C2D Build: About to order my first ever build, advice please

[jr2408]

All,

I would really appreciate your input on my final spec for my first build.

Intended Usage:
- 80% Heavy multitasking - Mail, browsing, downloading movies, playng music with Mediaplayer, decoding movies, online poker
- 20% Games - Warcraft, Flight sims, RTS

Other Info
- I will be using my existing Dell 20 inch LCD, running 1600x1200
- I will experiment with moderate overclocking, but this is my main system so I want a stable box that will run for 2-3 years
- I don't want the extra complexity of RAID
- I am not interested in SLI. I will buy the top of the line DX10 graphics card next year, the current choice is only a stop gap.
- Based on what I have heard above the minimal cpu impact I am going for on board sound rather than a separate card
- In future I see myself upgrading to quad core
- I will run XP 32 as my main OS, with Vista on its own partition until I am happy to move to Vista (late next year?). Will also have another OS partition on the main Harddrive for messing around with Linux

Questions
- What are your general thoughts?
- How does my memory choice look?
- Does my PSU look ok for the future? I would like a modular unit. I won't go SLI, but do see myself having Quad core and a beefy DX10 GPU, as well as 3+ SATA devices.
- Is there an ATI alternative to my graphics card choice, as I hear ATI is the way to go right now? Also I want to avoid reinstalling my OS if I move to an ATI DX10 card (I have hear that you should reinstall the OS if you are changing between ATI & Nvidia drivers)
- What's the view on my case? I want something with good cooling, quiet, space to move around in and good looking. Suggestions?

Spec
These parts are available in online & local stores (i live in Holland).

Processor - Intel Core 2 Duo E6600
Motherboard - P5W DH Deluxe (Intel 975X) (I changed this from a Gigabyte DQ6 after hearing about a lot of memory problems)
Cooler - Zalman CNPS 9500AT
Memory - 2GB - OCZ DDR2 PC2-6400 Platinum Revision 2 CL 4-4-4-15
OR
2GB Corsair XMS2 TWIN2X 6400 DDR2, 2048MB CL5
Video - XFX GeForce 7600GT 256MB (will upgrade to DX 10 card(s) next year)
Hard Drive #1 - Western Digital Raptor WD1500AD) - (Windows XP, Vista, Linux, Games partitions)
Hard Drive #2 - Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 - (another of these to be added later for backup)
Case - GigaByte 3D Aurora (I have been bouncing between a Coolermaster Mystique 631, a Coolermaster Praetorian and a Collermaster WaveMaster, now I have this choice)
PSU - OCZ Modstream 520W or Antec NEO 500W
Floppy/cardreader - Mitsumi 7in1 FDD+Cardreader
Optical - NEC AD-7173A DVD burner

[MD]

Generally pretty good.

Memory - if you are not overclocking and you have some budget concerns you won't see that much benefit in that RAM over the standard crucial stuff for example - it will be just as solid and tbh the performance boost is negligible, especially considering your usage pattern, ove the two though I would go for the Corsair.

PSU looks fine

ATI graphics are similar at this sort of stop gap - get the cheapest you can get away with for the time being before you go DX10.

Case is ok - I have yet to get a PROPER look at one, but of the chassis I have at the moment in for review I would highly recommend the Akasa Eclipse or Mirage - still a very good chassis.

Matt.

[nvening]

The case you ar looking at has poor cooling for the hard drives as they are mounted at a right angle to the front intake and so airflow is restricted.

This may be a consideration as you are going to have 3 HDDs including a raptor.

[jr2408]

Thanks for the feedabck on that case. May in that case go for an Antec P180 as I am reading that this seems to be a good choice for cool & quiet running?

[Mama Sumae]

I am building a very similar pc but i am using a cheaper case. Antec P180 is a great case but be sure to check if the psu cables are long,

If they are too short it might end up looking like this

[MD]

http://www.hexus.net/content/item.php?item=6012

[jr2408]

mmm, maybe a Thermaltake Kandalf then...