Gaming PC build under $1,200?

Which one actually holds up better—the ASRock FM2 FM2A88X Killer or the Gigabyte G1.SNIPER A88X?
Can anyone recommend a processor for under... $333?

You'll need to make sure the processor uses the same 1150 socket. Maybe just toss in an i3, like an i3-4130.

Honestly, if you haven't bought that board yet, don't. It's basically just some well-marketed, nicely packaged garbage where you're mostly paying for the fatal1ty branding.

I've updated the question 😉

Why are you getting hung up on those marketing gimmicks? Those boards are just $100-$200 more expensive $100 purely because of the branding and aesthetics; honestly, you're better off grabbing a standard board.

Anyway, one uses socket 1150 while the other is FM2+. On 1150, you're basically capped at an $333 i3, and for FM2+, maybe a 760k, but if I were you, I'd just skip both and go with an FX6300 paired with something like a Gigabyte 970 A-DS3P, an ASRock 970 Extreme3 R2, or an ASUS M5A97 R2. Those are actual reliable motherboards, not just some flashy ad campaign.

@Michael King7/">@@Michael King7
You shouldn't just delete content to replace it with something else. It would be much better to simply add an edit with a few lines of text.

Anyway, you've picked out some FM2 motherboards that are actually quite pricey, and honestly, the FM2 platform isn't all that great—especially if you're planning on using a dedicated graphics card.
For $600, you'd be much better off grabbing an AM3 + X8 processor paired with a decent motherboard, or perhaps an i5 with a standard B85 or a more budget-friendly H81 for the 1150 socket. In my opinion, those are far superior choices compared to an FM2 setup.

If you are absolutely dead set on FM2 and one of those specific boards, then please don't settle for anything less than a 7700K processor: http://www.nabava.net/search.php?tp=0&q=7700K

Michael King7 said:I've updated the question 😉

Motherboards priced at $100 are a total waste for the FM2 platform. You don't need to blow your budget there. If you actually have some extra cash to spare, you're better off jumping over to Intel or an AMD AM3+ setup instead.

By the way, this has nothing to do with graphics cards 🤷

Look, I’m drawn to these because they actually look good—I want something with some aesthetic appeal that can handle five fans and a CPU cooler without breaking a sweat.
I'm planning on 16GB of 1600MHz RAM and two GPU slots—I'll be running dual R9 270x cards.
So, if you're truly looking to help me out, find me something similar, though personally, I think these options are pretty solid.
Just so we're clear: this build is strictly for gaming and video recording.

FM2 processors are just too weak to handle two R9 280 x cards without hitting a major bottleneck.
Using the motherboard as your main deciding factor isn't exactly a rock-solid argument for buying. At the end of the day, it’s tucked away inside the Computer Case and you aren't staring at it every single day anyway. Also, I wouldn't suggest CrossFire—you'd be better off grabbing one beefier card like a 280x, though that really depends on what you're looking for...

If you're dead set on CrossFire/SLI, go with the Gigabyte 990 XA-UD3 paired with an AMD FX-8320. That's pretty much your most budget-friendly way to make it happen.

UPDATE:
for instance...

1 x AMD FX-Series X8 8320 3.5GHz, 16MB, 125W, AM3 + , FD8320FRHK
1 x XFX Core Edition 80+ 550W PSU, includes a 5-year warranty
1 x ASUS M5A97 R2, AM3, AM3 + , AMD 970, SB950, 5200 MHz BUS, DDR3
1 x Sapphire tri-xica R9 290 + Battlefield 4, 4GB GDDR5 512bit, 28nm
1 x 8GB DDR3 (2x4GB) Kingston, 1600MHz, CL9, HyperX Genesis, KHX1600
1 x Zalman Z3 Plus mid tower case. 192(W)x465(H)x430(D)mm. ATX standard
1 x SCYTHE Mugen 4 PCGH Edition SCMG-4PCGH, socket 775/1156/1155/115
1 x 1TB WD Caviar Blue HDD, 10EZEX, 1000 GB, SATA3, 64 MB, 3.5", 7200RPM
1 x Samsung SH-224DB sat Bulk Black DVD writer, SATA

$2579 ...from the AMD shop

And what exactly is CF? Or CF/SLI? Honestly—not much of a computer expert here.
So, this is the list I'm looking to pull the trigger on;
Computer Case; Thermaltake Overseer rx-i
CPU Cooler; Thermaltake Firo Advanced
Power Supply; Thermaltake Smart 730W
RAM; 4x4GB 1600MHz
Hard Drive; WD Caviar Green 1TB SATA 3
Now I just need a decent motherboard and processor to match—something that won't break the bank, maybe around $667 at most.
As for the graphics card? I'm only buying one because it comes with BF4 as a freebie. :')

You don't actually know what you're doing, so you might as well be guessing. This build is pretty much useless; you're basically just throwing money down the drain.

Alright then—why don't you guys put together a solid gaming rig for me for $2667
?

Man, those components are a total mess. I'm totally with crimsonstag84 on this one—except for the fact that you can't find any tri-xica parts anymore, and the R9 280 x is basically extinct because all the crypto miners (Google Bitcoin, Litecoin, etc.—if you know what I mean) bought them up like crazy.

Since you're planning on gaming, recording, and video editing, an FX chip paired with a solid high-end GPU is your best bet for value. I'd just suggest bumping up your storage and adding an SSHD to speed things up:

AMD FX-8320
RAJINTEK THEMIS
ASUS M5A97 R2
KINGSTON 2X8 GB 1600 MHZ (16GB)
SEAGATE 3,5 2TB SATA 3 SSHD
MSI GTX 770 2GB TF IV GAMING OC
LG GH24NS
XFX PRO 550W 80+ BRONZE
Zalman Z3 Plus

= $2483.

With a budget that massive, honestly, jumping onto the FM2 platform would be a bit of a mistake—you really should be looking at something along the lines of an 1155/1150 setup or maybe an AM3 socket instead...

Michael King7 said:So, could you guys help me put together a solid gaming rig for about $2667
?

Intel Core i5-4670K
Gigabyte G1.SNIPER-Z87, 1150, iZ87, D3, S3, U3, DVI, A
Kingston HyperX Beast, D3, 1600MHz, 8GB (2x4) KHX16C9T3K2/8X
Gigabyte GeForce GTX 770 OC, 2GB GDDR5, DVI, DP
WD Caviar Blue 1TB SATA 3 WD10EZEX Hard Drive
Kingston SSD 120GB V300, 2.5" 7mm, SATA 3 6G, 3.5", drive only SV300S37A/120G
Fortron Aurum S PSU 500W, 80+ GOLD
Zalman CNPS10X Optima CPU Cooler, 120mm fan
Zalman Mid Tower Case, black, Zalman Z3 Plus

$2730Newegg (Free configuration tool)

1 x AMD FX-8320
1 x ASUS M5A97 R2
1 x MSI GeForce GTX 780 TF OC, 3GB DDR5
1 x XFX Pro 550W, 80+
1 x SEAGATE HDD DESKTOP SSHD 3.5" / 1TB / 64m/ SATA/ 7200rpm
1 x 8GB 1600MHz DDR3 CL10 DIMM HyperX Genesis
1 x Zalman Mid Tower Case
1 x LG GH24NS
1 x Raijintek Themis CPU Cooler, 120mm, PWM

$2669
futura-it

Intel Core i5-3350P
MSI B75A-G43_GAMING
Kingston HyperX Beast 8GB 1600MHz DDR3 CL10 DIMM
SEAGATE HDD DESKTOP SSHD 3.51TB
MSI GeForce GTX 770 OC TF, 2GB DDR5
Fortron Raider S PSU 550W, 80+
Zalman Mid Tower Case, Zalman Z3 Plus
$2093

Or perhaps with these changes:

Intel Core i5-3570K
ASRock Z77 EXTREME3
HDD TOSHIBA 1TB
MSI GeForce GTX 780 TF OC
$2656
for some heavy-duty gaming.