Need help on first build--$1600 budget

[JustinL]

I am completely new with building computers and I'll need a new pc soon, so here is what I'm looking for:

I am a high school student with a rigorous schedule; I have to type upwards of 15 pages per week and I have to research alot, so I need something reliable.

Also, I like to fool around with photoshop and I use iTunes and store alot of photos on my pc I have now (really interested in photography). I usually am running multiple programs (4 or 5 programs at once). The problem I have now is that my pc is really slow when I multi-task and sometimes it has frozen.

About gaming: I'm not that big into gaming and the games I play aren't demanding as far as vid cards. But I do want a decent vid card in case I do start getting into gaming during the summer or some other time. Right now, I'm just really busy with school.

Again my budget is $1600, give or take.

The things I think I want so far:

Core 2 Duo E6600
Corsair XMS2 2 GB (?)
Antec P180B case


The things I am having trouble with:

-A motherboard (gigabyte GS3 ?)
-CD/DVD drives
-cooling
-power supply
-hard drive (I want 320GB+)
-LCD monitor (I'll be watching movies...17" is fine)
-sound card
-video card

Thanks to those who can help,
Justin

 

[CaneBaller]

if ur gonna be multi tasking the more ram the better

 

[JustinL]

Yea, I multi-task all the time. What would be good then? 4 GB of DDR2?

 

[compguy91]

Yea, I multi-task all the time. What would be good then? 4 GB of DDR2?

I've heard that 4Gb on a 32-bit OS can have stability issues. I'd wait until vista comes out to go with 4GB or more. You would probably be fine with 2GB of RAM. I have 1.5GB RAM and have almost no lag. I could be wrong about the 4GB thing and 32-bit systems but someone else would be able to tell you better.

 

[freestyler105]

Alright, I am planning a similar build right now, so here's some options.

For a motherboard, that one is good, and you could take a look at the Asus P5N for another choice.

CD/DVD drives really are just a matter of what you can get for cheapest and looks best. I'd recommend a quality brand like Plextor, Sony, Samsung, LG, or Lite-On.

Cooling is really a preference thing. You probably want something quieter so you can concentrate on your work. That case actually comes with 3 case fans. You are just going to need a heatsink for your CPU. Check out this:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16835186134

You probably want at least a 500 watt power supply. Check out this:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817153028
If you want it to be really silent, try this:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817103926

You want an SATA hard drive for the increased speed. Seagate and Western Digital are the best in my opinion.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16822148138

LCD's are getting really cheap these days. You may want to consider a 19" screen. There's a huge difference, trust me. LG makes good monitors.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16824005071

For a sound card, you want Creative. They are the best brand, hands down. You will want something like this:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16829102188

Your video card needs to be nice, but not over $200 just for Photoshop. This will last you a long time unless you start hardcore gaming.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814130062

2 GB of DDR2 should be more than enough.

There's a brief overview of everything you asked about. If you have any more questions, don't hesitate to ask.