To those that have x58 MB's

I've already decided to go with a I7 920 CPU and look to get a decent but fairly low OC out of it, Shooting for the 3Ghz range without adding any (or minimal) voltage. My question is not so much about OC'ing then picking the MB and some questions I have, wondering if those that have the board might be able to answer:

Leaning towards the gigabyte GA-EX58-EXTREME but the big Heat sink worries me from the pictures, I know it covers the 1x PCIE slot, but from the pictures it almost looks like it has clearance issues with the 4x PCIE slot, would anyone with the board be able to tell me if there is still enough space for a PCIE Sound card in the 4X slot (Asus or Creative) otherwise I might have to make due with the GA-EX58-UD5.

I was considering the Asus Rampage but it seems to have a whole bunch of "fluff" that I wouldn't need, The X-Fi soundcard is nice but from the sounds of it it's a software codec, is that true? or is it a full HW sound card? Is it really that better of a OC'er to justify the cost if I wasn't interested in the "fluff" (I don't need a OC Palm or LCD poster or that joystick thing)

My Fall back was the Asus P6T Deluxe since I don't need Tri SLI/CF (just dual for a little down the road, starting with one 280 or 4870x2 for now(undecided)) and I like the board layout, with a free PCI and PCIE slot even with a dual GPU design but I hear it's not as great at OC'ing then the giga-byte or rampage.

At this point I'm leaning towards the giga-byte extreme with the P6T a close 2nd and the rampage running up 3rd. The GA-EX58-UD5 would be nice (since it's cheaper then the p6t) but I like the layout of the P6T better, so unless there are OC'ing problems with the P6T I'd rather just get the P6T instead.

I appretiate all the help in advance.

if you are not going with the X58-extreme, why not get the X58-UD5 then? without seeing the bios of both, both boards have the same exact layout. the extreme just seems to have a wcing ready chipset cooler on it. you may then even want to consider the intel X58 board or even the cheaper MSI X58 board.

this early in the ocing game all board will have there issues. well when tring to push for the stars that is but small oc's on any board should be a issue. that is unless you just get a board that has no ocing in the bios.

I've used both the EXTREME & UD5 (using the UD5 right now)

Other than the chipset cooler, same board, and the bios looks 100% the same.

I am going i7 here soon also...

I have dec. to go with the P6T Deluxe/OC Palm for 2 reasons...

1. 2.5" LCD viewer
2. Linux flash card...has a built in OS so you dont even need a HDD to contect to the internet if needed

After some bad flash's and other things...the Linux flash card is a god send right now...

http://www.pcper.com/article.php?aid=636&type=expert

Deanzo said:

I've used both the EXTREME & UD5 (using the UD5 right now)

Other than the chipset cooler, same board, and the bios looks 100% the same.

Click to expand...

sweet, what about ocing or are you working on that now? i have considered getting the UD5 with a 920 in january.

Thanks for the input,

The reason I'm not so sure about the UD5 is from the pictures again it looks like the 1x slot might be obstructed (by a longer card such as sound) by the cap on the chipset even though it's not the extreme, the 4x slot looks like it might have more clearance then the extreme (Deanzo would the 4x slot fit a soundcard (without touching the heatsink) in the extreme version?) and between the 2 I like the board layout of the P6T better then the UD5 (The extra usable PCI slot might be a asset since my current Sound card is PCI based I might be able to avoid buying another) and the clearance with the P6T looks like a PCIE card would fit above the chipset heatsink.

Edit: Same Q as Evil, I'll take the CPU (920) up as high as I can so long as it doesn't affect heat (Going to stick with stock cooler at least till fittings for the new socket make their way to canada here) and require much increase in voltages

Evilsizer said:

sweet, what about ocing or are you working on that now? i have considered getting the UD5 with a 920 in january.

Click to expand...

Still working on BCLK's with the 940/UD5
This isn't stable at this vcore, but that it will even screen this at 1.40v isn't bad imo http://valid.x86-secret.com/show_oc.php?id=449213
So far I can't get past 214, 220 is the goal and then it goes cold.
On the UD5/940 I have only used the stock HSF.

With the Extreme, I went cold with a 965
http://www.ocforums.com/showpost.php?p=5868519&postcount=706

Corellon said:

Thanks for the input,

The reason I'm not so sure about the UD5 is from the pictures again it looks like the 1x slot might be obstructed (by a longer card such as sound) by the cap on the chipset even though it's not the extreme, the 4x slot looks like it might have more clearance then the extreme (Deanzo would the 4x slot fit a soundcard (without touching the heatsink) in the extreme version?) and between the 2 I like the board layout of the P6T better then the UD5 (The extra usable PCI slot might be a asset since my current Sound card is PCI based I might be able to avoid buying another) and the clearance with the P6T looks like a PCIE card would fit above the chipset heatsink.

Click to expand...

With "a long sound card" it would" but I have seen a sound card in it (can't re-call what card it was. Sorry)

As for the 4X's slot, I never used the big add on cooler thing. So I can't say for sure. And I don't have an Extreme here to test now.

Brolloks http://www.ocforums.com/member.php?u=71282 has an Extreme and a P6T, he may have tried it.

ok since both boards are the same then have you tried the xtremes F4C biot that brolloks is running? he was able to get to 215, i dont think it was bench stable though. he was able to get a SS for sure.

for me i would be happy even with a 3.6ghz oc on 920, give how much faster per clock it is compared to core 2. would be a nice boost for doing WU in rosetta.

You'd love it for something like rosetta/seti/folding.

I'm using F4b. I can last about 5sec at 215 before it locks up.

somoene just posted that F4E is out! man they are coming out fast from gigabyte, reminds me of the old Abit days. looks like gigabyte = my new Abit
http://www.ocforums.com/showpost.php?p=5878745&postcount=402

Well according to Brolloks it doesn't block any of the PCIE slots so looks like it'll be the extreme for me. It's such a odd heatsink though, anyone else think from this perspective (http://www.ocforums.com/showpost.php?p=5877471&postcount=389) that the GPU butts up right beside the heatsink? Glad Brolloks was able to confirm it doesn't and that there is room there for the 4x slot and a card in it.

I think Brolloks might have miss understood my question, or I wasn't Quite clear enough (Admitedly a problem I have). Jay_III and NinjaZX6R both have been very helpfull to me, It is pretty clear now that while the 16x PCIE slots are un-obstructed the 1x (black) is a write off completely with the hybrid cooler and the 4x slot(orange) would only accomidate a very short card (nothing longer then the PCIE connector itself).

Rather disappointing as I really liked the GB board, but with no free PCIE slots (assuming a 2 GPU option at some point and not lowering the 2nd GPU to 8x by plugging a sound card into the 3rd 16x slot) and with both PCI slots blocked off (Assuming a double slot cooler on the GPU's) in all a very disappointing and inefficent layout to me.

On the P6T the black 4x PCIE slot looks like it would accomidate a PCIE soundcard there without any issue with the heatsinks, could someone confirm that for me?

Corellon said:

On the P6T the black 4x PCIE slot looks like it would accomidate a PCIE soundcard there without any issue with the heatsinks, could someone confirm that for me?

Click to expand...

Fits fine. Very low profile heatsink. Also it gives you pegs to attach a a northbridge cooler which I have on and still allows the soundcard.