$700 Console Killer

[epicfacecr]

I have $700 to build a gaming rig. I'm planning on switching from my PS3 to a actual gaming rig. The things I'd require is the Corsair 350D and a i3-4130. That's all. Oh, also! I'll need a Z87 chipset motherboard even though the i3 isn't overclockable but later maybe I can upgrade to an i5-4670k. One last thing doll, semi-modular PSU and that's it. kthxbai <3

Other info that i prob already stated but you guys just might not get it so i posted it anyway <3
*i3-4130 and Corsair 350D absolutely required* (personal preference for case, if you can upgrade cpu that'd be dandy as well but lets say i3-4130 is preferred.)
*i don't need an OS*
*overclocking in future*
*i prefer newegg as vendor*
*gaming in 1080p*

 

[dashboy1998]

I have $700 to build a gaming rig. I'm planning on switching from my PS3 to a actual gaming rig. The things I'd require is the Corsair 350D and a i3-4130. That's all. Oh, also! I'll need a Z87 chipset motherboard even though the i3 isn't overclockable but later maybe I can upgrade to an i5-4670k. One last thing doll, semi-modular PSU and that's it. kthxbai <3

Do you have the CPU and case right now?

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/353572-31-build-upgrade-advice

 

[woltej1]

PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2VWAy
Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2VWAy/by_merchant/
Benchmarks: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2VWAy/benchmarks/

CPU: Intel Core i3-4130 3.4GHz Dual-Core Processor ($114.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Asus Z87-A ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($129.99 @ NCIX US)
Memory: Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($59.99 @ Microcenter)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($59.98 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: XFX Radeon HD 7770 GHz Edition 1GB Video Card ($89.99 @ NCIX US)
Case: Corsair 500R White ATX Mid Tower Case ($79.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair CX 600W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($54.99 @ Microcenter)
Optical Drive: Asus DVD-E818AAT/BLK/B/GEN DVD/CD Drive ($18.99 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 - OEM (64-bit) ($99.98 @ OutletPC)
Total: $708.89

 

[ahmedkhalifa1999]

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i3-4130 3.4GHz Dual-Core Processor ($114.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: MSI Z87M-G43 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($94.97 @ OutletPC)
Memory: Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($59.99 @ Microcenter)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($59.98 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 760 2GB Video Card ($259.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Corsair 350D MicroATX Mid Tower Case ($69.99 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: Corsair CX 500W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($49.99 @ Microcenter)
Optical Drive: LG GH24NSB0 DVD/CD Writer ($15.99 @ Microcenter)
Total: $725.89
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-02-19 02:00 EST-0500)
what about this build ?
you will have only to get a cooler for the i5-4670K to overclock on that rig

 

[nashdes001]

Motherboard: ASRock Z87 Extreme4 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($119.99 @ Microcenter)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($84.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($59.98 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 770 2GB Video Card ($309.99 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: XFX 650W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($64.99 @ NCIX US)
Total: $639.94

 

[Shneiky]

Now it is a bit confusing, some people are posting builds with a Windows copy, some are not.

Anyway for 700 you are not really far from a console killer. For 800 - now we are talking.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i3-4130 3.4GHz Dual-Core Processor ($114.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASRock Z87M Extreme4 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($119.99 @ Microcenter)
Memory: Mushkin Blackline 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($84.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($66.98 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 660 2GB Video Card ($179.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: Corsair 350D MicroATX Mid Tower Case ($69.99 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: Rosewill Capstone 550W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($64.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Asus DVD-E818AAT/BLK/B/GEN DVD/CD Drive ($18.99 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($89.98 @ OutletPC)
Total: $790.88
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-02-19 02:04 EST-0500)

P.S A lot of the components are on combo sales or with mail-in rebates which are worth it. Also if you don't need an OS - then drop the Windows, and you are directly at 700. Or use 60 of them to get to GTX 760.

In the 1st build i saw a HD7770 which is basically what a console has. In the 2nd build I saw a Corsair CX power supply which is below average quality and low tier MSI board, with skimpy power design.

Anyway your first $450 go for components that are not directly involved in gaming performance, but you just cant go without them. (case, motherboard, HDD, PSU, etc) Don't get me wrong, they do matter and you can't go without them, but your FPS is mainly GPU and later CPU dependent. The more you go away from those 450 - the more performance comes in. So 800 is a bit of a sweet spot.

Cheers and good luck.

 

[epicfacecr]

I have $700 to build a gaming rig. I'm planning on switching from my PS3 to a actual gaming rig. The things I'd require is the Corsair 350D and a i3-4130. That's all. Oh, also! I'll need a Z87 chipset motherboard even though the i3 isn't overclockable but later maybe I can upgrade to an i5-4670k. One last thing doll, semi-modular PSU and that's it. kthxbai <3

Do you have the CPU and case right now?

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/353572-31-build-upgrade-advice

I do not have it on me.

 

[epicfacecr]

Now it is a bit confusing, some people are posting builds with a Windows copy, some are not.

Anyway for 700 you are not really far from a console killer. For 800 - now we are talking.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i3-4130 3.4GHz Dual-Core Processor ($114.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASRock Z87M Extreme4 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($119.99 @ Microcenter)
Memory: Mushkin Blackline 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($84.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($66.98 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 660 2GB Video Card ($179.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: Corsair 350D MicroATX Mid Tower Case ($69.99 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: Rosewill Capstone 550W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($64.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Asus DVD-E818AAT/BLK/B/GEN DVD/CD Drive ($18.99 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($89.98 @ OutletPC)
Total: $790.88
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-02-19 02:04 EST-0500)

P.S A lot of the components are on combo sales or with mail-in rebates which are worth it. Also if you don't need an OS - then drop the Windows, and you are directly at 700. Or use 60 of them to get to GTX 760.

In the 1st build i saw a HD7770 which is basically what a console has. In the 2nd build I saw a Corsair CX power supply which is below average quality and low tier MSI board, with skimpy power design.

Anyway your first $450 go for components that are not directly involved in gaming performance, but you just cant go without them. (case, motherboard, HDD, PSU, etc) Don't get me wrong, they do matter and you can't go without them, but your FPS is mainly GPU and later CPU dependent. The more you go away from those 450 - the more performance comes in. So 800 is a bit of a sweet spot.

Cheers and good luck.

I really like this build, I think it's very well researched, I've also been looking at that board too. Have you seen the new GTX 750 Ti with the new Maxwell architecture? It's going for $150, and I think It's a better replacement for the GTX 660. (pcpartpicker hasn't added it on the site yet)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Order=BESTMATCH&Description=gtx+750+ti&N=-1&isNodeId=1

 

[camohanna]

This is purely for gaming, so drop to a G3220. Its almost 1/2 the price of an i3 yet only ~15-20% performance drop. Remember games are usually dependent on gpu and this will also allow for an upgrade to an i5 later. G3220 + 760 will outperform an i3 + gtx 660.

PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2VXSN
Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2VXSN/by_merchant/
Benchmarks: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2VXSN/benchmarks/

CPU: Intel Pentium G3220 3.0GHz Dual-Core Processor ($64.97 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z87MX-D3H Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($119.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($59.99 @ Microcenter)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($59.98 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 760 2GB Video Card ($249.99 @ NCIX US)
Case: Corsair 350D MicroATX Mid Tower Case ($69.99 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: Corsair RM 550W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $684.90
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-02-19 02:48 EST-0500)

 

[epicfacecr]

This is purely for gaming, so drop to a G3220. Its almost 1/2 the price of an i3 yet only ~15-20% performance drop. Remember games are usually dependent on gpu and this will also allow for an upgrade to an i5 later. G3220 + 760 will outperform an i3 + gtx 660.

PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2VXSN
Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2VXSN/by_merchant/
Benchmarks: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2VXSN/benchmarks/

CPU: Intel Pentium G3220 3.0GHz Dual-Core Processor ($64.97 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z87MX-D3H Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($119.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($59.99 @ Microcenter)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($59.98 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 760 2GB Video Card ($249.99 @ NCIX US)
Case: Corsair 350D MicroATX Mid Tower Case ($69.99 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: Corsair RM 550W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $684.90
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-02-19 02:48 EST-0500)

I wouldn't really mind to be spending $60 extra and toning down the GPU a bit since I can just easily upgrade that.

 

[KalTorak]

You need to pick something to spec well and something to spec lower if you are building a machine that you plan to upgrade.

Spend more on the CPU and plan to upgrade the Graphics card when you have the money

or

Spend more on the Gfx card and plan to upgrade the CPU when you have the money.

Right now your budget wont stretch to get both of these up the optimal gaming grade. So which do you want to spend on, and which to scrimp on?

If the CPU is where you want to spend the money, get the I5 now, if its the Gfx card, get the G3220 now and the I5 later.

 

[epicfacecr]

You need to pick something to spec well and something to spec lower if you are building a machine that you plan to upgrade.

Spend more on the CPU and plan to upgrade the Graphics card when you have the money

or

Spend more on the Gfx card and plan to upgrade the CPU when you have the money.

Right now your budget wont stretch to get both of these up the optimal gaming grade. So which do you want to spend on, and which to scrimp on?

If the CPU is where you want to spend the money, get the I5 now, if its the Gfx card, get the G3220 now and the I5 later.

IMO I'd choose processor although many may debate. I'll scrimp on the GPU, I'm using a GTX 260 so most likely any graphics card you place down will be an upgrade for me.

 

[KalTorak]

How much time will it take to save up another $2-300 for the budget, because at that point we can do it all and not spend money on something that will be replaced shortly.

 

[Shneiky]

A lot of people here forget that not all games are created equal. And multiplayer games are a lot more CPU intensive then the single player benchmarks on the web. The thing is you can not create a consistent multiplayer benchmark, to show how CPU hungry the games could become.

I3 is your sweet spot in your budget. It will make it sure, that you will not be that CPU starved during multiplayer gaming.

On your second topic: the 750TI is 25% slower than 660. The 750TI is even slower than 650TI Boost. And when the 750TI hits the market it will be more expensive than $150. Even if it was 150$, in the end you pay 30% more for 25% more performance. It is something we all have to deal with. This is how the computer world goes. Always when you cross the 150 mark, you start paying more money for a % of increase.

If you are planning on upgrading soon (within 1-2-3 months) then you can scale down the CPU or GPU and upgrade the other one later. If you are going to upgrade in half an year or an year, then just go like this and save yourself the headache. In half or a full year, things will be a lot different on the market. No use to start planning now for something that is definitely going to change.

 

[camohanna]

A lot of people here forget that not all games are created equal. And multiplayer games are a lot more CPU intensive then the single player benchmarks on the web. The thing is you can not create a consistent multiplayer benchmark, to show how CPU hungry the games could become.

I3 is your sweet spot in your budget. It will make it sure, that you will not be that CPU starved during multiplayer gaming.

On your second topic: the 750TI is 25% slower than 660. The 750TI is even slower than 650TI Boost. And when the 750TI hits the market it will be more expensive than $150. Even if it was 150$, in the end you pay 30% more for 25% more performance. It is something we all have to deal with. This is how the computer world goes. Always when you cross the 150 mark, you start paying more money for a % of increase.

If you are planning on upgrading soon (within 1-2-3 months) then you can scale down the CPU or GPU and upgrade the other one later. If you are going to upgrade in half an year or an year, then just go like this and save yourself the headache. In half or a full year, things will be a lot different on the market. No use to start planning now for something that is definitely going to change.

Yes, i reccomended the G3220 with it in mind that you would be upgrading the cpu in ~2 months. Imo, its a waste spending $60 more if you are not going to use it after 2 months.

When will you be able to upgrade to the i5?

 

[epicfacecr]

A lot of people here forget that not all games are created equal. And multiplayer games are a lot more CPU intensive then the single player benchmarks on the web. The thing is you can not create a consistent multiplayer benchmark, to show how CPU hungry the games could become.

I3 is your sweet spot in your budget. It will make it sure, that you will not be that CPU starved during multiplayer gaming.

On your second topic: the 750TI is 25% slower than 660. The 750TI is even slower than 650TI Boost. And when the 750TI hits the market it will be more expensive than $150. Even if it was 150$, in the end you pay 30% more for 25% more performance. It is something we all have to deal with. This is how the computer world goes. Always when you cross the 150 mark, you start paying more money for a % of increase.

If you are planning on upgrading soon (within 1-2-3 months) then you can scale down the CPU or GPU and upgrade the other one later. If you are going to upgrade in half an year or an year, then just go like this and save yourself the headache. In half or a full year, things will be a lot different on the market. No use to start planning now for something that is definitely going to change.

Yes, i reccomended the G3220 with it in mind that you would be upgrading the cpu in ~2 months. Imo, its a waste spending $60 more if you are not going to use it after 2 months.

When will you be able to upgrade to the i5?

~3 months I'll prob upgrade.

 

[epicfacecr]

A lot of people here forget that not all games are created equal. And multiplayer games are a lot more CPU intensive then the single player benchmarks on the web. The thing is you can not create a consistent multiplayer benchmark, to show how CPU hungry the games could become.

I3 is your sweet spot in your budget. It will make it sure, that you will not be that CPU starved during multiplayer gaming.

On your second topic: the 750TI is 25% slower than 660. The 750TI is even slower than 650TI Boost. And when the 750TI hits the market it will be more expensive than $150. Even if it was 150$, in the end you pay 30% more for 25% more performance. It is something we all have to deal with. This is how the computer world goes. Always when you cross the 150 mark, you start paying more money for a % of increase.

If you are planning on upgrading soon (within 1-2-3 months) then you can scale down the CPU or GPU and upgrade the other one later. If you are going to upgrade in half an year or an year, then just go like this and save yourself the headache. In half or a full year, things will be a lot different on the market. No use to start planning now for something that is definitely going to change.

Yes, i reccomended the G3220 with it in mind that you would be upgrading the cpu in ~2 months. Imo, its a waste spending $60 more if you are not going to use it after 2 months.

When will you be able to upgrade to the i5?

~3 months

 

[camohanna]

A lot of people here forget that not all games are created equal. And multiplayer games are a lot more CPU intensive then the single player benchmarks on the web. The thing is you can not create a consistent multiplayer benchmark, to show how CPU hungry the games could become.

I3 is your sweet spot in your budget. It will make it sure, that you will not be that CPU starved during multiplayer gaming.

On your second topic: the 750TI is 25% slower than 660. The 750TI is even slower than 650TI Boost. And when the 750TI hits the market it will be more expensive than $150. Even if it was 150$, in the end you pay 30% more for 25% more performance. It is something we all have to deal with. This is how the computer world goes. Always when you cross the 150 mark, you start paying more money for a % of increase.

If you are planning on upgrading soon (within 1-2-3 months) then you can scale down the CPU or GPU and upgrade the other one later. If you are going to upgrade in half an year or an year, then just go like this and save yourself the headache. In half or a full year, things will be a lot different on the market. No use to start planning now for something that is definitely going to change.

Yes, i reccomended the G3220 with it in mind that you would be upgrading the cpu in ~2 months. Imo, its a waste spending $60 more if you are not going to use it after 2 months.

When will you be able to upgrade to the i5?

~3 months

What games will you be playing?

 

[epicfacecr]

A lot of people here forget that not all games are created equal. And multiplayer games are a lot more CPU intensive then the single player benchmarks on the web. The thing is you can not create a consistent multiplayer benchmark, to show how CPU hungry the games could become.

I3 is your sweet spot in your budget. It will make it sure, that you will not be that CPU starved during multiplayer gaming.

On your second topic: the 750TI is 25% slower than 660. The 750TI is even slower than 650TI Boost. And when the 750TI hits the market it will be more expensive than $150. Even if it was 150$, in the end you pay 30% more for 25% more performance. It is something we all have to deal with. This is how the computer world goes. Always when you cross the 150 mark, you start paying more money for a % of increase.

If you are planning on upgrading soon (within 1-2-3 months) then you can scale down the CPU or GPU and upgrade the other one later. If you are going to upgrade in half an year or an year, then just go like this and save yourself the headache. In half or a full year, things will be a lot different on the market. No use to start planning now for something that is definitely going to change.

Yes, i reccomended the G3220 with it in mind that you would be upgrading the cpu in ~2 months. Imo, its a waste spending $60 more if you are not going to use it after 2 months.

When will you be able to upgrade to the i5?

~3 months

What games will you be playing?

Battlefield 4, Titanfall, a modded Skyrim, Crysis 3, and Minecraft.

 

[Shneiky]

Modded Skyrim and Battlefied 4 multiplayer require a lot of CPU power. A Pentium G will not be sufficient all the time and you will might experience degraded gameplay. Don't get me wrong about the Pentium G, I had a G840 for quite a while and I used it for 3D modeling, video editing and rendering and surprisingly enough it was managing somehow. The rendering was slow as hell, and the workflow was a pain but it was doable. Was a good replacement for my aging C2D E4700 which cost an arm when it came out. As for gaming - that is another story. Anyway you can get the I3 now and resell it later, getting some money back. For the me I3 is easier to sell than a Pentium G.

In the end - you call the shots. If you can deal with toning down the graphics so the CPU can keep up - go for the Pentium G. It is 3 months after all.
Your best options are:
Go I5 4670k and R7 250, and get a GTX 760 later
Go I3/PentiumG with a GTX 660/760 and an I5 4670K later

To be honest I favor the 2nd option. GPU market is constantly changing due to the fact that both nVid and AMD are competitive. CPU market is stagnant because AMD is not competitive in the CPU market. The I5 price wont change much, but video card prices will change a lot in 3-4 months.

Whichever you choose -
Don't skimp on PSU to drive costs down!
8GB of RAM are a minimum!

-----------------------

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-4670K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($219.99 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.98 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: ASRock Z87M Extreme4 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($119.99 @ Microcenter)
Memory: Mushkin Blackline 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($84.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($66.98 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Asus Radeon HD 7770 1GB Video Card ($96.58 @ NCIX US)
Case: Corsair 350D MicroATX Mid Tower Case ($89.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: Rosewill Capstone 550W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($64.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $753.49
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-02-20 07:35 EST-0500)

The R7 250 was $90, The HD 7770 was $96, but is twice as fast. Anyway the HD 7770 will keep you happy for few months. And after you can resell it. It is easier to resell video cards than CPUs to be honest. You can easily sell it for 50-60$, which is a good return. This build is originally $840, but due to combo deals, promo discounts and mail in rebates - it is down to $750 (which is $90 save). Very good deal, if you don't miss the discounts. The power supply deal is one of my favorites - that one is usually around the 90-100 mark, but here it is a combo deal from newegg with the HDD and falls down to 64.

Good luck and cheers.

 

[epicfacecr]

Modded Skyrim and Battlefied 4 multiplayer require a lot of CPU power. A Pentium G will not be sufficient all the time and you will might experience degraded gameplay. Don't get me wrong about the Pentium G, I had a G840 for quite a while and I used it for 3D modeling, video editing and rendering and surprisingly enough it was managing somehow. The rendering was slow as hell, and the workflow was a pain but it was doable. Was a good replacement for my aging C2D E4700 which cost an arm when it came out. As for gaming - that is another story. Anyway you can get the I3 now and resell it later, getting some money back. For the me I3 is easier to sell than a Pentium G.

In the end - you call the shots. If you can deal with toning down the graphics so the CPU can keep up - go for the Pentium G. It is 3 months after all.
Your best options are:
Go I5 4670k and R7 250, and get a GTX 760 later
Go I3/PentiumG with a GTX 660/760 and an I5 4670K later

To be honest I favor the 2nd option. GPU market is constantly changing due to the fact that both nVid and AMD are competitive. CPU market is stagnant because AMD is not competitive in the CPU market. The I5 price wont change much, but video card prices will change a lot in 3-4 months.

Whichever you choose -
Don't skimp on PSU to drive costs down!
8GB of RAM are a minimum!

-----------------------

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-4670K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($219.99 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.98 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: ASRock Z87M Extreme4 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($119.99 @ Microcenter)
Memory: Mushkin Blackline 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($84.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($66.98 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Asus Radeon HD 7770 1GB Video Card ($96.58 @ NCIX US)
Case: Corsair 350D MicroATX Mid Tower Case ($89.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: Rosewill Capstone 550W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($64.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $753.49
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-02-20 07:35 EST-0500)

The R7 250 was $90, The HD 7770 was $96, but is twice as fast. Anyway the HD 7770 will keep you happy for few months. And after you can resell it. It is easier to resell video cards than CPUs to be honest. You can easily sell it for 50-60$, which is a good return. This build is originally $840, but due to combo deals, promo discounts and mail in rebates - it is down to $750 (which is $90 save). Very good deal, if you don't miss the discounts. The power supply deal is one of my favorites - that one is usually around the 90-100 mark, but here it is a combo deal from newegg with the HDD and falls down to 64.

Good luck and cheers.

Thanks for all of your help that you've given me, I really appreciate it.

 

[Shneiky]

Please select best answer if anything helped you.

 

[epicfacecr]

Please select best answer if anything helped you.

One last thing then I'll choose the best answer, is this a solid build?

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i3-4130 3.4GHz Dual-Core Processor ($116.97 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: ASRock Z87M Extreme4 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($119.99 @ Microcenter)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($79.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($59.98 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 660 2GB Video Card ($179.99 @ Microcenter)
Case: Corsair 350D MicroATX Mid Tower Case ($89.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Asus DVD-E818AAT/BLK/B/GEN DVD/CD Drive ($18.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $710.89
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-02-22 22:34 EST-0500)

 

[aylafan]

Please select best answer if anything helped you.

One last thing then I'll choose the best answer, is this a solid build?

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i3-4130 3.4GHz Dual-Core Processor ($116.97 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: ASRock Z87M Extreme4 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($119.99 @ Microcenter)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($79.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($59.98 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 660 2GB Video Card ($179.99 @ Microcenter)
Case: Corsair 350D MicroATX Mid Tower Case ($89.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Asus DVD-E818AAT/BLK/B/GEN DVD/CD Drive ($18.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $710.89
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-02-22 22:34 EST-0500)

Why don't you get the Core-i3 4130 + ASRock Z87 Extreme4 combo at Microcenter for the same price, but you end up with a full ATX motherboard instead of a microATX motherboard.

http://www.microcenter.com/site/brands/intel-processor-bundles.aspx

For $40 more you can get the i5-4670K. Just saying.

 

[epicfacecr]

Please select best answer if anything helped you.

One last thing then I'll choose the best answer, is this a solid build?

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i3-4130 3.4GHz Dual-Core Processor ($116.97 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: ASRock Z87M Extreme4 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($119.99 @ Microcenter)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($79.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($59.98 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 660 2GB Video Card ($179.99 @ Microcenter)
Case: Corsair 350D MicroATX Mid Tower Case ($89.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Asus DVD-E818AAT/BLK/B/GEN DVD/CD Drive ($18.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $710.89
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-02-22 22:34 EST-0500)

Why don't you get the Core-i3 4130 + ASRock Z87 Extreme4 combo at Microcenter for the same price, but you end up with a full ATX motherboard instead of a microATX motherboard.

http://www.microcenter.com/site/brands/intel-processor-bundles.aspx

For $40 more you can get the i5-4670K. Just saying.

I've been wanting to create an mATX build. It may be better for what you said but just for personal preference.