X38 or 780i

[darkorb]

looking to upgrade rig in my sig,

keeping the Mushkin 650watt, 8800GTS and my Case, Ultra Aluminus and the DVD drives

im gong to be getting the Thermalright Ultra-120, looked at the P5E but the heatsinks look so large and dont no if it will fit.

Q6600, its cheaper by $100 than the 9450, and G.Skill 2x2GB recomennded by Killagorilla

I want to semi future proof it

wanted a P35 board, but it doesnt support PCI-E 2.0, and i read that the new cards perform better on it

So looked at the X38 boards and the 780i

There all between $220 and $270

Looked at the Abit one which is the Cheapest X38, and the Evga 780i which is $250~

Ideas? COmments?

THanks!

I game only, no DDR3 for me.

Here are the 3 boards in question. Will the Ultra-120 extreme fit?
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=26550&vpn=P5E&manufacture=ASUS
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=27037&vpn=MAXIMUS%20FORMULA&manufacture=ASUS
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=27595&vpn=132%2DCK%2DNF78%2DA1&manufacture=eVGA

Here is the memory!
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=26456&vpn=F2%2D8000CL5D%2D4GBPQ&manufacture=G%2ESKILL

[Goliath182]

New cards dont currently use the extra bandwidth in PCI-e 2.0. Other than that depends on what you want to do. If you want SLI go with the 780i. Id go with th 6600 you don't need quad cores for games yet. It will do just fine until quad cores are needed for games. I would suggest the XFX 780i I have had a lot of bad experiences with Evga. Nice memory. ;-)

[sushrukh]

It's plain & simple for me.If you have a plan to use SLI, then EVGA 780i or if you don't have any plan to use SLI, then the Abit X38 board.Also if you wanna get the very best or can afford more then, get the Asus X38 Maximus Formula.

Ultra can be attched on the EVGA 780i,Maximus Formula & on the P5E easily as there are required spaces for the cooler.The space will be a little less because of the high-rise heatsinks on some of the boards but i think, the cooler will fit on all the boards.

[darkorb]

I would rather EVGA, since iv had nothing but problems with the XFX board.

Not sure whether im going to use SLI or not.

The abit is the cheapest yea, how does it clock though?

[werty316]

I wouldn't mess with SLi as you really won't benefit from it unless you a have monster monitor so ut of the two, a X38 board.

Personally though I would go with the IP35-Pro but thats just me.

One thing that should be mentioned about the future proof aspect of your planned upgrade is that unless you plan on getting a LGA 775 45nm chip down the road I suspect it won't be future proof by much since Intel's Nehalem uses a different socket.

[sushrukh]

EVGA boards are great but be sure to get the board with the latest Revision. :)

[darkorb]

Yea i know, i meant PCI-E 2.0 being future proof.

I read somewhere the newer cards perform better on the 2.0 than the 1.0

[werty316]

Yea i know, i meant PCI-E 2.0 being future proof.
Ah right, I see now.

I read somewhere the newer cards perform better on the 2.0 than the 1.0
It does but not by a huge amount where you'll notice the difference.

[Goliath182]

Ah right, I see now.


It does but not by a huge amount where you'll notice the difference.

In other words dont make a mobo purchase based on it.

[darkorb]

Then if thats the case ill just get a P35 board. But i swear it made a 5-10fps difference.

[Methious]

I went from a PCIE 1.0 to a PCIE 2.0 board and saw about a 10% GPU performance boost with a PCIE 2.0 video card. At uber resolutions you might see a little more.

[darkorb]

Thanks :)

[Scott]

Get X38, gives you more CPU choices for future proofing.

[darkorb]

And assuming from ur sig, that the 9800GX2 works on an INTEL board.

Thanks Scott! Looks like that is settled. Now which X38 board?
Abit $244
Maximus Formula $270
P5E $250
DFI $296

[werty316]

Of course the 9800GX2 works on an Intel board. You'd be crazy to think it wouldn't just like users who think an ATI GPU won't work on a nVidia motheboard and vise-versa.

Out of the four I would go witht he P5E.

[Miker]

I would go with the Maximus Formula. ABIT product is good but support is just CR*P.

[Goliath182]

Id go P5E.

[darkorb]

Well for extra $20 i can get the Maximus, i think I MIGHT do that, but if i do that, then the DFI is only $30 bucks more lol

[werty316]

Don't forget taxes on top of $270.

DFI would be the ultimate choice for the enthusiest but you kinda need the know how since the DFI boards use a very detailed BIOS.

[darkorb]

Yea that is very true.

Will the TRUE fit on the Maximus Formula?

[werty316]

It looks like it will if it is mounted vertically.

EXAMPLE:

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y251/Luke9583/DSCF0854.jpg

[darkorb]

Ah yea, that way it would fit, then blow all the warm air into the bottom of my PSU.

Ill try it Vertically, hope it fits that way.


Thanks alot for the posts everyone!

[darkorb]

Hows this deal?

http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3714946&Sku=MBM-780I-Q6700

[nes]

xfx 780i!

[darkorb]

Sorry, no XFX product for me again.

[darkorb]

Purchased another 8800GTS 640mb from the EVGA b stock.

Going with the 780i and Q6700.

Just realized, will my PSU handle all this?

Or should i purchase this
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=21161&vpn=W0099RU&manufacture=THERMALTAKE