It also depends on how far in the future you plan to still be using this PC. Most quad core and up CPUs made since 2008 can still run any game out in 1080p maxed out with the right video card. Right now, that Pentium G3258 is the best entry level CPU since it is the only dual core Intel that you can overclock in the Haswell lineup. And since it requires that you have a Z87 or Z97 board, when you are able to afford an i5, you can get an unlocked one. That motherboard + i5 Haswell/Broadwell should last you well beyond the end of the warranty if you upgrade the video card a couple of times. In fact, I'd start out with a better GPU than a 7850 or just use the integrated GPU in the Pentium for now until you can afford one. You can play many games in 720p on just the iGPU with acceptable FPS (in the high teens to 20's for AAA games which isn't terrible). Then once you have the money, the first thing you should upgrade is the GPU. Spend at least $200 on something like a 280x or 7970 GHz. Anything under that and you will find yourself upgrading a lot sooner. Then do the CPU. Then an SSD. Then RAM (8GB is good enough for now).