Help me with my build!

I'm trying to build a good gaming rig on a budget of $800-900 dollars. I have gathered as much information as I can from reading just about a million threads on 100 different forums. This is what I have on my list so far:

Case: Antec 900 Steel ATX Ultimate Gamer PC Case
or
NZXT Apollo Black SECC Steel Chassis ATX Mid Tower Computer Case

PSU: CORSAIR CMPSU-550VX 550W ATX12V V2.2 Power Supply 90

Mobo: ASUS P5K EPU LGA 775 Intel P35 ATX Intel Motherboard

CPU: Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 Kentsfield 2.4GHz 2 x 4MB L2 Cache LGA 775 Quad-Core Processor

HDD: Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 ST3250310AS 250GB 7200 RPM 8MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive

RAM: CORSAIR 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory

Primary Optical: Lite-On 20x LH-20A1L DVD Drive

Video Card: VisionTek 900241 Radeon HD 4850 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card

Other stuff aren't that important. Maybe a CPU cooler and thermal compound stuff.

My biggest question is this. This system right now costs about $870 (including MIR) without taxes or any of the accessories like a mouse and a keyboard. Right now, I am going to start college, and I am just going to play not too processor burdening games like WoW and Orange Box games. So, should I build a cheaper build with less powerful parts and wait until later to constantly upgrade it so I can play Diablo III and StarCraft2? Or should I just do this build and save time and money (if it does save money). I'm going to keep this machine for a looong time, until I absolutely have to make a new PC, which I hope isn't in less than 6 years. Please help?

I'd replace the corsair ps with this one

PC Power & Cooling S75QB 750W ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6817703009

it's 750w continuous only $129 after $30 rebate well worth it especially if you plan to overclock

most pc's are obsolete for new games after 3 years without any upgrades
max out your ram oc the cpu to 3.0ghz (or upgrade when prices drop) and add a new video card every couple of years and you might get 5 years out it. goodluck

Yeah that PC&POWER COOLING is a very good choice (the Corsair model is good too)but the PC&POWER model is better,u may want to consider OCZ GAMEXSTREAM 700W too,thats another solid PSU.

no keep that Corsair Psu its the perfect wattage for that build

that power supply is over kill if not then just get the 610 if your so intent on PC power and cooling
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6817703005

Haha, wow, I went to sleep early after waiting for people to reply, and now there's so many. Anyways, I guess I wasn't clear in my first post. I meant that I wanted my system to last for 6+ years while I upgraded, so I didn't know if it was worth it to buy top notch stuff right now, when I can easily upgrade for cheaper later. I'm playing on my 19'' widescreen samsung, and I think it's 1440x900. That's the max I'll ever go cuz that's the max this thing goes, lol. Idk if I have some extra to spend...

the 4850 is more than enough for curent games on its own at 1440x900. by the time it isn't, 1 gig will be the "minimum recomended", so you wont be able to crossfire it with a 512mb 4850 anyway. with all this physix/cuda crap going on now, maybe you would be ably to use the 4850 for non-graphicsl stuff and a new card for graphics.
I don't know if the scenario I paint is worth the extra money for a crossfire board, but that really the only one I see for you using one.

I don't know how much longer Intel will keep making 775 chips, and how much longer current board will suport them if they do, just try putting a 9450 on one of the first 775 p4 based boards.

like I said get a cheap CPU now, and make that your next major upgrade, but I wouldn't plan one board lasting more than 1 CPU upgrade but you might get lucky. I think an AM2+ board has more upgrade potential than a 775 board, and as I suggest getting a cheap CPU in the begining, there isn't a performance hit for getting a non-Intel.

I'd planned on unpgrading to a dual core (like I did), then a quad core, only to be stuck with a board whos manufacturer doesn't want to bother upgrading BIOS to let me upgrade to a Quad. otherwise I'd have a quad now. I don't think its worth the expense for me to get a top of the line dual core, but I'm tempted.

Oh and how about this case?
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applica [...] =TC3J-2341

Definitely go for QuadCore if u want to keep your system for a long time.

You're a lucky one...my college required a $2000+ tablet and that thing hardly runs bf2142 with the latest video drivers, but you can't use the latest video drivers with the software the engineering college requires you to use...

To be perfectly honest, I've found I do a better job of keeping notes with pen/paper and imagine the kind of desktop you could build with that kind of cash (or even half of it!)

Of course there's always the Xbox, but who would rather have sticks when you can have a mouse!?

what I would love is electronic textbooks for my tablet.
it would be so simple to do, and students wouldn't have to foot the inflated bill for short run printing. I paid over $90 for a chemistry book as a freshman that was only ever used to angle up the dorm room TV.

I agree, most student don't need a laptop, but many schools require them. I think part of it is so they dont have to maintain computer labs and get to look "cutting edge" at the same time.

I'm looking at going back to school. 1 school fairly high on my list requires a MacBook Pro ($2500 last I checked) plus another couple of grand in accesories and software. I have no problems with mac software, but I don't like haveing to pay twice (or more) what the hardware is worth to use it.
I've been playing around with the idea of making my tablet a mac clone.

to the main question;
I believe a P45 suports all current Intel 775 quads. It will probably be good for the rest of the socket's life. thats the Intel chipset I would probably buy, but if your set on a future crossfire, it will hurt your performance some. in that case, I'd get a x48.

the PSU is marginal for crossfire. I dont see any problems.

sound and network have been onboard for years. some prefere a soundcard, but most don't see the need. try it without first.

I've never heard anyone talk up the virtues of a discrete network card, unless youre talking wifi

Hey Viridis

You've a good build.
Don't worry about getting a sound card, the onboard sound with the newer motherboards is really quite good.
Q6600 processor is still very strong, and if you get impatient with it a year or two down the road, the board should give you enough overclocking options to make you happy.
The only change I might make is an upgrade on the PSU....definitely go with more wattage. I'd say at least a 650W name brand.
Oh.....and don't expect to buy a gaming laptop unless you have twice the money at least than what you are budgeting for this new build :-)
With what you have here, this should run your monitor very very well at the highest settings. You'll have a blast!!!!
God luck with the build.

The Canuck

For 1440x900, a single card is enough and 1440x900 isnt really a resolution that benefit from SLI/CF.

the P45 suports crossfire at x8 + x8, I skimmed of a review that said that its worth upgrading to a cheap x48 for crossfire. I believe they tested with 4850s.

might be worth searching for that article. It wan't on toms, but someone did link to it here.