RAM and Component questions

First, A newbish question about RAM, is higher Cas Latency good or bad?

I'm getting mixed reviews on different sites but now I am fairly sure lower Cas Latency is ideal, just want to be certain before I make the purchase.

I'm considering this RAM package but if lower latency is good, I'm not sure if should go with this instead.

Building a whole new system (save for Monitor, Drives, KeyboardMouse, etc.) and any input is good.

The complete list of what I intend to buy:

Processor: (may change to a duel core once July 24th comes)
AMD Athlon 64 3200

RAM:(depending upon input)
Patriot 2GB (1GB x 2)

Graphics Card:
Sapphire Radeon X850XT

PSU:
Roswell 500w

Mobo:
DFI Lanparty UT CFX3200

Audio Card:
Creative Sound Blaster Audidgy2

I may hold out on buying the mobo and processor until DFI makes a Lanparty board that supports AM2

The graphics card will be replaced around Christmas I think and sometime next year I want to make the processor an FX duel core.  I may down grade the PSU as I'm considering upgrading it.  For the most part I want a system that may not be top of the line but I can at least upgrade down the road.  I also want a system that I can overclock completely. With my current PC I cant do crap and I cant upgrade it at all.

I'm also looking at this case

Okay, yes the OCZ is faster (tighter timings), but it won't have an appreciable impact on performance unless you plan to OC. From the fact that you are buying a LanParty (I have an Ultra-D), it looks like you might be...
If you aren't, then go with the Patriot, and maybe, just maybe, a simpler mobo.

Also, good deal on the processor. I wouldn't go x2 right now though, there is so much change going on with CPUs, I mean, quad core will be here soon, it's all crazy.

Case - Seems a bit spendy for what you get.

Sound card - The audigy is still a contender, even with the pricey new X-fi's.

Will your cores be dueling?

Darur wrote: The sound card will definetly be changed in the long run, I just need something to tide me over till then, although the board I'm looking at has pretty good onboard sound.

Heh, I'm currently using the onboard sound on my LanParty and its doing just fine on my x-530's. No qualms about it, I'm actually having trouble figuring out why people go for soundcards at all on these boards.

Hold out for Conroe!!

http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/showdoc.aspx?i=2795

Unless you're building it like... tommorow.

I had that same card.  It was good (when it worked).  I'd reccomend it, but first read this thread http://www.sapphiretech.com/en/forums/showthread.php?t=2413
That card + some mobo's don't work well together for some odd reason, I'd make sure your mobo works, see if anyone else has that same mobo and has a problem.  I had an ASUS A8N-E and it would crash during any 3d, but when it worked for 30 seconds, IT WAS INSANE.

Sammy wrote: High Voltage wrote: not bad, but since you are going PCIe for a graphics card, why not go bigger, like something from the X1k series? not saying an x1900 like mine, but at least go x1600. Even though the X1600 is newer, does it outperform the older X850xt?

the x1600 has a faster core clock, faster memory clock, and larger max resolution. it can also be run in crossfire mode. i hear it's easy to overclock. do they make any x850's crossfire ready? the only thing it has over the 1600 is 4 more pixel pipelines. for that reason i'd suggest you go with an x1800xt when the prices are low. i saw one on newegg a minute ago for $235.

Pardon bump but I cant seem to find anything good in mobos right now

Edited by Darur - 25 July 2006 at 7:01pm