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I just built a new PC today. MSI MicroATX 765 AM3, CoolerMaster GX650w power supply, CoolerMaster Elite 351 mATX case Phenom II x2 560 3.3ghz, Gigabyte GeForce GTS460 768mb, only 2GB of ram (Had it laying around, figured I'll order more when I get paid again) and a slow 5400rpm Hitachi 2.5" 320gb drive that was originally in my MacBook Pro 15" running Win7 Pro 64bit. I plan on doing SOME gaming obviously, and I have a 1920x1080 LCD. So far, even with only 2GB of ram, everything I've tried (Stalker call of pripyat, Civ V, Bad Company 2 Demo) all run more than acceptably to me.

Would it make more sense to get a faster HD right away or get more RAM? I had originally wanted a different CPU but MicroCenter had a deal that with that CPU the motherboard was free PLUS a $20 rebate, so I got a motherboard and CPU for $79. I'm thinking that I don't really need any more CPU for the time being, and plan on going to at least 4GB of ram as well as possibly dropping a real sound card (Probably the $30 Xonar with the headphone amp on it) into it, but my main question is about the hard drive. If I was to spend another $100-150 (baring in mind I only spent $350ish on everything I bought), where would that be best spent?

A sound card, 500gb fast HD and another 2GB stick of RAM? Any other recommendations?

Depends on the OS, you said win 7 x64 pro from a MAC?!?!

Well if your running win7 x64 I would probly spring for the ram, if your running XP I would spring for a WD black 500GB, way better speed than that green and only 50 bucks. Hey isnt 2 gigs of ram only about 25 bucks now also? Get both and be happy

edit - 640gb - $65 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... -_-Product
or 500GB - $55 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... -_-Product

Ram - DDR2 - I am assuming? $30 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6820161182

So about 85 to 90 bucks for both.

Definitely both. You need another 2GB of RAM and a much faster HDD to really take advantage of the rest.

The hard drive came out of my Mac when I installed a 500gb seagate xt. And it's ddr3. I priced it on newegg for a caviar black 500gb and a matching 2gb stick to what's in it for $80 shipped. I'd slap the sound card on but it's out of stock now.

$70 -15 code "HARDOCP112C" 1 TB Samsung HD103SJ Spinpoint F3
This has to be the best drive available for the money.

$22 2 GiB PC3-10600 Mushkin 20-146-744 (DDR3-1333, CAS 9, 1.5 V)
Memory just keeps getting cheaper.

JustAnEngineer wrote:

$70 -15 code "HARDOCP112C" 1 TB Samsung HD103SJ Spinpoint F3
This has to be the best drive available for the money.

$22 2 GiB PC3-10600 Mushkin 20-146-744 (DDR3-1333, CAS 9, 1.5 V)
Memory just keeps getting cheaper.

The g.skill I already have is only $20.99 shipped might grab that hd though.

JustAnEngineer wrote:

$70 -15 code "HARDOCP112C" 1 TB Samsung HD103SJ Spinpoint F3
This has to be the best drive available for the money.

Wow. One of the better HD deals that I've seen in a long time.

Just got the Samsung 1TB from above, 2 more 2GB sticks to match what I have (in a few weeks I'll break the bank on another $20 shipped 2GB stick to make it 8GB) and a Razer gaming mouse and mouse pad. Should hold me over until Bulldozer is released and I can drop one of them badboys in there.

Corrado wrote:

Should hold me over until Bulldozer is released and I can drop one of them badboys in there.

Don't you need a still unreleased AM3+ board in order to drop a BD in?

Corrado wrote:

Just got the Samsung 1TB from above, 2 more 2GB sticks to match what I have (in a few weeks I'll break the bank on another $20 shipped 2GB stick to make it 8GB) and a Razer gaming mouse and mouse pad. Should hold me over until Bulldozer is released and I can drop one of them badboys in there.

Couldnt find the board on egg for the description, does it support core unlocking? I have a Phenom II X2 BE 555 that unlocked other 2 cores on a Gigabyte 880GM-UD2H painlessly.

rogue426 wrote:

Couldnt find the board on egg for the description, does it support core unlocking? I have a Phenom II X2 BE 555 that unlocked other 2 cores on a Gigabyte 880GM-UD2H painlessly.

Yup, it unlocked perfectly. Took 24 hours of prime95 no problem!

Flying Fox wrote:

Don't you need a still unreleased AM3+ board in order to drop a BD in?

We don't know yet. Might work, might not.