Hello. I'm new here but not to computers or Toms hardware. I have built many systems but I'm far from a professional or IT. My systems I tend to build are all geared towards gaming, specially Dark Age of camelot. This game is, if you don't know, is a bit older but is heavy on the system for lag spikes. I do duel log alot if that matters. I currently have a smaller 4gb Intel duo core 2 Vista system that i will hand down to my GF, so I'm looking at another system for roughly 1k-1500...guts only.
Here is what I'm thinking: (all newegg)
*Antec Solo case $79 with rebate
* EVGA 132-CK-NF78-A1 LGA 775 NVIDIA nForce 780i SLI ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail $259
*Update EVGA 512-P3-N801-AR GeForce 8800GT 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - $195 rebate
*OCZ GameXStream OCZ700GXSSLI ATX12V 700W Power Supply - Retail 129.00
*Intel e6750 $179.
*OCZ SLI-Ready Edition 4GB(2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model OCZ2N800SR4GK - Retail 183.98 (2 pairs )
*Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 ST3250410AS 250GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM $64.99
*LITE-ON 20X DVD±R DVD Burner With 12X DVD-RAM Write Black SATA Model LH-20A1S - Retail $29.99
*Microsoft Windows Vista 64-Bit Home Premium for System Builders Single Pack DVD - OEM $ 99.99
*ARCTIC COOLING Freezer 7 Pro 92mm CPU Cooler - Retail 31.99
Total $ 1255.89
Not sure if I can better the system for about the same or cut costs. I was considering the Q6600 for the 'future' of computers as well...but the games I play still don't even multi cpu support, yet. But I believe the dual core helps on dual logging too.
I take it there won't be any overclocking, at least at the beginning? If there is, swap hsf out for XIGMATEK HDT-S1283 if available.
If I were you, I'd pick up an ABIT IP35-E for $60-ish after rebate. It's a good overclocker to boot. Though you wouldn't be able to SLI/CF. Are you gonna sli? Put the saving towards purchasing a better cpu like E8400/E3110 which are the same thing. Xeon is cheaper.
It's a balanced build, and good as is. 780i is good for small to moderate overclock. For high oc, you'll have to drop sli support for x38/48 chipset. Q6600 is the best bang for the buck right now. In applications that are quad optimized, the performance difference between quad and dual is massive. At the moment, however, only a few games are optimized for quad, including Lost Planet and Supreme Commander. There are rumors that StarCraft 2 will be quad optimized, but it's still unclear at this point. Some say that majority of application will never be quad optimized, although they said this about dual cores a few years back too.
I don't plan to OC much, not the best at doing it. Yeah, I can build em, but OC them is a whole different animal. So I tend to stay away from that unless software comes with it (easytune from Gigabyte, AI Booster from Asus, etc).
I guess I was thinking SLI would be a best option to have down the road but maybe its just not needed. The 8800GT series is pretty sick on the charts here.
I agree a e8400 would be best but as already pointed out, its tough to catch it in stock. So a quad over dual...see no argument there.
But on motherboards...Never used Abit. Always Asus, Gigabyte, MSI boards. Not that I'm against it, just saying. Guess I can look at other options there. Not sure which is better on the bridges though right now, guessing nvidia ones over intel...
Should've know the E8400 would be out of stock. GL with your new Q6600. 
