Please critique my new build/upgrade

[bonoz]

I want to upgrade my gaming rig from 6-7 years ago. I want to spend around less than $400 on PC, Mobo, Memory, HDD. I also need help picking the right kind of a video card. I am a moderate gamer, not an extreme gamer. I want to be able to run games from the last few years on above average settings. I want to use multiple applications at the same time without getting bogged down. I want to experience good quality multimedia (movies, music, pictures, tv, etc.).

Here's my current config of my gaming rig from 2004:

SATA150 200GB HDD
Creative Lab SB Audigy 2 ZS 7.1
Corsair 2x512MB 3200 DDR
Motherboard: ASUS Sk8N
Processor: Athlon 64 FX 51
ATI Radeon 9800XT 256MB DDR
DVD RW Drive(s)

I need help picking out the best processor/motherboard/memory/HDD as far as performance/cost goes out of the following.

Processor (Should I go for Athlon II? or Phenom? Greed edition or black edition?):

Newegg.com - AMD Phenom II X2 555 Black Edition Callisto 3.2GHz 2 x 512KB L2 Cache 6MB L3 Cache Socket AM3 80W Dual-Core Desktop Processor - C3 Revision HDZ555WFGMBOX
Newegg.com - AMD Athlon II X3 445 Rana 3.1GHz 3 x 512KB L2 Cache Socket AM3 95W Triple-Core Desktop Processor ADX445WFGMBOX
Newegg.com - AMD Phenom II X2 565 Callisto 3.4GHz 2 x 512KB L2 Cache 6MB L3 Cache Socket AM3 80W Dual-Core Desktop Processor HDZ565WFGMBOX
Newegg.com - AMD Athlon II X2 265 Regor 3.3GHz 2 x 1MB L2 Cache Socket AM3 65W Dual-Core Desktop Processor ADX265OCGMBOX
Newegg.com - AMD Phenom II X2 560 Black Edition Callisto 3.3GHz 2 x 512KB L2 Cache 6MB L3 Cache Socket AM3 80W Dual-Core Desktop Processor HDZ560WFGMBOX
Newegg.com - AMD Athlon II X2 250 Regor 3.0GHz 2 x 1MB L2 Cache Socket AM3 65W Dual-Core Desktop Processor ADX250OCGMBOX
Newegg.com - AMD Athlon II X4 645 Propus 3.1GHz 4 x 512KB L2 Cache Socket AM3 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor ADX645WFGMBOX
Newegg.com - AMD Athlon II X3 455 Rana 3.3GHz 3 x 512KB L2 Cache Socket AM3 95W Triple-Core Desktop Processor ADX455WFGMBOX
Newegg.com - AMD Athlon II X2 255 Regor 3.1GHz 2 x 1MB L2 Cache Socket AM3 65W Dual-Core Desktop Processor ADX255OCGMBOX
Newegg.com - AMD Athlon II X2 260 Regor 3.2GHz 2 x 1MB L2 Cache Socket AM3 65W Dual-Core Desktop Processor ADX260OCGMBOX
Newegg.com - AMD Athlon II X3 435 Rana 2.9GHz 3 x 512KB L2 Cache Socket AM3 95W Triple-Core Desktop Processor ADX435WFGMBOX

Open box (no fan/heatsink):
Newegg.com - AMD Phenom II X4 820 Deneb 2.8GHz 4 x 512KB L2 Cache 4MB L3 Cache Socket AM3 95W Quad-Core Processor HDX820WFK4FGI - Processors - Desktops
Newegg.com - AMD Phenom II X2 545 Callisto 3.0GHz 2 x 512KB L2 Cache 6MB L3 Cache Socket AM3 80W Dual-Core Processor HDX545WFK2DGI - Processors - Desktops

Motherboard (Should I go for the 3rd one, the MSI because you can use the onboard video as SLI with your vcard?):
Newegg.com - ASUS M4A79XTD EVO AM3 AMD 790X ATX AMD Motherboard
Newegg.com - MSI 870A-G54 AM3 AMD 870 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX AMD Motherboard
Newegg.com - MSI NF750-G55 AM3 NVIDIA nForce 750a SLI HDMI ATX AMD Motherboard

Memory:

Newegg.com - A-DATA Gaming Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model AX3U1600GB2G9-2G
Newegg.com - G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9D-4GBRL

HDD (Is it okay to go for the recertified one?):

Newegg.com - SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
Newegg.com - Recertified: Western Digital Caviar Green WD10EARS 1TB 64MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive

Could you please help me pick a processor out of the above and a matching motherboard? and then the same with memory/HDD? I just want to see what you guys recommend because I may not be thinking about something that you might be thinking of.

Also, I have been out of the gaming world for ages. I don't know what the best video cards are, what the above average cards are, and what the bad ones are. I am a moderate gamer. I just need something that is above average to good. Should I go nVidia and MSI so that I can run onboard and offboard video card in SLI mode?

Thanks very much!

 

[new.puree]

go with a phenom ii x2 lower clocked version(you can unlock it to maybe 3or 4 cores and it has more cache than the athlon series), I've had good experience with g.skill ripjaws, and go with the msi military class mobo. The mobo is an 8 series which is newer and supports alot of newer things such as usb 3.0 and sata 6gb. As far as video cards go, you will have to give us a price range on what you are willing to spend

 

[bonoz]

go with a phenom ii x2 lower clocked version(you can unlock it to maybe 3or 4 cores and it has more cache than the athlon series), I've had good experience with g.skill ripjaws, and go with the msi military class mobo. The mobo is an 8 series which is newer and supports alot of newer things such as usb 3.0 and sata 6gb. As far as video cards go, you will have to give us a price range on what you are willing to spend

Like ~$200?

 

[bonoz]

Can I also please get more opinions from everyone else?

 

[Slaymate]

I'm not up on AMD systems but this should help

Build a PC - Introduction to Building your PC - PCitYourself.com

 

[bonoz]

Hey guys,

After extensive research, here's the budget gaming pc upgrade I have come up with:

Processor: Newegg.com - AMD Phenom II X2 555 Black Edition Callisto 3.2GHz 2 x 512KB L2 Cache 6MB L3 Cache Socket AM3 80W Dual-Core Desktop Processor - C3 Revision HDZ555WFGMBOX
Motherboard: Newegg.com - GIGABYTE GA-MA770T-UD3 AM3 AMD 770 ATX AMD Motherboard
Memory: Newegg.com - G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9D-4GBRL
Video Card: Newegg.com - HIS H577FK1GD Radeon HD 5770 (Juniper XT) 1GB 128-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card w/ Eyefinity

I already have a nice 250GB SATA drive, 500W power supply, sound card, and DVD drive.

What do you guys think?

 

[GhOsT1321]

Hey guys,

After extensive research, here's the budget gaming pc upgrade I have come up with:

Processor: Newegg.com - AMD Phenom II X2 555 Black Edition Callisto 3.2GHz 2 x 512KB L2 Cache 6MB L3 Cache Socket AM3 80W Dual-Core Desktop Processor - C3 Revision HDZ555WFGMBOX
Motherboard: Newegg.com - GIGABYTE GA-MA770T-UD3 AM3 AMD 770 ATX AMD Motherboard
Memory: Newegg.com - G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9D-4GBRL
Video Card: Newegg.com - HIS H577FK1GD Radeon HD 5770 (Juniper XT) 1GB 128-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card w/ Eyefinity

I already have a nice 250GB SATA drive, 500W power supply, sound card, and DVD drive.

What do you guys think?

The sound card may not be needed, when you build your computer be sure yo try out the integrated audio on the motherboard first. Most mtoherboards come with a pretty nice integrated sound card.
Your build seems fine, but 2 concerns.
When you say that you have a "nice 500W power supply" What is the exact brand and model number?
Also, unless you plan on using cardboard, you may want a computer case.

 

[Night Fox]

Also, unless you plan on using cardboard, you may want a computer case.

lol

Newegg.com - GIGABYTE GZ-X5BPD-500 Black SECC Steel / ABS ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
Newegg.com - Rosewill DESTROYER Black Gaming ATX Mid Tower Computer Case, comes with Three Fans-1x Front Blue LED 120mm Fan, 1x Top 120mm Fan, 1x Rear 120mm Fan, option Fans-2x Side 120mm Fan, 1x Top 120mm Fan, 1x Bottom Fan
Newegg.com - Rosewill Blackbone Black Steel / Plastic ATX Mid Tower Computer Case

Here are some to get you started...if you don't have a case already that you forgot to mention..

The first one only has one fan, so I don't know about that one to give you good cooling...but I stuck it in there to give you more options. The second and third are good cases with enough fans for what you've got and good room.

 

[bonoz]

The sound card may not be needed, when you build your computer be sure yo try out the integrated audio on the motherboard first. Most mtoherboards come with a pretty nice integrated sound card.
Your build seems fine, but 2 concerns.
When you say that you have a "nice 500W power supply" What is the exact brand and model number?
Also, unless you plan on using cardboard, you may want a computer case.

Haha, I already have a case and a powersupply. I think it's antec psu but not sure. It's 500W and has sata connectors and everything. The videocard comes with its own 4 pin connector also.

lol

Newegg.com - GIGABYTE GZ-X5BPD-500 Black SECC Steel / ABS ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
Newegg.com - Rosewill DESTROYER Black Gaming ATX Mid Tower Computer Case, comes with Three Fans-1x Front Blue LED 120mm Fan, 1x Top 120mm Fan, 1x Rear 120mm Fan, option Fans-2x Side 120mm Fan, 1x Top 120mm Fan, 1x Bottom Fan
Newegg.com - Rosewill Blackbone Black Steel / Plastic ATX Mid Tower Computer Case

Here are some to get you started...if you don't have a case already that you forgot to mention..

The first one only has one fan, so I don't know about that one to give you good cooling...but I stuck it in there to give you more options. The second and third are good cases with enough fans for what you've got and good room.