Hi everyone,
 
well, it's time for me to change my old rig. Here's what i'm going to buy (by the way, it will be the first time i actually choose and build myself a computer)
 

• Processor: Core 2 Duo E8400
• Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-EP35-DS3R
• RAM: 2x1GB Crucial Ballistix PC2-6400 (or maybe i'll get 2x 2x1GB since i can have it for 20$ each kit)
• Video card: I'm still not sure about this one. I don't need something powerfull, so i tough about a Radeon 2600XT or a 8600GT but i can have a quite good price on a 8800GT so i don't know...
• Case: Antec Sonata III (except for the fixed motherboard tray, it looks good)
• PSU: Antec Earthwatts 500 (comes with the case)
• HD: Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 500GB (i might get another one later for a RAID 1 setup)
• Optical drive: Well, who cares.    

So, anyone has something to say about this ? I might order everything today.
 
Also, I don't plan on overclocking right away, but i sure will do it after a couple of months (or maybe sooner, heh). And it's not intented to be a gaming rig neither, i play games but not that much.

We built a machine with pretty much the same parts (except video card), and it runs flawlessly at stock 24/24 7/7 since 3 weeks.
 
One thing about the Sonata III.  There is complains about a ground problem with the front panel.  Some experience hard reboot when they touch it or plug something in it.  We haven't seen such problem yet.
 
We run 2X2GB of Crucial Ballistix with no problem.  We haven't experienced with 4 sticks though.
 
I'm not an overclocker yet, so I can't comment much about this.
 
Happy built!

i have a similar build
 
get an 8800gt.. i got the inno3d ichill version and it's very good.. you can overclock ur E8400 to 3.6 right away without having any problems

KBits, you say you have 2x2GB of Crucial Ballistix on a GA-EP35-DS3R board ? I'm happy to hear they work on this board, since they weren't in the official memory support list. I would like to get my hand on one of those kit but it's more than twice as expensive to get 4 GB with a 2x2GB kit (105$) than 4GB with 2x 2x1GB kits (2*20 = 40$ before shipping). So, is it really worth ? I'll have to weight this down (also, the problem if i go with 4 memory module instead of 2, i won't be able to further upgrade in the years to come. Who knows.). Also, there's the overclocking potential loss of getting 4 modules instead of 2, but since i don't expect overclocking much higher than FSB1600, i don't know if it would really cause a problem.
 
Anyway, thanks for your replies. Anyone else has something to say ?

same set up here with 8800gt  
 
one thing if your not ocing check the clock speed any way mine was under clocked to 266 and the the ram needed .3 more volts

Yes this is the kit that is running in our machine:
 
http://www.directcanada.com/produc [...] TECHNOLOGY
 
The price difference wasn't as much as yours though.

Parts are mostly okay. The 8600GT isn't really much of a gaming card. Even though you only game a little, if you want to be able to play some of the more current games you should see if you can fit the budget to upgrade to an 8800GS (eVGA preferably) or a 9600GT.