Motherboard issues...

I currently have a Gigabyte GA-970A-DS3P motherboard. I am thinking about upgrading to a more powerful processor and a better graphics card. Right now, I'm running an FX X6 6300 paired with an R9 280X 3GB. I guess I was wondering which specific processors and GPUs this board might be able to handle effectively without too much trouble? Thanks!

http://www.gigabyte.com/support-down....aspx?pid=4591

You can find the full list right there—it shows exactly which AMD processors are compatible with your motherboard. It really just comes down to what kind of budget you're working with, doesn't it? I mean, figuring out what you want to spend on a new CPU and graphics card is probably the more important part of this whole equation...

https://www.newegg.com/p/processors/78/
The FX-8300 is definitely your best bet at around $283. Best Buy is fine, but I haven't personally dealt with their warranty or return process, so I can't say for sure.
If you aren't planning on overclocking, upgrading from an FX-6300 to the FX-8300 isn't really worth it.

Go with the FX 8300, hands down. When you opt for a processor over integrated graphics, you’re essentially buying peace of mind; hardware failures are incredibly rare. You can flip your current setup for maybe $167, which means the actual cost to upgrade is only a few hundred
.
Sure, there are plenty of scenarios where you won't notice a massive leap in performance, but looking at the big picture, it's a smart investment