Trouble finding a decent single 16x PCIe slot motherboard

[DeathBooger]

Hi all,

I was recently about to jump onto the SLI bandwagon, but I changed my mind and plan on getting the X1900XT soon. I'm doing a completely new build, it was much easier to find decent motherboards when I thought I was going the SLI route. I can't seem to find a newer motherboard that offers SATA 3GB, stable overclocking, and only a single 16x PCIe slot for a video card. I guess I could get a board with two 16x slots but that would be a waste of space, I was already disgruntled by the lack of expansion space on most SLI boards so I was hoping switching to a single card solution would solve that. Any ideas? I plan on overclocking a 4400+ X2 a bit and want everything to be as stable as possible. Thanks.

 

[Beast388]

I'd recommend the EPoX 9NPA+Ultra. It has everything you are asking for and has a Editors Choice rating here on Anandtech.

Quote from Review:
"The Epox 9NPA+ Ultra is the fastest board in the roundup at stock speeds. It was also the highest overclocker at stock speeds, and the second highest overclocker when the bus was overclocked. The Epox is an incredible value whether you are looking for a board that will run fast with stability at stock speeds or a board that will satisfy almost any Athlon 64 enthusiast. The range of overclocking options and the overclocked performance are among the best that we have seen, falling short only in the memory voltage area, which tops out at 3.1V. The feature set is more or less average for Ultra boards, but the overall performance is clearly standout. Based on the standout performance and solid overclocking that we achieved with the Athlon 64, we are pleased to award the AnandTech Gold Editors Choice to the Epox 9NPA+ Ultra motherboard."

Review Link


Edit: I see you are planning on using an X2 chip. There seems to be some USB problems with some users who use this board and X2's. This may not be the best board for you. Read the main "EPoX 9NPA+Ultra" thread here on this forum.

 

[Jorakal]

The Epox Ultra is good. ASUS A8N-E ultra is good. The DFI Lanparty ultra is good.