Upgradeable cheap AMD build (non-gaming)

[colincolincolin]

I have started this budget build and I’d like some advice for some of the remaining parts (especially the motherboard)

-System usage: surfing the web, office work, many applications running at the same time (no gaming!)
-I don’t intend to overclock
-I’ll be using Ubuntu
-I have no experience building computers so anything would help
-I already have:
>CPU – Athlon II X4 640 3.0GHz
>Power supply – Antec EarthWatts 430WD
>Case – Antec Three Hundred (bottom-mounted PSU)
>Plus monitor, power chord, dvd drive, speakers, mouse, and keyboard

My biggest concern is getting a system that will be a good bang for the buck and will last me a while. I plan to upgrade the CPU to an AM3+ in maybe 2 years (after the prices have likely reduced), but I would like to save most if not all the other parts for longer than that. Here are my most likely possibilities:

Motherboard – GIGABYTE GA-970A-D3 AM3+ SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX -or- ASUS M5A97 AM3+ AMD 970 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX

I’m really not sure about the motherboard – these (along with the required graphics card) are pretty expensive compared to my other parts. Will I suffer much performance loss with an 880G board and an AM3+ processor when I eventually upgrade? Or does anyone know – should I wait until the bulldozers are out to see tests? If the older 880G architecture is not going to be a problem with AM3+ I would go for something like ASRock 880GMH/U3S3 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 Micro ATX

Graphics – I don’t really need anything here (I would have been fine with onboard), and I don’t really know anything about graphics cards (I just picked out a cheap one on newegg) – PowerColor Go! Green AX5450 1GBK3-SH Radeon HD 5450 (Cedar) 1GB 64-bit DDR3 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP

Memory – 8GB might be a bit overkill, but I’m thinking it’ll last me through an upgrade – 2x Kingston Value 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM 1333

Hard drive – Western Digital Caviar Blue 250GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s

Thanks tons!

 

[farrengottu]

as for LONG term upgradability AMD announced that the 990FX chipset will support the vishera cores. which come after bulldozer.
http://www.fudzilla.com/processors/item/24157-bulldozer-to-be-succeeded-by-vishera-core
as for bang for the buck a athlon II x3 will most of the time let you unlock the 4th core with zero problems. that 4th core often doesnt overclock well but you dont want to overclock. even with out the 4th core its still a deal.
in recent times ive had less compatibility problems with g.skill memory and its cheaper than kingston most of the time.