I think you get a lot more bang for the buck with AMD. I'm running a FX-8350 with 32GB of ram. I have had very good luck with Asus Motherboards. This rig runs like a freight train and has taken everything I have thrown at it with ease. I'm starting to look at the newer processors but that would cost a lot more, still under Intel. Whatever you choose, I would recommend maxing out the ram. What a difference, and it doesn't have to be the fastest available!