Backstory: So about a year and a half ago I decided to build my first computer. At the time I was looking for a more simple machine so my parts include:
CPU: Intel Core i3-3240
Motherboard: Gigabyte H77N-WIFI
GPU: EVGA GTX-750Ti
Storage: 1TB HDD
Memory: G.SKILL Ares 8GB
PSU: Some cheap ghetto 1000W w/ lights
I'm really just looking to upgrade the motherboard, ram and CPU; but other suggestions are just as good, thanks!
Change out your PSU first. You don't want it to go and take everything with it.
How much have you got to upgrade?
Considering you say "Some cheap ghetto 1000W w/ lights" I'm slightly worried it's the type of PSU that jonnyguru would give a 2. What PSU is it exactly because if it's an off-brand thing then you do not want it to run any form of decent hardware.
As for upgrading, just a few questions:
I'm only looking to spend about $550; and the PSU is, I stand corrected is a 730W. It's a Raidmax 730SS. My goal is to have a gaming and maybe a video production in the future build.
A fairly mediocre PSU at best but it could get the job done. Personally though I would swap it out for something higher quality like an XFX XTR, Seasonic S12II or something of similar quality.
If you want to maybe do video production in this future build then I would probably go:
(Overclocking)
I7-4790k
MSI Z97 Gaming 5 (Or similar)
Another 8GB of the Ares kit
(Non-overclocking)
Xeon E3 1231-V3
MSI H97 PC MATE
Another 8GB of the Ares kit
If you do not intend to SLI then a seasonic S12II 520 (Has 8-pin and 6-pin for PCIe, so no double 8-pin) will do the job just fine.
However considering it's a gaming system I recommend spending a bit more and grabbing a GPU upgrade to an R9 290/GTX 970 or similar