Major emergency upgrade.

[WinXPisKaputt]

Long time - no write ... actually I do check in with you all but most of the time I usually find an answer to something in your archives that's been asked and answered 10 times over. Long story - short: Power supply stopped and motherboard blew.

Now, I just need some quick and sound general advice ... I am in the process of upgrading my PC and wow have things changed. It's been about 5 yrs since I last checked with my computer centre. What do some of you think are a generally good motherboard, CPU, memory and power supply.

Motherboard: Asus Formula or Gigabyte?
CPU Processor 64bit: Intel i7 or i5? (Is the i7 really any better for my purposes - not a gamer)
Ram Memory: Corsair Dominator (are these really that superior?)
Power Supply: Hyper Power 1Kw or Corsair?

Up to 3 days ago I wasn't even aware that 64 bit existed so this has all become a fast-forward education. Any help and advice is appreciated.
My tech people adviced me about a Noctua cooling system for the Memory ... is this really necessary? I am not a gamer but a heavy Photoshop/Illustrator user. I am on somewhat of a limited budget (+/- 800 Euros) so I am not seeking to spend a fortune but I do want some long lasting stable quality. Thank you.

[SuperSparks]

All the choices you have listed are excellent ones. I usually like Gigabyte motherboards best, bust Asus would be a close second choice.

Choosing between the Core i7 and i5 can be very difficult, but in your case, because you are on a limited budget go for the i5. It will be cheaper for broadly similar performance.

Corsair memory is always superb. Other good brands are OCZ, Crucial, and Kingston.

I'd probably go for the Corsair PSU because of the very long warranty they normally have. Often 5 or 7 years

[WinXPisKaputt]

Thanks, can't tell you how much I appreciate the help. I have been doing a couple of days crash-course of all the latest PC components and with so much choice - it's been difficult especially if you've been out of the shopping loop for a while. Damn, does it ever move fast.

Your advice and steering has made things a lot easier. Thank you. Lots of peace of mind when I go in there and say, "Dad said go ahead with this and that."

[Shinma]

Ditto to GIGABYTE mobo.

Did not find any reference to memory coolers at Noctua.

Personal preference for power supply, Seasonic.