First time builder needs help. Can you check this configuration for me?

[TJoshX]

Ok so first time computer builder here. I do not play any high end graphics games like WoW, CS, or Half-Life. I do play a 2d graphics based game named "Tibia" but this game doesn't require a lot. I will be using it for office applications and internet use. I am a 25 year old high school biology teacher.

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SAMSUNG 20X DVD±R DVD Burner with LightScribe Black SATA Model SH-S203N - OEM
Item #: N82E16827151154
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
$29.99

APEVIA X-TELSTAR-JR S-Type X-TSJST-BL Blue / Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail
Item #: N82E16811144214
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$79.99

SAMSUNG HD250HJ 250GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM
Item #: N82E16822152107
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$62.99

EVGA 512-P2-N756-TR GeForce 8600GT 512MB 128-bit GDDR2 PCI Express x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail
Item #: N82E16814130292
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$30.00 Mail-in Rebate
$109.99

APEVIA ATX-CW500WP4 ATX 500W Power Supply - Retail
Item #: N82E16817148027
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$15.00 Mail-in Rebate
$39.99

ZALMAN CNPS9700 LED 110mm 2 Ball CPU Cooler - Retail
Item #: N82E16835118019
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-$26.00 Instant
$79.99
$53.99


ASUS M3A AM2+/AM2 AMD 770 ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail
Item #: N82E16813131234
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AMD Phenom 9600 Agena 2.3GHz Socket AM2+ 95W Quad-Core Processor Model HD960ZWCGDBOX - Retail
Item #: N82E16819103244
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-$25.00 Combo
$318.99
$293.99


Crucial Ballistix 4GB(2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model BL2KIT25664AA804 - Retail
Item #: N82E16820148183
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Crucial Gizmo! 2GB Flash Drive (USB2.0 Portable) Model JDOD2GB-730 - Retail
Item #: N82E16820148153
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-$12.99 Combo
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$122.98
$109.99

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Grand Total: $810.97


So these are all the specs to the new machine I am looking at. Key things I am looking for are as follows...

1.) I want an AMD Quad Core- the 9600 Black Edition (2.3GHz) is $40 more then the 9500 (2.2GHz). Is it worth the extra money?

2.) Motherboard? I selected the ASUS one above because I knew it matched and was part of a combo. If there is a better product I should be looking at please stear me the right way. Ideal would be around 100.00 but up to 150.00 is ok.

3.) I have heard the heat-sink that comes with this processor is not the greatest and that I should look to replace it. I know NOTHING about heat-sinks, Zalman was a name recommended to me, the fan above seems to be middle of the road?
** this other fan was recommended to me here on this board:

ZEROtherm Nirvana NV120 120mm 2-ball UFO Bearing / Transparent CPU Cooler - Retail
Item #: N82E16835887011
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
-$10.00 Instant
$10.00 Mail-in Rebate

$59.99
$49.99

4.) RAM- I have heard good things about Crucial Ballistix. However I have heard that when running 4GB that some CPUs can only read 3GB? Can someone explain this and am I then just better going with 3GB?

5.) OS- Vista or XP Pro? I have not heard great things about vista...

6.) I have a Samsung burner and hard drive selected. I know Samsung through home entertainment and know they make great products. How are their computer components?

7.) Lastly, I obviously want to build something for as little money as possible but on the same note don't mind spending money on quality. The 800.00 range is about the peak of what I want to spend.


Thanks for the help guys,

Josh

 

[TJoshX]

anyone?

 

[Instinct5]

i could sell you that M3A in the box for $75.00

 

[chupacabra]

Those phenoms are over rated, i personally would go for a quad from intel after the 45mm come out

 

[TJoshX]

i'm not sure what 45mm means, and fro what I have been told the Intel quads are much faster and more capable then the AMDs but the cost is substantially more. For the money you can't touch the AMD quad from what some tech guys have told me.

Any other thoughts on teh system as a whole?

 

[chupacabra]

i'm not sure what 45mm means, and fro what I have been told the Intel quads are much faster and more capable then the AMDs but the cost is substantially more. For the money you can't touch the AMD quad from what some tech guys have told me.

Any other thoughts on teh system as a whole?

Lies, intel has quads about the same price or lower than the phenom

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115017

And about the 45mm, it means a new processor will be released with better characteristics than the current ones, like 6mb to 12 mb of cache, better speeds etc

 

[lucky7]

yea those tech guys have no idea what they r talkin about. In April they r dropping the price of the old intel quadcore(q6600) and hopefully releasing their new 45nm ones. Just to put that into perspective the q6600 is not only faster than a phenom, but will also be cheaper.