Building a new system, need some help!

[Bornslip]

I'm trying to put togheter a new rig, and I'm almost there...
Been doing some research for about a month or so, and now I'm kinda in the need for some tips and whatnot. My specs so far is:

Lian Li PC6070BSCAND
Hiper Type-R 580W
Intel Core 2 DUO E6600
Thermaltake Big Typhoon
Club3D GeForce 7950GX2 1024MB PCIe
OCZ DDR2 2048MB Special Ops Edition PC2-6400 (5.5.5.12)
WD Raptor 74GB S-ATA / WD 320GB S-ATAII
NEC ND-3550

So yeah, you probably noticed one thing missing, right? I'm having trouble figuring out what Motherboard to get... I've been through 3 possible motherboards to date, which at some point down the road to ordering my new system appeared to be flawed in one way or another.

The first MB I looked at was the Asus P5W DH Deluxe, this one seemed like a really safe bet untill I started hearing rumors about support issues with the 7950GX2, and low 3Dmark scores...

The second MB I looked at was the Asus P5N-32 SLI SE Deluxe, I haven't really decided not to get this one yet, but I'm hearing more and more bad things about the Bios on this one.

The third and last MB I looked at is the Asus P5B Deluxe. I haven't really taken the time to sit down and do my research on this card, but I doubt that I'll end up with it because it runs an older Intel chipset, and it's not nForce...

So, my new system seems to be slipping more and more away by each time I think I found the perfect Motherboard. So basically what I want is some tips on what MB to really get, and ofcourse why it would suit my setup...

I'm not planning to OC anytime in the close future, and the only reason I'm actually getting the 7950GX2 is because I want to be able to game at 1920x1200 on my 24" LCD...

Thanks for any replies guys

 

[Dufrane]

Bump since I am in the exact same boat as you.

 

[Bobthelost]

The gigabyte P965 DS3 is the other one to consider for C2D overclocking. But it's not perfect either. Check out the thread in motherboards for more info from those who've got it.

 

[Bornslip]

Originally posted by: Bobthelost
The gigabyte P965 DS3 is the other one to consider for C2D overclocking. But it's not perfect either. Check out the thread in motherboards for more info from those who've got it.

Thanks for the reply... I'm actually not going to overclock this system at all, at least not for a long long time. I'm just planning to get the best possible MoBo for my system
The thing is that everyone seems to have an opinion different from the other, so I'm hoping to get some objective statements on a CPU-MoBo-Memory combo with the specs I posted

 

[Crescent13]

Dude, your whole rig is a waste of money, and that power supply will most likely fry your components! Seriously do you expect a "Hiper (whatever the heck that is)" PSU to power a 7950? And also, why go nvidia? Don't you want HDR+AA in games? You'd get better bang for the buck and less compatibility issues if you went with a x1950XTX. Don't waste your money on a raptor, get a seagate 320gig with perpendicular recording. It'll be fast enough. Lian li cases are nice, but what would you rather have, a nice case, or a second x1950xtx? Get an Antec P180.



Antec P180B $114.99
Enermax Liberty 620W $149.99
Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 $360.00
Zalman CNPS9500 AT $56.00
X1950XTX ~$450
OCZ S.O.E 2x1GB DDR2-800 5-5-5-12 $199.99
Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 (Perpendicular Recording) 320GB HDD $94.99
NEC 3550 $29.95

 

[Dufrane]

Anyone else gonna comment on the MB he had in question?

 

[Bornslip]

Actually, if I don't get any feedback on the asus cards or any other cards, it looks like I'll end up getting the Asus P5N-32 SLI SE Deluxe

 

[Bobthelost]

There's a huge post stickied in the motherboard forum on the DS3. I'd link to it but a bit of exploration will do you good.

 

[Nightmare225]

Originally posted by: Crescent13
And also, why go nvidia? Don't you want HDR+AA in games? You'd get better bang for the buck and less compatibility issues if you went with a x1950XTX. Don't waste your money on a raptor, get a seagate 320gig with perpendicular recording. It'll be fast enough. Lian li cases are nice, but what would you rather have, a nice case, or a second x1950xtx? Get an Antec P180.

Stop. Just stop before you hurt yourself. Why would he want an 7950GX2, hmm, maybe because it's still going to be the fastest card out there in a month, and it's available now! HDR + AA? Please, you can do that in what, Oblivion and Far Cry? Any other noteworthy titles to mention? HDR + AA is extremely demanding even on current-gen games, Oblivion comes to mind again. You do realize the X1K series will puke on any future HDR + AA titles, right? Besides, at higher resolutions, which is what he should be playing with on that bad boy, AA becomes a pointless luxury.

If there was one thing I could suggest, it would be to get an EVGA card, so that you can Step-Up to G80 if it comes out soon. I hate blowing $500 on a graphics card only to have it outdated 3 months later.

 

[Rubycon]

Why do people push those 180s? They are flimsy! Push one over and let it fall on the floor and you will see what I mean. If they used more aluminum instead of plastic it would be better. The power supply location is in an awkward location too as you have to make sure your leads will fit and even if they do it becomes a cable management nightmare with that stuff stretched across everything.

 

[Baked]

You're gonna kick yourself in the nuts repeatedly if you get the Asus P5N-32...

 

[skinnyj]

Originally posted by: Baked
You're gonna kick yourself in the nuts repeatedly if you get the Asus P5N-32...

cuz instead it should be a ds3?

 

[Bornslip]

Originally posted by: Baked
You're gonna kick yourself in the nuts repeatedly if you get the Asus P5N-32...

You're saying this becaaaause.....?

 

[imported_fallen]

I got the ASUS P5B DH Deluxe , Im happy. I run the 7950gx2 with no issues. I think some of the early bios releases may have had issues with the 7950gx2 , but to my knowledge thats been worked out.