Wait, you actually came in here? You aren't so tired of these topics that you've become calloused? There may yet be hope for humanity!
Anyway, I'm in a tricky situation. While I know very little about motherboards and CPUs, due to the fact that they're the only two components of my PC that I've never replaced, I have very specific requirements for the new ones if I'm ever going to replace the ones I have now. I don't care about brand names or anything, although I tend to prefer AMD processors (but won't rule out an Intel one at this point).
My budget is effectively infinite, but like anyone, I would prefer to spend as little as possible for the best value.
CPU Requirements:
Cores: Dual at minimum, open to higher if affordable
Clock: 2.5GHz or higher
Hardware AES instruction set ("AES-NI") support (important!)
Motherboard Requirements:
Compatibility with the above chosen CPU (duh)
Compatibility (and full utilization) with my existing hardware:
-RAM: Corsair Vengeance 2x4GB DDR3 1600MHz, 240-pin [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/ref=pe_194240_22920530_pe_b3_t/?ASIN=B004CRSM4I]
-Hard drive: Western Digital Caviar Black, 750GB, SATA III, 7200RPM, either 32MB/64MB cache (don't remember)
-Graphics card: NVIDIA GeForce GTS 450, would like to have the option of upgrading to the GTX 570 or higher someday
-Disk drive: Some generic LightScribe SATA DVD+RW drive
-Power supply: Cooler Master 500W ATX12V V2.3 [http://www.amazon.com/Cooler-Master-eXtreme-ATX12V-RS500-PCARD3-US/dp/B001G0WPLK/]
1+ USB3.0 port(s)
6+ USB ports in total (including USB3.0)
I think that's everything that matters. Can anyone help me out?
(Also, since I've never replaced a motherboard before, do they come with a basic coolant system, or am I going to need to remove the fans from my current board and/or buy new ones for it?)
Anyway, I'm in a tricky situation. While I know very little about motherboards and CPUs, due to the fact that they're the only two components of my PC that I've never replaced, I have very specific requirements for the new ones if I'm ever going to replace the ones I have now. I don't care about brand names or anything, although I tend to prefer AMD processors (but won't rule out an Intel one at this point).
My budget is effectively infinite, but like anyone, I would prefer to spend as little as possible for the best value.
CPU Requirements:
Cores: Dual at minimum, open to higher if affordable
Clock: 2.5GHz or higher
Hardware AES instruction set ("AES-NI") support (important!)
Motherboard Requirements:
Compatibility with the above chosen CPU (duh)
Compatibility (and full utilization) with my existing hardware:
-RAM: Corsair Vengeance 2x4GB DDR3 1600MHz, 240-pin [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/ref=pe_194240_22920530_pe_b3_t/?ASIN=B004CRSM4I]
-Hard drive: Western Digital Caviar Black, 750GB, SATA III, 7200RPM, either 32MB/64MB cache (don't remember)
-Graphics card: NVIDIA GeForce GTS 450, would like to have the option of upgrading to the GTX 570 or higher someday
-Disk drive: Some generic LightScribe SATA DVD+RW drive
-Power supply: Cooler Master 500W ATX12V V2.3 [http://www.amazon.com/Cooler-Master-eXtreme-ATX12V-RS500-PCARD3-US/dp/B001G0WPLK/]
1+ USB3.0 port(s)
6+ USB ports in total (including USB3.0)
I think that's everything that matters. Can anyone help me out?
(Also, since I've never replaced a motherboard before, do they come with a basic coolant system, or am I going to need to remove the fans from my current board and/or buy new ones for it?)
and what Matthew said is perfect for your needs. The i5 2500K will last you a while, however I would suggest upgrading your PSU to ~700 Watts and investing in a GTX 560Ti, assuming you plan on playing games at high FPS and graphics settings. The GTX 560Ti is one of the best bang for your buck cards on the market, and will last quite a while.