Best for $2,500 + parts from old pc

[Markyip1]

Hi all,

I was hoping to get some feedback and advice on a system I'm planning to put together. I'd like to spend around $2,500, which does not include a new Dell 24 inch widescreen I plan to get separately. I plan to game and do some video encoding work. I'm a software developer and longtime PC enthusiast and I have a tendency to push my systems hard.

Some parts I plan to transfer from my current PC include:

- (2x) 250 Gig SATA Hard Disk (for 500G RAID-0 Array)
- Creative Labs Sound Blaster X-Fi Platinum Edition
- Microsoft Laser Desktop 6000 v2 (mouse / keyboard)
- 250 External USB2 Hard Disk
- 300 External USB2 Hard Disk

Given these parts, I'm thinking about several different configurations. I don't have much experience with PSUs, cases, or cooling systems. I'd also like to consider water cooling for a cooler (and quieter) PC, but don't know what components are best. Any help there would be greatly appreciated.

Case: Antec P180 Silver looks good to me, but again, I don't have much knowledge in the area so I don't know what's best.

Motherboard: EVGA nForce 680i SLI

Processor: (conf-1) Intel Core 2 E6600 (with plans to upgrade to quad later,) or..
(conf-2) Core 2 Extreme QX6700.

RAM: 4 Gigs of DDR-2 800 (don't know make / model yet)

Video Card: (conf-1) (2x) GeForce 8800GTS 640meg for SLI
(conf-2) GeForce 8800GTX

note: my last nVidia card was GeForce 4 TI-4400. What brands are best for
nVidia boards today? Does it even matter?

Hard-Disk: (conf-1 only) 1 150Gig 10,000 raptor

PSU & Cooling System (fan or water) -- Don't yet know... Need advice.

Any help and advice would be most welcome. Thanks,

Mark.