POLL - Help me pick a Mobo for my E6600

GamingDaemon

Senior member
Apr 28, 2006
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Well after getting considerable input from my fellow anandites (is that the right word??), I have chosen to purchase the E6600 proc. Now all I need is a good solid motherboard.

My goals/configuration for this rig are:
[*]Run Vista with an nVidia 8800 GTX video card
[*]Play high-end games, especially those that will support DX10
[*]Do development work, which means sometimes run a VPC
[*]OC moderately, setting the FSB to 400 to get 3.6GHz with 2GB of DDR2-800 memory
[*]Brag a lot :)

With that said...

From the 975 chipset, I am considering the following:
[*]The Intel BadAxe2 at $175 (MicroCenter)
[*]The Abit AW9D-MAXat $210

From the 965 chipset, I am looking at the following:
[*]The Gigabyte DS3 at $123
[*]The Asus P5B Deluxe WiFi at $193

And to represent the 650i chipset:
[*]The Asus P5N-E SLI at $135

Please tell me why, given the goals I have laid out, you think I should go with one mobo over the others. Personal experience is even better.

Thanks everyone!
 

GamingDaemon

Senior member
Apr 28, 2006
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Besides the votes, which are trickling in, I am hoping for some verbal feedback as well...

Any comments would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
 

moosey

Golden Member
Apr 18, 2001
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My preference is the 975X chipset as it doesn't have the Jmicron issues of the P965 chipset. Plus, it won't change straps on you when you o/c. I'd take the BX2 over the Abit. I think some have had mixed results with o/c on the Abit. Did you look at the Asus P5W-DH? I have the BX2 w/ an e6600 if it helps.

In general, I'd aviod a non-Intel chipset if I didn't need SLI. Both of your P965 choices look good as well. I'm guessing you didn't like the P5B-E? You could also check the Abit Quad GT (it's P965 but you can set the strap on it too).
 

GamingDaemon

Senior member
Apr 28, 2006
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Originally posted by: moosey
My preference is the 975X chipset as it doesn't have the Jmicron issues of the P965 chipset. Plus, it won't change straps on you when you o/c. I'd take the BX2 over the Abit. I think some have had mixed results with o/c on the Abit. Did you look at the Asus P5W-DH? I have the BX2 w/ an e6600 if it helps.

In general, I'd aviod a non-Intel chipset if I didn't need SLI. Both of your P965 choices look good as well. I'm guessing you didn't like the P5B-E? You could also check the Abit Quad GT (it's P965 but you can set the strap on it too).

Well, I may be getting sucked into the reviews on NewEgg. The Asus P5W-DH Deluxe/WiFi-AP has a number of reviews that say it doesn't work with core 2 duo etc...I'm not sure I believe that from a company like Asus. They also complain about custoemr service. But then, the DS3 had similar reviews. And so did the Asus P5B-E

Question. What exactly do you mean by 'strap'. I have OC'ed an AMD before...is this specific to Intel?

Also, I am going to be using SATA II drives, but also will have a couple of DVD burners. Do I still need to worry about JMicron?

Thank you!
 

3NF

Golden Member
Feb 5, 2005
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I'd go with the 965 chipset. I'm using a P5B Deluxe & E6600. Anandtech did a review of the 965 boards and if I remember correctly, the P5B Deluxe and DS3 were at the top.
 

AstroDogg

Member
Feb 22, 2007
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A review was suppose to come out this last Friday I still haven't heard an update from Gary as to when it is going to appear now.

Newegg has some open boxed P5N- E SLI LGA boards for $94 free shipping you may want to snatch one before they are gone.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813131142R
But the MSI may be a better board as it has no major problems right out of the box so far.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813130082
and it preforms exactly as good as its 680i counter-part at stock speed. Either board will easily push to 400bus speed.
The two boards I recommend for you based on what you have stated are right there and below your price range and I know will out perform the P965 and P975 for a long time to come. The resale of the nvidia boards aren't going to fall off like the Intel's will.
Anyway I gotta go best of luck on your build. Dont buy a P965 or P975 board you will regret it. Nvidia has got them out classed in everyway including early reviews when the 600 series chipset is 6 monthe old it will be untouchable. Are you building for the future or the past? When reading customer reviews on a store's site make sure you cross-reference review dates/time owned with the release date of Bioses from the manufacture no matter what the board has on it or who its made by.
With 20" of snow in 3 days I wonder if the fish are biting?
 

GamingDaemon

Senior member
Apr 28, 2006
474
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Originally posted by: AstroDogg

The two boards I recommend are right there and below your price range and I know will out perform the P965 and P975 for alot longer to come the resale of the nvidia boards aren't going to fall off like the Intel's will.


Wow...

I was just about to post a message saying I had finally made a decision to go with the 975 BadAxe2. You are making me pause to think about what you say.

What I keep seeing when I read reviews about the BadAxe2 is one phrase: "rock solid". I like that. I also like that, based on a bunch of posts I've seen, I should be abke to hit 400MHz on the FSB with DDR2-800 memory and be air-cooled. With an E6600 and a 9x multiplier that means my clock speed is 3.6GHz.

On the other hand, AstroDogg, you bring up some good points. The performance of the 650i, especially the Asus P5N32-E SLI Plus, seems to be in line with the P965 and the 975X. Not to mention the lower price. And that the 650i would seem to let me grow in toa quad core proc when I'm ready.

But then, I can get the BadAxe2 at MicroCenter for just $175.

I just need to pull the trigger on this so I can be put out of my misery. :) I think it is down to the Intel BadAxe2 and the Asus P5N32-E SLI Plus right now. I will sleep on it and make the decision in the morning.

EDIT: Oneo ther thing. Since I will be going with the 8800GTX video card, I do not need SLI. And therefore, I think I would be just as happy, and fast, with the 975X chispet. Especially after reading this review (see the conclusion). Asus P5N32-E SLI Plus Review

:clock: Need some sleep...

 

GamingDaemon

Senior member
Apr 28, 2006
474
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Originally posted by: moosey
This review has some general benchmarks between some of the boards you were looking at
http://www.anandtech.com/mb/showdoc.aspx?i=2936&p=5

Yeah, I am really down to just the Asus P5Ne32-E and the Intel BadAxe2. The review you reference seems to show them pretty neck and neck, with a slight edge to the Asus. However, the disk performance of the BadAxe2 beat the Asus.

I think I am going to go with the BadAxe2. Moosey, you mentioned that I could get it at MicroCenter for $175. I know there are a couple of different BadAxe2 versions out there, and the one that I want is BOXD975XBX2KR. However, I can't tell if that is what MicroCenter is actually selling. Do you know?

Thanks everyone!
 

moosey

Golden Member
Apr 18, 2001
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I'm not sure about Microcenter, I've never ordered from them. I got mine from Tigerdirect when it was $199 and it's the full retail version. I also know Mwave was selling the full retail for a decent price. As long as it says its the "BOX" version it should be retail. If you have to, I'd just double check w/ Microcenter.
 

AstroDogg

Member
Feb 22, 2007
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Originally posted by: GamingDaemon
Yeah, I am really down to just the Asus P5Ne32-E and the Intel BadAxe2.
I would not consider the the P5Ne32-E(whatever that board is I never heard of it).
If you meant the P5N32-E SLI PLUS. This board is overpriced the P5N32-E SLi is only $30 more(no anolog audio tho).
If you meant the P5N32-E SLi then that would be a nice jump up from the 650i chip. I never mentioned a 680i board because your target was not directed at SLi and the price shooting over your target. The P5N32-E SLI is the same exact board as the Striker(the current out-of-box Core2 overclocking champ) without the analog audio riser card(still supporting digital out) and integrated heat-pipe cooling system it also does not include as many cables. You stated a 400 bus speed as your target if you meant 500 you should of said that. Then I would of recommended this board. If price were no matter I'd recommend the Striker or waiting for the MSI P6N Diamond(possibly two weeks).
Thats a great unfinished review from Gary here at Anandtach, but all those test result are so close that you would never notice a difference actually using them. They are also at stock speeds out of the box and some beta Bioses on the nvidia chiips as stated not a normal practice in reviews but a try at fairness for the manufacture. If your goal is a 400 bus speed and your memory will beable to achive the same timings on any of the boards. The differance in benchmarks just got even narrower. Are you going to overclock as high and extreem as you can or not? to achive a near 500 and above bus speed you will have to take serious cooling mesures with any of the boards. An Intel manufactured board; Never happen without volt modding and a custom bios.
You said stabilty was important. Stability isn't an issue with any of these boards at 1600FSB. Ahh I just don't understaand Your looking at a board made by Intel I can't relate. Sounds like the Yuppie ontop of the hill with an $85,000 dollar MERCEDES stationwagon plain-jane white. Buy the board with less features and lower performance potential it's not my money.

P.S. I offered a multi-16X slot board for you for the up coming physics cards not SLi. Agian are you building for the past or the future??