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Yet Another Post With Questions About Motherboards


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With my birthday coming up, I started browsing good old newegg for possible ideas for my next computer. It wasn't long before I became utterly confused and was forced to abandon my search. This was primary due to my lack of knowledge in the field of today's motherboards. Can anyone shed some light on perplexing world of motherboards?

 

Intel Based Rig:

 

What brands would you recommend

 

What brands if any should I avoid

 

What is the difference between the chip-sets (aside from the manufacture)

 

What is the deal with DDR3, is it here to stay or will it go the way of RDRAM

 

Anything I'm forgetting....

 

 

EDIT:

 

Price: Around $150

CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 Wolfdale

RAM: 2GB of whatever is compatible

GPU: Use existing graphics card (XFX 6800GS)

-----

Concerns: Upgrade-ability

Support the latest quad core processor

Support the latest graphic card

-----

I have enough problems as it is with computers, so more than likely I will not be overclocking my system.

Also I will not have any real need of SLI due to the fact that I rarely game anymore, and the amount of time in between graphic card purchases.

Edited by CrackHead

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Good motherboard brands atm for single card setups with good overclocking seem to be Abit / Gigabyte / ASUS

 

DDR3 is here to stay, but it's not worth it rigt now while good DDR2 is so cheap.

 

The difference between some chipsets is minimal, some have SLI / Crossfire capabilites, some onboard VGA, some not etc...

 

For a single card setup i'd Reccomend a P35 or X38 chipset board such as

 

IP35 Pro

P35-DS3R

X38-DS4

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Reading back over my original post I noticed I was lacking some important details; sorry about that. The basic blueprint for my motherboard's needs/capibilities is as follows...

 

Price: Around $150

CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 Wolfdale

RAM: 2GB of

GPU: XFX Nvidia 6800GS

-----

Concerns: Upgrade-ability

Support the latest quad core processor

Support the latest graphic card

-----

I have enough problems as it is with computers, so more than likely I will not be overclocking my system.

I will not have any real need of SLI due to the fact that I rarely game anymore, and the amount of time in between graphic card purchases.

 

Also I would rather spend a few extra buck now, than be stuck with a system that is obsolete in a couple of months with little or no room for upgrade

Edited by CrackHead

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A new Graphic Card would probably show more improvement in newer games than a newer CPU.

Though you seem to be set on the E8400 so I won't stop you there. :P

 

That being said perhaps you could either save up more or sell your old card in favor of a P35 Board and a 8800 GTS G92.

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Another vote for a Gigabyte P35 board, either the P35-DS3 or the P35-DS4, which is a little better equipped :) Depending on which games you play, a new graphics card could come in quite handy actually. The 6800GS is a little old, but if it's only older games you play, it should do fine :)

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Anyone know the difference between Gigabyte Model GA-P35-DS3R & GA-EP35-DS3R. Also what about the southbridge ICH7, ICH9 or ICH9R?

 

Some additional information that I would find useful

  • Latest Gigabyte Model:
  • Most Stable / Common Model:
  • Major Pros/Cons to Gigabyte:

Edit: I am not ruling out other brands, its just that seems to be the consensus that everyone has come to thus far

 

Thanks Again!

Edited by CrackHead

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I think the p35 is the first revision or first manufactured, and the ep35's have enhanced energy saving options, At least on newegg it appears as though the ep35 have/has official support for 1.5 Ghz Front sude bus.

Though both should reach high FSB's easily.

Edited by Ste

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I love my DS3R :)

 

Even though the OCZ plat. rev2 wouldn't work, (not completely sure the tech dudes actually tested them out completely but i didn't have any other sticks to test myself, so i got these kingstons). I've seen other people with the same board and the OCZ's so who knows.

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Latest Gigabyte Model: GA-X48-DQ6 (DDR2) / GA-X48T-DQ6 (DDR3 = waste)

Most common: GA-P35-DS4

Major Pros:

- easy overclocking

- stable boards

- attractive price point

 

Cons:

- I personally don't have any?

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