Krypto, the wiki has alot of good documentation on setting up ArchLinux from the start to installing a window-manager like mine Openbox ..
Running ArchLinux Kernel 2.6.27 with Openbox and PyPanel on top.
and currently ... a few days ago ..
NVIDIA is absolutely the best support for Linux, you will have to use the official driver, most Linux-distributions come with a driver named "nv" but you have to replace that with "nvidia" (after installing the nvidia-package) in /etc/X11/xorg.conf.
Depends what you need what is best..
I think you will have fun following the Beginners Guide with ArchLinux and setting up Xorg yourself and afterwards a Window-manager, if you download Debian you do not have any guide to follow except for the dry install-wizard or some random sites on the internet, Debian is not that good at documentation, but it really is a great system for a server, and also for the workstation, but it has a higher learning curve, but it doesn't mean it's better for the workstation, just different, I wouldn't choose Arch over Debian but right now I like Arch!