I need help building a new PC ($1200 - $1300)

This is everything you would need for this build:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: AMD FX-8350 4.0GHz 8-Core Processor ($159.99 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.98 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-990FXA-UD3 ATX AM3+ Motherboard ($113.98 @ OutletPC)
Memory: PNY XLR8 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($139.00 @ Amazon)
Storage: PNY XLR8 240GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($99.99 @ Micro Center)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($83.97 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: PNY GeForce GTX 770 2GB Video Card ($309.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Zalman Z5 ATX Mid Tower Case ($29.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA NEX 750W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-14 DVD/CD Writer ($14.99 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($88.98 @ OutletPC)
Total: $1130.85
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

And I would classify that as "awesome" graphics.

i would also change the gpu brand to evga or asus

<SIGH>...there is always someone to tell the guy asking the question that's about to build with AMD to, "hey, everything is GREAT EXCEPT for your AMD parts, Go Intel!". Never fails! LOL

I would definitely get a better case! You have no side panel window to see your rig or fan to keep your graphics card cool. Although a mid tower will get the job done, if you want all possible upgrade and accessory options, go with a full tower. Also, it is important to get a case with a side panel fan option! Lastly, invest in a Blu-ray burner or drive instead! Watch Blu-rays on your awesome new rig! Heck, both new consoles play blu-rays now! LOL

Other than that, Game on!

I'm a novice builder myself, but I have picked up pieces of knowledge from doing research. I would love to help someone who has almost the same goals with his/her new pc.
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/bVhhmG

Now comes the good stuff, the reasoning for every part.
CPU: This CPU will overclock very well getting you the maximum gaming experience. Since you aren't going for video editing, an i7 would be a waste. It is a very popular and very effective product that will be amazing for your new pc.
CPU cooler: The corsair h100i is one of the best CPU coolers ever. If you plan on overclocking, water cooling is a must to keep low temps.
Motherboard: very very very very very very goooooooood. It is just so well made and performs so well. If you prefer an MSI motherboard you could swap it out, but for me an asus Maximus vi IS going to be the heart of this build.
Storage: I got you 250gb of ssd to use when booting and a 1terrabite hdd that should be more than enough for gaming.
Video card: THIS IS WERE THE GUD STUFF LIES. The bad boy that will give you that perfect experience when gaming. The nvidia gtx 770 from evga, it is one of the best nvidia gtx 770s you can buy. The acx cooling keeps the beast suppressed at low temps and the factory overclock gives it a kick once you boot that new pc.
Case: this is pretty much a nice mid tower case made by nzxt. You really don't need a full tower unless you got some other plans to upgrade this pc a ton in the future. A mid case would be the perfect resting place for all your parts. The colors are pretty cool also. Swap this out if you don't like the colors for pretty much any other mid tower case. This one does keep low temps tho.
Psu: xfx is the best company to get your psu from. They are very experienced at what they do and provide the top notch quality products. It's full modular meaning not all the cables are wired in and you can plug in the cables that are needed(comes with it) to use. Helps keep a nice tidy pc. Also the 80+ gold efficiency rating is a nice add on. 750watts should be plenty of headroom for your pc if you overclock. Otherwise if you won't overclock switch this to a lower watt psu.
Optical drive: can't really pick for you, I don't know if you want to watch blue ray movies and such. There are many that aren't that expensive and run well.

Well that's my take on building a pc with that budget. Feel free to do research and swap any part that you don't like. I hope this answered your question!

Huge edit: OMG I forgot the memory: gskill ripjaws run perfectly with these parts. They run great too with intel chipsets. You don't really need more the 8gigs of ram for gaming. You also don't need any higher speeds than 1866. It would be just a waste of money!

XFX is NOT the best company for PSUs. I returned a 750 watt gold PSU from XFX just last week. I upgraded to the 1300 watt EVGA and the thing does not break a sweat. Like I said also, that case sucks for cooling. Your system will run hot. You need a side panel fan to keep your system cool and to prevent your card from throttling itself down.

Agreed, people don't seem to consider AMD a contender for higher-end builds. In real world applications, you normally will not notice the difference between a similarly priced AMD and Intel CPU. Sure intel wins in benchmarks, nobody can deny that, but dollar-for-dollar you get more out of AMD in my opinion.

The case can be anything, I was just trying to keep the build under budget.

Dude good for you, you finally found a power supply that can bear you without dying out. Just cause your xfx didn't work dosen't mean his won't work. If yours didn't work simple, just return and they'll give you a new one. He is just starting out. Not my fault your stuff dosen't work. I go off the reviews from stuff that work. Most of all, If my case sucks then what case do you recommend? I never even said he has to go with my case, just giving a recommendation. The evga acx cooling is so good we don't really need a fan.