Wanna build not buy a custom PC help me please

newbieBuilder

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I've looked at Vigor Gaming and Ava Direct and they seem ok but I don't want to pay an extra $300 for something I could build myself. I'll be using this PC for gaming (Guild Wars, a lot of RTSs, a few FPSs) but I'm on kind of a budget, like $1300 aside from the monitor and speakers. The monitor I plan to buy would probably be a 20 inch one. My primary considerations would be reliability and compatibility of the components coz I don't wanna hit my head on the wall telling myself I should've bought the whole system instead. Here's my build:

Intel Core 2 Duo E6750 Conroe 2.66GHz LGA 775 Processor Model BX80557E6750 - Retail

ARCTIC COOLING Freezer 7 Pro 92mm CPU Cooler - Retail

ASUS P5N-E SLI LGA 775 NVIDIA nForce 650i SLI ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail

EVGA 320-P2-N815-AR GeForce 8800GTS 320MB 320-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail

CORSAIR XMS2 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model TWIN2X2048-6400C4 - Retail

Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD4000AAKS 400GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM

LITE-ON 20X DVD±R DVD Burner With 12X DVD-RAM Write Black SATA Model LH-20A1S OEM BK - OEM

Antec Nine Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail (Curious about the Thermaltake Lanbox though)

OCZ StealthXStream OCZ600SXS ATX12V / EPS12V 600W Power Supply - Retail

LINKSYS WMP54G 32bit PCI2.2 Wireless-G Adapter - Retail

Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 w/SP2B - OEM

It all comes up to $1267 although I dunno if newegg is going to apply a sales tax.

I chose the ASUS board coz I've had ASUS boards in the past and they gave me no problems although I was considering the Gigabyte p35 board but I wasn't sure as to it's reliability (And I wouldn't ever get an ECS board coz it's always failed me after a year of use). The hardrive and dvd burner is oem though is that ok?

As for the OS, I was interested in Vista Home Premium but people don't seem to be happy with it so I chose Media Center coz I may get a TV Tuner card in the future..if that's a good idea.

Hope you guys can help!
 
Two things I would consider.
1) Look at the Gigabyte DS3L for a cheaper and good solution for a mobo, if your not going to SLI (which I don't recommend)
2) I would get the Retail version of the DVD burner, because it will come with the DVD software (usually Nero with Liteon - which I like)

DS3L: $106 shipped
GIGABYTE GA-P35-DS3L LGA 775 Intel P35 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16813128059

Not sure about the OS, but if you end up with wanting to get Vista, at least get the 64bit version, because that is going to allow you more than 4gig's of ram later (if you need more).
 

pbpenguins412

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OEM drives are fine. Like lunyone said, consider retail for the LITEON optical. The Nero suite packaged with it is usually worth more than the drive itself.
 

bash007

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Looks good to me.
BTW, Asus also has P35 boards, so you can get one of them if you'd like. If I were you I'd get a p35 instead of a 650i especially if you're not SLI'ing.
I got the GA-P35C-DS3 for my friend about a month ago, and it hasn't given him any problems as far as I know (except some problem with the network adapter I think which might well be some driver issues), but other than that, it was pretty good, and relatively cheap as well. However, I read somewhere that some people have been having problems with them.
Gigabyte's boards are usually reliable, so this might just be a bad batch or something.
In any case, I'd suggest you do some research about both the Gigabyte and Asus P35s, and see what you come up with, and go with whatever you see best.
Everything else looks good to me.
 

Solariscs

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Also I would look for a little better PSU. That one from OCZ isn't high quality, but its not too bad. Look into Antec NeoHE or Corsair 520W.

If you have any questions, let me know, I'll be happy to help you our anytime.

Through my company I can get you:
Antec Nine Hundred
FSP BLUE STORM II 500 500W
Intel Core 2 Duo Processor E6750 2.66GHz
GIGABYTE GA-P35-DS3R
STT DDR2-800 2GB (2x1GB) CL4
XFX nVidia GeForce 8800GTS 320MB
LG Electronics GSA-H62NK 18X SATA Super Multi DVD+/-RW
Western Digital WD4000AAKS 400GB
LINKSYS WMP54G 32bit PCI2.2
Microsoft Windows XP Media Center
For: $1200 built, assembled, fully tested and warrantied.

Let me know
 

newbieBuilder

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Wow thanks for the quick replies!
I was just about to ask about the Antec psus. The Antec 550 is a pretty good deal, although it seems the Corsair 520 seems like a sure bet reliability-wise. An extra $40 though. You get what you pay for I guess.
I'll check out the P35 mobos from Gigabyte and Asus too. And I'll get the retail optical drive from somewhere else, not too much retail drives on newegg.
O yea, I guess it would be prudent to get some anti-static mat or something for my building area?
 
Here's a few Retail units on newegg:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106050
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106079
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827135149
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827248006
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827248008

Here's a link that shows, I think, all of the retail DVD burners, including the ones above.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2010100005%201036506653&bop=And&SrchInDesc=retail&Page=1
 

Solariscs

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If you get a retail motherboard, there is no reason to get a retail Optical drive. All the cables you need will come with the motherboard. Also you can get software for burning for pretty cheap or even free most of the time if you look at freeware software :)