To echo the choir go for x64. As for OS, 7 is fine but might as well go for 10 if you want to remain on a supported OS. If 10, you'll probably want at least the Pro verson so that you can control when updates happen. Latest revs also let you turn off most of the telemetry. I looked at Tanksticks early. Good choice for quick & dirty, but you'll get a lot more milage/flexibility if you DIY. At very least, plan so you can easily swap out the CP with your own later. I started wtih Maximus Arcade and liked it but due to non-support switched. I tried HS, but as a software developer quckly fled as I didn't want my playtime to resemble work. I ended up with GameEx, which offered remarkable flexibility out of the box, an excellent game database (my favorite feature), and very good forum support. It desperately needs the ability to do per-list filtering, but other than that continues to be my favorite FE.