Motherboard and Intel Processor Recommendations Please

Hi Everyone,
I've decided to treat myself to a new desktop, but having difficulty determining the best "marriage" of m'board and processor to use. (I'm not over-techy, but am able to build)

Most of my work/hobbies are graphical (image processing, desktop publishing, but no CAD) combined with loads of number-crunching spreadsheet work. Obviously Internet and email too.

I do NOT play, or have any interest in, games.

I have always used Intel processors, so would prefer staying with them, and have always found ASUS M'boards reliable.

I currently run Windows 7 SP1 Ultimate.

Any help or suggestions would be very welcome.

Thanks.
Ian

Hi flavallee,

So far as M'board & processor go, I have no set budget, but would never limit a sensible specification on cost.

I simply want something with the required capability.

Hi Megahertz07,

I DO wish to remain on Win 7.

The spec you suggest - Intel i5, 32GB RAM, Asus Mb etc., is virtually the same as I am running now, except I use a graphics adapter, which is why I want to go higher, but staying with the same OS.

Your current computer is basically what I have.

As I wrote, if you want to install Win 7 on a non compatible hardware you must use third part drivers develop by enthusiastic.
@SIW2 can guide you.

Hi Megahertz07,

I think you have possibly not understood my original question - or I am failing to understand your responses.

Perhaps best we discontinue, certainly along these lines.

Thanks anyway.

If you can, read my signature below. Do you see how I list the highest chipset and socket for Windows 7?

I buy my CPUs on eBay. It's a little bit of a risk, but usually the CPU is good and that type of computer component is not likely to be a dud. It can, but not likely. Motherboards on the other hand can be and that's why I kinda refrain from buying used motherboards if I can help it. Problem with using Windows 7 though is that you're stuck with an older motherboard which means buying used on a place like eBay or what ever unless you can find new from some retailer that still has the older motherboards in stock.

Other than that, yeah, it's third-party drivers and if you end up with issues down the road who knows if it's the third-party driver.

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Your computer now should be more than adequate quite frankly. Consider just maxing out the CPU to an i7 7700. You don't need the K SKU of the 7700K. That's for overclocking and you will probably find no real performance gain with overclocking. What you will get however is more wear and tear on the computer, more power consumption, and a lame bragging right that CPU overclockers are interested in.

I maxed out my CPU to the 7700 myself and it's more than capable for what I do. It's a quad core 8 thread CPU.



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It looks like your motherboard supports an NVMe drive. I'd get one of those and the i7 7700 CPU.

According to your manual, the m.2 connector shares with SATA Express. So if you use SATA Express and want to use m.2, then it's either one or the other. I doubt you're using SATA Express though...

Thanks for your inout F22 Simpilot,

I only ever purchase new equipment, so Ebay is out, just as I prefer to use processors in their "standard state", rather than messing them about.

I'm going to pass my enquiry to a few long established online resellers, and be guided by them.