Budget AMD build, parts check

APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: this week

BUDGET RANGE: ~$600, would like to keep it <$700

SYSTEM USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: Internet surfing, programming, multimedia, virtual machines

PARTS NOT REQUIRED: keyboard, mouse, monitor, speakers, OS, (possibly optical, see below)

PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: newegg.com, open to other suggestions

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: USA

PARTS PREFERENCES: AMD CPU, AM3 mobo, DDR3 RAM

OVERCLOCKING: Yes

SLI OR CROSSFIRE: No

MONITOR RESOLUTION: 1600x1200

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: Haven't done a build in about 6 or 7 years, so my knowledge of current technologies is woefully outdated. I'm hoping to be running 64bit Ubuntu. Will be doing a lot of programming/experimenting/testing. Planning to run Windows XP and some Xen instances running some other forms of Linux (thus 8GB RAM). Any gaming will be on the very light side, and probably in the XP VM.

I've selected the Athlon II X4 620, which I hope to OC to around 3GHz. Hopefully, the mobo selected will make it easy to do this. If not, I'm open to suggestions as I'm very much clueless on OC'ing. I'm also thinking/wondering about the Phenom II X3 720, and wonder if I could benefit from it's L3 cache, based on intended usage? Please feel free to make any substitutions or suggestions which might make my life easier.

As mentioned above, I have an optical drive that's fairly new, but it's ATA, not SATA. Also have an 300GB ATA drive that I'd like to throw in there for some backup space. Would performance suffer greatly having to mix ATA with SATA?

The parts (from newegg.com):

(2) G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Desktop Memory
Item #:N82E16820231275 -$5.00 Instant
$169.98
$159.98

(1) OCZ ModXStream Pro OCZ500MXSP 500W Power Supply compatible with core i7
Item #:N82E16817341016
-$25.00 Instant
$20.00 Mail-in Rebate Card
$89.99
$64.99

(1) LITE-ON CD/DVD Burner - Bulk Black SATA Model iHAS124-04
Item #:N82E16827106289
$27.99

(1) COOLER MASTER Centurion 5 CAC-T05-UB Black /Blue Computer Case
Item #:N82E16811119047
$54.98(1) GIGABYTE GA-MA790GPT-UD3H ATX AMD Motherboard
Item #:N82E16813128398
-$10.00 Instant
$15.00 Mail-in Rebate Card
$124.99
$114.99

(1) AMD Athlon II X4 620 2.6GHz Socket AM3 95W Quad-Core Processor
Item #:N82E16819103706
$99.00

(1) SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 500GB 3.5" SATA 3.0Gb/s Internal Hard Drive
Item #:N82E16822152181
$54.99

Grand Total: $621.92

Total with Discounts: $576.92

Total with Discounts and Rebates: $541.92

For the extra $20 I'm not opposed to a PII X3 720 BE. Are my choices of MB and RAM good for OC'ing this chip?

Your motherboard is a good overclocker. I would spend a few more dollars and pick up the CAS 7 version of the Ripjaws.

G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Desktop Memory Model F3-10666CL7D-4GBRH - Retail $88.99

Updated build specs. Dropped the SATA burner, upgraded to 1TB Spinpoint HDD, swapped for AMD PII X3 720 CPU and CAS7 RAM. Added a couple of 18" SATA cables. This is about +$40 over my initial design, but still within budget. Taxes and shipping are killer. Wish there was some way around the latter, if not the former ;-)

(1) AMD Phenom II X3 720 2.8GHz Socket AM3 95W Triple-Core Black Processor
Item #:N82E16819103649
-$5.99 Instant
$124.99
$119.00

(1) OKGEAR 18" SATA II Cable
Item #:N82E16812123175
$1.99

(1) OKGEAR 18" SATA II cable with metal latch,UV BLUE
Item #:N82E16812123111
$1.99

(1) OCZ ModXStream Pro OCZ500MXSP 500W Power Supply compatible with core i7
Item #:N82E16817341016
-$25.00 Instant
$20.00 Mail-in Rebate Card
$89.99
$64.99

(2) G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Desktop Memory
Item #:N82E16820231276
$177.98

(1) GIGABYTE GA-MA790GPT-UD3H ATX AMD Motherboard
Item #:N82E16813128398 -$10.00 Instant
$15.00 Mail-in Rebate Card
$124.99
$114.99

(1) COOLER MASTER Centurion 5 CAC-T05-UB Black /Blue Computer Case
Item #:N82E16811119047
$54.98

(1) SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 1TB 3.5" SATA 3.0Gb/s Internal Hard Drive
Item #:N82E16822152185
$79.99

Total: $615.91
Total with Rebates: $580.91

Tax: $50.81
Shipping: $33.68

Grand Total: $700.40
After Mail-in Rebates: $665.40