PC build recommendations under $850?

I am looking to purchase a new computer and could truly use some guidance (the more advice, the better), $1900 my budget is liquid cash, $67 though I'm not strictly tied to a specific number. Essentially, I need a full configuration—everything from the chassis and power supply to all the internal components, excluding the monitor, mouse, keyboard, etc.
It should include 8 gb ram, an SSD of at least 125 GB, plus a hard drive between 1TB and 2TB max. As for the case, if possible, I’d prefer USB ports located on the top rather than the front or back; size isn't a dealbreaker, though a taller tower would be even better 😁.
That covers the basics. I'll leave the motherboard and graphics card up to your expertise, as I don't know much about those specifics, but the machine will primarily be used for gaming (and I understand that you get what you pay for in that department). Ideally, I want an INTEL build. I plan on pulling the trigger within the next week
. Naturally, I am looking for a reputable retailer (perhaps somewhere in Washington, D.C.) that offers free assembly (I assume that is standard practice everywhere). Additionally, if anyone could point me toward the best place to buy Windows 8.1—which won't be part of this specific build budget—I'd appreciate it; I've noticed prices vary wildly from shop to shop. If you require any further details to make a recommendation, please just ask. Thanks in advance.

Intel Core i5 4460
SEAGATE HDD desktop Barracuda 7200 ST1000DM003 (3.5", 1TB, 64MB, SATA III-600)
KINGSTON ValueRAM DDR3 SDRAM Non-ECC (8GB, 1600MHz(PC3-12800), Unbuffered) CL11
XFX AMD Radeon R9 280A 3GB DDR5, XFX R9-280A-TDFD
XFX TS 550W Easy rail Bronze, XFX-P1-550S-GREN
Arcadio Black Midi Tower without PSU P/N: GERT-003
OCZ Arc 100 120GB SSD
ASRock H81M total

Total: $1960 centro

I guess 16GB of RAM is overkill for gaming, plus it wouldn't fit the budget anyway. Windows 8.1 x64 is about $283.

I think a few more pointers would be quite beneficial here.

>, that’s precisely why I decided to turn to this forum for guidance. If we go that route, 16GB effectively shrinks down to 8GB. My sincere thanks for the clarification.

>, that’s a long-winded discussion and frankly irrelevant to the current situation regarding Windows; their cost isn't even factored into the build budget. 👍

That’s pretty much what you get for that price point: the I5 4440/4460 + R9 280.

I just received a recommendation for this setup—what are your thoughts on the configuration?

http://postimg.org/image/ijo6xxlmz/

1 x Gigabyte 970A-DS3P, AM3+, AMD 970 SB950, 4x DDR3 2000(O.C.)/1866
1 x Procesor AMD FX-Series X8 8320 3.5GHz,16MB,125W,AM3+, FD8320FRHK
2 x DDR3 4GB (1x4GB) Crucial, 1600MHz CL11
1 x XFX R9-280A-TDFD, Double Dissipation Edition Radeon R9 280 933M
1 x Zalman Z1 mid tower case. 199(W)x432(H)x457(D)mm. MB standard
1 x TOSHIBA 1TB, 7200rpm, SATA 6 Gb/s, 32MB, DT01ACA100
1 x Kingston SSD 120GB HyperX Fury, 2.5", SATA 3 6G
1 x Napajanje Fortron 500W, Hyper, PPA5005003, 12cm ventilator
1 x SCYTHE Katana 3 SCKTN-3000A White Box, 754/939/AM2/AM2+/AM3

$1993

Just listing the AMD version too.
www.newegg.com

velvetcrane57 said:Someone gave me this recommendation, what do you guys think?

http://postimg.org/image/ijo6xxlmz/

The motherboard, power supply, and case seem a bit subpar, I guess.

Alright, I appreciate all the suggestions, everyone. Much obliged.

I figured I wouldn't start a whole new thread here; a buddy of mine is looking to pull the trigger on a new rig, so I thought I’d drop the specs here to see what you all think about this setup.

1 x Intel Core i5-4460 soc 1150 - $516
1 x Asrock H81M-HDS (S1150, USB3.0 Header) mATX - $150
1 x AMD Radeon R9 270 2GB 256Bit DDR5 - 1329
1 x Crucial 8GB DDR3 1600 Mhz (PC3-12800) CL11 - $173
1 x Samsung 120 GB 850 Series Basic - $233
1 x WD Green HDD Desktop (3.5", 2TB, 64MB, SATA III-600) - $237
1 x Thermaltake Smart SE 730W - $216
1 x Zalman Z3, USB3.0 black, 3x120mm - $122
1 x LG GH24NS95 SATA black bulk - $50

You can definitely do much better than that. For $2140, you could actually get this setup instead:

1 x Asrock H81M-HDS, s1150, Intel H81, M-ATX, dual Channel 2 xDDR3
1 x Intel Core i5-4460 (3.20GHz,1MB,6MB,84 W,1150) Box
1 x DDR3 8GB (1x8GB) Corsair, 1600MHz, CL11,Value, CMV8GX3M1A160C11
1 x HDD Seagate 1TB, Serial ATA III, 7200 rpm, ST1000DM003
1 x Fortron 500W Power Supply, Hyper, PPA5005003, 12cm fan
1 x LG GH24NS DVD burner, DVD±RW, 24x DVD±R ,8x DL , 40x CD-R
1 x Zalman Z3 mid tower case. 192(W)x465(H)x430(D)mm. MB standard
1 x Sapphire R9 280 3GB OC Dual-X, 3GB GDDR5 384bit, 28nm
1 x Samsung 120 GB 850 Series Basic, Capacity 120 GB, 2.5", SATA

$2091

It ends up being cheaper and significantly better, mainly because the GPU was the weakest link in that build. $2133 Having just an R9 270 isn't enough... 😉

So, what’s the actual purpose of this build? If gaming isn't even on the table, then there's absolutely no reason to be throwing an AMD Radeon R9 270 in there. 😬

A PC is built for everything, gaming included.

Adam Moore3 said:Honestly, you can do much better than this. As it stands, the whole thing feels a bit $2140, so here is what you could actually land for that kind of cash:

1 x Asrock H81M-HDS, s1150, Intel H81, M-ATX, dual Channel 2 xDDR3
1 x Intel Core i5-4460 (3.20GHz,1MB,6MB,84 W,1150) Box
1 x DDR3 8GB (1x8GB) Corsair, 1600MHz, CL11,Value, CMV8GX3M1A160C11
1 x HDD Seagate 1TB, Serial ATA III, 7200 rpm, ST1000DM003
1 x Fortron 500W Power Supply, Hyper, PPA5005003, 12cm fan
1 x LG GH24NS DVD burner, DVD±RW, 24x DVD±R ,8x DL , 40x CD-R
1 x Zalman Z3 mid tower case. 192(W)x465(H)x430(D)mm. MB standard
1 x Sapphire R9 280 3GB OC Dual-X, 3GB GDDR5 384bit, 28nm
1 x Samsung 120 GB 850 Series Basic, Capacity 120 GB, 2.5", SATA

$2091

It’s cheaper overall and significantly more capable, primarily because the graphics card was the weakest link in that build. $2133 And just one R9 270? That's simply not good enough. 😉

Fair enough, the GPU is an issue—but is that really the only problem? If the graphics card is the sole reason the deal falls apart, then we have to look at the rest. It has a solid SSD and those 2TB HDDs are non-negotiable; anything less isn't even worth discussing. Also, why on earth would anyone choose such a weak power supply?

The power supply should be plenty. Honestly, there isn't much point even looking at Thermaltake for $217; you're better off grabbing a $200 550W Gold SuperFlower with a 5-year warranty instead.

Plus, if you're willing to spend just a little bit more, you can snag a 240GB SSD—and I mean a really solid one.
http://www.amazon.com/s?k=ocz+240gb

If you're looking within this specific budget, you’ll find this setup is a much more solid choice:
1 x Intel Core i5-4460 soc 1150
1 x Crucial 8GB DDR3 1600 Mhz (PC3-12800) CL11
1 x Asrock H81M-HDS (S1150, USB3.0 Header) mATX
1 x Sapphire R9 280 3Gb GDDR5 Dual-X with boost
1 x Toshiba HDD 1TB,7200rpm, 32MB
1 x OCZ ARC 100, 240Gb Sata3
1 x Zalman Z3+, USB3.0 black
1 x LG GH24NSC0 sat Bulk Black 24 x
1 x Fortron Raider S 550W, 80+ SILVER

Total: $2157

Should the total be a bit high for you, perhaps consider opting for the OCZ ARC 120GB instead ($67 is the cheaper option)