[XP for free vs $100 for vista...though choice. Anyways, I had Vista for about two weeks and I simply could not stand it, ever since I've switched back to XP, I have had no crashes and my game performance has significantly improved.]

You and I have quite similar PC specs

I'm undecided because I just spent a grand on a new comp so don't mind droppin the extra cash on the new OS - I hear crysis dx10 is kickass (though I don't know if my build would run it that well anyways with those features), and I wonder how much future titles like dragon age and whatnot will support it. It would really be upgrading only for dx10. Before you downgraded did you check dx10 features?

I just got in all the new components for a new computer - a solid, fast (but not bleeding edge) build.

I still have my XP disks I can install on it. Or I can pick up a Vista OEM for a hundred bucks.

Are the DX10 features worth the extra frame-rate drops in vista? (I don't care about framerate too much, as long as my games aren't running jaggy)

I've been doing minimal research on building a new machine and this is what I've come up with so far - can anyone lead me to any better advice? I know the Nehelem chipset is coming out but I don't care right now (there's always something better coming out). Mainly - you think it's worth spending the money I am on the mobo for the DDR3 support? Thanks for any help!

Subtotal: $927.91

Qty. Product Description Savings Total Price 1 Pioneer 20X DVD±R DVD Burner Black SATA Model DVR-216DBK - OEM Item #: N82E16827129032Return Policy:Standard Return Policy

$29.99 1 Antec Nine Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail Item #: N82E16811129021Return Policy:Limited 30-Day Return Policy
-$40.00Instant

$139.99$99.99 1 Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD6400AAKS 640GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM Item #: N82E16822136218Return Policy:Limited 30-Day Return Policy

$84.99 1 PNY VCG88512GXEB-FLB GeForce 8800 GT 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail Item #: N82E16814133232Return Policy:Limited 30-Day Return Policy

$119.99 1 Antec NeoPower 650 Blue 650W ATX12V / EPS12V NVIDIA SLI Certified ATI CrossFire Ready Modular Cabling Active PFC Power Supply - Retail Item #: N82E16817371010Return Policy:Limited 30-Day Return Policy -$60.00Instant

$159.99$99.99 1 Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound - OEM Item #: N82E16835100007Return Policy:Consumable Items Return Policy

$5.99 1 CORSAIR 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model TWIN2X4096-6400C5 - Retail Item #: N82E16820145184Return Policy:Memory (Modules, USB) Return Policy
-$12.50Instant
$20.00 Mail-in Rebate
$99.50$87.00 1 ASRock X48TurboTwins-WiFi LGA 775 Intel X48 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail Item #: N82E16813157129Return Policy:Standard Return Policy
-$30.00Instant

$239.99$209.99 1 Intel Core 2 Duo E8200 Wolfdale 2.66GHz LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor Model BX80570E8200 - Retail Item #: N82E16819115038Return Policy:Processors (CPUs) Return Policy

$164.99 1 ARCTIC COOLING Freezer 7 Pro 92mm CPU Cooler - Retail Item #: N82E16835186134Return Policy:Standard Return Policy
$24.99

The 790i is for DDR3 ram, which you don't need unless your going super high end. The 780i, and 750i are both for DDR2 ram, and the 780 is supposed to be a higher end chipset. However, I own a 750i FTW board by EVGA, and the thing runs like a dream, and is free of those video corruption issues that have been seen on the 780i and 790i.

And you really won't be able to upgrade once Nehalem comes out in a year, so keep that in mind.

aveman1

Oh wow - I hadn't heard of the Nehalem until now (haven't been deep into the pc hardware front in years). This is kind of exactly what happens every time I look to buy a new computer though - there's always some MAJOR upgrade just around the bend that's worth waiting for. Since you seem so happy with your 750 board, if you were to be choosing right now to buy that 750 board or wait for the new Nehelem supported boards, what way do you think you'd go?

Looking to build a new computer but was taken with the thought of not hunting for individual parts with TigerDirect's barebone kit packages. My Dell that I've been upgrading since 2002 is now upgraded to the max and I want to get something while I have the extra money this summer.

Been looking at this package: http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3837301&CatId=333
$1,069.99

EVGA nforce 780i SLI Motherboard - Qty: 1$239.99

Intel C2Q Q6700 2.66GHz OEM - Qty: 1$259.99

OCZ SLI 2048MB PC6400 DDR2 - Qty: 1 $59.99

Hitachi Deskstar P7K500 500GB Hard Drive - Qty: 1 $79.97

EVGA GeForce 8800 GT 512MB PCIe 2.0 - Qty: 1 $159.99

Ultra Aluminum Full-Tower Case - Qty: 1 $69.73

Ultra X3 ULT40064 1000-Watt Power Supply - Qty: 1 $299.81

LITE-ON DH-20A4H-08 Burner with Lightscribe - Qty: 1$29.99

Any thoughts on this? I was thinking I could probably save some cash on a slightly cheaper power supply as well. My main confusion at this point is in rying to figure out the real differences between a 750, 780, and 790 motherboards - and I am now seeing some DDR3 supporting motherboards and wonder if it's worth getting that instead. I'm not looking for bleeding edge, but I want a machine that I can once again upgrade for the next 5 years.

Any insight would be awesome.