Here's what I'm looking at: (mid-range new system for FS solely):AMD 3700+ San Diego (can't justify price vs. perf on 3800+, 4400+, FX53/55/57 on this rig)ASUS AN8-EAntec Neo PS about 500w (can't justify what I ususally use, PC Power & Cooling, for this rig)2 GB OCZ Platinum RAM (2x1GB) (or maybe cheaper option of Corsair TWINX pack) ATI X800XL *or* X850 series vidcard (undecided, but leaning toward ATI vs. nVidia 6800/7800 series)Cooler Master Praetorian alum silver case250 gb SATA2 WD Caviaretc. etc.How does this setup sound to you all? I want to build a decent new FS system. Again, I'm not looking to spend on the bleeding edge, so no 4400+ dual-cores or FX57's here. Do you see anything on these specs that stands out as a potential bad choice for FS?

I'd reconsider using an Antec Neo PSU after reading this thread:http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=...45&page=1&pp=20The rest seems good. I'd go for the OCZ RAM and the X800XL :)

Yes, good call. I have heard and read about the horror stories of the Antec Neo p/s's, particularly with A8N-SLI boards. Your warning will probably push me away from the Neo. It's just that I *like* the idea of a modular power supply. From a neatness and cooling standpoint...I wonder if it is ALL modular p/s that have this problem? Or just Antec's?The problems have also occurred with A8N-E's so you are probably right on that, I should not tempt fate. Supposedly, ASUS has/have corrected this problem with the latest BIOS, but I am more into stability and price vs. performance with this system I am proposing...so I should play it safe.Alternatively, I could change the motherboard choice. DFI is an option, but I'd rather not spend $150+ on a board with this build. I don't trust DFI's lower-end boards, either. Abit is an option, but I'm worried about their fanless northbridge heat pipe getting in the way of my gfx card or cpu cooler setup.In my current FS sys I run a PC Power & Cooling p/s and I've used those for years with zero hiccups. But PC Power p/s's are NOT for price vs. performance. $200 is a lot for a p/s in a midrange new build such as this one. Now, if I were going all-out, I'd put one in no question.

I got the Antec and the DFI board as you see in my sig and it all works fine. :)Silverstone make a 600w modular power supply, its very good from all accounts. The only reason I didn't get one is because there wasn't stock anywhere.

I looked at the Silverstone modular p/s. My only concern would be that is this Asus problem with ALL modular power supplies, or just the Antec Neo's? I have read nothing to this effect...

Don't spend over the odds on expensive RAM. Standard 3200 is fine for AMD 64 chips and cetainly faster RAM is wasted unless you intend to overclock. Timing differences alone give marginal performance increase.Also, do you need a SATA2 drive or could the difference between that and a standard SATA (or even P-ATA for that matter) give you enough to bump the CPU up a notch?

>Don't spend over the odds on expensive RAM. Standard 3200 is>fine for AMD 64 chips and cetainly faster RAM is wasted unless>you intend to overclock. Timing differences alone give>marginal performance increase.>I generally do overclock. Mildly. You must understand, I am used to building ultra high-end systems for MYSELF, but this one will not be. Having said that, imo a 3700+ is not junk, and neither is a cheap $200 Corsair 2 gb TwINX pack of RAM. Good performers for the price, which is the modus operandi for this build. But I could spend $50 more and get some higher quality ram, sure. I still have a lot of choices to make, and I'm still not dead set on any of it, and that includes how overclockable I want to make it. Perhaps not at all..or perhaps a lot.>Also, do you need a SATA2 drive or could the difference>between that and a standard SATA (or even P-ATA for that>matter) give you enough to bump the CPU up a notch?>heh. I don't *need* any of it, but I might as well use SATA2, as it's the coming thing, and I have found that SATA2 drives cost about the same per gig as SATA or P-ATA. At least I have seen nothing to the contrary. So why not SATA2...

But then, if you've already decided, why ask for any opinions? No disrespect...

I've decided? Tell me where in my posting where I say I've definitively decided to go with this or that. haha.I value and appreciate, and am thankful for, all input. It helps me decide. Don't be misled by my rambling thinking-out-loud posts. Rhett

Definitely go for something like a 7800GT over an X800 series card - it's way faster and the problems with FS were resolved earlier this month with a driver update.

Good point. The only problem is, I think a 7800GT card is more expensive than an X800 series card. Also, my impression from this forum is that the (nvidia) 6800's don't do clouds well, whereas the (ATI) X800 series, which can be had for about the price of a 6800, does clouds better. That has been my impression from this forum, anyway. Is this wrong now?