Quote:GPU: EVGA GeForce 8800 GT SSC 512 MB (pre-over clocked for an extra 30 bucks).Always been a fan of eVGA, but you might wanna wait until the next set of cards is released before pulling the trigger, just in case. I'd say a month and a half at most before the new nVidia shows itself.
Quote:RAM: Undecided. This part I am most confused about. What the hell does "SLI ready" RAM mean, or is that just a marketing gimmick?Gimmick! The spec on the MB says it supports 533/667/800/1200MHz memory. 1200MHz isn't an official spec for DDR2 that I'm seeing, 800MHz is the fastest I can find. So you want DDR2 800 memory for the official speed, and go for a higher rating to have a better chance of success at overclocking. To take full advantage of the speed (dual channel), you need to have 2 physical sticks of memory. I'd recommend 2x1GB at the minimum, and 2x2GB if possible at this point. Prices on DDR2 are dropping like a rock. My preferred brands are Corsair and Mushkin.
For the overclocking bit, more today you end up overclocking your entire system rather than just the CPU. Bump the FSB up and you bump the CPU and memory with it. Which one is your limit, you'll never know until you experiment.
Quote:Case: Antec 900. Some 600 W powersupply. My first build, I didn't want to mess with a radiator. This thing has 120 mm fan slots coming out the ass, plus one 200 mm fan on the top. I am going to do a little bit of overclocking on stock cooling, so I think this should help until I upgrade on CPU cooling in the future. The blue LEDs are just a bonus so everyone can see how 1337 I am and how much of a gosu gamer I am, FTW!
Warning bells just went off in my head. "Some 600 W powersupply" does not sound good. Seriously, more than any other component anymore, including CPU, your power supply needs to be good. Don't take it for granted. I'm not saying you need a 1kW beast, just pay extra attention to your model, how many amps your 12v rails can output (and leave room for SLI here), and the overall efficiency. Don't skimp on reading the reviews, dig deep to make sure your power supply is good now and will also be good later. A very good 550W will outlast an 800W.
Oh, and as a note, I don't bother overclocking anymore. Too much time spent getting it "just right" for too little gain.
Trade yourself in for the perfect one. No one needs to know that you feel you've been ruined!