Spec check + Questions

[Curio]

Will be "upgrading" after Xmas and have gone through tons of specs and have come up with this.

Abit KN9 nForce Ultra AM2 mobo
AMD X2 4200 Windsor cpu
EVGA nVidia 7900GS PCI-E video
OCZ 1GB (2x512MB) DDR2-800 CAS 4 RAM
XClio 450W PSU

NOTES: I'm not putting prices because I'm in the US. I'm not opposed to Conroe, however I've found that (over here at least) I can get many more good brand AM2 mobo's with all the options I require compared to Conroe compatible boards - which are extremely expensive for a good brand. Besides, I'm just kinda in an AMD mood right now Also, I'll be adding another 1GB RAM at a later date.

QUESTIONS:

1.) Is AM2 fairly future-proof? Will I able to simply slap in an AMD Quad core (or whatever) in 18 months, without too much bother?

2.) Is there any indication on when mid-lower range DX10 cards will be out? If they're within the next few months I might save money now and get a 7600GT instead of the 7900GS. I'm on a very, very strict budget and ever penny counts

3.) Are there any compatibility problems with the above spec?

Thanks

 

[Curio]

XClio PSU's are very good quality. They're well known over here, but I'm sure I remember OCUK selling them a while back

Harris - the DS3 (both models I can see) are literally twice the price of the Abit AM2 board I have specced! That's the problem I'm having.....it seems that over here Conroe boards are just silly money Also, I'm certainly not an AMD fanboy.....or fanboy of any kind....it's just that the X2/AMD combo is superb value for money compared to Conroe - at least over this side of the Atlantic!

 

[Curio]

If you want a good value and bang per buck, AM2 can be a great deal right now.

As to the PSU, that brand has been problematic at our forums. If OCUK no longer sells it, then that too may be a clue. No PSU is a bargain "IF" it has the potential to damage your system. Do some Googling before you buy.

Thanks for that. The XClio I'm looking at has overwhelmingly good reviews on the competitor site I'm buying from. I usually buy Antec, but they seem to be getting poor reviews at the moment. Also, I know not to buy crappy PSU's - my first ever purchase from OCUK was a Q-Tec It went back within a week