Need help selecting new i7 board, processor & memory.

My main desktop computer has given up the ghost after about 7 years and it has been a good one. It was an MSI Z97 Gaming 3 board with a fourth-generation i7 processor. and 16 gigs of RAM. Hardware is not my specialty and I know almost nothing about paring up a board with a processor so I need some help. I assume if I choose a board that says LGA 1151 that 1151 is the socket so I gotta choose an 1151 i7 processor. Board price around $200. I would like to stick with MSI as this one has done so well for so long.

If there's something about processors I need to know, please tell me.

That's right; I know about nothing, just as I said.

Last time I bought a board, it came paired with a processor so that made it easier for me to know I was paired up correctly. Two (or four) memory memory slots is OK as I'll be getting only two chips totaling 32 gigs and probably never add any more.

Would like at least 3 or more expansion slots on the board. I have dual monitors and the Z97 supported two on board. I'll need to replicate that.

By the way, the only game I do is Solitaire.

Here's where I've been looking.

Thanks for reading.

 

Do you really need a high spec setup?
What are you after - speed or reliability?
32 GB's of RAM and a SSD and an Intel series 9 CPU should be enough.

 

I have diagnosed computer failure problems for many years for many people and I have learned to associate certain anomalies with hardware failures of various kinds. About two months ago, I started seeing mouse freezup-type hesitations, keyboard commands stack up in memory then all of a sudden those commands run at once. Yesterday, the mouse pointer disappeared from the screen and would not come back. The computer seemed to respond to the keyboard but no command to shut down would shut it down. Finally, I just held the on-off button until it shut down.

From that point forward, it would not boot past the initial Windows logo screen. Long story short, I disconnected all disks and tried a system rescue disk with same result. Swapped the DVD drive, same result. Removed memory chips one at a time, same result. Tried factory Windows installation disk, same again.

This has been, until now, a very reliable and fast system but it has been on 24/7 for about seven years running backups at night across a network so I guess it is time to replace it.

 

Maybe. Maybe not. I base my decision on the many computers I've worked on for others over the years (and my own). The gaming-type systems run the fastest. Add to the fact that until this one failed yesterday, it was as fast as the day I built it no matter what programs I loaded or how many.

So, what I need right now is a little guidance on how to match up the board and processor properly. I notice that some boards with on-board graphics specify a processor with graphics support. How do I know I am getting a processor with proper graphics support? I assume if a board says it has an 1151 socket that any 1151 processor will fit but are there certain types of processors that do better than others and are there certain ones that have gotchas, like running hot maybe.

These are things I need help with.

When I built my last one, the board and processor were sold as a pair so I at least knew at the time they were properly paired. I don't see any sold like that now.

 

What you need to do Alex is check the QVLs for the board you choose. All board makers maintain a CPU and RAM "qualified vendors list" (QVL) for nearly all of their boards on the specific board's webpage. These are lists of compatible CPUs and RAM the board makers have tested and certified to be compatible with the board and supported CPUs.

As you know, motherboards are first broken down into AMD or Intel. And as you correctly noted, they are then broken down into sockets - typically designated by pin count. This greatly limits the number of CPUs each board will support. This number is further limited by the chipset and the CPUs it support.

What this means is the board makers can easily test, verify, and list every CPU that specific board will support. Therefore, you must buy a listed CPU to ensure compatibility.

Then there is no way you need an i7 (or i9). Motherboards that support the Intel i7 will also support several i5 and i3 CPUs too. You are not restricted to i7s. If you search around, you will find that many dedicated serious gamers and other enthusiasts actually choose the i5 over the i7 and it is not just because of cost savings. The i5 is fully capable of high performance too - especially when coupled with lots of RAM - and you can afford plenty if you trim the budget by getting an i5.

ON PAPER (in "artificial" scenarios presented by benchmark test) no doubts the i7 will perform better than an i5. But no way will you notice it if your most demanding task is playing solitaire. If you did serious graphics editing, CAD/CAE, or played the latest, most demanding hard core, 3D animated gaming, then sure, go for an i7 or i9 (or comparable AMD). But if you use your computer for playing Microsoft solitaire games (as do I ), surf the Internet, "work" the tech forums, update social media, view YouTube, check email, pay bills, use MS Word and Excel, really all you need is a nice i3, a nice chunk of RAM and a quick disk drive. So getting a good i5 is already treating yourself to something more than you need.

I am just saying, if I were building a new computer for me today, I would go for nice i5, at least 16GB of RAM, and for sure, go all SSDs. And yes, 16GB of RAM is plenty but, hey! We are allowed to splurge and spoil ourselves so 2 x 16GB for 32GB total is probably what I would do too! Plus I would get a quality case (I like the Fractal Design Define R6) and an absolute must is a quality power supply (I like EVGA or Seasonic "Gold" certified supplies.

Speaking of PSUs, selecting the PSU is arguably the most important purchasing decision you will make. Would you buy a brand new Porsche 911 then fill it up with fuel from Bubba's Tobacco and Bait Shop? Don't try to trim the budget with a cheap supply. But don't choose your supply until after you have chosen all your other components and have determined your power requirements.

Use the eXtreme Power Supply Calculator to determine your minimum and recommended power supply unit (PSU) requirements. Plan ahead and plug in all the hardware you think you might have in 2 or 3 years. This might include extra drives, a bigger or 2nd video card, more RAM, etc. I recommend setting Computer Utilization to 16 hours per day and CPU Utilization to 100%. These steps adjust for capacitor aging and ensure the supply has adequate head room for stress free (and perhaps quieter) operation. These steps also add a little buffer for unplanned future upgrades or added hardware demands.

Note that all PSU calculators pad the results a little to avoid recommending an underpowered supply. But, by far, the eXtreme Outer Vision PSU calculator is the most conservative and therefore accurate.

Running multiple monitors is not a problem. You didn't mention anything about a separate graphics card. Just remember, not all motherboards support integrated graphics. And many that do, don't have two of the same type of video output connectors, like 2 x HDMI or 2 x DisplayPort (this may or may not be a problem). So if going with integrated, make sure both the motherboard and the CPU support integrated. Otherwise, you will have to go with a card (which many, including yours truly, prefer anyway).

As for RAM, there are just way too many RAM makers and RAM models for motherboard makers to test and verify them all. So you don't have to buy QVL listed RAM but you should buy RAM with the same specs as listed RAM to ensure compatibility.

There are two tabs (depending on CPU type) for memory right there on the page you linked to.

 

Well, I've selected not to hear you!