Darn it. Had a long reply typed out and I crashed my browser!
Originally posted by PA 3L SVT:
Two questions:
1) RAM. Gotta go with a top tier manufacturer, which pretty much leaves Kingston and Crucial as far as I can tell. I read the Kingstons tend to get hot (but are a bit cheaper). RAM heatspreaders are recommended - anyone want to comment on RAM cooling? The heatspreaders I saw looked pretty flimsy; I suppose they work to cool a few degrees. I'm not sure if active RAM cooling is appropriate for my setup ... don't want to go overboard.
Unless you are doing serious overclocking, you won't need those heatspreaders.
Mushkin, OCZ, Buffalo Technology, Geil -- all decent brands. For the low end, I'd pick Mushkin over Kingston. More of a personal preference really, they should all be fine.
Quote:
2) Vid card. I don't see spending $100 for a high end - I just want middle of the line. How are the GeForce FX 5200 cards? Gainward looks to be a reputable brand, and that card is priced well for what it has. I definitely want something that is 8x AGP capable.
The FX5200 cards, especially the non-Ultra cards, are junk. Just look at the prices of the last generation Ti 4200s and the current 5200's. Right now, AGP 8X is more of a marketing thing than a performance thing. And when it does become a performance thing, the 5200 won't be able to take advantage. Don't let that be a selling point.
Keep an eye on the Newegg refurb section (it seems they do updates around 3:30 - 4:00 on weekdays), you can really get some bargins on video cards. I ended up getting a GeForce FX 5900 for $153. Also got 2x256 Kingston HyperX for about $80.
The SLK3700AMB is more of a bronze color, while the BQE is black. The BQE is an updated version, I think they rotated the hard drive cage 90 degrees. I'd hold off on the extra fan until you get the system together and look at the temps. May not need it, and it'd keep things quieter. Both are good cases with excellent power supplies. They have doors, so you won't see your mismatched drives anyways 
Part of the reason I went with the Sonata.
Double check that you can't get Windows and Office from your school. I was able to get em for about $10 each at Ball State... We even got Norton Anti-Virus Corporate Edition for free. You've already paid for it with your tuition! 
