~$400 Budget gaming, help choose cpu/gfx combo

SDMade

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Approximate Purchase Date: Tonight
Budget Range: ~$400
System Usage from Most to Least Important: moderate gaming, web surfing, movies/media
Country of Origin: CA, USA
Overclocking: Yes/Maybe
Monitor Resolution: 1366x768(native)/1024x768

Problem:
I need help choosing a CPU(processor)/Graphics card combination, between 2 choices

I can either get: 1.)
AMD Phenom II X4 Quad Core 955 Black Edition Deneb 3.2GHz 4 x 512KB L2 Cache 6MB L3 Cache
WITH a low end Radeon 4650 512MB 128-bit GDDR2 graphics card,
and a better graphics card in the future <1 year, possibly a Radeon 5770 after I save up.

OR I can get: 2.)
AMD Phenom II X4 Quad Core 820 Deneb 2.8GHz 4 x 512KB L2 Cache 4MB L3 Cache
WITH a much better Radeon 5670 512MB 128-bit GDDR5 graphics card,
but probably no graphics card upgrade anytime soon.

I'm building a computer, mostly for gaming, either setup would be an ENORMOUS upgrade over my current system, and the second setup costs $20 more.

I plan on using this computer for 4+ years so take that into consideration when choosing which CPU is better suited for the future.

New build specs:
-ASUS M4A78LT-M AM3 AMD 760G HDMI Micro ATX AMD Motherboard
-Team Xtrem Dark 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) RAM
-Western Digital Caviar Blue 160GB 7200 RPM 8MB Cache IDE Ultra ATA100 / ATA-6 (from previous system)
-Sony Optiarc CD/DVD Burner Black SATA Model AD-7260S-0B
-500W ATX12V v2.2 / ESP12V v2.91 Power Supply (PCIe Ready)
-Windows 7, 64-bit

games I play/want to play:
ALL CALL OF DUTY'S including cod1/2/4/mw2/BO
any other FPS released in the past, present, and near future (1-3 years)
 
Solution
here's my suggestion for a $400 build:

AMD Athlon II X3 450: $80
ASRock 880-GM $60
G.Skill 4 GB ddr3: $40
Seagate 500 GB HDD: $40
DVD Burner: $19
Antec Earthwatts 380: $45
Roseill R102 case: $30
HIS HD5670: $75

SDMade

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Apr 1, 2011
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all from newegg.

Option 1.:
AMD Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition Deneb 3.2GHz 4 x 512KB L2 Cache 6MB L3 Cache
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103808
and
Radeon HD 4650 512MB 128-bit GDDR2
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102829R

Option 2.:
AMD Phenom II X4 820 Deneb 2.8GHz 4 x 512KB L2 Cache 4MB L3 Cache
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103824
(with: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835186035
and
Radeon HD 5670 (Redwood) 512MB 128-bit DDR5
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102871


Mobo:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131672
RAM:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820313103
CD/DVD:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827118039
Hard drive(already own from previous system):
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136112
 

SDMade

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yeah for now I wont even need that much space, but in the future I may get another hard drive, possibly a couple external drives. every movie I download goes straight to dvd and then deleted from my drive anyway so not an issue.




I considered the rana X3 450 originally, along with the 5770, but then I decided I absolutely had to have a quad core. after researching the radeon 5770 I learned that with my monitor resolution 1366x768(native, 18.5 inch), I would better off buying a 5670.

Radeon 5770:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131330
 

SDMade

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wouldn't it be more future-proof to get a better cpu now? I probably wont ever upgrade the processor so I need it to last atleast 3-4 years+, and I need it to keep up with any new games released in that period of time, whereas gpu I'll probably upgrade every ~1-2 years. Best scenario I want this build including the cpu to last throughout college (4-5 years).
 
Well if you can stretch your budget to 450$, you could get a really sweet build in mah siggy. It'd work out really well I guarantee you especially at your resolution. Mainly because COD just doesn't use much graphical power.

http://www.legitreviews.com/article/811/5/
 


Well for a gaming + snappy 24/7 rig Toms went for entry level Deneb (with L3 cache) so you could use that as a guide :D
Tom's March 2011 $500 SBM
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/budget-gaming-pc-phenom-ii-radeon-hd-6850,2903-9.html
 

SDMade

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thanks I went with the AMD Phenom II X4 820 and the SAPPHIRE HD5670. I already had a serviceable HDD and case, and I wanted fast ram with good timings, so here's my new build:

-ASUS M4A78LT-M AM3 AMD 760G HDMI Micro ATX AMD Motherboard
-AMD Phenom II X4 Quad Core 820 Deneb 2.8GHz 4 x 512KB L2 Cache 4MB L3 Cache
-SAPPHIRE Radeon HD 5670 (Redwood) 512MB 128-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP+CrossFireX
-Team Xtrem Dark 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 1600 Cas Latency 8 RAM
-Western Digital Caviar Blue 160GB 7200 RPM 8MB Cache IDE Ultra ATA100 / ATA-6 (from previous system)
-Sony Optiarc CD/DVD Burner Black SATA Model AD-7260S-0B
-500W ATX12V v2.2 / ESP12V v2.91 Power Supply (PCIe Ready)
-AOC 19" Widescreen LCD Monitor Black (931Swl), 1366x768 (Native Resolution)
-Windows 7, 64-bit

Total including monitor, tax + shipping cost:
[strike]$600[/strike]
-HDD
-Case
=
$520 (not including Windows 7 OS)