Building a HTPC/Gaming rig $500+, 1st time builder needs advice.

[2DIE]

Approximate Purchase Date:
I have already purchesed a AMD Phenom II X4 956 3.4GHz Quad Core processor and a ASRock 970 Extreme3 mother board. The rest I have planned but I have no purchased yet.

Budget Range:
About $500+

System Usage from Most to Least Important:
Home Entertainmnet (movies and music)
Gaming
Web games
Web browsing

Are you buying a monitor:
No

Preferred Website(s) for Parts:
Newegg because of the range, I cant order from there though.

Location:
Australia

Parts Preferences:
Cooler Master Elite 360 case
ASRock 970 Extreme3 motherboard (already purchased)
AMD Phenom II X4 956 3.4GHz Quad Core processor (already purchased)
ASUS HD7770-DC-1GD5 graphics card
Western Digital 1TB Caviar Blue hard drive
Antec HCG-520M Power supply - 520 Watt
??? RAM

Overclocking:
Maybe

Crossfire:
Maybe

Monitor Resolution:
720p 16:10 BenQ MW516

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I have never built a PC before but I have done a bit of research over the last week or so. I decided to go with the x4 956 based off a good deal I got and planned the rest around that.

As you can see above, under the parts preferences I don't have any RAM chosen yet.

I plan to get 8GB (2x4GB) of RAM but there seems to be a lot of conflicting evidence and theory about 1333MHz CL7 and 1600MHz CL9 RAM so I would like to ask about it before I buy one or the other, it would be around the same price anyway.

Other than that, is there any about the build that I could get better for cheaper or the same price?


Thanks for any advice, I will be watching this thread closely.

 

[2DIE]

This is pretty much what I am thinking of at the moment.

Just about to go and pay for the case now.

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/oU3r

 

[cutebeans]

You pretty much know what to do. It's good. The CPU and motherboard is not the best but there's no problems.

 

[2DIE]

Thanks for the reply cutebeans.

I got the CPU and heat sink for AU$90 delivered, I didn't look in to intel but with AMD there wasn't anything better until about $150 not including a heat sink. As for the board I searched all over the place for what budget boards people are using for X4 965 builds and the 970 Extreme3 come up a lot and seemed to be recommended a lot.

Do you have any advice about the CL7 1333MHz or CL9 1600 RAM?

I am actually pretty much of a "noob" when it comes to computers, I only have been reading about them a few hours a day for the last week, I should have asked for advice before I started buying parts but I though it was the best value.

 

[cutebeans]

Just get what's cheaper between the rams.

You won't notice the difference.

 

[2DIE]

OK will do, thanks again.