$900 - $1200 Gaming PC (first build)

APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: Hopefully, before the end of June
BUDGET RANGE: $900 - $1200

SYSTEM USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: Gaming, surfing the net

PARTS NOT REQUIRED: I don't have any old/reusable parts. The only other pc in my house is in frequent use so I can't take anything from it. I'm going to need everything.

PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: Preferably just NewEgg so I can save on shipping.

PARTS PREFERENCES: None, I'll use anything that will have good performance and is going to last a while

HERE'S THE CURRENT PART LIST:

There's no moniter, OS, keyboard mouse on this list since I'm not too worried about purchasing these. Though I would like to know if the Vista 64-bit OEM would be a good OS due to price.

CPU: AMD Phenom 2 x3 720
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6819103649

RAM: 4GB of DDR3
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6820231189

PSU: Corsair 550W
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6817139004

Graphics card: Radeon 4850 1GB
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6814102837
Later, after a few paychecks, I'm planning to get another graphics card so I can CF

Motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6813128378

Hard Drive: Western Digital 640GB 7200RPM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6822136319

Case: Coolmaster haf 922

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 811119197]

OVERCLOCKING: Yes, I was planning on overclocking to 3 or 3.1

MONITOR RESOLUTION: no preferance

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: This is all a totally alterable list, I'm open to anything that will give me better performance or a lower price as long as it doesn't go over budget.

Also: a friend of mine recommended wiping off whatever thermal compound comes with the stock heat sink/fan and applying arctic silver instead. Is this good advice?

Here's some RAM with better timings, same price... only con is that it's taller than other RAM:
.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6820231200

And... do you have to get the CPU and motherboard separate? Take a look at this combo...
AMD Phenom II X3 720 2.8GHz Socket AM3 95W Triple-Core Black Processor Model HDZ720WFGIBOX - Retail
ASUS M4A78T-E AM3 AMD 790GX HDMI ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail
$194.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Comb [...] mbo.203011

And here's a card with double lifetime warrant (yes, XFX) at the same price
XFX HD-485X-ZDFC Radeon HD 4850 1GB 256-bit GDDR3
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 4850%201gb

but with the money you save with the combo I selected above, you could try a 4870:
XFX HD-487A-ZHFC Radeon HD 4870 1GB 256-bit GDDR5
$149.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6814150394

Anyhow, good luck! I'm out. Usually I'll recommend stuff about hard drives and matching cards with resolutions and whatnot, but I'm too lazy after listening to this idiot named viruzzz talk building an "extreme pc."

+1 gkay09's build

You can save about $20 to $25 by changing the case to this one...
Antec 300 - It is also a very good case with good airflow and now has free shipping on newegg...But that case would have less space than the CM 690.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6811129065

Actually I prefer the tx-2. By Tuniq. It's less... "gloppy" than the AS5 is and although the whiteish color is a bit... meh, it's non-conductive, and it doesn't need an extreme curing time.