New Build: Future-proofing a sub-$500

[Twitch016]

Graduating from college and have been offered $500 as a gift from my parents to replace my current computer situation - a dying Dell laptop clunking along with Windows 8 (which I regret installing).

I'd like to build a tower (my first build!) near that budget, with a few constraints.

1. I'd like input on OS - Windows 7 or 8 (unfortunately I DO need Windows for work) - I'm concerned about the support window on 7.

2. Also, I'm not looking to install a discrete card at the moment, but will definitely use a board/case that allows easy installation of one in the future as funds permit.

3. Mouse and keyboard are not concerns, and do not include monitor in budget (though suggestions for a 23-ish monitor would be appreciated).

4. Uses will include gaming (nothing high-end, for now), basic office work, and I'd like wifi for connectivity due to its likely place in my apartment. Considering eventually getting a second monitor (for productivity, not gaming)

5. Flexibility and building the best possible core for the money are the ideal.

6. Also, I prefer Intel chips (much as I know AMD is a bit more budget-friendly).

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated!

 

[ScrewySqrl]

AMD build:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: AMD Athlon II X4 760K 3.8GHz Quad-Core Processor ($89.98 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-F2A75M-HD2 Micro ATX FM2+ Motherboard ($48.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: Mushkin Silverline 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($69.97 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 500GB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($47.00 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Asus Radeon HD 7770 GHz Edition 1GB Video Card ($95.38 @ Newegg)
Case: Cougar Solution (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($29.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair Builder 430W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($39.99 @ Microcenter)
Optical Drive: LG GH24NSB0 DVD/CD Writer ($15.99 @ Microcenter)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($84.99 @ NCIX US)
Total: $522.27
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-01-26 22:50 EST-0500)

Intel build:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i3-4130 3.4GHz Dual-Core Processor ($119.97 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: MSI H81M-P33 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($32.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Mushkin Silverline 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($69.97 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 500GB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($47.00 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Asus Radeon HD 7750 1GB Video Card ($78.45 @ NCIX US)
Case: Cougar Solution (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($29.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair Builder 430W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($39.99 @ Microcenter)
Optical Drive: LG GH24NSB0 DVD/CD Writer ($15.99 @ TigerDirect)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($84.99 @ NCIX US)
Total: $519.34
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-01-26 22:53 EST-0500)