HI EVERYBODY!! I am going to order my stuff this weekend. I have spent the last 2 weeks diligently searching for the best deals and price/performance for my $900 limit upgrade. So here is my list and a quick reason why I chose that particular component. If you guys have anything in mind you think I should consider I will take a look.

UPGRADE:
GA-965P-DS3: Good board, and good price.
E4300: cheap and I want the 9x multiplier for OC, shooting for at least 3.2GHz, 8xmulti maybe
Scythe ninja SCNJ 1100P: Price/performance
Patriot extreme DDR800 2x1GB: $165!!! after rebate
Sapphire X1950XT: $200 good company reputation, good performance
Arctic Ceramiq: Will probably lapp the HS down the raod

Hanns-G HW-191DPB 5ms 19"widescreen LCD: All the 19" 5ms widescreen dispalys had the same stats so I just went for the price. And it fit my criteria of SPEAKERS, DVI, BUTTONS ON THE SIDE.

That list from newegg with S&H and after rebates comes to $910!!

Is there any better price/performance components I should consider??? Dont bother recommending some "Ive never heard of them, Im gonna be the quinnea pig tester of this unit" brands. I wont buy them!!! You guys have 2 day to sway me...hehe

will that scythe fit into my Aspire X-cruiser case? Hrmmm looking on newegg it looks like Aspire is now apevia??? Anyways I have the Apevia X-Cruiser BLUE. Although mt case says ASPIRE all over the fan grille's...whatever. EDIT: I have a SEASONIC S12 600W. Not the 420watt that the apevia on newegg somes with.

Thinking about CPU COOLER still. should I go bigtyphoon since I have the side port on my case? Not sure where it lines up to though.

I can go big typhoon, it it'll fit my mainboard, and have cool air drawn in. Or I can go scythe ninja and have hot air vented out by my 12cm rear vent fan???? what you guys think.

Looks like a very good build but if i were you i'd spend the extra for a Tuniq Tower 120, it's a brilliant cooler especially when overclocking.

if you can wait a month (april 17th) the nvidia 8600 series should be released. maybe you can get urself a holdover card till then. its not worth it imo to get a dx9 when midrange dx10 are so close.

Dont ge me wrong I appreciate the consideration but I dont think todays, or next months, DX10 cards are going to be worth SPIT when the time come when you actually NEED to have DX10. At that time I think that there will be more boards and will be FAR FAR better suited to the task. Thats my opinion.

And If I wait till next month, then I might as well wait 2 months. then three. then four. the best time to buy is, and always has been, next month. I have a XP2500+ CPU. I've been waiting long enough...hehe

Thanks for the input. Keep in mind that Im looking at the price/performance here. That thing is another $30....almost twice as much as the one I chose...for what? 3C off the load temp. not worth it IMO. If it was proven to go 7-10C better I might consider it. Ill see if I can find reviews.

What's the power supply? Make sure you get a 6pin with good Amps, I have a sapphire x1950xt (great card BTW), and I had to put allot of work into the PSU, I even bought a power supply with the wrong connector when I was building. Thankfully I got the card before the PSU, and was able to deny recept of the power supply.

The S12 600W is a very good PSU and I have one. I would look at a Thermaltake Matrix VX VD3000BWA Black Aluminum ATX Mid Tower Computer Case. It is only 85.99 and it has two 120mm fans in it. If I remember correctly the Aptova has one 80mm. But your choice. I personal like the Thermaltake cases. I find that they have a lot of room inside to maneuver parts. I am currently using a Thermaltake Viking.

The components on my list are the only ones for consideration. Remember this is just a core upgrade. The case, PSU, drives, sound blaster all stays. Only building the motherboard, cpu, memory, and video.

I have a Seasonic S12 600Watt, I believe it has 2 6pin connectors. Its it SLI certified.

Video Card: The HIS IceQ Turbo X1950XT just came out with a $50 MIR so it's only 10 bucks more than the Sapphire one. I'd get the HIS version. I actually got the Sapphire version 2 weeks ago and now the HIS has the $50 rebate. Aaargh!!!

I wouldn't spend another $140 for a 8800GTS unless you have Vista. I don't have it. I don't want it. At least until SP2 comes out. XP runs games faster and until DX10 games come out, it's not worth it for the majority of people. If you were getting a very high resolution monitor than I would tell you to just get the 8800GTX.

I went from a 6600GT to the X1950XT. I have a 22" monitor at 1680x1050 resolution and the X1950XT so far is pretty sweet. I played NWN2 on the 6600GT card and had to put it on lowest setting just to play and it was still not smooth.

I haven't had time to play NWN2 on my new system yet but I did run the intro and I saw lighting and detail that was just stunning. I read that even top-of-the-line gaming systems can't play NWN2 with all of the eye candy on and this weekend I will test that statement for myself.

I did set all of the options on and the game didn't tell me to lower my resolution like it did with my 6600GT. I will take this as a good sign.

Mobo: I just got the DS3. Nice mobo. Haven't OC'd yet as my PSU isn't the greatest and the Arctic Cooling Freezer 7 Pro is still on back order damn it.

Thermal Paste: A good review by DaSickNinja on this forum shows that MassCools thermal paste worked the best.

(I bought a tube of Arctic Silver 3 when I built a system 5 years ago and just used it in building my E6400 system a week ago with the stock heatsink. I was getting 42 deg C the first day. Haven't checked it since and I'm hoping that once it "cures" that the temps might go down a little.)

As far as PSU for your future: Get either the Seasonic S12 Energy Plus 550W or 650W. Do a search on froogle as you can find them for around 30 bucks cheaper than Newegg. The 88% efficiency will end up paying for itself in time. Or the Antec NeoHE 550W is around 90 bucks. It's up to 85% efficient so it's not that far behind the Seasonic. (Too bad that Antec doesn't make a 650W version.) Once again, check out froogle as other places have better prices on PSU's than NewEgg.

As long as you have a PSU that will support the x1950xt power needs, then the build looks good.

that HIS x1950 has very poor reviews. OR at least the only people reviewing are saying that is crappy. I think Ill go with the Sapphire. It has 10x more reviewers and MUCH higher stars. Even though I always take the Eggs reviews witha grain of salt, because I know that the average Joe reviewer couldnt fine his arse with both hands and a funnel...hehehe.

I still like to have at least 80% of them be 4 stars or higher. Which reminds me, thats another reeason I picked the monitor I did. It has 800 reviewes, and 97% gave it 4 stars or higher. Cant really argue with 775 good reviews out of 800 reviewers.

I know some of the guys on this forum who have the HIS IceQ X1950XT and it's been fine for them.

I read bad reviews on the Antec Sonata II with the 450W PSU on Newegg. Specifically, it was about how bad the PSU was. Well I had an Antec Perf Plus case with a 350W PSU for 5 years and had no problems with it.

I've only had the Sonata II for 2 weeks now, but everything is fine with it. Though I wouldn't oc very much with it. I plan on getting a Seasonic S12 Energy Plus 650W PSU when I plan on oc'ing my system.

I do appreciate the effort but I really wish people would actually take time to read a thread before posting in it. hehe

I beg to differ with you on this point. I have the 8800gtx and I play NWN2 all the time with all of the eye candy on and maxed out. I haven't found a place yet that slows the graphics down.

There's nothing to beg differ with. I just read that comment. It wasn't my own. That's why I said I was going to check it for myself.

Naturally, your 8800GTX is faster than my "lowly" X1950XT. Your system automatically disproves what I read. Maybe my system will slow down in certain areas with all of the eye-candy. I hope it doesn't.

Though I am glad that you mentioned you can play NWN2 will of the eye-candy on.

Never meant for you to be the guinea pig or anything. You could have 100% good reviews and end up buying that product that just happens to be the lemon of the bunch. Manufacturing is never 100%.

Ya I went from a 6600 to the 8800 and the difference is amazing. I can actually see the star field at night. It is great. Of course I also upgraded the CPU from a 3200+ to an FX60. It is hard to say which one made the biggest difference.

Exactly.