Help With First Time Desktop pc Build

Budget?

I am in the UK and Budget would be about £600.

You are looking for something that will work now, that can be expanded or upgraded later, but not cost an arm and a leg… right?

Start out with a Z77 motherboard, like this one:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

Add a base model i5, unless you want to over clock:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168... (no O/C)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168... (O/C)

Add a good power supply:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

Add memory:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

Add video card:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

Add a HDD or if you’re really froggy, an SSD. I’d recommend a HDD for your first build; you can always add an SSD later:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

Then an OS, I’d do Win Seven, but I’m an old fart that doesn’t like to learn new things, according to some of the other posters here.

Finally an enclosure. I can’t recommend one here because I don’t know your criteria or desires, but I’d get one from any of these companies: NZXT*, Corsair, Fractal, Coolermaster, Thermaltake, Antec, Rosewill*

*With these you get what you pay for. If the case is less than $50, its usually built cheap. The Blackhawk is a good case, anything up from that price point ($85 US) will be fine.

[PCPartPicker part list](http://pcpartpicker.com/p/CG6X) / [Price breakdown by merchant](http://pcpartpicker.com/p/CG6X/by_merchant/) / [Benchmarks](http://pcpartpicker.com/p/CG6X/benchmarks/)

Type|Item|Price
:----|:----|:----
**CPU** | [AMD FX-4300 3.8GHz Quad-Core Processor](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/amd-cpu-fd4300wmhkbox) | $123.79 @ Amazon
**CPU Cooler** | [Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/cooler-master-cpu-cooler-r...) | $29.99 @ Newegg
**Motherboard** | [ASRock 970DE3/U3S3 ATX AM3+ Motherboard](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/asrock-motherboard-970de3u...) | $69.99 @ Amazon
**Memory** | [Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/corsair-memory-cmz8gx3m2a1...) | $46.98 @ Outlet PC
**Storage** | [Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/seagate-internal-hard-driv...) | $76.83 @ Amazon
**Video Card** | [MSI Radeon HD 7770 1GB Video Card](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/msi-video-card-r77702pmd1g...) | $99.99 @ Newegg
**Case** | [Inwin Fanqua ATX Mid Tower Case](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/inwin-case-fanqua) | $79.98 @ Newegg
**Power Supply** | [Corsair Builder 500W 80 PLUS Certified ATX12V Power Supply](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/corsair-power-supply-cmpsu...) | $39.99 @ Newegg
**Optical Drive** | [Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/asus-optical-drive-drw24b1...) | $19.98 @ Outlet PC
**Operating System** | [Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit)](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/microsoft-os-gfc02050) | $89.98 @ Outlet PC
| | **Total**
| Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available. | $677.50
| Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-02-10 16:40 EST-0500 |

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/CG6X Go to that link

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i3-3220 3.3GHz Dual-Core Processor (£86.99 @ Aria PC)
Motherboard: MSI Z77A-G43 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard (£73.98 @ Amazon UK)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory (£41.51 @ Amazon UK)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive (£65.40 @ Aria PC)
Video Card: MSI Radeon HD 7870 2GB Video Card (£179.74 @ Scan.co.uk)
Power Supply: Corsair Builder 600W 80 PLUS Certified ATX12V Power Supply (£54.98 @ Novatech)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer (£11.40 @ Aria PC)
Total: £514.00
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-02-10 21:34 GMT+0000)

OS: Microsoft Windows 8 64-Bit DVD - OEM - £62.99 inc. VAT
I'll leave case choice up to you since it's up to you to decide on how much you want to go over the specified budget.

Upgrades down the road:
CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor (£163.19 @ Aria PC)
or Intel Core i7-3770K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor (£239.99 @ Aria PC)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler (£25.45 @ Scan.co.uk)
Upgrade GPU/SSD to whatever is hot at the time, current GPU should game for few years as it is.

What Video Card would you suggest? your link directed me to RAM

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: AMD FX-4300 3.8GHz Quad-Core Processor ($123.79 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: ASRock 970DE3/U3S3 ATX AM3+ Motherboard ($69.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($46.98 @ Outlet PC)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($76.83 @ Amazon)
Video Card: MSI Radeon HD 7770 1GB Video Card ($99.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Inwin Fanqua ATX Mid Tower Case ($79.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair Builder 500W 80 PLUS Certified ATX12V Power Supply ($39.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($19.98 @ Outlet PC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($89.98 @ Outlet PC)
Total: $677.50
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-02-10 16:41 EST-0500)

This is the best I can do with 600 bucks and even it is overbudget. Though this is in US dollars, you might be able to swing a different build elsewhere. Piledrivers 4300-8300 processors aren't too bad though, 20 fps lower than i5s and 7s in cpu intensive games like planetside/skyrim but completely equal in gpu intensive games(The vast majority)

Is AMD equivalent to a Intel i5? Also I am in UK and can not order from Newegg  

You can't fit i5 and OS in your budget without sacrificing the GPU which is the main component in gaming system.

I'll quote my previous post

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/fx-8350-vishera-rev...

Windows 7 or windows 8?

I find windows 8 has faster boot time and runs quicker?

Windows 7 or windows 8?

I find windows 8 has faster boot time and runs quicker?

7 is more developed, I don't like 8 because its marketed toward tablets/touchscreens.