What mobo/CPU/PSU/cooler to get for $425? (first timer)

[iMpathetic]

Damn, this is my first time building a PC and I need help....

Basically, all I need to buy at the moment are certain essential parts, as I have cases lying around that I could use. I'll buy a decent case when I get more money. I have been looking at the Ultra Aluminus, however.

My limit is $425. What I've picked out (listed below) comes out to around $470 shipped at newegg.

- DFI LP LT P35 motherboard
- E8400 CPU
- Rosewill RP550V2-D-SL L 550W power supply
- Artic Cooling Freezer 7 Pro cooler

What do you guys think? I'll be picking up a couple of 3870s for CrossFire... eh... in a few weeks. Not like I need them though. Actually, until I can afford a decent card, I'm going to be running a turbo fast 6200LE!

 

[sunday]

Try Fry's for a combo deal...
Check Slickdeals or Fatwallet too

 

[iMpathetic]

Meh, I ended up with $875 to spend and went to Tigerdirect to buy my stuff.

In case any of you care, here's what I've picked out:

- Ultra Aluminus case (frickin' huge)
- Q6600 (OEM)
- Zerotherm Butterfly cooler
- 2GB Corsair RAM
- ASUS P5N-E SLI motherboard
- 250GB WD SATA HDD
- XFX GeForce 8600GT Alpha Dog Edition
- 650W Ultra PSU
- Vista Ultimate

Now my question is,how do I expand it? What are the weaknesses of it that I should focus on upgrading?

Thanks a lot!

 

[Eidorian]

Are you really sure there isn't a Fry's Electronics nearby? I bought my Q6600 for $179 a few months ago. They had a Q6600 + motherboard combo a week or two ago for US$189.

I also have a 380W power supply and it works just fine.

 

[taylorwilsdon]

Skip vista ultimate, no point. Buy OEM Vista home premium to save money. Skip the 8600gt, you can get an 8800gt or 8800gts 640mb (old g80 core but still way faster) for almost nothing ($100 or less) these days.

Go to 4gb RAM just because its so cheap. Everything else looks okay.

 

[iMpathetic]

Are you really sure there isn't a Fry's Electronics nearby? I bought my Q6600 for $179 a few months ago. They had a Q6600 + motherboard combo a week or two ago for US$189.

I also have a 380W power supply and it works just fine.

There is! ....but I can't drive, and Tiger was closest to me.

Skip vista ultimate, no point. Buy OEM Vista home premium to save money. Skip the 8600gt, you can get an 8800gt or 8800gts 640mb (old g80 core but still way faster) for almost nothing ($100 or less) these days.

Go to 4gb RAM just because its so cheap. Everything else looks okay.

Ultimate is the OS I'm running, not.. uh... the OS I paid for!

I've actually assembled it already. I think I'm going to do two 640MB GTSes in SLI, plus 4GB RAM. I'm giving the 8600GT to my poor friend who runs his Q6600 with an ATI Rage 3DPro.

 

[Eidorian]

There is! ....but I can't drive, and Tiger was closest to me.

Definitely should have gone with Fry's. You can build a Q6600 based system for about the $425 price point.

I've actually assembled it already. I think I'm going to do two 640MB GTSes in SLI, plus 4GB RAM. I'm giving the 8600GT to my poor friend who runs his Q6600 with an ATI Rage 3DPro.

1. 8800GTS 640 MB is ancient
2. SLI, lol

 

[iMpathetic]

Definitely should have gone with Fry's. You can build a Q6600 based system for about the $425 price point.

1. 8800GTS 640 MB is ancient
2. SLI, lol

Aw crap, what did I do wrong?

They don't support SLI?

Uh... um.... wow. Try to bear with my n00bishness.

A single 9800GTX, then?

 

[Eidorian]

Aw crap, what did I do wrong?

They don't support SLI?

Uh... um.... wow. Try to bear with my n00bishness.

A single 9800GTX, then?

I'd wait for the ATi Radeon 48xx Series first.

 

[iMpathetic]

I'd wait for the ATi Radeon 48xx Series first.

Um, that sounds cool!

... when are they coming out? At Computex?