Need some motherboard advice...

B

BeLgaRiOn

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Hey guys,

So I am in the process of buying a new system but I need some motherboard advice. I know a good motherboard is the base for an excellent system and I therefore need your advice. These are the two options I'm considering:

1. http://za.asus.com/products.aspx?l1=3&l2=11&l3=397&l4=0&model=1459&modelmenu=1

2. R 1,965 DUAL DDR2 IntelR 'Bad Axe 2' 975X Intel Pentium 4/ D / EE
FSB1066 Discrete MB 2x PCI E x16, 4x DDR2-800(Dual) Slots, 2x PCI, 1x PCI
Express x4 Intel Matrix Storage, Intel High Definition Audio, Intel Pro
Gigabit LAN, 4x SATA (RAID), 1 x PATA, Intel Audio Center, Crossfire Support

BTW going to buy an Intel Core 2 Duo and 2x 8800GTS. Not really clued up with the jargon and really want a good motherboard for about 2k for my system.

Many thanks!
 
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With that motherbaord you can be running 2 x 8800 in SLI, but not the optimum real SLI which comes from nvidia chipset motherbaords...
 
Go for number 1. Asus motherboards is great. Why not buy one GTX for now?
 
if your going to overclock dont buy an intel board also get a 965 chipset board good overclocking boards

buy asus gigabyte etc
 
You won't get SLI working on that motherboard. Either NF4/5 or NF6.
 
Good Board. No. 1 - Asus p5n32 e sli
Bought my 2 kids one each for XMas last as they had done well at school.

Make sure that you have a case that has at least 2x120mm fans, one pushing air in from the front and one sucking air out the back.
That northbridge runs pretty damn hot. Serious.

I set those 2 boards up with C2D 6600's, 2x1GB OCZ DDR2 800 Plat, 650W Antec. Basically equipment that could last for a few years.
Running at 3.8Ghz since I set it up.

If you decide to take this board, send me a PM and I can forward you the Overclock Profile for the Bios. It is not difficult to set up, but one or two of the settings are quite important, to get the extra juice out of the boards.
So far so good, not one crash or blue screen.

My son plays all the latest games with ease.
The setup was wasted on my daughter as she doesn't play games, but I couldn't purchase different components as it would show favouritism.

Let me know.:)
Regards,
BTTB.
 
so you wasted a kuk load of cash on an office pc rofl

impretty sure your daughter would have wanted something other than a motherboard but i dunno hey :)
 
Hi Daddy!!!!!

BTTB said:
Good Board. No. 1 - Asus p5n32 e sli
Bought my 2 kids one each for XMas last as they had done well at school.

Make sure that you have a case that has at least 2x120mm fans, one pushing air in from the front and one sucking air out the back.
That northbridge runs pretty damn hot. Serious.

I set those 2 boards up with C2D 6600's, 2x1GB OCZ DDR2 800 Plat, 650W Antec. Basically equipment that could last for a few years.
Running at 3.8Ghz since I set it up.

If you decide to take this board, send me a PM and I can forward you the Overclock Profile for the Bios. It is not difficult to set up, but one or two of the settings are quite important, to get the extra juice out of the boards.
So far so good, not one crash or blue screen.

My son plays all the latest games with ease.
The setup was wasted on my daughter as she doesn't play games, but I couldn't purchase different components as it would show favouritism.

Let me know.:)
Regards,
BTTB.
Click to expand...
 
LOL, thanks guys for all the superb advice! I'm definitely going to go for the ASUS. It looks pretty awesome and it's value for money. I don't know if a GTX outperforms a GTS but I did promise myself not to buy the most expensive gfx card again as it really does go to waste after one generation ;).

BTW BTTB, it was recommended to me to get an Aerocool Nitron Gaming Chassis... coud you perhaps recommend something else?
 
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dude, The GTS is definately the best value for money card you can buy, the 320MB one specifically. But rather than buy 2 of them for SLI, buiy one GTX. It's cheaper and and will perform better in most games.
 
BeLgaRiOn said:
LOL, thanks guys for all the superb advice! I'm definitely going to go for the ASUS. It looks pretty awesome and it's value for money. I don't know if a GTX outperforms a GTS but I did promise myself not to buy the most expensive gfx card again as it really does go to waste after one generation ;).

BTW BTTB, it was recommended to me to get an Aerocool Nitron Gaming Chassis... coud you perhaps recommend something else?
Click to expand...

Hiya B,

Bought my son the Antec 900. Comes with 3x120mm and 1x200mm fan standard. :eek: The 200m Fan sits on top and looks pretty damn awesome.
1x120mm optional extra. Not needed imo.
Not the best looking case, but that P5N32 E SLI runs hot and you need decent cooling in the case to ventilate those chips.
There is a "newer" version of that Asus Motherboard called the P5N32 E SLI Plus, but it actually has the slower, but stable and perhaps (I cannot say) cooler northbridge. Do a bit of googling on that one. I think they are pretty close in specs. The non plus has the 680i chip whereas the plus version has the 650 chip. *

Running 1xAsus 7950GT. Seems decent. No DirectX10.
At the moment I am a bit out of touch with what is the best GFX Card on the market.
Some of the new cards as they are released into the market in my opinion are completely overpriced.

Hope this helps with your selection.

Regards,
BTTB.

*Noticed that a review of these two boards in the NAG Magazine somehow managed to swop the text content between the two boards. :o
 
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slightly OT tera, but no, i don't think it's good buy. save a bit more and get the 8600. Or if you must buy now, rather get a 7600.
 
dotVIBE said:
slightly OT tera, but no, i don't think it's good buy. save a bit more and get the 8600. Or if you must buy now, rather get a 7600.
Click to expand...

I have an 8500GT. I would also say wait and get a better card. The 8600 still only has a 128-bit bus, so I would say go 8800GTS or nothing.
 
I've got a 6600 now, and I think the 8500Gt is cheap, what's bad about it hj2k_x? :D
 
teraside said:
I've got a 6600 now, and I think the 8500Gt is cheap, what's bad about it hj2k_x? :D
Click to expand...

It is not bad, it just isn't as good as it could have been.

Also, apparently something like a 7600GS will outperform it, apart from the DX10 factor.

I cannot run C&C at even half settings and I get laaaaag. :(
 
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