On Friday a friend of mine will be coming over to help build my new computer. It will be used for web browsing, DVD watching and some fairly basic games.

I've managed to come up with the following system, and am looking for any last-minute recommendations (especially for a case and PSU).

I need two separate hard drives.

My friend recommended OCZ ram but Umart (www.umart.com.au) are not currently stocking 4GB 1066 OCZ so am I right to to assume that G-Skill is fairly comparable (even though a bit more expensive)?

My budget is around the $1200 mark.

Umart is a lot closer, so I'll probably end up heading there on thursday night.

MSY UMART
CPU INTEL CORE2 DUO E8400 $189.00 $189.00
MOBO GIGABYTE EP45-DS3L $133.00 $133.00
RAM G-SKILL 4GB DDR2 1066 $155.00 $155.00
GPU GIGABYTE 8800GT $198.00 $199.00
HDD 2 X WD 250GB $114.00 $124.00
DVD 20x SATA SAMSUNG $25.00 $25.00
CASE ?
SCREEN 22” 2MS SAMSUNG $272.00 $279.00
PSU ?

TOTAL $1,086.00 $1,104.00

One last question, does anyone know which card I can buy (preferably available from Umart) to add 2 or more analogue video inputs to this system?

Thanks

hmmm on second thoughts I'll prob stick with 2GB of RAM to cut back on costs, since I'll be using a 32 bit OS anyway. Definitely want to get the most bang for my buck, as they say

No, keep 4Gb of RAM but change it to DDR2 800 4-4-4-x.
Unless you are planning on overclocking past 450Mhz FSB (stock for your CPU is 333Mhz), there will be no difference in access time going from CL4 DDR2 800 to CL5 DDR2 1066. Brands like Corsair, Mushkin, OCZ, G-Skill, Patriot and Crucial make high quality sticks.

Any ATX case will do for you. I have heard many good things about the Antec 300 and 900 series cases. Just make sure not to use any included PSU. 99% of PSU's that are included with a case are pure junk and are to be avoided at all costs. You will want a quality unit of at least 500W from someone like Corsair, PCP&C, Enermax, Sliverstone and the Antec Earthwatts line to name a few.

The 8800GT is an excellent budget GPU but if you can afford it, look into a 4850 or 9800GTX. Either will give you a good performance boost. My personal preference would be for the 4850 as it walks over the 9800GTX but I am not sure about availability in Australia.

Go with 4 gigs of ram, just use DDR2, 800 as it is sinfully cheap, use the money you save to get a really good psu, and a better video card. PC power and cooling PSU's get excellent reviews, and for 200 bucks, check out one of the new 4850 video cards.

yeah, get cheaper ram, and possibly DDR2 800Mhz instead. the performance difference is almost non-existent, and if anything just overclock it to 1066Mhz.

You do not need 1066 RAM. Save some money there, you need it. Unless you plan on pushing the CPU OC past the 400 FSB mark.

You cannot get a case and PSU for $100. About $200US will do it, and some of your prices look similar to ours.

Antec 900 is a good, inexpensive case that is fairly common.

It's really hard to tell you which PSU you should buy when you are going to a local store. They are all different.
Here's a decent Antec PSU, since Antec is everywhere:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6817371010

Also don't forget a CPU cooler and thermal paste.

dont go with the 8800gt unless you absolutely have too. get an ATI radeon HD4850 or HD4870. similar price and much better 'bang for buck', and better performance

Ain't it grand when we all agree?

Ditto the above. We've GOT to STOP agreeing like this. People just won't understand if we don't bicker more!

i'm probably not going to overclock at all, since I don't know how to *shame*, will I still need a CPU cooler and thermal paste, and if so what can you recommend?

I'm sold on the gigabyte ATI radeon HD4850. To be honest pretty much the only game I play is Age of Empires III, so I trust that video card will be sufficient?

thank you all for your advice on the RAM... could somebody please suggest which RAM I should buy (there are so many to choose from lol), from www.umart.com.au (under 'memory' in frame on left side of page). sorry, but I just have no idea how to distinguish between all the different types of 4GB DDR2 800 :S

thanks

I found the newb... He's in my mirror...

There really should be a website that basically automates the process of designing a new system... based on current prices, in-house expert reviews and benchmarking... where users select from a range of requisites ie:

Common usage:
Internet
Office
Multimedia
Low-level games
Mid-level games
Crysis

Preferences:
Colour
Size of monitor
Budget

etc etc

It would make the process so much easier for noobs and save the general public a lot of money (i can't believe people still buy computers at retail outlets).

Does anybody know of any websites or computer parts stores that do something like this?

Boxed E8400 comes with fan/heatsink and has pre-applied thermal paste, although its not high quality. That won't concern you if you don't OC, and nor will the DDR-1066, and you may just want to save a few bucks and get the cheapest 800 stuff there.

I got a MSY $69 (on sale now) Cooler Master Elite 331 with 420W power supply and quite pleased with it.

I probably will OC at some point in the future... when I figure out how to.

I'm looking at the Antec 300 case... I like the look of it and seems to have good reviews.

Wow, your choices/prices kinda suck in AUS.

With the choices I can see on your site, I would probably have to take a Zalmin 9700 for the cooler.

For the RAM...
Your best deal looks to be either This set or This set.