Help Critique My Build Please

[lazyboy]

1. What YOUR PC will be used for. That means what types of tasks you'll be performing.
Gaming, I would like to be able to run Crysis but I'm not anal about running it on the absolute highest settings.
2. What YOUR budget is. A price range is acceptable as long as it's not more than a 20% spread
About 1200.
3. What country YOU will be buying YOUR parts from.
USA
4. IF YOU have a brand preference. That means, are you an Intel-Fanboy, AMD-Fanboy, ATI-Fanboy, nVidia-Fanboy, Seagate-Fanboy, WD-Fanboy, etc, etc, etc, you get the picture.
Intel
5. If YOU intend on using any of YOUR current parts, and if so, what those parts are.
No.
6. IF YOU have searched and/or read similar threads.
Yes.
7. IF YOU plan on overclocking or run the system at default speeds.
No overclocking, No SLI.

This is what I'm thinking:

Case+PSU: Antec Sonata III Black 0.8mm cold rolled steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case 500W Power Supply - Retail
This is one of the things I'm unsure of. I don't want a huge full tower. Otherwise I want something that is going to keep it cool but also be reasonably quiet.
Motherboard: ABIT IP35-E LGA 775 Intel P35 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
Video Card: EVGA 320-P2-N811-AR GeForce 8800GTS 320MB 320-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 HDCP
Should I go up to 640?
Processor: Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 Kentsfield 2.4GHz LGA 775 Processor Model BX80562Q6600 - Retail
RAM: G.SKILL 4GB(2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 667 (PC2 5300) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F2-5300CL4D-4GBPQ - Retail
Hard Drive: Western Digital Caviar SE WD5000AAJS 500GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM
DVD: SAMSUNG 20X DVD±R DVD Burner Black SATA Model SH-S203B - OEM

I priced all this at Newegg and it comes out at 1103.89 (1033.89 with rebates). I'm willing to spend around 1200 so there is some slack. I wouldn't mind saving that for a 22" widescreen though.

Thanks.

 

[bamacre]

Looks good to me. May want to shop around though, NewEgg's prices are almost never the best.

 

[Bateluer]

Its a solid system, but I'd up the video card and RAM speed. A GTS 640MB would be better suited for Crysis than the memory castrated 320MB version. DDR2 667 is a little slow too, though I don't recall if the Intel chips thrive on faster RAM or not. Certainly won't hurt to get some DDR2 800, 1066, or 1333, but the cost would increase.

Shop around too. Newegg is a very good company, but their prices leave something to be desired.

 

[jkresh]

ddr2 800 would be worth it, 1066 or higher is too expensive vs performance improvements. Right now even with a 22inch lcd (and running at 1600x1050) the 320 is about the same speed as the 640 though its possible that will change with crysis/ut2007...

 

[bamacre]

If he's not going to OC the Q6600, all he'd need is 533mhz DDR2.

 

[LR6]

I am looking at a similar system, although I will probably go with the Intel DP35DP board since I also will not be overclocking, but you must use standard 5-5-5 1.8v ram with this board. It will "theoretically" be more stable based on Intel Desktop Boards history. It also includes Firewire, raid and eSata if that is important to you. Some people have trouble with this board and XP, so keep that in mind.

Also new nvidia and ATI video cards are rumored to be coming out at the end of October and middle of November, these should be a bit cheaper than the 8800GTS and perform similarly.

 

[andy04]

May I recommend Antec Nine Hundred more room and looks cooooool