Motherboard selection help

Hi

Newegg's having an email subscriber discount on memory, and as a result I'd like to order the motherboard and CPU at the same time so I can be sure to test everything in order to get an RMA if necessary.

The problem is, I can't settle on a motherboard. I want one that will guaranteed work with DDR3-1600 RAM and the 1366 i7-980X.

No, I don't want to wait for the Sandy Bridge.

I need SATA3 and USB 3.0, it will be going in a full size case so no worries about motherboard size. I have a 1000W Corsair PSU, not worried about power. I also need SLI capability (3 way would be nice), I'd like easy overclocking features in the BIOS too.

The main problem I have is finding a motherboard that I KNOW will work with a (good) aftermarket i7 cooler, and wouldn't mind suggestions for one of those as well. I won't be OCing right away, but likely will be in the near future. One motherboard review I read said that it barely fit the stock cooler, and wouldn't fit the V8 or V10.

I'm looking at this one, but want to be sure an aftermarket cooler will work with it, or if someone has a better suggestion I'm open. I want to make this purchase ASAP.

If a better motherboard can be purchased from somewhere other than Newegg, I'm open to that as well.

 

Well, I'm going with that mobo. I'm pretty much sold after reading this review. Looks like aftermarket coolers won't be an issue.

I wish I could've gotten some input, but this is a 24 hour pretty big memory discount that I can't pass up, and I won't be around for the rest of the sale time.

 

I would say that with 70% of the 575 reviews for that board rated 5 stars you made a pretty good choice.

Sam

 

Thanks.

 

Have you already bought the stuff?

You could pay about a quarter of the price for the cpu and get better performance, in the UK SandyBridge is out and an 1156 i7 2600k (4 cores with HT) overclocks to 4.8Ghz on air and beats the 980x in everything.

http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/287?vs=142

Buying a 980x now is a silly thing to do as in 6/12 months time you won't be able to sell it for anything decent and make a huge loss, whereas a new SB cpu would sell very well in months years to come. Also getting an 1136 mb and cpu really limits your upgrade paths and not to mention the 980x is EOL finding a replacment might be tricky and considering it's still an £800 chip here that's not really a gamble i would take.

Also gigabyte motherboards outperform similarly price asus ones, especially in the x58 category.

 

Yep, I already bought the stuff.

I believe I stated in my original post I DON'T WANT the Sandy Bridge CPU. No, I stated I don't want to wait for it, but I don't want to buy it, period. I don't need or want the graphics ideas it brings to the table, and don't want the integrated DRM. It actually sounds like it might end up being a moderate failure, from what I've read.

I really could care less about resale value as I'm not purchasing my computer parts to sell.

I don't care about upgrading anything on the motherboard, as the i7 980X is a complete beast. The only future upgrade I might make is adding more RAM, but that will likely be in the distant future, if I even do it, as I'm getting 12GB of DDR3-1600.

Newegg had a 24 hour sale on the RAM, VERY decent discount.

Anyway, if you read the review I linked to on the motherboard I purchased, you might realize it's going to be a hard motherboard to beat.

I couldn't find any decent comparable Gigabyte motherboards (x58 chipset) on Newegg, and didn't feel like doing a thorough search, especially considering all the goodies this motherboard I'm getting has.

Anyway, you and I don't seem to see eye to eye on things, but I do appreciate your input.

 

Any reason?

Or just that you already bought the 980x so you're thinking this way so it doesn't hurt so much? :-D

You don't need to use the onboard graphics, why does it look like it's going to be a failure? They are stomping all over the current cpu's, and this is only the 1156 revision.

 

I researched the Sandy Bridge before making my purchase. Besides, I could RMA everything I bought if I really wanted to... I have no reason to justify my purchase to myself or anyone else.

The main reason I don't want the Sandy Bridge CPU is because of the integrated DRM, which I already mentioned. Anyway, believe it or not, it's NOT that much of an improvement from the i7 series. The reason I think it COULD be a failure is because I'm not alone in not wanting non-optional DRM hardcoded into my machine.

 

I'm just trying to save you some money and advise anyone else reading this thread that there are better options.

The DRM is NOT active on ANY consumer cpu's. fact.

 

No. You're derailing the thread, first off, because it's about motherboard selection. Not about CPUs.

Second off, you're an argumentative person, and no one can ever be right about anything except you.

Thirdly, I'm happy with the money I spent, and others can make the same choice without your permission. "Better options" is a subjective view held by you.

Fourthly, there's really no point in even posting in this thread anymore as the help I needed expired within the time frame already mentioned.

And finally, the DRM is built into the chip, and unless you'd like to post some proof about your supposed "fact", you can stop your nonsense now.

 

The thread was finished according to you anyway so no harm done in clearing any matters in my eyes.

http://www.intel.com/en_UK/products/processor/corei7/index.htm#specifications

Look there, there's nothing concerning DRM. All there has been so far are rumours.

I was posting about the CPU because you seemed confused and i was trying to help, nothing sinister.

I was posting purely for you to possibly change your selection and save money whilst getting a faster more capable pc, and for the viewing of future readers.

The end of the line is you can't possibly advise someone to buy a 980x and 1366 MB while SB cpu's are available. I would feel bad if someone came on here and said they had spent $1000 on a cpu that can be outperformed by a $240 cpu based on your purchase in this thread knowing i had read it.

 

Proof means a reputable website that states there ISN'T DRM hardcoded into the chip.

I'm not commenting on anything else.

 

The official Intel site isn't reputable?

 

Are you dense, or just trying as hard as you can to argue?

Try reading this again:

Proof means a reputable website that states there ISN'T DRM hardcoded into the chip.

 

Close it if you wish... as I already stated, this thread's purpose is over anyway.