I need need advice on this build I have been working on for a while

[rocka4him]

Ok guys I need input on this build again, this time I got a cheaper case but was able to get more RAM, a card-reader, and better gfx card...what do you think ? (also I already have a 300 gb WD SATA HDD so its not included)...btw this is on a $500 budget, and at this point I am at a total of $497 (tax included). I plan on using this pc as a computer animation student this coming year ! also for some gaming ( I play WoW, and plan on picking up COD4 & Crysis)

CPU- AMD 64 x2 6000+ http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103773
CASE-Coolermaster centurion 5 w/ coolermaster extreme power PSU

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119068 (case), http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817171031 (PSU)

GFX CARD- PNY 8800GT http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814133232&Tpk=PNY%208800%20GT

OPTICAL DRIVE- Lite on DVD burner w/lightscribe http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106073

RAM- pqi turbo 4gb http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820141241

HEADSET- Rosewill cirqumaural headsets (just wanted something) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826193029

PSU- deal with PSU

CARD READER- super talent card reader http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820609298

MOTHERBOARD- ECS GF8200A http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813135085&Tpk=ECS%20GF8200A

--->some people have said they don't like the mobo I choose but for my price range I thought it was good, firstly because it have hybrid graphics (can use both the on board graphics in accordance with my pci-e graphics cards, sort of like a primitive SLI)... please any comments will be welcome, since this is my first system build I want it to run smoothly, thank you

 

[rocka4him]

edit:
I have a samsung syncmaster 930a LCD screen (plan on changing it later), an old compaq ps2 mouse, a microsoft white usb laser mouse, and an altec lansing speaker set.

 

[ahslan]

ur links are all broken...

I recently built my current rig and paid only $470 ($400 after mail in rebates, but I already had a hard drive and optical drive...). Make sure to take advantage of combo deals and promo codes...I saved a ton like this...

 

[blackwidow_rsa]

Get a 5000+BE and oc it to 6000 levels. Also you can get cheaper RAM, from experience, latencies doesn't increase performance visibly

 

[geofelt]

The time to solicit advice is BEFORE you buy, not after.

 

[rocka4him]

Ok I fixed the links, sry for the inconvinience

 

[rocka4him]

lol I have not but them yet Geo

 

[ahslan]

i would recommend getting ddr2 800 ram instead of that 533 ram...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231122
^its also cheaper than the ram you selected before

I would also recommend going with an AMD chipset for your mobo...the nvidia chipset you described only clocks down the video card so that it uses less power and therefore produces less noise when not in use...its cool and all but I wouldn't go for a sketchy chipset just for that...but if you really want to take the risk, then go for it...

everything else seems pretty solid...

 

[rocka4him]

Cool I found one for 62 dollars on newegg, also I went with an intel processor Intel Pentium E5200 Wolfdale 2.5GHz
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116072

and a better board GIGABYTE GA-EP35-DS3L
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128337

so what do you guys think ?

 

[rocka4him]

btw is this case with the included PSU going to be enough for my 8800GT
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811156070


Also for a computer animation major should I be running Vista 64-bit with 4-gigs of RAM, or XP with 2 ?

 

[ahslan]

well a lot of ppl will tell you to definitely not trust raidmax's PSUs (even though I took a gamble and tried one out, and it ended up paying off...). If you have the extra $50, I would prefer the peace of mind from a solid psu...

as for the amount of ram and which OS to use, not too sure man...sorry...hopefully someone that does computer animation can help you out with that...try looking up computer animation websites for help on that...just see what everyone else is using...

 

[rocka4him]

Kk Thx Ahslan