Building new machine - which motherboard??

element42 · 2009-02-20 09:30:46

I'm going to build my next computer from scratch, and am having some trouble choosing a motherboard; my searching is only finding contradictory anecdotal evidence. I want ATX, LGA775, and DDR3 support would be nice. I'm trying to build a quiet computer so a cool-running board would be good - if such a thing exists beyond marketing talk...
Does anyone have any recommendations?

inf · 2009-02-20 10:35:38

The X-series (intel chipset) is pretty good mobo, a little expensive but still a good choice.

jacko · 2009-02-20 13:10:55

if your asking who makes good motherboards then I have to prefer abit over any other. I am sure you can find one to suit your specific need.

If your in the states, then newegg is about the best place to shop online.

inf · 2009-02-20 13:12:28

Abit doesn't make motherboards anymore

koch · 2009-02-20 13:23:52

price?

element42 · 2009-02-20 14:44:11

£200 at the very worst.

supertramp · 2009-02-20 18:30:21

I personally prefer DFI boards, but if you're looking for a cheap DDR3 board, I'd go for one of Gigabyte's P45 boards at just over £100. If you prefer, ASUS also makes similar boards at that price range, but I've had some bad experiences with them in the past.

As long as you don't need full speed 16x/16x crossfire then you won't really notice the difference between a P35/P45 board and an X38/X48 board. As for the cooling, most boards use passive cooling so noise shouldn't be a problem.

If you really want to keep your new computer quite just make sure you get good case fans and a quiet cpu cooler (I recommend the Arctic Freezer Pro 7 or the Scythe Infinity (can be run passive.))

Last edited by supertramp (2009-02-20 23:17:54)

Mr Green · 2009-02-20 19:03:15

P5Q

element42 · 2009-02-20 19:30:02

Well, Gigabyte or Asus, P45 or P35... I think I'll flip a coin or two
input is appreciated though!

supertramp wrote:

If you really want to keep your new computer quite just make sure you get ... a quiet cpu cooler (I recommend the Arctic Freezer Pro 7 or the Scythe Infinity (can be run passive.))

heh, I was thinking about the Scythe Orochi... overkill?

supertramp · 2009-02-20 19:48:39

element42 wrote:

heh, I was thinking about the Scythe Orochi... overkill?

Overkill? Never heard of it.

Last edited by supertramp (2009-02-20 19:50:50)

3lusive · 2009-02-20 23:08:38

I'd go with gigabyte... I have a quad core tower, nice motherboard... I want to build 2 smaller computers this year, and i'm going with gigabyte...

cerbie · 2009-02-21 06:24:27

DDR3 isn't really useful, yet, unless you're into overclocking. With the current prices for DD2, just get 4x2GB PC6400 and be done with it.

I'm fond of Gigabyte, and use a GA-P35-DS3R. I've liked their boards for others PCs for years, but they were too whiny to put into my own. Now, most of their nice boards have potted coils (no whine!)--however, that's now also true for MSI, Asus, etc..

For cooler: why not go with a tower style cooler? I've got a Ninja B that keeps my E6750 under 60C with a ~430RPM Scythe Slipstream on it (I like ThermalRights better). OTOH, that big Orochi fan could be left stock .

Also, *cough* www.silentpcreview.com *ahem*

element42 · 2009-02-21 08:22:26

cerbie wrote:

DDR3 isn't really useful, yet, unless you're into overclocking. With the current prices for DD2, just get 4x2GB PC6400 and be done with it.

yeah, I've been looking at the prices of DDR3 and I think you're right, it probably isn't worth it.

I'm fond of Gigabyte, and use a GA-P35-DS3R.

there is a Gigabyte P35 board that will take DDR2 or DDR3 but I can't seem to find it for sale anywhere. I think I am going to use Gigabyte though, Asus don't seem to have any P35 boards and someone's previously pointed out, there's no need for P45 if I'm not going to use DDR3...

Also, *cough* www.silentpcreview.com *ahem*

this is all their fault, dammit!

Ranguvar · 2009-02-21 19:18:04

I've been using a Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3L for a while now, with a quad-core and 6GB of RAM, and it's rock-solid

koch · 2009-02-21 23:14:36

ep35-ds3 here with e6750@3.5 ghz (normal frequency 2,66 ghz) with 4 gb ofcorsair ram here. runs almost rocksolid with and hard-rock-and-metal-solid without overclocking.
cooler is "alpenföhn grossglockner" (don't know if you get in uk but it is one of the best and most quiet coolers around here. it is made by EKL and pretty hip in germany these days and they sell it for about 30 €. thermalright ifx-14 or orochi cost about 60 € and it depends on the website or newspaper which is the coolest/ most silent one).

frost · 2009-02-21 23:38:48

i am also using a Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3L mobo. Intel E4400 @ 2ghz overclocked to 3ghz (stock cooler), 2 gb ram. has been running perfect for over a year now

Last edited by frost (2009-02-21 23:39:23)

ataraxia · 2009-02-22 00:31:15

koch wrote:

cooler is "alpenföhn grossglockner"

That is the most entertaining name for a piece of hardware I've seen in a long time. Something tells me it doesn't quite measure up to its namesake (though it probably would be pretty good at melting snow ).

Ok, back to the topic now. I'm rather curious myself as to whether any of the boards with lots of integrated components are worth anything - RAID controllers and onboard video in particular.

koch · 2009-02-22 00:37:20

check out the names of their other products. measures? about 83x123x157 mm without snow on top.

on topic: do you need raid id or integrated graphics chip?

Last edited by koch (2009-02-22 00:40:30)

cerbie · 2009-02-22 03:44:20

element42 wrote:

cerbie wrote:
DDR3 isn't really useful, yet, unless you're into overclocking. With the current prices for DD2, just get 4x2GB PC6400 and be done with it.
yeah, I've been looking at the prices of DDR3 and I think you're right, it probably isn't worth it.

Also, there's no performance advantage at similar speeds. The advantage would be going well over 400MHz FSB (I don't go much past 3.2 (800MHz RAM), even for heavy compiling, because I have to start bumping my RAM voltage up, and relaxing timings around 950MHz.

there is a Gigabyte P35 board that will take DDR2 or DDR3 but I can't seem to find it for sale anywhere. I think I am going to use Gigabyte though, Asus don't seem to have any P35 boards and someone's previously pointed out, there's no need for P45 if I'm not going to use DDR3...

Dunno. If you can find any good ones, you're not doing bad. Here in the states, P35s have already become minority (G33 even more so). Anyway, 8GB of DDR2 should cost less than the mobo or CPU, and about as much as a nice PSU. Just max it and wait. DDR3 is here, and not terribly expensive, much earlier than it is needed. It will be good for nice servers and genuinely high-end workstations; but, for us normal folk, who might wear tennis shoes, or the occasional python boot--and who aren't OCing like mad--it's just not special.

Also, *cough* www.silentpcreview.com *ahem*
this is all their fault, dammit!

Yeah, but it gets better. I only lightly lurk now, because I've finally gotten where I can handle my PC with the case open...no more dB-related upgraditis. One of these days I'll organize it and take new pics, but I end up using it too much to bother (as in cables and gadgets everywhere).

ataraxia: Even Intel's ICHnR RAID is pretty much fake RAID (in Linux, I think it's plain fake RAID). Variants with RAID often have other bennies to make them worth getting. FI, what made me get the RAID version of my board was that it came with a rear eSATA bracket, where the non-RAID board did not. With shipping added, it was cheaper than getting one in addition to the non-RAID board, and the R version got me two more SATAs.

IGP would be a much more important feature. With that, you need no video card, use less power than having a card, and have a spare 16x PCI-e. The majority of modern Intel IGPs tend to Just Work(tm) in Linux/Xorg, as well, so you aren't giving too much up over a card in most cases (hardware HD video decoding is all I can think of for a non-gamer).

Last edited by cerbie (2009-02-22 03:50:02)

supertramp · 2009-02-22 10:46:34

Foxconn did two good boards that took both DDR2 and DDR3, they were great for overclocking and were quite reasonable. I'm not sure if you can get them anymore but they were called the P35AP-S and the X38-A and cost around the £100 mark. I was using the P35AP-S and it was rock solid with 4GB of DDR2 and a Core 2 Duo E4300 @ 3.4Ghz (AC FP7).

element42 · 2009-02-22 12:05:47

This is all good, thankyou people

on topic: do you need raid id or integrated graphics chip?

neither.

Almost certainly going with a P35 Gigabyte, depending on what I can find at the best price!

EDIT: I've just found Phoronix, with the helpful motherboard reviews

Last edited by element42 (2009-02-22 12:16:37)

R00KIE · 2009-02-22 14:58:49

I would first check the features I wanted and the price of the boards that have those features, then I would try to find reviews of those boards (not only on phoronix but also tom's hardware, x-bit labs, anandtech, etc.) and check any major flaws or problems the reviewers catch, then I would check the forums for any compatibility problems with hardware I intended to use with the board and other general problems that only show up after continued use. Only after that I would make up my mind.

element42 · 2009-02-22 17:40:05

Yes, well, that was my plan. But there are many boards that have the features I want, some have features that might be worth the extra money, and researching everything that fits just takes too long. Hence the recommendation request

Last edited by element42 (2009-02-23 09:24:08)

zenlord · 2009-02-23 08:34:54

I have installed a new system last week based on Intels G45-chipset (Intel DG45ID). Installs and works extremely fast. Might have something to do with the Adaptec RAID-controller. Only one problem, causing it to stall for 5 seconds during boot (something like 'BIOS handoff problem - BIOS bug?').

DDR2 is very cheap. I think you'll have more joy using 4GB of DDR2 than 1GB of DDR3...

Zl.

toad · 2009-02-23 13:44:51

http://www.litec-computer.de/PC-Kompone … 16399.html

Cheap for what it's got, good bus speeds, six RAM slots (two DDR2, four DDR3) and runs a treat

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#1 2009-02-20 09:30:46

Building new machine - which motherboard??

#2 2009-02-20 10:35:38

Re: Building new machine - which motherboard??

#3 2009-02-20 13:10:55

Re: Building new machine - which motherboard??

#4 2009-02-20 13:12:28

Re: Building new machine - which motherboard??

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#6 2009-02-20 14:44:11

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#7 2009-02-20 18:30:21

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#8 2009-02-20 19:03:15

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#11 2009-02-20 23:08:38

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#12 2009-02-21 06:24:27

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