Please evaluate my Phenom II X4 955 / Radeon 5850 build

[omgwtflolbbqbye]

ADVANCED WARNING:
I'm a noob trying to learn to build their first computer. Please be gentle and bear with me

APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: End of July

BUDGET LIMIT: $1,300.00 Before Rebates

SYSTEM USAGE: Watching HD Videos/Movies and gaming; I don't really care about Crysis, but I do wish to play mainstream FPS like BC:2 and MW:2 at max settings and watch movies at 1080p.

PARTS NOT REQUIRED: Keyboard, Mouse, Monitor, Speakers

PREFERRED WEBSITES FOR PARTS: Amazon.com first (because of free shipping to my address and no sales tax), then Newegg.com

PARTS PREFERENCES/ PROSPECTIVE BUILD:

CPU:
AMD Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition Deneb 3.2 GHz 4x512 KB L2 Cache Socket AM3 125W Six-Core Processor
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002TQYUAE/ref=ord_cart_shr?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER

GPUs:
Sapphire Radeon Toxic HD 5850 1 GB DDR5 PCI-Express Dual DVI-I (single)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0037W68QS/ref=ord_cart_shr?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER

Memory:
4GB (2x2GB) G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231277&cm_re=g.skill_4gb-_-20-231-277-_-Product

MOBO:
ASUS M4A89GTD PRO/USB3 - AM3 - AMD 890GX - DDR3 - USB 3.0 SATA 6 Gb/s - ATX Motherboard
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003964KK8/ref=ord_cart_shr?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER

Hard Drive:
1TB Samsung Spinpoint 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.5 inch
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001U3S5S0/ref=ord_cart_shr?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER

PSU:
750W Corsair CMPSU-750TX
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000X2677A/ref=ord_cart_shr?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER

Case:
Cooler Master HAF 922 Mid-Tower
http://www.amazon.com/Cooler-Master-RC-922M-KKN1-GP-Tower-Black/dp/B0026FCI2U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1270707107&sr=1-1

Optical Drive:
Lite-On LightScribe 24X SATA DVD+/-RW Dual Layer Drive IHAS424-98
http://www.amazon.com/Lite-LightScribe-Layer-Drive-IHAS424-98/dp/B002SIMPXM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1270708112&sr=8-1

OEM
Windows 7 Professional OEM 1-pack
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002NGQLIE/ref=ord_cart_shr?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER

OVERCLOCKING:Nope

CROSSFIRE: Not now but in a year or so.

MONITOR RESOLUTION: 1920x1080 or 1920x1200.

 

[gkay09]

^ Very nice build...
I dont see any issues at all with the components that you have selected...

Some suggestions...
HDD - Maybe the Samsung F3 1TB ?

And check out this deal with the graphics card...
HIS HD 5870 -> ~$350 after Promo codes...but ends this 30th though...
10% off w/ promo code VGA061710, ends 6/30
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161329

And I would suggest you to take a second look at overclocking...Once you get an idea, its not very difficult and gives your CPU extra value...

 

[mosox]

+1 for spinpoint F3.

Get the C3 revision

http://www.amazon.com/AMD-Phenom-Socket-Six-Core-Processor/dp/B002TQYUAE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1277126682&sr=1-1

 

[omgwtflolbbqbye]

+1 for spinpoint F3.

Get the C3 revision

http://www.amazon.com/AMD-Phenom-Socket-Six-Core-Processor/dp/B002TQYUAE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1277126682&sr=1-1

I can't tell from the page, but what's the difference between the 955 processor you linked to versus the one in my cart?

 

[omgwtflolbbqbye]

^ Very nice build...
I dont see any issues at all with the components that you have selected...

Some suggestions...
HDD - Maybe the Samsung F3 1TB ?

And check out this deal with the graphics card...
HIS HD 5870 -> ~$350 after Promo codes...but ends this 30th though...
10% off w/ promo code VGA061710, ends 6/30
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161329

And I would suggest you to take a second look at overclocking...Once you get an idea, its not very difficult and gives your CPU extra value...

Thanks for the tip on the spinpoint, but would there be a noticeable difference in performance compared to the caviar i picked since it'd be going from a 64mb cache to a 32mb?

Also thanks for the tip on the 5870, but I still need to see if I can afford to buy it this month first.

I would like to overclock in the future, bu I still need to learn about it and feel comfortable doing it. So I'll probably leave it at stock for the first few months.

 

[gkay09]

^^+1 for the C3 revision...
The main advantage of the C3 is that it is a better binned chip - means would operate slightly more efficient than the old one and also the main advantage would be overclocking - would need comparatively very less or no voltage increase for a decent overclock...

As for the HDD, even though the F3 has half the cache, overall the F3 performs slightly better than the Black and also not to forget it is cheaper, so why not ?...

As for the Graphics card, you wont have to hurry to buy that as anyways IMO prices might come down to those levels even without discounts...

 

[omgwtflolbbqbye]

^^+1 for the C3 revision...
The main advantage of the C3 is that it is a better binned chip - means would operate slightly more efficient than the old one and also the main advantage would be overclocking - would need comparatively very less or no voltage increase for a decent overclock...

As for the HDD, even though the F3 has half the cache, overall the F3 performs slightly better than the Black and also not to forget it is cheaper, so why not ?...

As for the Graphics card, you wont have to hurry to buy that as anyways IMO prices might come down to those levels even without discounts...

Ok thanks I switched out the Caviar Black 1TB for the Spinpoint 1TB instead.

And I switched the processor to the more up to date model.

You reckon there will be a price drop in GPUs next month?

 

[omgwtflolbbqbye]

Best answer selected by omgwtflolbbqbye.

 

[gkay09]

^ Yeah I think so because Nvidia is preparing to launch their newer GF104 based Fermi cards by July to heat up the competition...So am sure ATI would respond with a price cut...
You can expect the ATI HD 58xx cards to have a $50 price cut...