Buy Motherboard alone first then upgrade CPU later or both now

[jiewmeng]

I think I might have bricked my ASUS H67M-PRO after a failed BIOS upgrade attempt (via BIOS, NOT Windows) http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/322440-30-asus-h67m-bios-screen-failed-bios-update.

So was thinking of getting a new Motherboard. But should I get a Motherboard by itself of with CPU, reason is I think Intel is releasing new CPU early next year? Can my new motherboard (probably Z77/H77) handle those new CPUs?

Or should I just get a new MB+CPU?

I was looking at

- Gigabyte H77M-D3H
- Intel i5 3470 (but I'll probably stay with my current i3 2100)

I am not intending to overclock or use dual graphics (esp after this failed BIOS update) so I think Z77 will be overkill? Or does it provide any significant benefits? I am using SSD for OS (not for caching ...).

About upgrading CPU too: I think I will stay with my i3 2100 over i5 3470? Then maybe upgrade to new CPU when Intel releases new CPUs next year? Will they work with my motherboards tho?

Or do you have any other suggestions? Maybe a different MB? Usage is mainly school work, web/software development (Sublime Text, Visual Studio, Eclipse, Photoshop), Games (TF2, DOTA2, Darksiders 2 etc ...)

 

[manofchalk]

Haswell (Next Intel CPU architecture) will release 2nd quarter next year. You will need a new mobo for them, as they will use the LGA1150 socket (no mobo's on the market with this yet).

If you intend to upgrade when Haswell drops, I suggest buying the cheapest motherboard that will satisfy your needs, and get a platform upgrade then.

 

[jiewmeng]

Hmm looks like the cheapest MB I see is ASRock H71M-DG3, but it doesnt seem to have SATA3 for an SSD which I just gotten recently ... then I think H77M-D3H seems to be the best choice... its not the cheapest but at least I think its trust-able and perhaps I can just upgrade to i5 or even i7 processor thats supported even tho not the latest ...

Whats the performance difference between i3 2100 vs i5 3470 tho? I dont see a CPU chart containing those 2 processors

 

[jiewmeng]

Best answer selected by jiewmeng.