General PC harware questions

I'm planning on buying/building a new gaming PC, just want to clear a few things. Please:

1) Is DDR3 significantly better than DDRII? Is it worth buying?

2) Intel or AMD(bang for buck wise)?

3) What is the norm for RAM in size(4gb, 8gb etc)(no worries I have Windows Vista 64-bit)?

4) When a motherboard spec's is: ie.

Jetway 790GX Socket AM2,SND,LAN •Compatible with AMD Phenom FX, Athlon 64 X2 processors,64-bit DualCore 240-pin DIMM Sockets for unbuffered Dual DDR2 800 SDRAM up to 8GB
2 * 32-bit PCI Slots / 2 * PCI EXPRESS x16 Slot 2 * PCI EXPRESS X 1 Slot
2 * Ultra DMA 133 / 100 / 66 IDE Devices Support , 4*SATA2, RAID 0, 1Functions
ALC888 8-Channel HD Audio.INTEGRATED RT81111C Lan.
4* High Speed USB Connectors, ATX Form Factor,DDR2-800

Does the 8GBmean 8GB per slot max or 8GB total(for all the slots put together)?

5) Is there a easy way to import the components for overseas to South Africa(otherwise i have to buy at American Price * 2.5 even if I buy from the main distributors)?

Thank You

1) Not that much faster. Personally, i dont think its worth buying. It only pairs well with i7 CPU's. If you aren't planning on getting i7's i wouldnt bother. If you can afford i7's you can afford DDR3.

2) Right now, i would say AMD with Phenom II X3's and X4's. In a few months it may be intel with i5's.

3) for most users and gamers beyond 4GB is a bit wasteful.

4) Thats generally 8GB max shared among all its memory slots. Generally only really, really high end motherboards or server motherboards support beyond 8 GB.

5) Absolutely no clue. Can't help you there.

I'm planning on buying/building a new gaming PC, just want to clear a few things. Please:

1) Is DDR3 significantly better than DDRII? Is it worth buying? You wont notice any real-world application improvements unless you like staring at benchmarking numbers all day long; however, DDR3 is pretty cheap right now, so yea I say it's worth having DDR3 support on your mobo.

2) Intel or AMD(bang for buck wise)? Right now, Intel is making some pretty damn good CPUs. AMD is still great too, but Intel's CPU's are edging out the competition with performance. But, AMD and Intel are always one-upping each other. I expect AMD to come back strong by the end of the year or early next year with a new line of CPUs. Also, AMD CPUs are generally much cheaper then Intels.

3) What is the norm for RAM in size(4gb, 8gb etc)(no worries I have Windows Vista 64-bit)? 4GB of Ram seems to be the "sweet spot" for normal, everyday use on Windows Vista 64.

4) When a motherboard spec's is: ie.

Jetway 790GX Socket AM2,SND,LAN •Compatible with AMD Phenom FX, Athlon 64 X2 processors,64-bit DualCore 240-pin DIMM Sockets for unbuffered Dual DDR2 800 SDRAM up to 8GB
2 * 32-bit PCI Slots / 2 * PCI EXPRESS x16 Slot 2 * PCI EXPRESS X 1 Slot
2 * Ultra DMA 133 / 100 / 66 IDE Devices Support , 4*SATA2, RAID 0, 1Functions
ALC888 8-Channel HD Audio.INTEGRATED RT81111C Lan.
4* High Speed USB Connectors, ATX Form Factor,DDR2-800

Does the 8GBmean 8GB per slot max or 8GB total(for all the slots put together)? It means you can install up to 8GB of total system ram on that mobo.

5) Is there a easy way to import the components for overseas to South Africa(otherwise i have to buy at American Price * 2.5 even if I buy from the main distributors)? Find an online retailer that offers international shipping!

Thank You

ReaperMan23