new budget build - four questions:

[cds01]

I am going all newegg just to save on shipping.
Here's the list:

COOLER MASTER Elite 330 RC-330-KKN1-GP Black SECC ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16811119115 $39.99

Intel Core 2 Duo E6750 Conroe 2.66GHz 4M shared L2 Cache LGA 775 Processor $194.44
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115029

ASUS P5K LGA 775 Intel P35 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail $134.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131180

EVGA 256-P2-N615-TX GeForce 7600GT 256MB 128-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 SLI Supported Video Card - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130062 $89.99

Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD3200AAKS 320GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136074 $75

CORSAIR XMS2 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory $85.00
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145590

SAMSUNG Black 20X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 12X DVD+R DL 20X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 12X DVD-RAM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM 2MB Cache SATA 20X DVD±R DVD Burner - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827151153 $31.99

COOLER MASTER eXtreme RP-500-PCAR ATX from factor 12V V2.01 500W Power Supply - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/product/Product.asp?item=N82E16817171018 $39.99

The three questions are:

1) Should I bother adding on a sound card besides the on-board? I was thinking just adding one of these guys:
Creative Sound Blaster SB0570 Audigy SE 7.1 Channels 24-bit 96KHz PCI Interface Sound Card
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829102002 $30

2) I know many will think the video card is way outdated, but I know the 7600GT to be a solid performer and hard to say no at that price (i think it's 70 after MIR). Should I bother paying another 60-70 dollars for a dx10-ready 8600GT/s?

3) Anything that is blatently obvious that doesn't match up specs? Like mobo/ram mismatch, wrong type of hardware cable, etc?

4) Not planning on overclocking, but should I bother with an aftermarket cooler in the $20-30 range just for rock-solid stability?

Thanks guys.

 

[cds01]

Oh just thought of one last one - do i need a 3 and a quarter floppy for any reason?

 

[nickc07]

1. As far as sound cards go I would either buy a high end card http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829102005 or none at all.

2. I would say either get a 8800GTS 320MB or stick with the 7600GT depends on your budget.

3. I would switch mother boards to a Gigabyte P35-DS3R http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128050. Also as of recently I really do not with Corsair memory. I would look at Ballisitx memory. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820146565. One more thing, that PSU kinda sucks go with this one http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817103941.

4. I would stick with a stock heatsink and fan. Alot of people are overclocking pretty high with stock anyways.

5. You really dont need a floppy. If you even do need one I would get a USB floppy drive for like $20.

 

[zenmaster]

What is the point of this system?

1) On your budget, forget a Sound Card.
2) The PSU is terrible, I would shop for some other specials.
3) Another card like the 1950pro would be a massive improvement.
Don't worry about DX10 in your price range.

4) There are a few nice 3.5floppy/MemoryStick reader combos that are nice. Not mandatory and can always grab later since they are often USB.

Here is one decent PSu that is on sale currently.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817153052

 

[lunyone]

Oh just thought of one last one - do i need a 3 and a quarter floppy for any reason?

No I don't think you need a 3 1/4 floppy drive. Some older mobo's need to have the SATA drivers loaded with a floppy drive, but I'm pretty sure (correct me if I'm wrong) that you won't need one.

If this is a gaiming rig this is what I would change to your initial build to get a better video card and keep you close to your original build price ($750-800 I think).

CPU - $85 e2160 This can be easily OC'ed to about 3-3.2 ghz on stock cooling. Read over a Anandtech forums that there are several people doing this with very little effort. Also Tom's did a write on this too, just don't have link yet.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16819116036

Mobo - $94 - $20 MIR from Mwave = $74 shipped Also an inexpensive and easily OC'able mobo
http://www.mwave.com/mwave/Skusearch.hmx?scriteria=ba23929

Memory - $98 shipped - $40 MIR = $58!! CAS 4 DDR2 hard to beat!
OCZ OCZ2P800R22GK 2GB KIT (1GB x 2) PC2-6400 800MHZ 4-4-4-16 240-PIN DDR2 DIMM W/HEAT SPREADER
http://www.mwave.com/mwave/skusearch.hmx?&scriteria=BA23061

GPU - $297 shipped - $20 MIR = $277 for best mainstream GPU right now.
EVGA 320-P2-N811-AR GeForce 8800GTS 320MB 320-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16814130082

PSU - $100 shipped - $45 MIR = $55 for quality PSU, which is hard to beat at that price range!
Antec NeoPower NeoHE 550 ATX12V 550W Power Supply 100 - 240 V UL, CUL, TUV, CE, FCC, CCC, CB, C-tick - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16817103941

Keeping Case/DVD/HDD your total would be - ~$835 shipped - $140 in MIR's = $695!! Now I don't know if this is more than your budget, but it's close to your original build, so I think it might work for you. I know you mentioned doing some mild OC'ing and this rig would work well with that. Then in 1-2 years you could upgrade to Penryn or whatever is out at a reduced price and be set for 1-3 years (unless you want a rebuild later).

My 2cp's

 

[chookman]

1. Are you an audiophile? if not then dont get one simple as that, if you are look at the X-Fi range of card wether it be the Creative type or Auzentech.

2. Depends on your budget and what you are using the machine for... gaming wise save money on CPU and go with a 8800GTS. If you arent gaming stay with the 7600GT. Another worth looking at if you are a gamer and dont have the money for a 8800gts is a 1950pro or XT will give you great gaming performance.

3. Everything looks matched to me

4. Stick with stock HSF

5. No floppy required unless you are into using floppy disks. The only reasons people were still using them was for loading drivers for SATA controllers to install windows and BIOS updates and both those issues are pretty much non existant now.

 

[lunyone]

Linkage to Tom's OC of e2160.
http://www.tomshardware.com/2007/09/12/pentium_dual_core/