Need advice re: ASUS P5K Premium MB and new system

[jimckimmel]

I'm getting ready to update my "office" PC (I only call it that because it's in the room designated as the office). The PC will be used for games (mostly), some TV watching (if possible) and probably some general ms office use and web surfing.

I'm currently planning on the following as the main components:

1. ASUS P5K Premium Motherboard (with the P35 chipset)
2. Intel Core2Quad Q6600 CPU
3. Dual Radeon HD2900XT Video cards (Crossfire enabled) - probably the ASUS Card
4. 4GB RAM (Crucial Ballistix DDR2 1066)
5. 22" Widescreen LCD Monitor (future purchase, currently use 19" 4:3 LCD)
6. Vista Ultimate x64 OS
7. Antec 900 case
8. Enermax Liberty 620W PSU

Since I'm going Crossfire (although possibly not in the initial build), and given the location of the PCIEx16 slots, I'm guessing that I am going to have to replace my existing PCI Cards (Audigy 2, ATI eHome Wonder tuner and DVICO FusionGold Digital Tuner).

To put a tuner back into the system, I was planning to pick up a AverMedia7 PCIEx1 dual tuner (analog and digital). My first question, though, is will the PCIEx1 slots operate with the two graphics cards operating in CF mode? What I've read indicates that if the second video card operates at x4 (the max with two cards), then the x1 slot is disabled, but this board has two, so I'm not sure how accurate that statement is. After the two video cards are installed, I may have one useable PCI slot, should I focus the TV Tuner to go into that slot or keep it open for cooling?

Secondly, if I used the internal crossfire cables across the two cards, does the change the limitation of the bandwidth used by the second PCEx16 slot at all?

Thirdly, will the Power Supply be big enough or should I go bigger?

Thanks for all of your help, in advance!

Jim

 

[drakore]

PSU should be good... but get the corsair 620HX instead.

you mayyy neeed a 700W or 800W.. but i think the 620 should handle depending if you want to overclock your quad and how high you want to...

 

[jimckimmel]

Thanks. What about running an additional PCIEx1 card with the two video cards in CF mode? I'm just not confident that I'll have room for any PCI cards once the video cards are installed.

Thanks!

Jim

 

[fpbear]

The P5K Premium, Q6600, and SATA II drives will not work together. See the Asus Support forums for several threads about this defect.

 

[drakore]

Good point... Did you think about getting the DFI board? Or the DQ6 or IP35-Pro?

 

[fpbear]

For own system I thought about the DQ6 or the IP35-Pro. I ended up ordering the IP35-Pro because of the uGuru fan control. It has several fan headers on the motherboard and the voltage of each one can be adjusted based on the temp. This will help me build a quiet system. The DQ6 is a great board too.

Either one - DQ6 for features, IP35-Pro for an advanced BIOS.