LGA 2011 motherboard recommendation for 4930k (Ivy Bridge-E).

[lanzia]

Hello all,

I'm planning on buying a new PC for my studio.
As I run a lot of audio tracks, plugins and instruments and I want to have enough room left for the future I think I'm best of with the 4930k (Ivy Bridge-E) CPU.

Can anyone recommend a good motherboard? I prefer something from Asus as I just have good experience with that and I know they are used in DAW's you buys at professional muscic stores.

Thanks in advance,

Lanzia

 

[freeagent]

I am not on that socket yet, but I am partial to Asus ROG boards, or any higher end Asus. They look good, clock good, and can withstand the test of time

 

[jiccman1965]

ASUS x79 Deluxe...

 

[Woomack]

No matter what board you pick, be sure that it has new BIOS or it won't work with IB-E CPU at all ( I mean won't even boot to flash BIOS to new version ).
I'm using MSI X79A-GD45 Plus and so far it's really good and cheap board. My only ASUS choice would be something from ROG series mainly because of longer and better support. ROG boards can be also flashed to newer BIOS version without need of using CPU so if you get a board which was collecting dust in the warehouse ( and most are like that because X79 isn't popular ) then you can flash it yourself without need of SB-E CPU.

 

[lanzia]

But isn't the Asus x79 deluxe designed especially to work with the new CPU's like the 4930k I am after? I assumed this would work well without any hassle.

Main reason for me to pick this CPU is that I want a new studio DAW and I heard for heavy audio/video work a 6 core would be a very good choice.
Most professional music stores sell computers especially build for this but their configuration has the 3930K.
As the 4930K is a new CPU and cost about the same I thought I might as well pick this one but of course I hope I will not run into any issue's with it.

 

[jiccman1965]

I still need to flash for the new chip, I have had mine for awhile.

But isn't the Asus x79 deluxe designed especially to work with the new CPU's like the 4930k I am after? I assumed this would work well without any hassle.

Main reason for me to pick this CPU is that I want a new studio DAW and I heard for heavy audio/video work a 6 core would be a very good choice.
Most professional music stores sell computers especially build for this but their configuration has the 3930K.
As the 4930K is a new CPU and cost about the same I thought I might as well pick this one but of course I hope I will not run into any issue's with it.

 

[EarthDog]

I still need to flash for the new chip, I have had mine for awhile.

Well, wouldn't that make sense that if you had the board for a while that it WOULDN'T be flashed? I would think that a new one off the shelf has more potential to be flashed to a compatible bios than one you have owned for a while.

As far as boards, are you planning on heavy overclocking? If not, I would stay away from the ROG series (too much money for features you wont touch). And while the Deluxe is a great board, again, you don't have to pay that much for a stable board with mild (4.3-4.5Ghz) overclocks. If I was choosing with a budget in mind, I would choose the Asrock X79 Extreme 6 personally. Since you are partial to ASUS perhaps the P9X79 would suffice and save you hundreds over the other choices.

 

[Woomack]

Nearly all boards in the stores except RIVE Black, EVGA Dark and maybe 2 more boards are models from last year. MSI GD45 Plus is from 2013 and IB-E BIOSes were available since July but when I got my board in September then it still had 1.0 version from March or something. There is a lot of X79 boards in the warehouses and all got now IB-E support but no one will flash all these manufactured half year ago.

Now I see that X79 Deluxe is actually a new board so there shouldn't be any issues with IB-E. However looking at its price I'd rather get a ROG board. Maybe it's just me but I don't really trust anything non-ROG from ASUS.