New System - Need a Card

Building a $2300 system, top noch computer, need for games, performance, work, school and stabillity.

System will consist of:

cpu : Q6600
mobo: Abit IP35 Pro
ram: 2x2GB Corsair XMS2
hdd: 150GB Raptor
optical drive: DVD/RW
sound card: X-FI
graphics card: Need Help
operating system: Need Help

need help in those two.

8 Gb of memory? that's an overkill. Go with Vista Home premium, and an 8800GTS, 640MB if possible. You may want a additional Large hard drive for movie, music, photos and what not.

8800GTX & XP Pro

search 'vista problems' if you want to be convinced

also dump the raptor, it has a very poor price / performance ratio

Even if you just put your OS and most common apps on a 74 or 34 gig raptor then put in a 320 or 500 Gb HD you would be much happier in the long run. I have a 7600Gt and it easily plays everything you mentioned save crysis. You will need 8800GTX for that.

For everything you listed, the GF8800GTX, and unforunately Windows Vista (may as well get used to it now if it's a long haul rig and you want to play Crysis). XP is my OS of choice of the two, but at some time you've gotta make the move so do it now if you're buying from scratch. If you already had XP then stick with it untill Crysis came out. And while Vista is mediocre performance right now, this is the high life og the GTX it's not like sapping performance now will be all that bad, it's just frustrating if you don't have to, but since you don't already have XP I guess, you have to.

That's my advice for long term solid gaming on a new platform.

PS remember when buying the upgrade edition of Vista how to do a fresh install without cluttering up your HDD with your old OS first (worth knowing before you buy)