My First PC

Honestly, you dont need the cpu cooler unless your overclocking.

What do you want to do with this PC, Overclocking? SLI? (multi GPU)

I dont know what the total cost of that build is (the full list wont load for me), but there is definitely room for at least one decent improvement.

For your budget you can get a gtx 670, which is definitely worth buying over the 660.

Overclocking is altering the processors cycles and speeds to run faster than they run from the shelf, It requires 'some' know how, but it isnt too difficult to do, but requires time and effort to make sure you dont screw it up.

Its generally advised to run the single most powerful GPU you can over two low grade ones. (avoids complications and space issues)

What detail set would you hope to play? and at what screen resolution?

I'll take a stab at a part list for you if you like?

For no overclock, and limited (next to non) upgradeability

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/176ZG $993 US

That would tear apart the 660.

(I'm assuming your not including windows as it wasnt listed in your OP)

With a good overclocking board, potential for a second GPU (not likely you would need it for a single 1080 monitor for a while) and general room to prat around in.

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/1777k $1060 US

If you then decided overclocking was your thing you could add the coolermaster hyper 212 evo CPU cooler for $29.99.

Bear in mind that card can run crysis 3 ultra at a respectable 30+ fps at slightly larger resolutions. Shouldnt imagine BF4 will be harder to run than that.

Na, windows 7 home premium 64 bit (or better) or windows 8 64 bit, its down to preference. But that is an extra $90 to consider. so you may either need to severly blow out the budget to get the second link. (OEM versions are cheaper but bound to the motherboard, so they are a bad idea if you intend to or need to upgrade your motherboard later, which to me makes the better motherboard at the start appealing)

Or get the second link but change out the gtx 770 to a gtx 670 or radeon 7950.

Of the two the 670 is more powerful, slightly, but the 7950 currently comes with far cry blood dragon, tomb raider, crysis 3 and bioshock infinite for free. So, understandably it gets a mention

The 770 is on par with two 670's however.

This is where your personal knowledge of your finances, and what you want out of a PC come to play. You have information. You choose what to do with it


-Edit- The cheaper motherboard has the z 75 chipset over the z77, it doesnt have all the features of the z77 chipset (Some of these features are highly relevant to overclocking) . It also doesnt support SLI configurations, meaning you cant run multiple GPU configurations. However it does support xfire, so you could run two radeon cards together. Unfortunately there are issues with stutter on xfire cards, which while they are being dealt with now by a tool called radeon pro (which seeks to eliminate the stutter by locking framerates in games lower than what the hardware should be able to put out), thats third party software. AMD havent solved the issues or adopted the solution themselves.
Another mention is while it has a spare socket for a second card, its not a full speed socket, so you would get full performance from it.

My personal choice would be the second build with the lower GPU, that should run med to high without too many complications. Then treat yourself to a better GPU like the 770 when you have a bit more disposable income. Or save a bit longer than you hoped and treat yourself with getting the best possible for a first buy. Worth the wait?

It still stands though that the first link would work the same as the second. Just without overclocking. And with some limitation on upgrades. There would be nothing stopping you just putting a faster GPU in it at a later date.

Aye, thats a full license copy. You can use that on any machine you like but one machine at a time...

For half the price, you can buy the same one, (OEM) but is officially restricted to one motherboard, barring motherboard failure, when you must replace it with as close as possible.
http://pcpartpicker.com/part/microsoft-os-gfc02050

Most people exploit that and claim motherboard failure when they build a new PC and transfer it but its down to how nice the person on the phone is when you call to claim.