Need a recommendation - X58

[Danielectomy]

Hey guys -- long time lurker.....first time poster.

I'm getting ready to have a new i7-930-based computer built, and I think I have everything more or less picked (thanks in large part to the many well-informed threads here) but I'm sorta hung up picking a motherboard....

The computer will be used principly for audio and video production, with some gaming etc. I want things relatively future-proof as I'd like this thing to last me a 4 or 5 years.

So -- I'm trying to figure out if there is a mobo with usb3/sataIII as well as 2 usable PCI slots. I use an m-audio delta 1010 for recording, and will likely try to add a second one. Most of the boards I've read about have atleast 1 of the PCIs covered with a double-wide video card (in this case, it'll be a 5850.)

So - anyone have any recomendations? Anything else I should be paying attention to?

Thanks in advance for any help...

 

[Blazer7]

Hello Danielectomy and welcome aboard.

I don't think that there's anything out there that can be considered future proof. However there are many boards that sport at least 2 PCI slots. That said, if you are not interested in CF/SLI you can always use the 2nd PCI-E x16 slot for graphics if using the 1st one covers any of the PCIs. This won't always work as many boards will require to use the 1st PCI-E x16 slot when using 1 graphics board for maximum performance.

As for the USB3/SATA III support you can always add a dedicated controller like the ASUS U3S6 (PCI-E x4 card with 2 x USB3 + 2 x SATA III ports with NCQ and hot plug function).

The ASUS P6T, P6T SE, the Gigabyte GA-EX58-UD4 along with any ASRock mobo are just some of the boards that may do the trick for you.

My pick would be the ASRock X58 Extreme3. It sports 2 PCIs both far away from the 1st PCI-E x16 slot, 1 eSATA III/USB2 port, 2 SATA III & 2 USB3 ports.

HTH

 

[Danielectomy]

Thank you so much.... My research was leading me toward that board, and I only needed one more nudge...

I'll be putting the order in soon.


Thanks again!

 

[finbarqs]

are the EVGA boards bad?

 

[Danielectomy]

Unless they were way out of my price-range, none of the evga boards I looked at had both usb3/sata3 and 2 usable pci's. (But I'm an idiot and could easily have missed some.)

They are handsome though....

 

[finbarqs]

yeah... i'm willing to sacrifice USB 3.0 since I don't like plugging in the back anyways

Very little cases support 3.0. Sata 6gbps is a good reason... and I guess I have a X-Fi Ti, which is pci-e. I just thought maybe there's something wrong with the evga boards (as in quality wise)

 

[ExcaliburMM]

ASRock X58 Extreme3
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813157189

 

[TheRyuu]

ASRock X58 Extreme3
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813157189

Doesn't the original have a better layout?
I'm not sure what the other differences are.

 

[ExcaliburMM]

Define better. I like the '3' better in general, and the USB 3.0 / SATA III is always a plus.

 

[Nurn]

Asus P6X58E has USB 3.0 and SATA III. Capable of Crossfire or SLI.

 

[Blazer7]

Asus P6X58E has USB 3.0 and SATA III. Capable of Crossfire or SLI.

You must be referring to the P6X58D-E. Yes that board features both USB 3.0 and SATA III but if you use a 2-slot VGA you lose one of the PCIs and the OP asks for a board with 2 usable PCI slots.