New computer build

[chionophile]

Okay, comparing them side by side helped a lot. It's clear that with the rebate, the Asus is by far the best option.

 

[mfenn]

Okay, comparing them side by side helped a lot. It's clear that with the rebate, the Asus is by far the best option.

Sure, the ASUS is the best motherboard, but that doesn't mean that is is the best option for you. The difference between the Gigabyte and the ASUS is $50 all told. I'd go with the Gigabyte becasue that $50 is money you can spend on a better GPU (7950), bigger SSD (Samsung 840 250GB), etc. Building a computer is all about about balance, spending too much in an area that doesn't matter (SLI capable board for example) means that you'll hurt yourself in where it does matter (GPU performance or storage space).

 

[aarontpx]

Sure, the ASUS is the best motherboard, but that doesn't mean that is is the best option for you. The difference between the Gigabyte and the ASUS is $50 all told. I'd go with the Gigabyte becasue that $50 is money you can spend on a better GPU (7950), bigger SSD (Samsung 840 250GB), etc. Building a computer is all about about balance, spending too much in an area that doesn't matter (SLI capable board for example) means that you'll hurt yourself in where it does matter (GPU performance or storage space).

A mATX motherboard is not a bad idea if it has the expansion slots/features you require...it will save you like $20+.

I am also in the camp of going with the 7950 if you can afford it. The performance boost is worth the cost in my opinion.