2500k + SLI 560 Ti

[R4in]

Looking to get a mobo for my new build. It will have a 2500k that I would like to OC as well as 2x 560 Ti. I dont have too much of a budget but I see no point in spending $300 on a mobo that has 100 features I will never use.

The main things I will look for in the mobo are

Easy OC
UEFI BIOS
Ability to support 2 560s
Supports RAID for 2 WD Raptors

I have looked at the ASUS p8Z68 series as well as the P67 but Im still not 100% sure if there is just too much to them. Im not really a fanboy for the mobo, ASUS or GIGABYTE would be nice but im not partial to them, only to EVGA for my GPUs.

Thanks

 

[Zap]

You need a board that does x8/x8 SLI. Can't go just by the chipset. For instance the Asus P8P67 Pro supports SLI but the normal P8P67 does not (x16/x4). The Pro is the board that I use, and it is decent. Has everything on your wish list. Perhaps someone can suggest some alternatives too.

 

[Slufa111]

ASUS P8Z68-V PRO LGA 1155 Intel Z68

Awesome board.

Well to update....ASUS P8Z68-V Pro is like night and day when compared to The Asrock Extreme6.

My Setup:
Intel Core i5-2500K Sandy Bridge 3.3GHz @ 4.6GHZ
ASUS P8Z68-V Pro Intel Motherboard
Hydro Series H80 Liquid Cooler
G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 16GB (4 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600
2 x Zotac Geforce GTX 460 OCed
64GB Kingston SSD (boot / most used apps)
500gb Barracuda 7200rpm Storage drive
ASUS 24X DVD Burner
XFX XXX Edition 650W PSU
ASUS VH238H Black 23" Full HD HDMI LED Backlight LCD Monitor

The only personal annoyance I had with this board:
When I was installing the motherboard, I would like to mention if you going with something aftermarket for a cooler then it wont be impossible but it will be difficult. The chipset heat-sink does get in the way however with a little work it all goes together eventually. The placement of some ports ( 3-Pin Fan, 8-Pin Power Connector) are a bit awkward but nothing to really mark this board down for.

When I first turned the board on I had a very annoying Marvell Sata 6 try and recognize my SSD and my 500GB harddrive. I went into BIOS and turn that off. The BIOS is very user friendly and has a very stable feeling to it.

I installed Windows 7 64 without a hitch. I updated my BIOS right away which was a 2 minute painless process. I then restarted and went into BIOS and changed my CPU multipler to 46X. No voltage changes, No fiddling, No blue screens. I booted up into Windows, and have been running Prime 95 @ a cool 50C load with a idle @ 27C @ 1.325V. As some of you might know from my previous threads or from threads over @ Anandtech, I could only boot into windows with the AsRock Extreme6 at Stock, or at 4.7ghz @ 1.425. This is a big improvement!

Not a perfect board but next time I purchase a motherboard, it will be a ASUS.

+1 ASUS
-1 ASROCK

 

[lehtv]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813130618
http://www.msi.com/product/mb/Z68A-G45--B3-.html#/?div=Overview

MSI Z68A-G45 (B3)

- UEFI BIOS
- SLI/Crossfire x8/x8
- Auto OC (OC Genie from BIOS, or Instant OC utility)
- RAID (duh!)
- internal USB3.0 ports (for case front panel)
- 3TB HDD support

At just $99 AR!!! Seems legit...

 

[R4in]

The P8Z68-V Pro is actually what I'm considering. I will only be getting one 560 Ti for now, around mid Nov as thats when I'll be home from afghanistan, and will def want to SLI around xmas. $200 seems like a really good price for such a nice mobo as some of its competitors run upwards of $300 or higher. Aftermarket cooling is probably going to be one of my concerns, I am looking at either the H60 or 212+ from Corsair but with the Vengeance heatsinks im not sure if either one will fit. I never OC'd my old machine but I hope to OC cpu, gpu, and ram in this one and it seems as though this mobo can help with all of that, especially with the UEFI Bios.

 

[Slufa111]

The P8Z68-V Pro is actually what I'm considering. I will only be getting one 560 Ti for now, around mid Nov as thats when I'll be home from afghanistan, and will def want to SLI around xmas. $200 seems like a really good price for such a nice mobo as some of its competitors run upwards of $300 or higher. Aftermarket cooling is probably going to be one of my concerns, I am looking at either the H60 or 212+ from Corsair but with the Vengeance heatsinks im not sure if either one will fit. I never OC'd my old machine but I hope to OC cpu, gpu, and ram in this one and it seems as though this mobo can help with all of that, especially with the UEFI Bios.

Hey man, just want to say stay safe and keep your head down. I just got back from Iraq in late 2010, great experience lol.


On another note, overclocking is really easy! Plently of guides around these sites.

 

[R4in]

Thanks man, though I think I should call this place Afgharrison instead :/

 

[Slufa111]

lmao, same shit man. Iraq was probably worse. We occupied all of northern Iraq and they were in the process of turning all bases over to the Iraqi security forces. Our CSM and LTC made us to FOB cleanup, and pick weeds. Not funny then but when I look back I just laugh.

 

[R4in]

haha, reminds me of boot camp. worst 13 weeks ever but looking back i had some of the best times there

 

[stahlhart]

nm

 

[R4in]

oh wow, thats a hella sexy board there, id like to get blk/red instead of intel blue lol. im diggin that evga board

 

[R4in]

Oh, but it doesnt have internal headers for USB 3.0, sorry i forgot to mention that, the HAF 932 has 3.0 in the front and id like to hook em up, looks like its back to the P8Z68 lol

 

[R4in]

Found this EVGA board

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813188092

Looks like it will cover everything, PLUS its evga

 

[stahlhart]

I originally linked to the P67 SLI, but pulled back after I read some of the reviews. And to think I was originally going to build with that one last March.

I saw the FTW, but you said you didn't want to spend $300, and it's $270.

 

[R4in]

yeah but it doesnt seem to come with a whole lot of extra bs, its got the uefi, 3.0, SLI, everything i need, plus its sexy. i think it would look pretty decent in the haf 932

 

[stahlhart]

Works for me. Have fun... :thumbsup:

 

[R4in]

indeed man, ill post once i get it built in november how everything turns out

 

[stahlhart]

Looking forward to it -- we can compare notes, since our builds will be similar.

 

[R4in]

im down, hopefully neither of us experience DoA gear and get pushed back *knock on wood*