OS for new APU build, Question

I am partially in the middle of this APU build: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/MRwZHx  I still have yet to acquire a few of the parts, and I'm incorporating some storage I currently have and basic peripheals. 

Are there any performance benefits to using win 8.1 with this build over 7?  I'm in a dilemma because I currently only have windows 7 32bit, and it's not going to work obviously. If there are performance benefits to be had with 8.1, I'll swallow my pride and just make it less sucky. 

I already intend to have ubuntu on a separate boot drive, because well, ubuntu is awesome. I feel that I should just stick with 7, 64bit and just skip over 8.1 and upgrade to 10 when it's released. 

Any thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated.

 

 

go with 8.1 because it used less resources and right now you can upgrade to windows 10 beta for free if you have 8.1

Use Windows 8.1 with StartIsBack. Basically just like Windows 7 but faster, more secure and generally just better. 

Also I wouldn't go with that build at all.  No offense but APU builds are kinda dumb. If you can return the parts, or at least the 7850K and the RAM.

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/BcPND3

CPU: 860K. Basically the same CPU as in the APU just no on board graphics. 

Cooler: Decent cooler.

Mobo: Very Very Good motherboard.

RAM: RAM is RAM so cheap. Speed doesn't matter because you're not using an APU.

SSD: MX100. Much better than the one you have. It isn't SandFocrce. Which sucks. 

Also added in a 1TB HDD which you will need. 120GB doesnt go far at all.

Case: Same

PSU: Same

ODD: Ditched you don't need it.

This build is cheaper than yours. Has better and more storage and with its dedicated graphics it will completely spank it in gaming.

You could always try Ubuntu 14.10 or Ubuntu 14.04 in the 64bit flavor. Or if Unity is not your thing, Kubuntu 14.04/14.10 is a good bet.

8.1

I agree with Der Kreiger except i would get an FX quad core and an 990 mobo, which is the same cost wise, so that you can upgrade to either a 6 or 8 core with the same motherboard. 

You can always remove unity and install another GUI. Heck just install the Ubuntu Server and install what you need.

+1 4300 (specially with second hand) and a m5a97 r2.0 EVO or msi 970 gaming... and then you could upgrade for an 8 core...

 

IMHO the 7850k its a good apu, in fact it has exciting technology on it, but, you won't see that technology on real world applications until carrizo gets to the market and developers get to work with it...

 

everything just depends on what you do... if you're mainly gaming, the recommendation is either the 860k with r9 270 or the same gpu with fx cpu...

 

good luck!

openSUSE runs well on AMD

Thank you for the advice. 8.1 it is. 

Actually the only items I have at this point are the case, power supply, a couple stock coolers that would probably suffice (but why cheap out), and  a couple hdd, 250gb and 500gb. They're not the fastest, but they're fine for storage. 

Admittedly I'm just intrigued by the A10 and it's capabilities. I find it to be pretty respectable for a basic entry level system. Though it seems that it may be a while before we see any advantages with it. By that time they'll be a better processor I'm sure. 

How do you feel about this configuration? Case, cooling, psu, and xtra storage omitted.

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/MckrLk

There's an idea...

I see they're offering upgrade to 10 for those with 7 as well, but I"m pretty certain I'll go with 8.1  

Thanks!

I'm running 14.10 in the 32bit flavor on a different machine and really like it.  Have not used Kubuntu....I will look into this. Thanks!

Sound advice for sure! The A10 peaks my curiousity so much that I just want to try it, though I agree that we won't see it full potential for a while yet. By the time developers catch up the 7850k will most likely be obsolete I'm sure.  Thanks!

I had the same reaction when APUs first came on the market, and I adopted too early.  More than developers, I think the supporting hardware has some catching up to do.  When it does, an APU-based system could conceivably keep up with one based on separate CPUs & GPUs, for a lot less $ and e- but we're not there yet.  In case you can't wait to try APU, I have a couple recommendations to offer.

Since the CPU and GPU are going to share the system RAM, I would suggest one 8GB stick rather than the 2x4GB kit, so eventually you can upgrade to as much as 32.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820104519

I realize this is probably overkill; nobody will ever need more than 16GB of RAM.  But this one also has the benefit of being $10 cheaper, besides leaving more open slots and giving you more GB/slot, just in case.

Personally, I don't plan to try APU again until I can pair it with at least DDR4.  I tried APU on a budget HTPC and I was pretty happy, but after a couple months I added a separate graphics unit so movies would always play smoothly.  Even so the whole system was a bargain and I'm not against APU generally, just not as enthusiastic as I used to be -- yet.  I got a little more interested again since Logan has said in TheTEK that APUs perform well enough now for many games if you use fast enough RAM, and 2400MHz is definitely up there.  But as I see the bottom line is that DDR4 looks like it's coming soon enough that a new DDR3-based system could be dramatically outperformed by an otherwise-similar rig of similar price, sooner than I'd like.  (Some people use "obsolete" as a verb to describe this phenomenon, but I never, ever verb nouns except when claiming that I never, ever do.)

For similar reasons but more emphatically, with Windows 10 coming soon I say just save the money you're willing to spend on an OS until your options include #10.  Who knows?  This could finally be the time that the upcoming version of Windows lives up to its hype!  For now, just install the #7 you already have and if it turns out to really be necessary, fine, buy 8.1 -- just not before you're sure you need it.  With any luck you can save the $ for hardware, or the apps that are the actual purpose of the computer.