I am just gonna partially copy paste a reply from another thread...this may be a bit of help!

http://forums.pcapex.com/hardware_ad...questions.html

Quote: Originally Posted by $SOLID$ Necro First...get just 1GB of ram for now for 120$ and add the second GB of ram when you can afford it...though this is not the ideal way, it will do the job. 118$ A-DATA 1GB (2 x 512MB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Newegg.com - A-DATA 1GB (2 x 512MB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail There is a relatively cheap but good PSU I know of for around 50$ Fu3lman uses it, and it's a low cost version of the same OCZ 520SLI one I use, minus a few features you won't need (Adjustable voltage rails..black chrome finish...etc) 52$ ePOWER ZU-550W ATX12V Version 2.0 / EPS12V 550W Power Supply Newegg.com - ePOWER ZU-550W Power Supply - Retail This motherboard easily does up to 500FSB! and is highly rated. 104$ BIOSTAR TForce965PT LGA 775 Newegg.com - BIOSTAR TForce965PT ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail The CPU and video card you will need are not out yet, but we can estimate the prices as 120$ for the E4300, and lets go with 200$ for the low end NVIDIA 8600 A new case can be found locally for around 20-30$ wich is usually good enough, I have built many like that....ordering them online can nearly double the price with shipping! So to sum it up: 130$ CPU 104$ Motherboard 118$ Ram 52$ PSU 200$ Video Card 25$ Case 629$ USD The only areas you could trim it down from that would be to go with slower ram that is not as highly rated and can handle a decent OC, and that will only save you 20$ at best, a cheaper non OC motherboard (Another 20$) and a DX-9 vid card (Maye 50$)...but for that 90$ you are giving up an OC to 3GHZ CPU speed, and crappy looking, slow running DX-10 games (Cause they will run on DX-9) Of couse you will need Vista wich starts at around 200$ but that is something you would have had to go with down the raod anyways...and you are probably not gonna want to do that till about this time next year when SP-1 comes out.

Check out this thread I wrote for people considering Conroe, it's a bit older, but it covers alot!
http://forums.pcapex.com/intel_cpu_m...d_to_know.html

And of course...there is the Intel OC section...lots of good threads there!

http://forums.pcapex.com/intel_cpu_motherboard_oc/

I would say the E6600 and 2GB of that A-Data ram or similar with the DS-3, or the Biostar would be a decent place to start..if you want dual vid card capability..then let us know, and we will try and find something for ya.

BTW..I don't use Yahoo messenger much anymore, so that is why you prolly don't see me there anymore..but you can almost always catch me on MSN for some 1on 1 help..stay in touch buddy!

And Matt..you had some great links for ram there buddy, and the rest of your advice was real $SOLID$ too!