Single GPU Motherboard advice

Hey Guys,

I'm building my new rig and I need some advice.

I know that I'm only gonna us my GTX280 and I'm NOT getting another one...

so because i'm NOT doing SLI, I'm 90% sure I wanna stay away from nVidia chipsets because I hear they aren't as stable / overclockable as the intel chipsets. Plus I want to build a RAID 0 Matrix which I hear is only possible with the Intel chipsets.

nvidia graphics + intel chipsets = I know... but that is my reasoning.

I plan on buying an e8500 or similiar cpu...

I have a good water cooling setup, my GTX 280 is BFG H20C water cooled model. So I have a sick affinity for mobos that have watercooled chipsets, major plus, but not a deal breaker if a good mobo doesn't have one stock.

Now... to top everything off, I have ONLY DDR1 ram... so I don't know whether to go with DDR2 setup or DDR3... is the performance difference worth the price?
so also some RAM recommedation would be nice.

I was going to get the ASUS Rampage extreme... but why buy a crossfire board I'll never, NEVER use crossfire... and I HATE ATI graphics. (but oddly love AMD?)... so instead of x48, i guess I'm looking at P45?


I'd consider getting an x48 if there if there are other advantages, or even some other chipset.

I'm going for a high-mid range system, I have money but I'm not looking to go off the deep end and get top of the line... so I'm not waiting for x58.

lastly, does anyone know of a way to use sli (or something equivalent) on a non nividia chipset other than the x58

mucho thanks in advance for everyones help.

If I were going X58 then I would seriously consider a DDR3 based Intel chipset board. You gonna wait 6 months or so after the X58 launch then maybe DDR2 BUT the cost savings is disappearing pretty quickly.

The fly in that ointment is that X58 (which is DDR3 of course) will be 3 channel so you gota get an extra stick when the time comes, or 2 more dual stick kits to total 6 sticks.

If you're going jump on the X58 wagon quickly then I would go DDR3.

while X58 does have tri-channel, some benches out there showing dual vs TRI. show little to no gain at all vs the 2 for our needs.

pretty much what Deep said, DDR3 prices are coming down. you can get a nice DDR3-1600 4gig kit for around $250.

thx guys... but... ya know... any recommendations?

P5Q3 Deluxe, GIGABYTE GA-EP45T-EXTREME...

suggestions and feedback welcome

both are good boards, you cant go wrong with either one...

Ditto!

If you don't need all the extra features, step back to something other than the deluxe or extreme. After all, you're headed to i7. For me, I think it'll be next summer after the X58 bios are debugged and the-first-products-out-the-door-are-no- longer-the-only-available-product prices take a step down.

Thanks guys,

hey deeppow(der), what is i7 ???

EDIT: NM... i7 is the Nehelam series processors.

and yes, I confess... I have thought of waiting for the x58... but I can't wait that long, and I don't want to buy that and a new chip when the first come out
because I'll be paying too much. Plus now I keep hearing the first series won't have SLI anyways...

btw... I've heard stuff about linking up two cards on OEM mobo's, without SLI???
got any info on that... linky?

thanks again for all the help.

i7 = Nehalem Intel's new name for Nehalem . Don't ask why, they say it'll be clearer later.

As I'm sure you know, X58 the Intel chipset for the Nehalem (i7) motherboards.

i7 is the name intel gave the Neha platform.

there is what is called Hydra, though it will be a external box. that allows for better scaling then what CF/SLI offeres. If your not running SLI=NV then you would run CF=ATI, which you can run CF on all intel boards, even i7.

thx guys..

last question... what memory is a good compatable memory for these P5Q3 asus boards,
I here they are picky... same question for the GIGABYTE GA-EP45T-EXTREME...

once I get a answer here I can order today.. thx =)

^^x2

While I've not had a DDR3 board --- yet, I've had excellent success using G.Skill on my ASUS DDR2 boards.

right on... i like gskill... these can get 500 FSB?

and what about OCZ.. is that a no go with these boards? water cooled flex and reapers no good?

OCZ is always my first choice because how good they've treated me... but I heard ocz may have issues?... if so then G.Skill

last thoughts.... ASUS P5Q3 DELUXE vs GIGABYTE GA-EP45T-EXTREME
which one would you choose and why... money not an issue

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131298
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128350

TIA

tough call darien, i would prolly go Asus first cause i havent used Gigabyte yet.

hmmm...

that Gskill isn't on the ASUS QVL
http://usa.asus.com/100/download/products/2273/2273_10.pdf

infact NO GSkill is on the QVL???

is 4GB really a better option than 2GB at this point? or will the 4GB kit limit my FSB OC?

DDR3 has a much higher speed then DDR2. there is no way that DDR3 will limit anyones oc unless your going the really cheap route. i have never had any Gskill ram not work on a board, QLV or not... its not the brand of ram the makes the difference its the IC's being used on that ram. for the most part right now 80% or so of DDR3 ram is using micron IC's.
4x2 will be a better way to go then you can add another 4x2 later for more ram... its about leaving options open for later...