NewBuild Advice:

[ozcot]

Cooler Master RC-690-KKN1-GP
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119137&Tpk=Cooler%20Master%20RC-690-KKN1-GP

Corsair VX 550W
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139004

Asus P5Q-E
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131296

Intel Core 2 Quad Processor Q9400 2.66GHz 1333MHz 6MB
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115131

Asus V-60
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835101011&Tpk=Asus%20V-60

OCZ Reaper DDR2-800 4GB
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227267

EVGA nVidia GeForce GTX 260 896MB
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130370

Seagate ST3250410AS 250GB SATA2 7200rpm 16MB
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148262&Tpk=Seagate%20ST3250410AS%20250GB

Samsung SH-S223F 22X Dual Layer DVD+/-RW SATA Drive
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827151171&Tpk=Samsung%20SH-S223F

Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 64-bit English
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116488


Stay with onboard sound for now and if it does not sound good get this:

HT OMEGA CLARO 7.1 Channels 24-bit
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829271002

or to save some cash go with a faster CPU but slower GPU:

Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550 Yorkfield 2.83GHz 12MB L2 Cache LGA
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115041

EVGA 512-P3-N976-AR GeForce 9800 GT Superclocked Edition 512MB
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130377

Which build would give me the most bang for the buck and have the longest life span before I have to upgrade? Did not know if it would be worth going with the 260 now while they are at a premium or just go with a little better CPU with more cache and go with the faster GPU when the prices go down on the 260..

I play mostly games on this computer would it be better to stick with DUO? Get the 260 Right at the start?

Intel Core 2 Duo E8600 Wolfdale 3.33GHz 6MB L2 Cache
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115054

Thanks for any advice...

 

[auscanzukus]

Switch the cpu cooler out for this combo:

XIGMATEK ACK-I7751 Retention Bracket - Retail
XIGMATEK HDT-RS1283 120mm CPU Cooler - Retail

Most bang for gaming? It'd be HD 4850. If you prefer nvidia, it'd be 9800GTX+. 9800 GT is a rehash of 8800GT. If you can afford GTX260, go for it. Also, a dualie is faster in most games than a quad.

 

[shortstuff_mt]

+1 on the Xigmatek cooler.

Your motherboard is a crossfire board. If you have any interest in adding a 2nd card down the road, you should consider an ATI card. You didn't say what resolution you would be gaming at. I would recommend the 4870 1GB model. If that doesn't fit into the budget and the main purpose of this computer is gaming, I would go to the dual core to make the 4870 fit in the budget.

POWERCOLOR AX4870 1GBD5-PPH Radeon HD 4870 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131120 $299.99

 

[Onus]

I would choose RAM that will run at its advertised timings on the JEDEC standard 1.8V. The RAM you choose needs 2.1V to get 4-4-4-15 timing. At the JEDEC default (where your mobo will be after any BIOS reset), your RAM will probably be running at something like 7-7-7-18. I like Mushkin RAM; they've got a couple of 2x2GB kits that run at 5-5-5-12 or 5-4-4-12 on 1.8V.
I don't know anything about the Asus cooler, but the one auscanzukus linked is one of the best.
To add to shortstuff_mt's observation, your PSU is also a very good one, but isn't enough for a pair of HD4870 GPUs. You'll probably want the 750W model if you plan to Crossfire.

 

[ozcot]

I am not planing on doing SLI or cross fire.. I am planing on getting a Sansung 24 inch so my resolutions will be going up soon to 1900 X 1200 now running 1680 X 1050. May go with a really fast Duo since people are saying they run games alot better that a Quad and get the 260 since I have heard they run cooler that the ATI's and some games just do not perform as well with ATI for some reason.

As for memory would:

SUPER TALENT 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820609218

CORSAIR 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145184

be better choices?

If I go duo I would go with:

Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 Wolfdale 3.16GHz 6MB L2 Cache
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115036

Would the DUO be any faster in Games after games start to support Quads more? Want this to last at least 3-4 years down the road..

Thanks for any more info.