So I'm making a build for my friend. I've decided to go with the new amd R9 280x. I've also really liked the new NZXT source 530 so I want to wrap my build with that. I've came up with this, http://pcpartpicker.com/p/1OMdf. Budget: the build in this PC part picker give or take 300 but the closer it is to that price the better. Also one thing to keep in mind, my payment for building this is basically in rebates so the more the better. My friend wants to run BF4 on Max settings smooth. Also if you have any recommendations for other parts please share.
It looks like a solid build. If you can spare the extra dough, go for the SSD + HDD combo. I'd get the 1TB drive and the money you save (10-20 bucks?) put it towards an SSD. That is absolutely the best part for the money you can have in any PC.
Full disclaimer: I work for the other CPU company. So the following statements are my own and do not represent in any form or fashion those of my employer. So with that out of the way, an 8 core PC for the budget you are looking at is a little overkill. Scale down to 4 cores and, if you decide to stick with AMD there are many options under $150. However the i5 series gives you good performance for the money. Check online for benchmarks.
In any case good luck and happy PC building!
P.S. Do you know what resolution is the target? Will your friend be playing at 1080p all the time? You may save some money also if 1080p is max you can go to a 760 or R9-270...