if you want to do SLI (dual vid card) you will need a Nforce4 SLI chipset-based board. The NF4 Ultra does not support SLI (well, the DFI and MSI ones KIND OF do, but Nvidia is working their best to make sure that they won't work later). The SLI board costs about $50 more than the Ultra. Well worth it.

Also, SLI requires a bridge connector only available with SLI motherboards.

The stuff above is a good bet. For a video card, I would get the standard 6800 pci-express. It is $100 less than the 6800GT and still supports SLI. For Memory, I would get Corsair VALUE SELECT. 1GB is about $100. Only get the corsair XMS if you are big into overclocking. for sound, nothing beats the audigy2 in games. it is the only card with a hardware processor dedicated to the EAX effects used in games. All other cards have minimal software support for EAX.

AMD 3200+ venice: $200
Nforce4 SLI Motherboard: $180
1GB corsair valueselect ram: $100
200GB HDD: $150
Pci express 256MB 6800: $280
Antec Sonata case w/ Power supply: $100
CD/DVD writer: $70
soundblaster audigy2: $60
good keyboard/mouse: $60
good 17" lcd screen: $300

That is an ENTIRE system for $1500. This is upgradable to dual core athlon64 X2 cpus coming out this summer and a second 6800 can be added later. This will kick the teeth out of anything you can get from Dell for $4000.

 

[QUOTE=steven975,Apr 25 2005, 05:29 PM] if you want to do SLI (dual vid card) you will need a Nforce4 SLI chipset-based board.

 

cpu looks good...
for motherboard.. i'd recommand asus, msi, or DFI...
asus is stable as a rock...
msi is pretty good overall...
DFI is THE best board to get right now.. if u plan to OC ur system...

for the rams.. if u plan to oc... some people get pretty good.. or bad results from cosair value rams...
however, I'd recommand G.skill ram from newegg.. with pretty low latency...

for hard drive.. raptor is pretty good. but i wouldn't say they are worth the buck...
i'd just get a small size 10,000rpm drive for OS.. and big 7200rpm drive for storage...
i'd recommand seagate for hd.. since they are known to be quiet and stable...

Personally... i'd never do SLI setup.. because the cost is not worth the increment in performance... rather than buying two gpu's... i'd rather buy a good one....
i'd recommand... u should at least get x800 or 6800gt or better videocards as much as ur budget permits...

for cd/dvd rom... a lot of people would recommand NEC.. since their products are good... personally i own a pioneer dvd rom... and i'm very happy with it.. i think model was dvd-108 or something around that... don't care about the dual layer stuff since dual layer will be extinct near future... most people don't even use it since dual layer dvd's are so expensive....

and for audio.. i'd just save money and use the on board if u dont care too much about sound.. u will still have decent sound from onboard sound.....

antec sonata is a pretty good case... but i think it only comes with 350w power supply... or i could be wrong.. but if so... u should look into purchasing a new power supply...

 

come to think of it, a 350W power supply is not going to run a 6800GT, much less a SLI setup. You'd want a 450W+ supply, at >$100.

on the cd-rom/dvd, i hear that liteon is best at getting around copy protection.

on the audio, since this is a game machine, sound is important. onboard will not cut it.

 

I use onboard its fine..

 

this is a great site for comp building nubbies...

http://www.omnicast.net/~tmcfadden/g...ild/index.html

 

thanks guys. after a few suggestions, i made a few changes

i am upgrading the power supply to at least 430-500w

getting rid of the sound card. on board should be fine.

i am getting a SATA seagate HD for OS and keeping the WD for storage

that should be the final configuration, maybe checking out different MB or memory, or i'll just roll the dice and hope i get two very good chips

 

dude, if you want a game machine, skimping on sound is a pretty big thing. onboard sound systems are simply codecs that soak cpu resources and don't do surround effects for crap.

sound cards like the audigy have an onboard DSP that is custom made specifically for game surround effects. the only other card with a DSP is the turtle beach santa cruz, but it is aging.

What does it give you? awesome surround effects, you "feel inside" the game, and you usually get 10-15fps more in games when you have EAX enabled.

I've seen audigy2's for $40. If you are using a 5.1 speaker system, it is worth it.

for the power supply, 430-500W is a good idea. I have the antec Truepower 430W. You will want one that is compatible with the latest ATX standard with the 24pin connector. skimping on the power supply is the single best way to make your system unstable. the power supply is the MOST important component you can get for reliable operation.

 

for power supply... some good companies are Seasonic, Antec, PC P&C, Enermax, Fortron, and OCZ....

 

some links for cpu, videocard, ram, mobo, dvdrom, and psu... good pricing...

http://www.monarchcomputer.com/Merchant2/m...0&AFFIL=TH&NR=1

http://www.monarchcomputer.com/Merchant2/m...&AFFIL=FRG&NR=1

http://www2.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp...N82E16820231012

http://www.monarchcomputer.com/Merchant2/m...uct_Code=190527

http://www2.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp...N82E16827152035

http://www.ewiz.com/detail.php?name=PS-S12-430


one thing to keep in mind is that... u shouldn't buy a SLI board unless u r going to buy a nvidia videocard.... and SLI boards tends to be a bit more pricy than non-SLI boards....
that dvd-rom is THE best bang for the buck.. it has great performance..

here's cheaper PSU
http://www.svc.com/eg465p-ve.html


here is lastest videocard price guide..
http://www.anandtech.com/guides/showdoc.aspx?i=2398

here's PSU round-up guide..
http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/oth...y/atx-psu.html

Mother boards that i'd choose...
Asus: http://www2.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp...N82E16813131530

Epox: http://www2.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp...N82E16813123236

DFI: http://www2.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp...N82E16813136152