need to pointed in the right direction

[plastic prophet]

hey everyone,

just looking for some help on motherboard brands and models. when it comes to pc hardware i know what im doing but my problem is i am unfamiliar with brands and models.

i have been assigned the task of building a hardcore gaming pc for my boss at work and i was hoping somone could point me in the right direction of some very powerful motherboards capable of supporting multiple graphics cards, intel quad processor, 4GB+ RAM & 4+ SATA hard drives.

if anyone could tell me some good brands and makes to take a look at it would be greatly appreciated.

cheers,

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

He appointed you and you are asking us? you must be a good salesman

H/C gaming huh? Welcome to the Anandtech forums btw! The x38 is the best bang for the buck which supports X-fire, I'm not sure on the other camp. Although i did see a review on the 790 chipset from Nvidia and it looks really promising but really expensive. I like Asus, they're good. DFI boards are suppose to be highly tweakable boards, lots of bios tweaks. Once you get into the x38 chipsets you are getting the better options on a board. What is your $ limit? What is the rest configured too?

 

[Winterpool]

What's your boss's budget? Why does he feel he needs multiple video cards?

Intel chipsets (eg X48, X38) only support Crossfire multiple-card configurations (ie ATi). nVidia chipsets naturally support SLI (ie their own cards). If multiple cards are a must, nVidia SLI is probably your better bet, so you'll be getting an nVidia-chipset board.

Search the forums for good nVidia boards, though some people don't like any of them. I feel wary of multiple-card setups myself.

You may want to open a thread in the 'General Hardware' forum for advice on the build. Follow the guidelines in the 'sticky' at the top of said forum.

 

[plastic prophet]

ok first off 'BTRY B 529th FA BN' im not quite sure if you were insulting me or complementing me to be honest. because im not a salesman. im a software consultant who has just gotten into the hardware side of things. however if it was a complement, then thank you

i would be looking to use nVidia chipsets as i like them alot better than the Ati.
price is not applicable at this time. we are just looking to get a list of preffered parts and then go from there.

the reason for wanting multiple graphics cards is because he is someone who likes to push the limits and use the latest technology. basically he wants to see how it works and how much more he can do with it. a little silly i know, but when you have the money to do so, i guess it doesnt matter lol.

could you maybe tell me the difference in performance between getting a nVidia chipset board or getting an intel chipset board and using the crossfire configuration?
i have usually heard that the nVidia is the way to go, but i have not heard much on their motherboards.
is it possible to use quad core prossessing with these boards?

 

[o1die]

I just checked the Fry's ad for today, and they have the xfx 790 sli board with q9300 cpu for $589, a good starting point. You'll need a good case with large side fans, such as the antec 900 or 1200 series. For memory, I like crucial or corsair. For the power supply, a corsair or seasonic in the range of 600-700 watts will work fine. Pc power and cooling is also recommended if the price is good. I can't recommend video cards; new ones are coming out this month, but I have no idea how good the drivers will be. For the cpu heatsink, scythe is the most recommended brand; the Intel standard heatsink works, but is rather noisy. I have to use an rpm adjuster to reduce the top end noise on mine. If your boss is a gaming aholic and spends hours playing his favorites, consider having someone build a custom water cooling setup. I don't recommend this for first time builders; you'll need help if you go this route. For the operating system, I use vista home basic, but xp pro in the 32 bit variety is probably the safest and fastest. I tried windows xp 64 bit, and got hit by trojans several times and had to format. I used spybot and spyblaster, which didn't work with this version.

 

[plastic prophet]

thanks so much for that info!

heres what i have so far. id love to know what you guys think.


Case: Antec 1200

Motherboard: nVidia XFX 790i Ultra SLI (DDR3 compatable)

CPU: Intel Core 2 Quad Q9950 (2.83GHz, 12 MB)

RAM: 2x or 4x 2GB Crucial DDR3 PC3-1600 Ballistix 240-pin DIMM

HDD: 2x 300GB 10,000rpm WD VelociRaptor
2x 750GB 7200rpm WD Raptor/Caviar

PSU: Corsair HX1000W

Sound Card: Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeGamer Fatal1ty Professional Series

Video Card: nVidia GTX 280


comments please.

i obviously havnt purchased any of this yet, this is just the 'wishlist'

 

[SolMiester]

Looks like you are wanting 4+GB RAM and therefore probably install Vista O/S of the x64 favour, therefore DO NOT get a creative sound card, I dont know all the reason for this other than something about drivers by creative!$#@!, anyway, the motherboard being top of the line will have a 7:1 sound chip built-in.....

Hell of a build mate...very nice....What sort of monitor does your boss have?

 

[plastic prophet]

to be honest i absolutly fu%*$ing hate vista! id much prefer to use XP but i do realise that i may not be able to do so. is it possible to use xp for this sort of config?

i do realise the motherboard has quite a good onboard soundcard but i was looking to go a little over the top for the list hehehehe.

and i would be looking at using 8GB RAM

thanx for your comments, anything you could recommend?

 

[Mr Fox]

Originally posted by: plastic prophet
thanks so much for that info!

heres what i have so far. id love to know what you guys think.


Case: Antec 1200

Motherboard: nVidia XFX 790i Ultra SLI (DDR3 compatable)

CPU: Intel Core 2 Quad Q9950 (2.83GHz, 12 MB)

RAM: 2x or 4x 2GB Crucial DDR3 PC3-1600 Ballistix 240-pin DIMM

HDD: 2x 300GB 10,000rpm WD VelociRaptor
2x 750GB 7200rpm WD Raptor/Caviar

PSU: Corsair HX1000W

Sound Card: Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeGamer Fatal1ty Professional Series

Video Card: nVidia GTX 280


comments please.

i obviously havnt purchased any of this yet, this is just the 'wishlist'

Reality check time !!


What Resolution Monitor will it be used on ?


Review this Thread.

http://forums.anandtech.com/me...=2194605&enterthread=y

 

[plastic prophet]

i wouldnt be able to tell you the exact resolution but i do know it is one big ass screen! incredebly high resolution and top of the line graphics.

i read through the thread you directed me to and i must say i am now incredebly confused. everywhere i have read reviews and forum posts saying that the nVidia 790i ultra motherboards were incredebly good. could you please suggest somthing else that would be as powerful?

 

[Mr Fox]

Originally posted by: plastic prophet
i wouldnt be able to tell you the exact resolution but i do know it is one big ass screen! incredebly high resolution and top of the line graphics.

i read through the thread you directed me to and i must say i am now incredebly confused. everywhere i have read reviews and forum posts saying that the nVidia 790i ultra motherboards were incredebly good. could you please suggest somthing else that would be as powerful?

In less than 6 mos. Time this hardware will be obsolescent you need to talk with your Customer, and get some direction.. otherwise he will have one Vid card he will not be able to transfer to the next generation.

Most review sites don't get to know the hardware that they are reviewing, Gary Key, and Anand were one of the first sites to take this approach.

HardOcp.. has also gravitated more this way after the NVIDIA 680i fiasco.

Most review sites are biased... it is their job to sell hardware

Face it New Hardware is intoxicating... It can be to some folks like Crack, Crystal, or Ice.

It gets real easy to overlook certain flaws...Then when the flaws become reality in Mass Distribution you end up with your creditability being tested, or totally blown out of the water.

This thread the poor guy bought the 790i Striker Extreme... And the latest BIOS Castrates the MOBO.... To solve the Data Corruption Issue.

http://forums.anandtech.com/me...=2194842&enterthread=y


If you give your Boss Good Information, he will give you a good decision and better direction...

 

[plastic prophet]

that is understandable.

do you think you could suggest any other motherboards that are capable of running SLI and the other things i mentioned that would be worth buying?

i have been searching through alot of reviews and forums but it is hard to find a trustworthy sorce that isnt just trying to sell the gear.

 

[Mr Fox]

Originally posted by: plastic prophet
that is understandable.

do you think you could suggest any other motherboards that are capable of running SLI and the other things i mentioned that would be worth buying?

i have been searching through alot of reviews and forums but it is hard to find a trustworthy sorce that isnt just trying to sell the gear.

The New 280 GTX Cards are being introduced on the old 65 nm Process.
They will be Power Hogs... With the Minimum Total System Power recommendation being 40a on the 12v Rail. that puts the 280 GTX Power consumption at 170 watts or so.

The New cards will hit 13.9k on 3d Marks 06 this is @ 1900 x 1200
This is 300 3DMarks More than the 9800GTX/8800(G92)GTS.@250.00-300.00 ea
The new cards will be at $600.00 each.

The new cards, on the old die process are a waste of Time, and Money...
When they do the Die Shrink to 55 nm will be the time to buy.

If He wants something right now... A P-35 Mobo, Wolfdale CPU, and 9800 GTX
Best bang for the buck... It makes the most sense, and will allow the pissing match between NVIDIA, and Intel sort out without major loss in depreciation of hardware. it is a good solution, without major outlay into a Dead end.


When Nehalem, and the Vid card Die shrink Come he will have the Infrastructure, and only have to swap MOBO, CPU, and Vid Card.

The Vid cards will be cheaper,Less power hungry, and will run cooler.

1200.00 in cards, and 350.00 for a MOBO is not worth the 400-450 extra 3D marks performance. DDR3 has come down in price by 50% but is still pricey @ 200-300 for a 4 gig Kit.

 

[plastic prophet]

mmmm i see, that is fair enough.

this is not an urgent job but dont want to be waiting around for the next 6 months to finish it. would you have any idea on when they are doing the Die Shrink to 55nm??

i realise DDR3 is pricey and to be honest i was origionaly looking to use DDR2 but the problem u found was the motherboard i had chosen only seemed to support DDR3

to be honest, the real want for this machine is so that parts dont have to be changed or upgraded again for a while, at least a year or two. so i would not be looking to get somthing 'decent' and have to wait and upgrade in a few months.

is the anything you could suggest to get around this problem??

thank you soo much for your help

 

[krnmastersgt]

Rule of thumb, using decent to low-end stuff but routinely upgraded is more cost effective than spending a large amount of money all at once and sitting on it for a while. A few months (or years, Moore's Law isn't exactly viable anymore) from now, the standard or low end stuff will be capable of beating higher end stuff of today and for less money. Still, if what you want is performance today then go for the most capable hardware you can find, see how the GTX 280/260 and the 4870/4850 do in about 2-3 weeks then decide on the path you'll take.

 

[plastic prophet]

ok that is fair enough.

i would definatly not be wanting have to upgrade anytime soon. the want is for a absolute, top of the line system that wont need upgrading for a while.

thank you for the info!

 

[plastic prophet]

hi again guys,

just hoping to get some more opinions.

we have decided to go with a Lian Li case
http://www.lian-li.com/v2/en/p...=25&ss_index=61&g=spec

what do you think?? is it suitable for the rest of my config??

also, i was wondering what you guys thought of blu ray and wether its possible to get a dvd drive with blu ray built in, or would i have to get 2 seperate drives??

thanks again!

 

[plastic prophet]

hey again everyone!

just wondering if anyone could help me with finding an appropraite heatsink for my boss's machine. so far we have confirmed these parts:

Case: Lian Li Armorsuit PC-P80
Mobo: Asus Rampage Formula LGA775
CPU: Intel Core 2 Quad X5460 3.16GHz
RAM: 4x 2GB Patriot Viper Series DDR2 PC2-8500
HDD: 2x WD 300GB 10,000rpm VelociRaptor
2x WD 750GB 72,000rpm Caviar Black
PSU: Corsair HX-1000W Modular
Sound Card: Creative SoundBlaster X-Fi XtremeGamer Fatal1ty Pro Series
Video Card: 2x ATi Radeon HD 4870
DVD Drive: Pioneer Blu-Ray DVD-ROM

id love to know what you think of the set up and any ideas on how to make it better or anything that i have forgotten would be great!

thanx alot!!

 

[plastic prophet]

can anyone suggest a good fanless heatsink??

 

[RallyMaster]

Fanless simply WILL NOT DO for a quad if he's loading it up all the time. I would normally recommend a Scythe Ninja Rev. B or the new Scythe Ninja 2 but quad cores are quad cores and quad cores DEMAND active cooling. Right now the best air performer would be a Xigmatek (just look in Cases & Cooling and you'll find at least 5 threads in there) but once again, it's not fanless and won't run well WITHOUT a fan.

Originally posted by: plastic prophet
ok that is fair enough.

i would definatly not be wanting have to upgrade anytime soon. the want is for a absolute, top of the line system that wont need upgrading for a while.

thank you for the info!

The biggest problem I see with that setup is the blatant waste of money and quick path to becoming obsolete. If he's doing gaming and wants to just be able to play games well, I say he should just get an Xbox 360 and call it a day. No computer builds, no ordering parts, no $3000 dollars down the drain once he realizes that four months down the road his parts are worth half of what they were when he bought it and that his hardware no longer runs the latest and greatest games. There are wiser ways to spend money, unfortunately...and it's called getting bang-for-the-buck parts every 2 years or so.

 

[plastic prophet]

because of the case i am using i didnt think i would need a cpu fan

http://www.lian-li.com/v2/en/p...=25&ss_index=61&g=spec

that is the case. would i still need a fan?

 

[RallyMaster]

Uh. Yeah. That's one overkill of a case btw. Why not just go water if one is to spend this much on a computer?

 

[plastic prophet]

fans are preffered over water.

plus my boss is basically just a big kid with too much money lol

 

[plastic prophet]

hi again everyone!

i have found that the heatsink i was looking at seems impossible to get here is Aus so i was wondering if you could give your opinions on a couple of these.
im not very knowledgeable when it comes to this sort of thing so i dont always know which one is better .

http://www.xbitlabs.com/articl...xigmatek-hdt-s963.html
or
http://www.tuniq.com.tw/Cooler%20Info/Tower-120.htm
or
http://www.thermalright.com/ne...wxLCxoZW50aHVzaWFzdA==

i was thinking the Tuniq 120? but id like to know what you guys think first.


i also just realised that i need to get an O.S.

i figure i will be using Windows Vista but i am wondering which version i should go for?
i am running 6-8GB of RAM so i would like something that can utilize most, if not all of it.

cheers,

 

[plastic prophet]

i am looking for an appropriate operating system to go with this new machine.

i have 4 gigs of RAM installed at the moment but i have another 4 gigs on stand-by that we would really like to use.

i guess Vista Ultimate would be the way to go but which version should i be going for?? 32bit for 64bit??

also could anyone please explain to me the maximum RAM amount that both Windows XP and Windows Vista will support??

cheers,