Motherboard Suggestions

[goalieman59]

I am looking to pick up a new mother board to run an i5-3570K, I am going to be running two GTX 670 FTW cards SLI, I would like to have the ability to add video cards if i choose too. Also i would like for my current set up to run the two cards at PCI-e 3.0 x16. Do anyone have any suggestions on what board(s) i should be looking at.

Here was my first thought http://microcenter.com/product/393140/Z77_FTW_LGA_1155_Z77_ATX_Intel_Motherboard_-_151-IB-E699-KR
but i have read a lot of bad reviews on it.

 

[Knufire]

If you want to go more than two video cards, you'll probably have to go with an AMD CPU and a 990FX board or step up to X79. Or if you want to run two at x16.

 

[EarthDog]

How many monitors are you running (wondering why the want/need for tri SLI)? Why do you insist on PCIe3 both at 16x (which I dont think can be done on Z77, you will have to step up to X79) when performance at 8x with a 680 is less than 1% loss?

Are you getting these things for the right reasons is what I am getting at...

 

[goalieman59]

I am running a 4 monitor setup right now, and the issue is on my current board the sata III ports and the PCIe slots are sharing channels and i seem to get get some lag when i have a lot going on on the screen.

P.S. That top monitor is now a 24" to match the rest.

 

[EarthDog]

I would think a board with a PLX chip should help out, if not X79 as it has more native lanes on the CPU and that would be your best bet.

 

[goalieman59]

Ok so the EVGA board that I was looking at, should do the trick? Thanks for the info.

 

[TonyMc]

Ok so the EVGA board that I was looking at, should do the trick? Thanks for the info.

The x79 SLI? That board was cheap-cheap yesterday $89.00 after rebate...

 

[Ajay57]

Why not this one has the x16 the OP is looking for plus plenty Sata ports and a great VRM Section and to top it off its $50 Dollars cheaper! AJ.

1, http://microcenter.com/product/395374/Z77_Extreme6_LGA_1155_ATX_Intel_Motherboard


P.S. To come to think about it maybe it would do this, standing on its head as they say.

 

[EarthDog]

No PLX chip big guy...so it will still go 8x/8x with two cards.... and neuter the 3rd if he adds on to it.

2 x PCIe x16 Gen3 (x16, x8/8)

 

[Ajay57]

Well it said PCI-E 3.0 x 16 = 3 and PCI-E 2.0 X 2 and x 8 = 2 So as you can see its some what confusing reading the Spec sheet lol. But still go well with his 2 cards and his i5-3570k no problems there i don't think?

And as for the reviews i have read and seen x16 to x8 well most of the time you would not notice it!

 

[EarthDog]

The OP requires, for some reason, 2 PCIe3 16x slots. On the Z77 platform that can only happen with a PLX chip on the motherboard as Ivybridge only has 16 lanes native to the CPU. So no matter what on a board without a PLX chip, with two cards it will break down to 8x/8x. The PLX chip makes more lanes for this, or as was stated above a couple times, go X79 as it natively has more lanes on the CPU.

Spec sheet is clear:

Expansion Slots
2 x PCIe x16 Gen3 (x16, x8/8)
1 x PCIe x16 Gen2 (x4)
1 x PCIe x1 Gen2
2 x PCI
1 x mini PCIe

 

[Ajay57]

Well thanks for the heads up and clarification on that point i will bear that in mind for next time. AJ.

 

[GamerDude]

Just FYI, according to GPUZ, and remember my cards are not optimally placed as I can't used the last slot at the bottom, my 3 cards are running at:
PCIe x16 3.0 @x16 3.0
PCIe x16 3.0 @x8 3.0 (equivalent of PCIe x16 2.0)
PCIe x16 2.0 @x16 2.0

Mine's an Asus Rampage IV Extreme, if you want a good OC'ed, this and the Asrock X79 Extreme11 are the boards to check out. I just realized OCing my CPU with this board is a piece of cake, same goes with my Asus Crosshair V Formula + FX8120, have my FX @4.2ghz easy, while my 3960X is sitting pretty @4.75ghz. BTW, my avaatar's not just 'coz it purdy, I'm a ROG fanboy I am!

 

[Knufire]

Fanboyism isn't something to be proud of.

If you're not putting a ROG board under dry ice/LN2/other forms of subzero cooling, you're not using it to it's potential.

 

[EarthDog]

+1

 

[bmwbaxter]

Same as the general opinion, OP you need to upgrade to X79 if you want to get a 3 way SLI setup running @ 16x 3.0

if you only want a 2 way SLI setup running @ 16x 3.0 get a z77 board with a PLX chip.

Those are the only options available to you that will meet you requirement. Period.