Current Specs:

AMD Athlon 1.3GHz oc'd with a heatsink from a 2.1GHz and a 100mm fan.
1GB DDR RAM (mini ATX limit to 333 mhz)
NVidia 5200FX
nForce 2 mobo
mini ATX e-machines case (painted white)
300watt oem POS PSU

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What I want to keep:
My sweet 2.1 speakers
my 15" LCD monitor
My IDE 160GB HD
IDE DVD-RW drive.

I have been out of the PC hardware word for a while, I know stuff has gotten cheaper now, I want to get the most likely to not die out cpu socket, mobo that will last, etc. I'm ordering EVERYTHING fro newegg!

$800~1000 USD to work with (for the block alone)

case
Please recomend a good PSU and non-psu equpped case.

processor
Intel Core2duo (but dunno which)
Also I was wondering about an aftermarket heatsink, or if the stock is enough.

motherboards
I like ASUS, and Nvidia Nforce chips, so nforce 4 ultra good?

onboard audio: I don't want to spend money on a aux card

The new ones still have IDE drive plugs, right?

I also always have people say "don't forget to get a SATA HD with the new mobo" why? will my IDE one not work? expain please, thank you.

GFX
Umm, I hear some people say ATI... I like Nvidia. I would like a decent card.. 8 series, PCI-E slot

Umm, but what's better, a 7series top of the line, or an 8 series gts? Price, preformance, etc.


RAM
DDR-2, 800MHz is needed for dual core, right? Do I really NEED 2GB or ram nowadays?

I am going to be buying everything in August 18th or later

wanted to do a little reasearch beforehand. Hopefully, the pices will drop within the month.

.....

Where you heard : "ati pwns all" ? IMO atm nVidia is better in all. I've had ATi and nVidia cards, I don't feel good with ATi, also nVidia has right now best card too (8800 ULTRA). So, i'd suggest you to go with nVidia.

Quote from Mako. :

and possibly one that I can do a "Trick with" like they used to with the 6800GT and turn it into an ultra. I'm open to sugestions through.

Not gonna happen, in the 7-series nVidia stopped this from working via a laser.

PLEASE go Core 2 Duo! They are a LOT better!

Whattya mean about the A8N problem? Mine ran fine until I flashed it!

Also the 8x/8x lanes in SLi is not a bug, or something that can be fixed without getting a new mobo - its a hardware limitation.

Ill post more when i'm on a bigger k/b, but you'd be a fool not to wait for the 22nd!

Ok, so core2duo it is!

Quote :

they used to have a problem with the SLI through, where you can only use it with 8x on each pci-e slot, I read that they were about to get that fixed, so I would like the newest examples.

Also, I know of the bios bug that the A8Nsomething mobo had, I would like to get a newer one withought the stupid glitch.

Does that make more sense now?\/

they couldn't yet manage to run SLI in full 16x/16x mode, and you could only do 16x/4x or 8x/8x. I wasn't saying that I thought THAT was the glitch, i heard there was some bios problem with em in the past where you had to flash the bios, and then everything was ok, but I suck at shit like that, and didn't want to do it.

all in all, I was wanting for someone to help me search for good parts that fit my criteria, so for example, no mobos that still do that, lol.

Quote :

you'd be a fool not to wait for the 22nd!

I think I AM going to wait, but what's happening on the 22nd???????? of what?????

Thank you guys for the replies, but please read things a little slower, so yo don't miss anything. I'm realy looking forward to building my new PC!

Start post updated.

Anyone else have any advice? I edited my list a little, since some of my questions were not very easy to notice.

Current list:

CPU: Core2Duo (???GHz)
Mobo: ASUS (ideas? Does C2D only come in that 77something socket?)
RAM:1GB Dual Channel Ram
PSU: what's a good wattage? 500?
Case: no idea yet. (something mid-tower ATX format good value)

CPU - Core 2 Duo something, you can pick up the entry level E4400 for easily $150, or soon a Core 2 Quad with 4x 2.4 GHz cores for $266 (A little while after the Quad Core hype sale of the 22nd, i'm geussing there will be a big price was and companies will be doing "mega bundles" with the CPU's at $266 to attract business).

Mobo - How much do you want to spend? C2D comes in 775 only, but just because a board is 775 doesn't mean it's compatible.

PSU - 500 Watts should power it fine, but you want lots of Amps, too. Buy a decent Targan, Seasonic, Hiper (kinda) , OCZ (kinda) 500-600 watt PSU and you'll be fine.