Finally Replacing my old XP Box

[Critical_level2]

It is finally time to replace my old XP system with a new build. It has served me very well, but not worth it to upgrade a 7-8 year old system to Windows 7, especially since it can only support a maximum of 4GB memory.

What I plan to use the new system for:
- General use like web surfing, email etc.
- Casual Gaming, I mainly play Wow and rarely other games similar to it.
- Listening to music while surfing or gaming
- Watching or streaming movies
- I VPN into my office pc from home on many occasions
- I am not planning on overclocking the system at this time.

Here are the 2 Builds I have come up with:

http://pcpartpicker.com/user/seanyd78/saved/4ezZ

http://pcpartpicker.com/user/seanyd78/saved/4eA2


I welcome suggestions on which way I should go. If you could provide some info with the suggestion that would be appreciated.

 

[EarthDog]

You can't go wrong with either of those systems really.. They will both perform just fine for what you listed your uses as.

 

[rpjkw11]

I'm an old AMD fanboy from way-back-when, but my first Intel CPU since the Pentium 90 was the i7 3776K and I have never looked back. Sorry, AMD, you're just not the standard bearer anymore. Both build look great, though I suppose you can guess which one I'd buy. Enjoy your new rig is good health!

 

[ATMINSIDE]

Either build will do fine.

Also consider a 750Ti they perform very near the R9 270, but they use half the power.
If you do this, you can go with a much smaller PSU than I'm about to recommend.

If you're going to pay that kind of money for a PSU, get a Seasonic G-550.
Its a much better unit than the Corsair Gaming.

Go ahead and grab 8.1, no reason to upgrade to an OS that's already 4 years old.

 

[wingman99]

I hate windows 8.1 for desktop

 

[ATMINSIDE]

I hate windows 8.1 for desktop

Care to provide any reasoning for that?

If I was a betting man I would place $5 on the table and say that Classic Shell fixes all your issues with it.

 

[EarthDog]

Care to provide any reasoning for that?

If I was a betting man I would place $5 on the table and say that Classic Shell fixes all your issues with it.

LOL, +1.

C627627 has posted, almost ad nauseum, ways around that. You should check it out if that is your concern with the OS.

 

[wingman99]

Care to provide any reasoning for that?

If I was a betting man I would place $5 on the table and say that Classic Shell fixes all your issues with it.

I have Classic Shell and I don't think me and other people should have to install that just to get back to windows 7 desk top with the settings. Windows 8.1 has nothing to offer over windows7 they both have the same performance windows 8.1 is garbage that is why it's so cheap to buy.

 

[ATMINSIDE]

I have Classic Sell and I don't think me and other people should have to install that just to get back to windows 7 desk top with the settings. Windows 8.1 has nothing to offer over windows7 they both have the same performance windows 8.1 is garbage that is why it's so cheap to buy.

So it has the same performance, you can make it look the same, and its cheaper... Why not buy it?

 

[wingman99]

I have it on one of my laptops, I'm just saying I don't like the way it was made for the PC's with a mouse or pad. And Classic Shell does fix some things, however I should not have to install 3d party application.

Also I had to disable my MSI mouse driver, otherwise the charms would pop out with Classic Shell set to charms off.

Edit: Also updates take much longer and boot up time is much longer.

 

[ATMINSIDE]

I have it on one of my laptops, I'm just saying I don't like the way it was made for the PC's with a mouse or pad. And Classic Shell does fix some things, however I should not have to install 3d party application.

Also I had to disable my MSI mouse driver, otherwise the charms would pop out with Classic Shell set to charms off.

Edit: Also updates take much longer and boot up time is much longer.

My laptop got faster boots (and felt better in general usage) with 8 over 7

 

[EarthDog]

Boot up time is shorter for me as well... also, it is one of the features in 8 are faster boot times...

Updates do not take any longer for me... the screen comes up in an instant, DL's as fast as the wireless can handle, and installs in a timely manner as well...

What are charms?

 

[ATMINSIDE]

What are charms?

The right-side popout bar.

 

[EarthDog]

Cute.

 

[wagex]

i love metro UI if anyone doesnt want their winders 8 or 8.1 and hate it so much as to give it fo free shoot me a pm
i really dont understand how people can have such hate lmao it has a start menu just looks different if anything its more productive once you get used to it.

 

[rpjkw11]

When I bought my gaming laptop last January, I debated going for 8.0 and trying all the workarounds I'd read about. In the end, however, I went with Win 7 simply because "fixes" are often more a pain in the backside than they're worth. I'm more than happy with my decision, but I'm still curious about 8.0 or 8.1.

 

[wingman99]

Boot up time is shorter for me as well... also, it is one of the features in 8 are faster boot times...

Updates do not take any longer for me... the screen comes up in an instant, DL's as fast as the wireless can handle, and installs in a timely manner as well...

What are charms?

Yes I know that faster boot up is a feature of windows 8 However my new MSI must be the problem then. I had the HDD replaced because it failed HDD testing that I did and that did not help.

I'm not having a problem with internet bandwidth I get full speed, However when windows 8 installs updates it takes forever compared to windows 7

I just don't like metro with a mouse pad or mouse, also I don't like web browsing in metro hard to navigate favorites, also don't like all the charms on desktop.

My feeling is if everyone deals with windows 8 with Classic Shell, what will happen when the next OS comes out without legacy desktop.

I will only buy windows 8 for my main rig if I have to.