1st build ever -

Going with VISTA ULTIMATE - 64bit

Cpu - IC2D - E8400, either 8400GT 512/256 or 8400GTS 512/256
150Gb Raptor HDD - 2x2gb Corsair XMS2 - wither CL 4 or CL 5 - when someone tells me whats bttr?
CORSAIR CMPSU-550VX ATX12V V2.2 550W Power Supply with NZXT Alpha Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case

As you can see I still need a motherboard, so which do I get:

MoBo - $149 - ASUS P5K-E LGA 775 Intel P35 ATX Intel Motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6813131225

OR

Mobo - $149 - ABIT IP35 Pro LGA 775 Intel P35 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6813127030

Thanks, or tell me a better one at same price for my system.

Both are solid and are highly recommended in this forum, so u wont go wrong with either of them
If it was me i would go for the ASUS one, but again the ABIT is a solid one too

btw the links doesnt work

A new concern that I have -
I am using the E8400 which uses the 45nm technology,
Also the 8800GTS - is PCI express 2.0 & GDDR3

So to get the most of these, does my mobo
1. have to support DD3?
2. Have to support 45nm?

And if so, any suggestions?

I know the ASUS doesn't support DDR3 and likely the ASUS doesn't, the above links don't work. It really shouldn't matter given the price of DDR3 and you won't get a performance increase to justify the cost. I'm guessing DDR3 will not be viable until Intel comes out with their new CPUs that will require a new mobo, likely 9 months or year or so. Both boards will support the E8400 with updated BIOS. I believe the ASUS update was the previous one and very possible the board will come with that version, again don't know about the ABIT. If you go to the respective sites, it will tell you the BIOS version you need.

If you are asking if your MB has to support DDR3 becuase that is what the graphics card uses, no it doesn't. And here is a review comparing the two among others.