there are other options out there, but this is what the shop has in stock at the moment.

[Katreat]

I have had good luck with gigabyte MB and feature wise that one is very comparable. I think Gigabyte is owned by Asus.

With the E 8400 you want 800 ram so skip the 667. That shop needs more options, you dont really need 1066, it is mainly for over clocking, 800 ram is already faster than your pocessor so try to find some DDR2-800.

LG and WD are both excellent, but your prices seem very high. Are you limmited to only what that shop has?

the P5k is fine for the E8400, it has a 1333FSB as does the processor

My concern was for the original posted P5N-D. I was not sure what Nivide chipsset it used. The 650i and 680i both have problems with the new 45 mm CPUs (or so I have heard). Ithappens to use a 750i chipset so my concern was not necessary anyway, but at the time I was not sure.

Kat

[vacanthead]

Originally Posted by Katreat I have had good luck with gigabyte MB and feature wise that one is very comparable. I think Gigabyte is owned by Asus. With the E 8400 you want 800 ram so skip the 667. That shop needs more options, you dont really need 1066, it is mainly for over clocking, 800 ram is already faster than your pocessor so try to find some DDR2-800. LG and WD are both excellent, but your prices seem very high. Are you limmited to only what that shop has?

More or less, yes. I have looked around a bit and these prices are highly competitive. This is Switzerland after all :S. They do have 800 RAM, but I hadn't heard of the manufacturer (forgot the name for now), so I'm a bit reticent to try it. It might just be they are short on stock, as the racks are there for more 800 RAM, but are empty. I might just go ahead and get RAM from Crucial.
Thanks for your comments anyway, I appreciate all the help.

[vacanthead]

OK, machine is built and booted. Just need to install XP and I'm raring to go. Final specs in my sig.
Many thanks to all your help and suggestions.

[vacanthead]

Hmm maybe my sig will work now....