Ok guys, I've lurked here [and one other major forum] for probably 4-5 years.  I've read a lot but never quite had the...fortitude to try and build my own.  Until now.  You guys did it, and now you are responsible!    I've now entered the abyss and cannot turn back but before my journey starts, I need you to complete the final pieces.  I've read many posts that touch on these components but not in a way that helped me tie them all together so I'm turning to you guys!
 
I've picked all the other pieces myself as they are less hard and more taste oriented.  But the core of the system, the motherboard, memory, and processor are hard to decide on.  I've narrowed my choices but at this point I have no more wisdom to rely on and rather than flipping a coin, I am going to have you guys decide what I buy.
 
I am ordering next week so I will update this post with the choices as they come in and winning parts get ordered.  I will post pics of my first build for fun as well.  
 
Criteria:  You are to pick the pieces I am to use irrespective of cost.  The importance and explanation of your choices is based soley on [in order of importance]:
1)  Stability
2)  Performance
3)  Compatability
4)  OC'ing (never done it but plan to learn)
 
Choices:  You are to pick one of each of these and please explain why, if possible, you think the 3 go together well.
Motherboard

• GIGABYTE GA-X48-DQ6 DDR2
• GIGABYTE GA-EX38-DS4 DDR2  
• ASUS RAMPAGE FORMULA DDR2

Memory

• DDR2 800 PC2-6400
• DDR2 1000 PC2-8000
• DDR2 1066 PC2-8500

CPU

• E8400
• E8500

Remember, please supply functional reasons, not cost reasons as to why you chose your choices.  Your responses mean a lot to me
 
Results:  I will start tallying them here periodically as you provide them.
Motherboard

• GIGABYTE GA-X48-DQ6 DDR2 - 1
• GIGABYTE GA-EX38-DS4 DDR2 - 2
• ASUS RAMPAGE FORMULA DDR2 - 2

Memory

• DDR2 800 PC2-6400 - 1
• DDR2 1000 PC2-8000 - 1
• DDR2 1066 PC2-8500 - 0

CPU

• E8400 - 3
• E8500 - 1

P.S.  I don't have a local store or big chain I can buy stuff from so getting everything from NewEgg for what it is worth.  Also, I've decided against Nvidia chipsets, quad cores, and DDR3 given what I'll be doing (mostly highly-productive stuff like gaming   )

New egg is a great way to go. I would go with the x-48 from gigabyte, they seem fairly stable from what i have read, and its not asus, whos customer service and quality control seem to have gone to the buyways as of late.

I cant help but factor cost in. I must protect you from scams really, you cant just be brute with money, especially these days. X48 is not any better than a x38, but it costs tons more. DDR1066 would be good only if Overclocking, if not then a 800mhz would suffice. The E8500 costs 90 more than a e8400 with a difference of 160mhz, unjustifiable. Just cuz u have so much money doesnt mean u gotta get robbed. Money saving is important

Ok just to clarify, Im not rich.  Not close.  But this machine has to last and I don't want $200 or $300 difference when already spending a good chunk to affect the overall build.
 
Also, I rather hear functional reasons why one would get one item with the other although I realize if there is only minor functional difference given the cost difference, you would pick the cheaper item.
 
But as much as possible please don't let pricing affect your choice.  Also, if you can, pick one of each if possible so I can understand why those 3 go together well.
 
And as for OCing, I listed it fourth in terms of priority but I will definitely want to OC since I will finally have a system to try it with.  But I will not be going crazy with it.  But I will definitely be doing it
 
And yes, I'm scared mail ordering these but I can only buy pre-built systems locally, not components.  But the people using NewEgg, although sometimes frustrated by their components, never seem to rail on NewEgg so it seems as far as any mail order for this type of stuff, they are the best.  I'm sure there are others just as good but I want to order everything from one place and they happen to have everything I want.

Personaly I like ASUS much better then Gigabyte.  The Rampage is rated extremely high, and almost always recommended over almost everything else when MONEY isn't a factor.  The Asus board is really for those who want to tweak, and Overclock.  You have a TON more options in the Bios.   The E8400 is the Value Leader.  90 bucks for 160mhz is silly, but you can OC the 8500 some say 4.3gig on air with a great cooler.

Guys, I love you.  I really do.  I'm serious.  Ok, to be clear I don't love you per se but your opinions.  The wife would not let me love you in that sense...at least as far as I know.
 
But anyway, don't make the demons in my head dance any more than they are.  For example...
 

 
You picked the ASUS for me, but then made my head go back and forth on the Exxx which I already have done for the reasons you mentioned.  I can list 3 good reasons to go with it and 3 to go against it, that I've read and you've partially touched on.
 
So pick them without waffling so this way I don't waffle which is my problem to start with!      
 
I should maybe change it saying "If you saw these items on a table, can grab one of each set for YOUR machine, which would you take...and why"  
 
Kinda of wierd I realized putting my choices in the hands of others but I think your collective wisdom is much greater than mine.  

 
I just ordered the 8400 because I was on a tight budget.  If i had more money I would go with the 8500.  I am happy with my pick because I know I can get 4.0ghz on Air with the Thermalright IFX-14, which beat a few water cooling solutions in benchmarks.  Who knows what you can get with the 8500.  The 8400 is tried and tested a great OC'er.  

For mobo get the Rampage formula, ASUSes high end mobos are best in class, these are some P5E3 dueluxe, Striker extreme 1/2, Blitz formula, Maximus formula and Rampage formula are all good and th reviews agree.
For memory get PC8000 -1000mhz ddr2 because it will allow a 500mhz fsb on your CPU overclock which in terms of the 8500 is 4.75 ghz which is a big overclock. Get the 8500 also since orice is no objective it has a slight overclocking advantage over 8400. Also if your going to overclock try to get a Thermalright 120 extreme or IFX-14

e8400: fast and overclocks well. I would say E7200 but its not out yet.
 
None of those 3 mobos.
 
$125-$160 P35 from Asus 1st choice, Gigabyte, Abit, DFI
 
800MHz Ram unless overclocking higher then 400 FSB then 1066 ram.

He doesnt want to cheap it out roadrunner

Is this because of cost or because that mobo has better stability, performance, and compatability than the 3 I listed?  I won't change the list since I need you guys are going to pick my final parts, not add more options  But I want to understand why as I value the opinion.
 

I've heard of the 120 extreme as being quite the performer but I became terrified once I saw the size of these in real life.  I couldn't believe it!  Does it not tweak the mobo over time with heat, weight, etc. such that it causes problems?  Also I guess the 120'a seem to have a well documented concave issue.
 
http://www.frostytech.com/articlev [...] 244&page=2
 
So much so that place like this offer an option (see drop-down) to provide lapping services for $19
 
http://www.crazypc.com/products/ul [...] 50983.html
 
I was considering this though besides the weight.   For less weight, these two seem do have great reviews too though one isn't as easy to get in the US still.
 
http://www.noctua.at/main.php?show [...] =14&lng=en
 
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6835233003

i just fiinished my build with an e8400 and a gigabyte ex38-ds4.  
 
gigabyte is well known for building great mobos as well as having fantastic overclocking ability.  
 
i also have a xigmatek hdt-963 cpu cooler and it is overclocked to 4ghz with ease.  
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6835233001
 
but you could also go with the larger unit.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6835233003
 
both of these units rated top 10 by frostytech.  
http://www.frostytech.com/top5heat [...] ELHEATSINK
and they are cheap in comparison to the ultra 120.
 
you could take the e8400 to a higher clock but i also wanted stability. there are zero problems with this set-up.  
 
i am also running 4 gig of patriot viper ddr2-800 with a bus speed of 445mhz

 
Thanks ifor.  Just curious, but did you need to flash your BIOS for it to recognize the E8400?  Just wondering if they are shipping with an updated BIOS.
 
As for the xigmatek, I've now read in a few places that if you can show them your invoice, they will ship a bolted type mounting bracket instead of the plastic push-pins.  Not sure if true, how good the bracket is, etc. but I will consider the larger version if I can get something a bit more stable.  I just have eebeegeebees with so much weight being held by 4 pins that even NewEgg reviers say pop-out during install.  I just worry moving the machine here and there + heat will cause one to pop out.
 
Right now I'll probably look more into the new thermalight 120 (lapped) if the weight isnt too crazy or consider getting a Noctua and giving it a try.  I like the mounting system on the thermalight 120's (new one) but it is no wonder it is so solid - look at what it has to support.  I'm told with an average fan it weighs more than 2 pounds?  Yikes.

Haha nice thread HelpMe as I'm in the same boat as you.
 
The memory and CPU are the same ones Im considering but then I think 90% of people putting together a new rig, especially for gaming, are probably using one of those CPU's and DDR2 (I don't think DDR3 is that popular still until maybe Nahalem?)
 
I won't tell you which Im leaning towards as I don't have the widom to explain why, and as for the motherboard Im looking at 2 of those 3 myself!  I was consider a P35 like someone else mentioned but for vanity reasons, I've waited too long to upgrade and now want to feel I'm getting something 'new', even if functionally some might say isn't worth the cost increase.
 
Good luck and I'll be following the thread since I need something to push me in one direction or another and this is as good as any.

actually, everything booted perfectly from the get go.  
 
i did update bios after i had windows xp installed.  
i went for the hdt963 because i was also thinking about the weight issue but the ex-ds4 board holds the hsf just fine.  
 
unless you plan on doing some major overclocking, the smaller xigmatek is just fine. keep in mind that the 45nm is more efficient than the 65nm units.  
 
my cpu temp right now is 45 C with it clocked to 4ghz.

Let me touch on the CPU cooler for a minute.   Look into the Thermalright IFX-14.   It's had some amazing benches.   I've seen it beat out 3 Liquid cooling units in a Bench.  

Ok you say money does not matter but you show such a small selection on what you are willing to buy. If you give 99% of the people here a dollar amount thy will tell you in turn what the highest performance machine you could hope to build and in the end is not that what you want.
 
In addition, if you do not want $300 US to handy cap your build look at a Q9450 its two E8400s that makes for cores of 45nm super over clockable loving. Plus a hedge on future proofing.
 
The p48 is a GREAT! Chip set but you will not get the full benefit of  
This series because it is the last in the 775 line so a P35 will take full advantage of any E8xxx or Qxxxx CPUs.
 
So at the end of the day tell us how much you are willing to spend and we can help you get the BEST!!!!!! System for that price.
 
 
 

Let me take a stab. I don't like to spend more than I have to and also want a stable system too. Why pay more when you can have a good solid and fast system for less. If you believe all of the newer boards will last longer for you, your going to be mistaken. A good solid p35 based mobo is all you really need, especially in a single GPU solution setup. Save the $ on the mobo and use it somewhere else or save for the next best GPU when they come out. You can decide which way you want to go, but I'd pick different parts than what you selected. Here's a general build that I'd do:
 
CPU - q6700 Has a x10 multiplier, so should be easier to OC to a higher level or to allow you to clock to equivalent level as the q6600 and run a bit cooler than the q6600.
Personally I'd stick with a quad for right now. It'll last you longer, because programs will take advantage of the extra cores more and more. Currently there a few that do, but this will change over time, which adds to the longevity of the quad based CPU.
 
Memory - Pesonally 95% of builds will be fine with DDR2 800mHz memory. If you want to lurk into the more extreme OC's than the 1066 would probably be better. I think the cheaper price on the DDR2 800mHz will support most any build, including the OC'd ones.
 
Mobo's - Like I stated earlier, I also like the p35 based mobo's. They are much cheaper and will OC quite well for the $. Yes the x38's and x48's might OC 5% better, but why spend the $ on them when you can get pretty close with a solid and proven p35 based mobo. I like the Gigabyte DS3R/Abit IP35/Asus p5k series of mobo's. They are all around the $130 price range and have lots of options. If you want some more options, go with their bigger brothers. The Abit IP35 Pro has got one of the better reviews and is selling for $148 shipped after $30 MIR at newegg, so that would be one of the best p35 based mobo's you could get. Asus and Gigabyte have good ones too, so check them out and do your research.
 
The choices I've listed above would save you some $, but definately wouldn't skimp on performance either. I'd like to see what the rest of your build consists of, because there are other factors that can limit your experience. Would you please list your other components and a build budget too?