$700 PC for the rest of the generation

PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/X9gNgs
Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/X9gNgs/by_merchant/

CPU: AMD A10-7850K 3.7GHz Quad-Core Processor ($169.96 @ OutletPC)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.98 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Asus A78M-E Micro ATX FM2+ Motherboard ($64.99 @ Mac Mall)
Memory: A-Data XPG V2 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($136.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($54.98 @ OutletPC)
Case: Rosewill Line Glow ATX Mid Tower Case ($39.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair CX 600W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($49.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: LG GH24NSB0 DVD/CD Writer ($15.98 @ OutletPC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($84.99 @ NCIX US)
Total: $647.85
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

This does not include a GPU, but you can purchase one at a later date when you have the funds. Meanwhile it does come with an APU that has an R7 on die. So you can play games at decent settings.

current games on high with a decent framerate $700 build

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4440 3.1GHz Quad-Core Processor ($179.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: ASRock H81 Pro BTC ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($44.00 @ Newegg)
Memory: Team Vulcan 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($65.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($54.98 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: PowerColor Radeon R9 270X 2GB TurboDuo Video Card ($149.99 @ NCIX US)
Case: NZXT Source 210 Elite (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($44.99 @ Mwave)
Power Supply: EVGA 600B 600W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($44.99 @ Micro Center)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-14 DVD/CD Writer ($15.99 @ NCIX US)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($89.98 @ OutletPC)
Total: $690.90
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

Gigabyte GA-F2A88XM-D3H FM2+ w/ NZXT Mid-Tower Case: $112
AMD Athlon X4 750K Samsung DVD: $87 with code EMCPDWC22
Rosewill RCX-Z1 CPU Cooler: $15
G.SKILL Ripjaws Z Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3 2400: $85
(dang price went up $10 today!)
Corsair CX600 600w: $40 after $20 rebate
WD Blue WD10EZEX 1TB HDD: $60

With a copy of Windows, that's $499.

You could go for an R9 270X, but the XFX Double D R9-280A-TDFD Radeon R9 280 3GB is $210 after rebate with the Gold Reward 3-game bundle.

Here is an amd build: http://pcpartpicker.com/parts/partlist/

And here is an intel build: http://pcpartpicker.com/parts/partlist/ The intel build will outperform the fx 8320 if you do not overclock. So this is your best choice.

True, but paying 700$ for an APU makes me cringe. Another hundred bucks and you could have something real powerful.

exactly.

Really. Why APU? Core i5 + R9 270X 2GB for $690 (see my first post): This is more than you asked ($700 PC for the rest of the generation).

"H81" and "B85" are the "budget" chipsets with decreased functionality and no over-clocking.

If you go with Intel, you really need a new 9-series motherboard for a possible upgrade path to Broadwell, even on a budget build.

good point:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4440 3.1GHz Quad-Core Processor ($179.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: ASRock H97 PRO4 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($76.66 @ Newegg)
Memory: Avexir Core series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($68.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($51.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: PowerColor Radeon R9 270X 2GB TurboDuo Video Card ($149.99 @ NCIX US)
Case: NZXT Source 210 Elite (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($44.99 @ Mwave)
Power Supply: EVGA 600B 600W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($44.99 @ Micro Center)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-14 DVD/CD Writer ($15.99 @ NCIX US)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($89.98 @ OutletPC)
Total: $723.57
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

Here is an AMD option because you mention you want this to really last for some time, or thats what i assume you mean for the rest of the generation. When DX 12 comes around in like 2015 or something it will be written from scratch to utilize cores, all games will use this API and this will really make the 8 cores have the edge.

[PCPartPicker part list](http://pcpartpicker.com/p/FjNFK8) / [Price breakdown by merchant](http://pcpartpicker.com/p/FjNFK8/by_merchant/)

Type|Item|Price
:----|:----|:----
**CPU** | [AMD FX-8320 3.5GHz 8-Core Processor](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/amd-cpu-fd8320frhkbox) | $139.99 @ SuperBiiz
**CPU Cooler** | [Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/cooler-master-cpu-cooler-rr212e20pkr2) | $29.98 @ OutletPC
**Motherboard** | [Gigabyte GA-990FXA-UD3 ATX AM3+ Motherboard](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/gigabyte-motherboard-ga990fxaud3) | $109.99 @ Micro Center
**Memory** | [A-Data XPG V2 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/a-data-memory-ax3u1866w4g10dmv) | $69.30 @ Newegg
**Storage** | [Hitachi Ultrastar 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/hitachi-internal-hard-drive-hua721010kla330) | $48.00 @ Amazon
**Video Card** | [XFX Radeon R9 270 2GB Core Edition Video Card](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/xfx-video-card-r9270acnfc) | $139.99 @ NCIX US
**Case** | [NZXT Gamma Classic (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/nzxt-case-gama001bk) | $35.98 @ Newegg
**Power Supply** | [XFX 550W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/xfx-power-supply-p1550sxxb9) | $45.99 @ NCIX US
**Operating System** | [Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit)](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/microsoft-os-gfc02050) | $84.98 @ OutletPC
| | **Total**
| Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available | $704.20

still the i5 4440 is very viable, but realize that its NOT the i5 4670, its only around 25% better single core performance over the FX 8320 (at turbo). IF you overclock, which you can easily, it drops to something like 15% better single core performance which isnt a WHOLE lot, its considerable yes.

Just compare that the i5 4670 which has about 50% better single core performance over the FX 8320, which is a huge difference. Also the i5 4440 is not an unlocked CPU like the FX is so you cant really overclock a whole lot

Sure. And it's not a bad build. Non overclockable though. Its a shame: FX-8320 is great for oc...