Yea, at that price range (~170+), I'd go with the Intel unless you really plan on using the extra cores. Below that price, AMD is a bit more competitive and you can go for a cheaper x6 or an x4. The 2500K has been on sale for ~165-180 in the past few weeks.
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weighing in: i saw 85% usage on cores 0 and 1, 50-75% usage on cores 2, 3, 4 and 5 while playing BF3. So... I can't understand NOT getting more cores for less moneys, if the game you are building for can use them...
It's usually more slower cores for about the same money. A used 1090t would be a good compromise if you really want the extra cores. You should be able to pick one up for < $120.