Need advice for $1300 pc first time build

SSDs are still too expensive. I'd just grab one when the price drops to a reasonable level.

This build is assuming you want to do more than play WoW and the monitor's resolution is 1080p:

CPU/Mobo: i5-750 and Asus P7P55D-E Pro $375
RAM/GPU: G.Skill Ripjaws 2x2 GB 1600 mhz CAS Latency 7 and HD 5870 $490
HDD: Seagate 7200.12 500 GB $55
PSU: Antec Earthwatts 750W $85 after rebate
Case: HAF 922 $80 after rebate
Optical: Cheap SATA DVD burner $22
OS: Windows 7 Home 64-bit OEM $100

Total: $1,212

If all you want to play is WoW, the i5 is a huge waste of money. I'd recommend this build instead:

CPU: X3 425 $70
Mobo: Gigabyte GA-770TA-UD3 $80 after rebate
RAM: G.Skill Ripjaws 2x2 GB 1600 mhz CAS Latency 7 $115
GPU: HD 5770 $150
HDD: Seagate 7200.12 500 GB $55
Case/PSU: Antec 300 Illusion and Earthwatts 430W $115
Optical: Cheap SATA DVD burner $22
OS: Windows 7 Home 64-bit OEM $100

Total: $707

I left out one major component in the original message, I have a Nvidia gtx260. So a card will not be necessary. And yes, wow, is all I play.

I'd still consider getting a new card. The new 5xxx series cards are a lot better than anything nVidia has...

Not entirely true.
The GTX 480, and even the GTX 470, spank the HD 5870 in quite a few tests.

And besides.. WoW is really a game that doesn't depend on the GPU nearly as much as it depends on a good CPU and RAM. So in his case, getting rid of the GTX 260 and getting a 5xxx series card is just a waste. If you avoid looking at the electrical bill anyway.

The 470 doesn't beat the 5870. The 480 might. However, the 470 performs closer to the 5850, but costs more like the 5870. The 480 performs only slightly better than the 5870, but costs a good 25% more. That's not even considering the massive amount of power you need to run them, the amount of heat the 4xx card put out, or how much better the 5xxx cards are in mulitple card solutions. I really wish it wasn't true, but the new nVidias are just not good buys.

And nVidia only has some options (albeit poor ones) in the high end market. nVidia has absolutely nothing that is even close to competing in the lower end.

If the OP is looking at the lower-end build, then I would stick with the GTX 260. If it's the higher end, I'd definitely think about replacing it. The 5870 has about the same performance as the GTX 260 in Crossfire. That doesn't even consider the other benefits.

Seriously... if the OP's only playing WoW, the GTX260 is still fine.

At any rate, I vote for the AMD build. For WoW, that build is more than enough.

Btw, WTH is this in the UK Forum?!?! This should be in the US Forum since the OP's from the US.

I agree if all you're doing is playing wow then this is fine. I'll just add that a few hours ago I tried out a private wow server again with my amd 955 and a 5850 and the graphics were smooth!

CPU: X3 425 $70
Mobo: Gigabyte GA-770TA-UD3 $80 after rebate
RAM: G.Skill Ripjaws 2x2 GB 1600 mhz CAS Latency 7 $115
GPU: HD 5770 $150
HDD: Seagate 7200.12 500 GB $55
Case/PSU: Antec 300 Illusion and Earthwatts 430W $115
Optical: Cheap SATA DVD burner $22
OS: Windows 7 Home 64-bit OEM $100