Hey,
I'm attempting to buy parts for my first build and may buy everything through Newegg.com, but I want to make sure my parts will be compatible before I buy. Is there a website that can assist with this? I am also thinking of going with the ASUS P5N32 E SLI mobo, as it received good reviews. FYI, my computer will be for home/school use plus photos, music, surfing and maybe gaming. Thanks for any advice!!

Fortune

What is your budget?

I'd like to keep it below $1,300 but can go up to $1,800.

Do you need everything with this set-up? Monitor, Keyboard, Mouse all that?

Either way it's very doable, especially with that kind of budget.

Biggest potential compatibility problem is mobo / RAM. Check the mobo manufacturer's site for recommended RAM and read product reviews and feedback (Newegg). Everything else is pretty much plug and play.

I'm using that exact same motherboard - I assume you are using Intel Chip not AMD and its socket 775

Here is my set up - The main thing is check on asus web site and read the QVL list so you know what RAM module is approved. I recommend getting RAM that has all 3 check marks on their list for most stability.

Link:

http://support.asus.com/download/d [...] SLanguage= en-us&model=P5N32-E%20SLI

P5N32-E SLI Memory QVL (Download -> Manual -> bottom of that list)


Here's my set up with that board:

COOLER MASTER Stacker RC-832
(2) Dell 2407 UltraSharp 24" Wide DVI 6ms 9-in-2 Card Reader
Vista Ultimate 64Bit / Office Standard 2007
Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6700 Kentsfield 2.66GHz
ASUS P5N32-E SLI LGA 775 NVIDIA nForce 680i - BIOS 1201 BETA
(2 SLI)- EVGA 768-P2-N835-AR GeForce 8800GTX 768MB SuperClocked
(4) Gigs RAM OCZ model # OCZ2T8002GK
Tagan TG1100-U96 ATX12V Power Supply
Seagate Barracuda 750GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb
ZEROtherm BTF90 92mm Silent UFO CPU Cooler
(4) Scythe S-FLEX SFF21F 120mm Case Fan
Sony NEC Optiarc Combo Drive Black IDE Model CRX320EE/B2S W/O SW
SUPER TALENT INT-AIN1-C All-in-one USB 2.0 Card Reader
ESET NOD32 Anti-Virus

How important is the QVL? The ASUS PK5 Deluxe has a very limited list, which doesnt even include OCZ or Mushkin...seems odd.

Some people say it won't work with non QVL ram on the boards - and if it does you got lucky.