AMD Phenom II X3 720 Build

[XPMath]

Budget: $700 - $750

I'll be using it for 75% work (Office, Flash, Photoshop) and 25% play (Fallout 3, Crysis, MLB2K9, etc.) I'll be reusing my Samsung 2232BW, speakers, keyboard, mouse and OS.

I picked the following parts by sorting through the best-selling most-reviewed items on Newegg.com

AMD Phenom II X3 720 2.8GHz Socket AM3 95W Triple-Core Black Processor Model HDZ720WFGIBOX - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103649

GIGABYTE GA-MA790X-UD4P AM3/AM2+/AM2 AMD 790X ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128387

G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F2-8500CL5D-4GBPK - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231166

(TWO) XFX HD-477A-YDLC Radeon HD 4770 512MB 128-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150366

CORSAIR CMPSU-550VX 550W ATX12V V2.2 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 Power ... - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139004

LG 22X DVD±R DVD Burner with LightScribe Black SATA Model GH22LS30 - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827136153

Western Digital Caviar Black WD6401AALS 640GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Hard Drive - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136319

COOLER MASTER Centurion 5 CAC-T05-UW Black Aluminum Bezel , SECC Chassis ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119068

I just need a vote of confidence and I'm going to order.

Thank you.

 

[Helloworld_98]

I would save the money and get a 650w corsair since that build doesn't need the extra 100w.

 

[XPMath]

Thanks, I will get that instead.

CORSAIR CMPSU-650TX 650W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 ... - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139005

 

[dirtmountain]

Get a SATA burner, not an IDE one. Spend $5 more for the 640GB WD caviar Black hard drive. Good build. Only needed a couple of small tweaks.

 

[shortstuff_mt]

Get a SATA burner, not an IDE one. Spend $5 more for the 640GB WD caviar Black hard drive. Good build. Only needed a couple of small tweaks.

+1

I would get this CPU/motherboard combo, though:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.190734

You should also get DDR2 1066 RAM since the integrated RAM controller will benefit from the extra speed.

G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231166 $58.99

 

[XPMath]

I've replaced the CD burner:
LG 22X DVD±R DVD Burner with LightScribe Black SATA Model GH22LS30 - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827136153

the hard drive:
Western Digital Caviar Black WD6401AALS 640GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Hard Drive - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136319

and the memory:
G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F2-8500CL5D-4GBPK - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231166

For the suggested motherboard:
GIGABYTE GA-MA790X-UD4P AM3/AM2+/AM2 AMD 790X ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128387

has a 790X chipset. Is that better than a 790FX/GX?

 

[theAnimal]

790FX is better, but not really worth the extra $. GX is the same as X but with on-board graphics.

The Corsair VX550 would be plenty of power for the system as well.

 

[Gryphyn]

You might also check CoolerMaster's website. You can get refurbished cases there super cheap, and the "refurbished" part just means it doesn't have a power supply it it.

I got my brother a CM690 for $50. Much better case than what you've selected:

http://cmstore.coolermaster-usa.com/product_info.php?products_id=109&osCsid=ac8616d10073eb0c1f990a55b8dee902

 

[Kill@dor]

That CM690 is pretty decent ^_^

 

[XPMath]

Motherboard changed to:
GIGABYTE GA-MA790X-UD4P AM3/AM2+/AM2 AMD 790X ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128387

Power supply changed to:
CORSAIR CMPSU-550VX 550W ATX12V V2.2 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 Power ... - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139004

I would like to buy from cmstore but the shipping is double that of Newegg.com

 

[terr281]

After just buying the parts for a pair of friends' requested computers in this price range, you have my +1 except for the ram. I would recommend:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820220335
Lower price, better timings, and mail in rebate. (To run the ram in duel channel mode, the speed maximum is DDR2 800.)

(Nearly all parts, in your post as of this post, are identical to their parts except for their special requests.) <More drive space, Crossfire in future, smaller than mid-tower case, CPU cooler due to smaller case usage, fans due to smaller case usage, 2nd burner.>

 

[shortstuff_mt]

I would stick with your original DDR2 1066 RAM. The built-in RAM controllers on AMD CPU's benefit from the extra speed. That Patriot RAM is OK, but needs 2.1v to get 4-4-4-12 timings at DDR2 800 speed. That pretty much means it's just overclocked DDR2 667 RAM. Real DDR2 800 RAM will run around the 1.8v DDR2 standard voltage.