Assembling a modest gaming computer, any tips?

[Stormwatch]

Say, a GeForce GTS 250 instead of the 9800 GT, does it sound like a good move? (a GTS 450 would be $60 more expensive here)

[moozooh]

Yes it does, absolutely. GTS 250 would be just about right for a tight budget.

[Stormwatch]

And it turns out that PSU was a piece of crap after all. I'm getting a Corsair Vx 550W.

[Stormwatch]

Come to think about it again, this nifty configuration here...

Mobo: PCWare IPM H55
CPU: Intel Core I5 750
Video: Nvidia Geforce Gtx 460
RAM: 4gb 1333 Mhz DDR3 Markvision
PSU: Corsair Vx 550W
Hard disk: 1TB Hitachi
Mouse: Razer Krait

...will cost me just $250 more than the rather outdated, E8400-based one. So, might as well, right?

[moozooh]

I guess. Won't Razer Krait cost upwards of $60+ where you live, though? For a 1600 dpi mouse with no additional buttons and a scrollwheel rubber tending to come loose within a few months that seems to be a waste.

[Stormwatch]

No, I can get that (or a Salmosa) from eBay for about $30. I don't care about extra buttons, but I demand comfort, durability, and performance. I have a plain Logitech, it's fine, but it's starting to fail.

[moozooh]

How old is yours, btw? My first Logitech (plain ball-based USB with excellent scrollwheel) served me for nearly 7 years before the right button started to miss clicks regularly. Being very impressed with its durability, I bought a G5 in early 2009. I wonder how long will it last.

[Stormwatch]

Uh-oh, check this.

As with Logitech's MX-5 corded optical mouse series such as the MX-518, some G5 mice, even the updated blue version, may develop a short circuit in the cord where the cord meets the mouse. The cord will temporarily short, and the mouse will turn off until the user shakes the mouse and it turns back on again. The problem may begin after only a few months of use, and then will slowly progress and get worse over many months or even a year until it completely breaks and stops working entirely.

Sounds similar to what's happening here.

[moozooh]

Oh hmm. I have the blue version, but no signs of cord malfunction so far (aside from me having to cut the sheath in a couple places to stop it from twisting the cord itself). Probably not a universal problem… or maybe I'm lucky? :P

[Stormwatch]

Another FFFUUUU moment: the GTX 460 is still not well supported in hackintosh, so I'll get a GTS 250 to be safe. I really don't want to move to Windows as my main OS again, I still remember the month or so when I was forced to use Vista... ew.

[StarCreator]

No idea about Vista, but I've had Windows 7 since RTM and it has been absolutely great. Almost two years later and still running smooth as butter. I wouldn't even consider running anything else at this point. IMO, if you end up downgrading your video hardware just to keep a hacked OS X, you're just selling yourself short.

[Stormwatch]

Nuh-huh. No way. Once you go OSX, you can't go back to Windows' awful interface!

[Stormwatch]

Aaaand... done, it's ordered, if it's good then great, if it isn't then screw it.

Mobo: Gigabyte Ga-h55m-s2
CPU: Intel Core I5 750
Video: Nvidia Geforce Gts 250 1gb
RAM: DDR3 4gb 1333 Mhz Corsair
Power: Corsair Vx 550W
HD: 1TB Samsung

Which cost me R$ 1605.88 = U$ 968.85. And that's after hunting down the best deals for weeks. And I didn't even order the mouse yet!