Best Intel chipset DDR2 board?

Using a P35 and want to uupgrade to the best board possible for following:-

Q6600 G0
4GIG TWIN2X2048-6400C4DHX
Asus GTX280 (Custom liquid cooled)

Need to be able to cool all chipsets silent with water blocks and all fans operating on very low rpm.
Have a huge Liquid cooling solution for silent operation looking for a board to get the best out of above parts.

Price is`nt the main consideration silent operation and performance is.
Any suggestions from personal experience with quality boards very welcome.

(P35 has the odd Bluey every 72Hours or so at fun speeds it struggles to power the ram sufficiently and I need more HDD sockets)

Please suggest away

I'd go for the Gigabyte EP45-Extreme or the Asus Maximus II Formula, but that would be just because I really like the high end motherboard quality of asus. The Gigabyte EP45-Extreme is probably the better.

You can also go cheaper and go with the Gigabyte EP45-UD3P, that board is just total awesomeness for quads and memory!

The Gigabyte EP45-UD3P Looks Perfect for layout and the Digital Optical & COAX falls right into my plans (heard the sound chipset before and its fine for the job I have in mind)
Im just pleased about the options with this one because it saves me the hassle of buying a soundcard as well just to bridge it into a DAC.

All the SATA sockets are where you can use them as well.
If it lets me get the best out of the parts I have then its good enough for me.

Anyone got a x48 chipset suggestion?

No point in going X48 with your build. X48 only adds 2 16x PCI slots instead of 1 16x and 1 8x.

Interesting fact (dont read up much until I need a better machine)
I have another GTX280 that needs to be RMA and expect a 285 back which I was going to sell because two different brand 280`s could have a bios flash and maybe convinced to bridge but running a card of that kind of cash just as a physics engine is where I get out of the gaming groove.

not enough shelf life to spend ratio at the rate PC`s develop. I could buy a nice 1000 litre fish tank or a piece of high end hi-fi and it last 15years for the same kind of spend.

anyhow the Gigabyte UD3P looks good. Would like to know more as to the possabilities and need of cooling the various chips on the board. I need to keep away from the need to have fans at crazy speed blowing at various parts as im trying to keep that noise down.

Well you can use WC for the CPU, GPU and maybe the NB as well, but your probably going to want some fans (Probably low speed 120mm) to cool all the other various tid bits (voltage regulators, ram, HDD, etc).

Most people have good luck with the UD3P/R, but I have the UD3R and it is a major pain in the 'neck'. It will randomly decide not to boot, and mine won't run anything over 490fsb (On my latest benching session it would barely run 480). There is another guy that has problems with his, but it still does some decent speeds (500+ fsb)

+1 for Gigabyte EP45-UD3P

For a Quad the UD3p, otherwise a Rampage Formula of Extreme are the top DDR2 imo, at least for duals.

UD3P is better for my e8600 than all my x38/x48 were

UD3P just looks to have the right features for me and a serviceable layout plus thoes heat sinks look easy to remove.

If theres a chip on that board I can WB I would like to know.
Have rads, pumps, and fittings up to my ears.
basically up to 4 seperate loops (got addicted to the buy now button LOL)
My PC`s took over the living room stuff `n thingys everywhere used up 5litre coolant (think I sleep walk and drink it after a hard days gaming)

I`ve started angling for a discounted one from a nameless retail outlet that sent me a unit that must have been ment for someone called Ben Dover!
I got a soggy box with cracked WB Major missing parts right down to the manual and if they dont play nice the gauntlets getting thrown in LOL
but for now its just a simple miss understanding (mainly between there perception of acceptable and my love for the contents of my wallet)
For the effective parts I got from this bargain I could have achieved for around £45 as apposed to £99. Being full of piece and goodwill I expect any rattling of my cage will be voiced.

Priv said:

I'd go for the Gigabyte EP45-Extreme or the Asus Maximus II Formula, but that would be just because I really like the high end motherboard quality of asus. The Gigabyte EP45-Extreme is probably the better.

You can also go cheaper and go with the Gigabyte EP45-UD3P, that board is just total awesomeness for quads and memory!

Click to expand...

OldSkool said:

For a Quad the UD3p, otherwise a Rampage Formula of Extreme are the top DDR2 imo, at least for duals.

Click to expand...

Not to thread jack, but I'm interested in why the UD3P for Quads?

Cant.Touch.This said:

Not to thread jack, but I'm interested in why the UD3P for Quads?

Click to expand...

It has 6 phase power designs and that's plenty.

Dont think a relevant question about an obvious favorite can be called thread jacking anyway.
When I lose this bet to my buddy about not being able to stop myself buying a new mobo. I can now present him with the fact its 6 phase (which may phase him long enough for me to change the subject. Oh yes its all relevant)

theres 4 in stock too thats good odds unless your in a fight.
wish I could just beam it in place... plugging/plumbing and two days on a laptop looking for clues LOL
oh joy!

BobbyBubblehead said:

I`ve started angling for a discounted one from a nameless retail outlet that sent me a unit that must have been ment for someone called Ben Dover!
I got a soggy box with cracked WB Major missing parts right down to the manual and if they dont play nice the gauntlets getting thrown in LOL
but for now its just a simple miss understanding (mainly between there perception of acceptable and my love for the contents of my wallet)
For the effective parts I got from this bargain I could have achieved for around £45 as apposed to £99. Being full of piece and goodwill I expect any rattling of my cage will be voiced.

Click to expand...

Well the nameless retail people have replied at lightning speed and dangled a £30 carrot in front of me. Im one happy Donkey now!
Good toys, Good service and Good customer relations... Winner!