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I've got about $700 I'd like to spend on a computer. I have an OS for it, a monitor (although I'll likely pick up a second), headphones and a mouse, so cost doesn't need to include those. Really looking for advice on processor, power supply, and graphics card, and perhaps motherboard. I can probably swing a higher power processor or graphics card, but as far as I can tell that's not necessary. The next step up for processor would be an X6 which has no real use for me, or switching to Intel and overclocking, which I don't feel a need to do. Graphics card I'm a little wishy-washy on, I'm considering dropping another $50 or so to go with a Radeon 6870, or GeForce Fermi 470.

Case: COOLER MASTER HAF 912 - $60
Motherboard: MSI 870S-G46 - $78
Processor: AMD Phenom II X4 955 - $114
Video card: EITHER Radeon HD 6850 or GeForce GTX 465 -$155 or $140 respectively
Memory: 4 x 2 GB G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 -$90
HDD: Western Digital Caviar Black WD5002AALX 500GB 7200 RPM -$60
Keyboard: $20 Logitech
Optical drive: LG CD/DVD Burner -$20
Speakers: Cyber Acoustics CA-3090 - $25
PSU: Antec BP550 Plus 550W - $55

Total: ~$680

Thats an ok set up mate,
Not really sure about amd's though. heard bad reviews etc but everyone has different opinions I suppose. I Would choose a Intel processor.
The case you have choose is really good for cable management, which is what you want these days and most things are on it, are clips not screws, which I prefer.
Again with the GPU is really upto you and what you prefer, I prefer Nvidia.
What size GB RAM do you have, it just says 4 x

Everything else is good, just make sure on your optical drive its sata connection unless you want a really big fat wire IDE in ur case making it look un tidy. (infact I think the motherboard you choose anyway doesnt support IDE.)

Updated the RAM, it's all 2 GB modules. The optical drive is SATA.

I haven't heard anything bad about AMD processors, but for another $50-$100 I realize it's possible to go with an i5-2400 and overclock it, I'm just not sure how useful that would be.

intel processors are generally a fair amount faster than their AMD counter-parts, you have to remember its not all about the clocks. Also I don't know how much 560's are in the US, but a 560 would be better than the 465 if its around the same price.

Intel chips are also typically a fair amount more expensive than the "comparison" AMD chips. i5 series pricing begins where Phenom 2 X4 pricing ends - about $180. In short, you had better be getting a faster CPU, because a solid i5 costs 50% more than an AMD 965.

People are still slinging this same **** about AMD vs intel, its gotta stop. It's like saying that a BMW is faster than a honda, so you should buy the BMW. The cost is significantly different for the products, they're simply not comparable on that basis.

[quote=""'[R-MOD"]BloodBane611;1615642']Intel chips are also typically a fair amount more expensive than the "comparison" AMD chips. i5 series pricing begins where Phenom 2 X4 pricing ends - about $180. In short, you had better be getting a faster CPU, because a solid i5 costs 50% more than an AMD 965.

People are still slinging this same **** about AMD vs intel, its gotta stop. It's like saying that a BMW is faster than a honda, so you should buy the BMW. The cost is significantly different for the products, they're simply not comparable on that basis.[/quote]

Very true, however, using price ranges to determine products, that puts the i5 against phenom 2 6 1090T
AnandTech - Bench - CPU

And to prove ghz and cores aren't everything, the i3-2100 (a ?95 product) can out perform that 6cored beast on some benches and sections.
AnandTech - Bench - CPU

Those are benchmarks for the two processors above in the same price range, with the amd with 6 cores at 3.3ghz, and 3.4 on the intel with 4 cores(8 threads). It does show that all ghz aren't created equally, its also down to the chip makers, and yes AMD do make good cheaper products, but when looking for performance, the i5-2500k has immense OC'ing ability to boot.

However if you're not into the whole OCing business, the 2400 is in the cheaper intel bracket and still performs well.AnandTech - Bench - CPU

However back on the CPU topic, the AMD x4 is a great choice for gaming!(benchmarks aren't everything either , the world of computer nerds such as myself just take things too far xD)

But as i said before, consider getting the latest nvidia series (500, not the 400) This is due to the world of heat problems people reported on the 400's which were rectified on the 500's. However again the AMDS can out perform the nvidias in the class for some games, but have worse driver support on average(but they are improving)

[quote="Pariel""]Updated the RAM, it's all 2 GB modules. The optical drive is SATA.

I haven't heard anything bad about AMD processors, but for another $50-$100 I realize it's possible to go with an i5-2400 and overclock it, I'm just not sure how useful that would be.[/quote]

Just to add, you cant overclock the 2400, you may only overclock the sandy bridge processors with a k on the end. That annotates unlocked multipliers, which are now the only way to overclock these things,(Base clock will move 1mhz max)