Midrange MObo Selection Advice Please

[Wigwam]

HI
I want to build a quiet pc within an Antec Sonata 3.
Plan to use a Scythe Infinity as a HS and most likely a Gigabyte PAssive-cooled GFX [8600GT or the 2600XT].

1) which mobo out of Gigabyte DS4 or DQ6 and Asus P35 Deluxe is least cramped [around cpu socket/ram modules etc] to fit these componets].
Which of these would you recommend otherwise?
The GB is much cheaper and the only diff between the DS4 and DQ6 I could see were 2 vs 4 eSATA ports and DS4 £15 cheaper [hence my preferred choice].

2) I understand MSI also make passive cooled 8600GT [although theirs does not have HDCP unlike the GB] and also a 2600XT [more expensive] but the heatsink is on the opposite side to that on the Gigabyte. Which Heatsink arrangement will be more useful?

Thanks

 

[Heidfirst]

Originally posted by: Wigwam

The GB is much cheaper and the only diff between the DS4 and DQ6 I could see were 2 vs 4 eSATA ports and DS4 £15 cheaper [hence my preferred choice].

more to it than that (e.g. PWM design) but also check out the DS3P as it should be even cheaper again & it's essentially a DS4 with different chipset cooling.

 

[Wigwam]

so if there is more too it, would you say the DQ6 is worth it over the DS4?

 

[Heidfirst]

depends on relative pricing & whether the uextras are useful to you.
In the UK the DQ6 is ~15% dearer than the DS4 & the DS3P is about 15% cheaper than the DS4 (or 25% cheaper than DQ6).

 

[Wigwam]

agreed - £117 vs £102.
But what are the extras?

 

[Heidfirst]

improved PWM, chipset cooling & QuadBIOS instead of dual plus the aforementioned extra eSATA capability.
personally I would probably go for the DS3P ~£88