Motherboard advice skt775

[Jeddy]

Hi guys, I currently run an Asus p5n-e-sli motherboard, and I think this is limiting my PC performance.

I am running OCZ reaper ram (2gb pc6400 4-4-4-12-20 2t)

q6600 2.4ghz B3 edition (I really wanted a G0 lol) and I can get this processor to 2.66ghz MAXIMUM.

After that even 1mhz over the 1190 max i get (even at 1.5v Vcore) a BSOD after the post.

I read online that these boards are not great overclockers with quads.

I therefore want a new mobo. I have been looking at many different chips, but I am unsure which is going to do me the best.

I would like SLI compatibility.

I have been looking at under ~£100 for the mobo.

I am looking at the MSI p7n 750i chipped mobo, Abit ip35-pro (no sli, but if the performance is good )

I would want ddr2 only and ideally an x38 chip, but they are slightly out of my price band.

I'd prefer an asus,gigabyte or abit board as they are manufacturers i have used in the past.

Thanks.

 

[PV5150]

The abit IP35-Pro is a great motherboard and one that is a favoured board with a few of our members. Do you really need SLI? I'd save myself some cash by not going SLI and spend it somewhere better (better gfx card etc)

 

[Jeddy]

Well yeah, it seems as though SLi is too expensive with two hi-end cards and not worthwhile with 2 mid-end cards,

I think i will look at the abit pro then, next job is to find me a GPU to buy lol.

8800gts is probably my favoured option atm

 

[wigseryc]

Have you looked at the DFI DK P35?

P35, no x-fire, great for quads, looks great, reliable, solid caps, errm, super detailed BIOS... Yeh, little stormers.

 

[da2ca]

I bought a cheap Gigabyte GA-P35C-DS3R (less than £50) while my Asus Commando was posted back for RMA. I am so impressed with the Gigabyte (it’s taken my Q6600 to over 4GHz) the Commando is going to be sold when i get around to it.

 

[ali_james]

I've got the Abit IP35-Pro and it's ace. I think the cheaper, plain IP35 and IP35-E should be similarly good. I can get 3800mhz on my GO, it's only really limited by my memory speed. P35 is a great chipset.

 

[Jeddy]

Thanks for your quick replies guys.

I'll look for the DFI lanparty option as i hear they are good boards for overclocking.

Only issue I have now is to sort out a single card solution that has the processing power of the previously planned 2x 8800Gts 640mb that i was gonna SLI. Is the 3870x2 worth buying? Or will an 8800gtx/9800gtx be sufficient? I want to get to the stage of running Crysis on medium-high and COH at full DX9 eye-candy settings.

 

[Jeddy]

NEW PLAN lol!

Thanks for your quick replies guys.

I'll look for the DFI lanparty option as i hear they are good boards for overclocking.

Only issue I have now is to sort out a single card solution that has the processing power of the previously planned 2x 8800Gts 640mb that i was gonna SLI. Is the 3870x2 worth buying? Or will an 8800gtx/9800gtx be sufficient? I want to get to the stage of running Crysis on medium-high and COH at full DX9 eye-candy settings.

Hi guys, I am now looking at possibly replacing my hot and inefficient B3 Q6600 with a 45nm/65nm Core2Duo @ 2.66ghz and overclocking it to around 3.3-3.5GHz. Do you guys think this will be reliable enough? I dont want the cpu conking out on me 9 months down the line.

In other news, my Scythe Juni should arrive tomorow, and I am gonna order a backplate to support the ANDY and whack on some mx-2. Hopefully should drop my temps to 33 idle/40 load. How much do you think i could shave off if I lapped my CPU/HSF? 8 degrees?

Thanks guys