Newbie needs help, first build

[seank151]

Approximate Purchase Date: e.g.: next month

Budget Range: 500-550 with no rebates

System Usage from Most to Least Important: gaming on the newest call of duty games and maybe some graphic intensive games, youtube/web surfing, schoolwork
Are you buying a monitor: no


Do you need to buy OS: no

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: amazon please, newegg charges me tax

Location: san luis obispo, california, usa

Parts Preferences: only intel please

Overclocking: maybe

SLI or Crossfire: yes; in the future

Your Monitor Resolution: 1440 x 900
Additional Comments: i need the build to be able to run graphic intensive games smoothly, and run fast in general. btw i already chose some easy parts:
coolermaster haf 912 case
wd 1 tb blue hdd
samsung optical drive
raidmax 730W psu
g skill 8 gb ripjawz ram

THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE HELP!

 

[obsama1]

Raidmax makes really bad PSU's. Besides, 730w is too much. THis 500w from Corsair is $58 @Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Corsair-500-Watt-Certified-Compatible-Platforms/dp/B004W2T2U6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345346704&sr=8-1&keywords=500w+corsair

Get the Phenom II x4, and 7770.

http://www.amazon.com/AMD-Phenom-3-4Ghz-512KB-4000MHZ/dp/B002SRQ214/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345346847&sr=8-1&keywords=phenom+ii

http://www.amazon.com/Sapphire-11201-00-20G-Radeon-PCI-Express-Graphics/dp/B00782U10W/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1345346941&sr=1-1&keywords=7770

Get this mobo:
http://www.amazon.com/ASRock-970-EXTREME3-SB950-DDR3/dp/B005POPRG8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345346860&sr=8-1&keywords=am3%2B+motherboard

 

[seank151]

Raidmax makes really bad PSU's. Besides, 730w is too much. THis 500w from Corsair is $58 @Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Corsair-500-Watt-Certified-Compatible-Platforms/dp/B004W2T2U6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345346704&sr=8-1&keywords=500w+corsair

Get the Phenom II x4, and 7770.

http://www.amazon.com/AMD-Phenom-3-4Ghz-512KB-4000MHZ/dp/B002SRQ214/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345346847&sr=8-1&keywords=phenom+ii

http://www.amazon.com/Sapphire-11201-00-20G-Radeon-PCI-Express-Graphics/dp/B00782U10W/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1345346941&sr=1-1&keywords=7770

Get this mobo:
http://www.amazon.com/ASRock-970-EXTREME3-SB950-DDR3/dp/B005POPRG8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345346860&sr=8-1&keywords=am3%2B+motherboard

thanks so much for the reply. however, as i stated, i am planning on building an intel computer

 

[obsama1]

OK. An i3 or i5-2400 will be good then.

 

[nekulturny]

thanks so much for the reply. however, as i stated, i am planning on building an intel computer

Up to you, but @ 1440x900 pretty much any modern CPU will handle that. But yea,, Raidmax=very bad idea.

 

[obsama1]

Good point! Besides, the 2 extra cores of the Phenom do help in multitasking.

 

[nekulturny]

Yea. lol. i3s might have the edge with stronger cores, but theres only 2 of em. An overclocked Phenom II owns an i3 in 4 thread performance.

 

[nekulturny]

Mobo- Asrock H61M/U3S3- $60
http://www.amazon.com/ASRock-H61M-U3S3-Intel-Motherboard/dp/B004S0CTNE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345348171&sr=8-1&keywords=asrock+h61

i3-2120- $122
http://www.amazon.com/Intel-i3-2120-Dual-Core-Processor-Cache/dp/B004KZDV8E/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1345348208&sr=1-1&keywords=i3-2120

Obsama has good recommendations on both the PSU and video card, I'd just be linking the same ones.