Chipset Choice

[dr0be]

I've been planning up the computer I'm building for Christmas and been getting help from other forums I'm registered to and need some anandtech pro help!

I've chose everything for my build down to the case fans EXCEPT for the motherboard. I'm getting:

-Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600
-Crucial Ballistix 4GB DDR2 800
-Corsair 620HX
-Western Digital 500GB SATAII HDD
-XFX/EVGA Geforce 8800GT 512MB

Now here comes my dilemma, the motherboard. I have 2 choices in my price range (~$200) and thats the P35 or 680i. The P35 has great overclocking ability for the Q6600 BUT in turn does NOT support SLI for future upgrade of my 8800GT. The 680i has SLI for upgrades, but are known to be bad Q6600 overclockers, barely getting to 3.0ghz.

I plan on playing any game that comes out that sparks my interests, so far including Crysis, World In Conflict, Call of Duty 4, and UT3. So I basically need the choice thats going to last me the longest for gaming before I get my next upgrades a few years down the road. I've gotten mixed opinions elsewhere so I came here for more info. Should I go with the:

-P35: Great overclocking ability and no SLI
-680i: Poor OC'ing ability and SLI ability

I have the P35 board picked out if I go with the P35 and its the Gigabyte P35-DS4 Rev 2.0. If 680i what do you suggest? EVGA NF68-A1?

Thanks for your input in advance!

 

[KIAman]

If you need SLI you answered your own question. Go 680i for SLI.

I would not discount the 680i for overclocking. As to EVGA 680i, just make sure you get an A1 revision and not an AR revision and your overclock will be fine.

 

[Dacalo]

Do you need all the bells and whistles on that GA-P35-DS4? If not, why not get this and save yourself some money. With the money saved, wait until G92 GTS is released and get that.

Another option is wait for 780i. I know it uses the same chips as 680i, but nVidia might have increased OC capability.

 

[Viper GTS]

780i should be out by the time you're ready to build.

I'm a current 680i owner & am hoping/praying for improved quad OC with 780i. It's BS that I can't have both SLI AND a fast quad.

:thumbsdown:

Viper GTS

 

[dr0be]

Originally posted by: KIAman
If you need SLI you answered your own question. Go 680i for SLI.

I would not discount the 680i for overclocking. As to EVGA 680i, just make sure you get an A1 revision and not an AR revision and your overclock will be fine.

Thats what I had in mind, nothing but the A1. How high can an A1 push a Q6600? 3.2-ish?

Originally posted by: Dacalo
Do you need all the bells and whistles on that GA-P35-DS4? If not, why not get this and save yourself some money. With the money saved, wait until G92 GTS is released and get that.

Another option is wait for 780i. I know it uses the same chips as 680i, but nVidia might have increased OC capability.

I had the DS4 picked out since it has the good NB/SB/MOSFET heatsink on it that doesn't get in the way of an 8800GT with an aftermarket cooler. Money isn't an issue with me and I don't want to wait any longer to pick parts since alot of this is going on my Christmas list for my family, since I'm a poor college student and can't afford to buy my own computer lol. So with that in mind I'm going for whatever is best currently thats within my price range ($1500-1700); The total I'm at now is ~$1587.

Originally posted by: Viper GTS
780i should be out by the time you're ready to build.

I'm a current 680i owner & am hoping/praying for improved quad OC with 780i. It's BS that I can't have both SLI AND a fast quad.

How long until the 780i? I'm sure its out of the picture if its anything like the X38. I'm not dropping $300 on a motherboard.

 

[Viper GTS]

Next Monday I believe is the official launch date (Nov 12th). At least that's what is floating around.

I fully expect $300 pricing, but maybe I'll be surprised. If it will clock quads worth a shit I'll pay it.

Viper GTS

 

[dr0be]

Originally posted by: Viper GTS
Next Monday I believe is the official launch date (Nov 12th). At least that's what is floating around.

I fully expect $300 pricing, but maybe I'll be surprised. If it will clock quads worth a shit I'll pay it.

Viper GTS

$300 is a good $100 out of my price range. I was looking at X38 but its the same deal, too expensive. All the other parts I'm getting basically leave me no room for $300 motherboards; $200 max.

 

[Ozoneman]

What resolution do you plan to play those games at? What size monitor do you have? You may not need sli unless you plan to play at a really high resolution like 2560X1600. My son has a 30 inch Dell LCD so he plays at 2560X1600 so he is set up with the 680i so he can add another 8800 Ultra latter when the newer games come out.

 

[dr0be]

Originally posted by: Ozoneman
What resolution do you plan to play those games at? What size monitor do you have? You may not need sli unless you plan to play at a really high resolution like 2560X1600. My son has a 30 inch Dell LCD so he plays at 2560X1600 so he is set up with the 680i so he can add another 8800 Ultra latter when the newer games come out.

I have a 20.1" LG Widescreen monitor. I usually play on 1680x1050 when my current PC can run games on it lol, its sort of lacking in hardware atm.

*edit* Technically, I could drop an extra $100 on a X38/780i mobo, but this PC is already taking a big dent on my wallet, it just hurts me inside to drop that extra $100. I guess I'll wait till Nov 12th and see how the 780i does.

What about the X38? How does it do with quad cores? It supports Sli correct?

*edit2* I read that X38 doesn't support sli, only crossfire. If this is true, x38 is out of the picture.

 

[Ozoneman]

If you don't plan to go to bigger monitor, I suggest you get the P35-DS4. I know the 8800Gt is very cost effective, but if you want to make sure you have enough video power, you could go with a 8800 Ultra. This one is only $560 after rebate.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814127288

Out of the box it has 660 core and 2300 memory. Maybe it will cost less before Christmas.

 

[dr0be]

Originally posted by: Ozoneman
If you don't plan to go to bigger monitor, I suggest you get the P35-DS4. I know the 8800Gt is very cost effective, but if you want to make sure you have enough video power, you could go with a 8800 Ultra. This one is only $560 after rebate.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814127288

Out of the box it has 660 core and 2300 memory. Maybe it will cost less before Christmas.

I've spent countless amounts of hours reading and deciding between hardware and I'm sticking with what I have written down. The only issue is the motherboard, hence this thread to try to aid in my decision.

 

[Ozoneman]

Originally posted by: dr0be

Originally posted by: Ozoneman
If you don't plan to go to bigger monitor, I suggest you get the P35-DS4. I know the 8800Gt is very cost effective, but if you want to make sure you have enough video power, you could go with a 8800 Ultra. This one is only $560 after rebate.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814127288

Out of the box it has 660 core and 2300 memory. Maybe it will cost less before Christmas.

I've spent countless amounts of hours reading and deciding between hardware and I'm sticking with what I have written down. The only issue is the motherboard, hence this thread to try to aid in my decision.

My point was that if you consider a better graphics card, you won't need to go with a sli mobo and you can have a great P35 board that will overclock your quad well. So my suggestion was to help you make a mobo decision. If you don't want to do that, then you have to decide which is more important - sli or the ability to overclock your quad. I personally think that my idea gives you the best overall solution to have a very good gaming PC.

 

[dr0be]

Originally posted by: Ozoneman
My point was that if you consider a better graphics card, you won't need to go with a sli mobo and you can have a great P35 board that will overclock your quad well. So my suggestion was to help you make a mobo decision. If you don't want to do that, then you have to decide which is more important - sli or the ability to overclock your quad.

Disregarding the option of spending another $250 for a better video card, which would you prefer if you were in my situation. P35, or 680i if you wanted your gaming rig to last the longest. Which is going to stretch its life longer, overclock ability, or another video card. Aka, which piece of hardware is going to die out for newer games faster.

 

[Ozoneman]

Things are changing so fast. That makes it hard to decide what is best. I would pick the P35 over the 680i for the following reasons. Gigabyte has already discontinued their 680i board. 680i seems to be on its way out. The P35 will have more overclock ability for your quad. Since you are trying to stay at or under $200, the X38's are out. But what 680i can you get for under $200 anyway? If you are going to continue using a 20 inch monitor you shouldn't need sli. The P35s support the newer cpus that will be coming out if you decide to upgrade your quad. The P35 will cost less and the difference could be used toward a better vid card.

 

[KIAman]

Personally, I fully expect my E6420@3.4, Abit IP35-E, 8800GTX, 24" LCD to last for all games at least for the entire 2008 year.

Nobody really knows the direction that games will go but it seems that games like Crysis is catching on to multi-threading power. Assuming there are going to be games that will tax the best GPU at the moment, you can simply turn down the settings from ULTRA SUPER HIGH down a notch to ULTRA HIGH and enjoy the game until you upgrade again.

P35 for CPU power or if you MUST have sli, you don't have a choice but 680i or upcoming 780i or unless NVIDIA decides to play nice with intel, which I doubt.