Choosing a new motherboard.

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ace18

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My current motherboard is an MSI G31M3-L with core 2 duo processor and 4 gig of ddr2. I'm upgrading my drive to a SSD and and was wanting to upgrade my mobo and memory. I am not a gamer so I don't need a supercomputer but I do want something quick at opening programs and folders with lots of pictures. Currently my PC takes about 10-20 seconds to open a folder with over 100 pictures in it.
What motherboard and processor would you guys recommend?
Only requirements I have is sata3 so I can get the most out of my new SSD.
 
Solution
ddbtkd456
Yes, however the ASUS EVO, would be a great motherboard for what you are using it for. It has room to overclock along with a 3.0 usb header for cases that support USB 3.0, and is also crossfire and SLI ready. Also it supports 1866 MHz ram, that is assuming you are going with AMD, for intel it would be a different story.

My Intel suggestion (i5 would have best performance):

If you are going to game with it i would suggest this process (its the best one with the best base GHz for the price, there is one that is the same speed that is more expensive but it's like 100.00 more), also i set you up with a better CPU cooler for your processor. I also recommend that you have at least 8gb of ram no matter what you are using it for, since it's a...
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ddbtkd456

ddbtkd456

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PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-G41MT-S2PT Micro ATX LGA775 Motherboard ($59.99 @ NCIX US)
Total: $59.99
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-09-26 11:36 EDT-0400)

Has sata 3.0 i would seriously do a complete overhaul on your system tho, i only found 2 motherboards, and 1 was out of stock.
 
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ace18

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Complete overhaul is basically what I'm looking at. New motherboard, processor, and ram. I figure I should only need about 4 gig of DDR3 ram.
My only concerns is will my current power supply work or will I have to replace it? And will my graphics card work with new motherboard. I can post the specs of each when I get home.

I want the best I can get for $400 or less.
 
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ngsilverwolf

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well if you are running the graphics card you have with the power supply you have already i dont think you will need to change them. i am in the uk but will look through newegg and find the best i take it the $400 is including a 120gb ssd
 
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ace18

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No. I already have the SSD and windows 7 sitting at home ready to install.
 
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ngsilverwolf

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well what i have got so far for $403.96
is http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820313086 you might aswell get 8gb plus this is really good RAM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813132044 ASUS mobo Has everything you would need and want
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116898 to go nicely with everything else A i5.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835233082 to go nicely on top of your cpu to keep it cool.
i am sorry it is over $400 but didnt realise they all had 99 on the end of the price :/
 
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ngsilverwolf

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But on saying that you dont really need the heatsink i have chosen aslong as the cpu comes with one. my mates did but he lives in uk and dont know whether it makes any difference where you buy it from.....
 
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ace18

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If I use more than 4 gig of ram I will have to use 64 bit version of windows. Will most programs work with the 64 bit?
 
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ngsilverwolf

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ye most programs work with 64 bit :) and usually you can still use 32 bit programs... trust me you will want 64 bit anyway because it is becoming consistanly more popluar and more programs are coming out just for 64 bit like sony vegas..
 
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ace18

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IT guy where I work said I should go with Crucial RAM He said it was top of the line. He also said go with Asus or MSI motherboard with i5 processor. Any thoughts?
 
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ngsilverwolf

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tbh msi and asus are the best of the best so if you want to get the board i first showed you and give me a sec ill look for crucial ram now on newegg :) might be cheaper than corasir so you would be able to get the asus motherboard i first showed you :)
 
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ace18

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ok Now Im even more confused. What Chipset should I go with and what processor? All this Ivy bridge, LGA 2011, I have no idea what im looking at or looking for.
 
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ddbtkd456

ddbtkd456

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Yes, however the ASUS EVO, would be a great motherboard for what you are using it for. It has room to overclock along with a 3.0 usb header for cases that support USB 3.0, and is also crossfire and SLI ready. Also it supports 1866 MHz ram, that is assuming you are going with AMD, for intel it would be a different story.

My Intel suggestion (i5 would have best performance):

If you are going to game with it i would suggest this process (its the best one with the best base GHz for the price, there is one that is the same speed that is more expensive but it's like 100.00 more), also i set you up with a better CPU cooler for your processor. I also recommend that you have at least 8gb of ram no matter what you are using it for, since it's a little bit of future proofing as well as having the extra power when you need it. Lastly i suggested this motherboard, since it supports the following features:

1. USB 3.0 Header (For cases the support front USB 3.0 ports)
2. Crossfire/SLI ready
3. Supports 1600 MHz RAM without overclocking it
4. Has UFEI bios on it, which is a more user-friendly interference if you ever do decide to mess around with over clocking in the future.

Said and done this should be a good gaming setup along with room to overclock if you would like. Hope this helps, and don't forget to pick the best answer when you are done so others may learn from your thread. Thanks.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($209.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.99 @ Microcenter)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z77-HD3 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($94.99 @ NCIX US)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LP 8GB (1 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($49.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $374.96
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-09-26 23:50 EDT-0400)
 
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Solution
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ace18

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Is overkill such a bad thing?It would make my computer be up to speed for a longer period of time. I may just raise my budget a bit and go all out with the saber tooth and i7 processor.
 
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ddbtkd456

ddbtkd456

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^^ I agree with the sabertooth motherboards are meant for purely overclocking, and the i5 would be a better fit for a gaming computer then an i7, in most cases the i5 is just as fast if not a little faster then the i7, and the overclocking difference is night and day.
 
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ace18

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I'm not using it for gaming. I just want a fast computer. How is the i5 faster than the i7? I've never heard that.

One more question. Is there any cons to using micro atx? I just found out my tower won't hold a standard atx. Or should I just buy a new tower and go with standard atx.
 
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