Thanks Live, let me list my prospective components. I should add that the
last computer I built was an 800MHz. Lot of stuff has changed since then.

Here are the base components:

CHIEFTEC Server Chassis Model AX-01SLD
Enermax EG465AX-VE (W)FCA 431W Power Supply
Gigabyte GA-8IK1100 mobo, Intel 875P Canterwood
Intel Pentium 4 3.0CGHz 512k socket 478 Hyper-Threading 800 MHz FSB
Western Digital 200GB 7200 RPM EIDE HD
Guillemot Hercules ATI Radeon 9800 PRO 128MB DDR DVI/TV-out 8X AGP

Comments on any of that appreciated - I'm a game developer and need a fast,
expandable system. I'm considering ditching the IDE interface for the hard
drive, is it worth it?

I have two choices for memory, and this is one of the things causing me
confusion:

Corsair XMS PC-3200C2PT 400MHz
Corsair XMS PC-4000C2PT 500MHz

The motherboard claims 400MHz is the fastest memory it handles. So it seems
a waste to buy the more expensive memory. But hardware tweakers rave about
the 500. I have never overclocked in my life, but I might try one day ...
hard to tell. Right now I'm running on an 800MHz and just the jump to a
3.0GHz will be stunning.

Thanks for any feedback.

"LiveWire" wrote in message
news:zWq%a.156449$o%2.66182@sccrnsc02...
For example: If you plan to overclock a 400FSB Athlon XP, or an 800FSB
P4,
you may want to get the 500Mhz memory. However, if you plan to run that
Athlon XP or P4 at spec, then save your $$$ and get the 400Mhz.

I should probably be a bit more specific because the above only applies if
you are raising the FSB (over 200Mhz), not just increasing the CPU
multiplier, in which case the 400Mhz memory would still be fine.

--
LiveWire