which 650i mobo to get (or other suggestions)

[cmdrdredd]

My current P5BD is dead and on it's last legs. I have tons of problems with it and I know for a 100% fact it's the board. Can't replace it because I overvolted it. That is why it's bad.

I need a board to replace it and was thiniking of getting an nvidia based board. Going to buy 2GB of Crucial DDR2-1000 memory to go with the new board also. What is the best 650i board to get (link if possible)? Or is there another intel board that is better than the 650i chipset? I'm looking to spend around or under $200 for the board if possible. I will mildly overclock (no more volt mods for me). I really want reliability but the ability to clock my C2D to 3.2 is also necessary.

Any suggestions? Been too long since I have looked into mobos.

 

[Heidfirst]

abit AB9 QuadGT is a fine board & it's $160 at newegg after MIR - 3.2GHz won't be a problem.
Then there's the new DFI 965-S if you can find stock.

 

[cmdrdredd]

DFI makes a 965 board now eh...how is that one?

Edit: well it has the Jmicron controller which always gave me issues.

 

[Puffnstuff]

I just ordered a msi p6n sli platinum from newegg the other day to replace my current abit. I didn't buy another abit because since univeral absorbed them their bios's haven't been what they used to be and support isn't as good. Here's a link to msi's page http://global.msi.com.tw/index.php?func...140&maincat_no=1&cat2_no=170&cat3_no=2

 

[cmdrdredd]

Originally posted by: Puffnstuff
I just ordered a msi p6n sli platinum from newegg the other day to replace my current abit. I didn't buy another abit because since univeral absorbed them their bios's haven't been what they used to be and support isn't as good. Here's a link to msi's page http://global.msi.com.tw/index.php?func...140&maincat_no=1&cat2_no=170&cat3_no=2

That looks like a really nice board...found one review that was very favorable. Think I'm gonna go with it. MSI has always been good and basically every Nvidia board is the same except BIOS from the mfgr (and MSI BIOS haven't had too much trouble in the past).

 

[troutinator]

I'd go with the ASUS P5N-E SLI over the MSI. I've read more reviews getting higher OCs on the ASUS than the MSI, plus the ASUS has two PCI-E slots for running SLI and supports a 1333MHz FSB for future upgrades.

 

[tersome]

Originally posted by: troutinator
I'd go with the ASUS P5N-E SLI over the MSI. I've read more reviews getting higher OCs on the ASUS than the MSI, plus the ASUS has two PCI-E slots for running SLI and supports a 1333MHz FSB for future upgrades.

QFT. The p5n-e has some problems, but it's the way to go for cheap overclocking.

 

[Spanki]

I'll repeat my post from a similar thread...

====================================================
The first thing I'd do is look at the specs for each board - there are differences in the number of PCI and PCI-E slots (and available slots with one or two double-slot-wide VGA cards installed), firewire support, eSATA, etc...

650i Stats Comparison

...caution - some of those listed stats are off and some are 'marketing hype', but for example, if you plan to run SLI with 2x-wide 8800 cards installed...

• 
  both MSI boards leave two PCI and one x1 PCI-E open
  the ASUS board leaves one PCI and one x1 PCI-E open
  the ABIT board leaves one PCI and two x1 PCI-E open
  the ECS board leaves two PCI and one x1 PCI-E open

Rear panel connections:

serial/COM: ECS only (other boards may have on-board header to add a cable to)
printer/LP1: MSI boards and ASUS only
eSATA: ASUS and MSI Platinum only
firewire: both MSI boards and ASUS only
S/PDIF: all boards have some form or another... ECS and MSI Platinum have both.

Chipset cooling (arguably from worst to best):

ASUS - heatsink on NB, but NO heatsink on SB or MOSFETs
MSI SLI-FI - heatsink on NB and SB, but not on MOSFETs
ECS - heatsinks on NB and SB, with fan on NB, no heatsink on MOSFETs
ABIT - heatsinks on NB, SB and MOSFETs
MSI Platinum - heat-pipe cooling across NB, SB and MOSFETs, plus optional fan included for NB.

(NB fans are small/high-rpm = loud... so that may swap the ECS and MSI SLI-FI positions. It's optional on the MSI Platinum heat-pipe setup, but may be needed on the smallish ECS solution)

Other:

ASUS - inferior audio solution, only 2 PCI slots, narrow board only uses 6 stand-offs for support
ECS - it's primary physical x16 PCI-E slot only ever works in 8x electrical mode (never in 16x).
ABIT - has neither COM or LP1 rear IO connections, making it the worst for legacy support.

...obviously there are other layout differences between the boards as well (IDE/SATA/Floppy connector locations and orientations, etc) - some better than others, depending on your case and other hardware in use. There are also differences in bundling, but those should be secondary considerations for the most part.

Related to the above, note that:
I only listed the physical specs/features of the boards and nothing about support, BIOS versions, overclockability, user-experience, failure rates, etc. I'll leave that to you to ferret out . The intention is to first narrow down your choices based on what configuration best suits your needs.

Again, I only listed the differences... so the fact that the ABIT board is missing both COM and LP1 rear panel connections may not mean anything to you in your own personal ranking system if you don't need those connections.

...the 'best' board for me is the MSI SLI Platinum - but that's due to my own needs and ranking system.
=========================================================

...as an addendum, Gigabyte's 650i board just hit the market... it looks like a very nice setup and has some nice BIOS features (dual BIOS, save up to 8 profiles, built-in flash utility). My only reservations about that board is that it hasn't been reviewed yet - no idea how well it'll perform or be supported and it has no eSATA. Having said that, it would be my second choice of 650i boards (after the P6N Platinum).

If you're interested in more info on the P6N boards, we've got a 37 page thread going on over here.

BTW, the P6N Platinum has been run with a 533 FSB in Coolaler's Forums(Taiwan), it also has 2 PCI-E slots for SLI and also supports 1333MHZ FSB for future cpus.

 

[troutinator]

Dang it lol, stop giving me more information. I soon as I think I decide on a motherboard people bring up stuff like Spanki. Interesting that if you check newegg the MSI P6N Platinum doesn't support 1333MHz FSB, but at [l=PCStats]http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=2099[/] they say it does. Also, I think the seller for me is now that the ASUS has a more mature bios, it overclocks like a beast.

edit: I have some more things to say about the ASUS vs the MSI, but I have to run off to church, I'll be back on with the info this afternoon.

 

[Spanki]

Originally posted by: troutinator
Dang it lol, stop giving me more information. I soon as I think I decide on a motherboard people bring up stuff like Spanki....

...edit: I have some more things to say about the ASUS vs the MSI, but I have to run off to church, I'll be back on with the info this afternoon.

Heh. As I mentioned, don't put too much weight on the 'stats' comparison at Newegg... many of those are just wrong and some are just marketing hype from the manufacturer. I mostly linked it like that to give a handy, but rough overview.

I also don't rely on site reviews, aside from first/initial impressions. If you want the actual stats of some board, go to the manufacturer's page and look them up, and/or download the online manual so you can see the motherboard diagram (and figure out exactly what additional headers are included on-board, for example).

Just for reference, here's the P6N Platinum page... as you can see, 1333 FSB is supported. If you also download the manual, you'll see that (among other things), it also has on-board COM port header, and additional 1394 (firewire) header for front-of-the-case hook-up, and some other headers - none of which are mentioned on that stats page, above. Newegg also lists DDR2 667 for the GA board.. if you go to the manufacturer's pae, they list DDR2 800 (like the other boards).

As I mentioned, each user will have different priorities... if yours don't include getting a functional audio solution (because you already own or plan to by an add-on card), getting functional SB cooling (because you plan to buy another cooler anyway), and don't care if several inches of the board (including where you install the ram and several other connectors) 'bounces' with no stand-off support underneath, and don't need more than 2 PCI slots (or one PCI slot, with 2 2x-wide vga cards installed), don't really care about long-life solid caps or MOSFET cooling, and you're happy with the kind of support ASUS supplies, then the ASUS board might be an excellent option - heck, the majority (54%) of Newegg customers are happy with thier purchase .

As for overclocking, the ASUS board has been out longer and might well have a more mature 'released' BIOS (? maybe, maybe not). There's certainly more people using that board (and thus reporting success stories, as well as problems). The P6N boards come with a stable BIOS with 'decent' overclocking ability and there are several beta BIOSes available that perform better for overclocking. ~shrug~

 

[troutinator]

Yeah, its a tough world to buy a motherboard in. I wish there was definitive guide to point to the perfect board. I've been spending the last week reading forums for 4+ hrs a day trying to narrow down my hardware selection. And as soon as I think I've picked the best one, I read just enough more information to force me reevaluate my previous decision. I wish forum responses were quicker and more conclusive, but I fully understand why they aren't, so just a wish, not a complaint. Also the whole price-vs-performance-vs-budget issue is driving me nuts. It would be easy(er) if I had $2000 to spend or even $1500, but picking a good OC'ing rig for <$900 is tough.

A bit off topic, but not really, to much. Is SLI a good(price-vs-performance) upgrade option for the future? Or is it better to just get 1 good card now, or to get a decent card, then add another for SLI in the future? I keep looking at SLI mobo's but I'm wondering do I really need it, or will I be perfectly happy never using it? So many choices, argh!

 

[cmdrdredd]

I will only ever use 1 video card so 16x + 16x SLI doesn't mean squat. I also have read that the MSi board DOES support 1333Mhz FSB I think it was on xtremesystems where someone tested it. Anyway I am only looking for 3.2Ghz which is 400Mhz FSB (1600 quad) and DDR2-1000 which is pretty easy. I'm really just not sure if the board supports 1T memory timings. Becides that I've found more negative reviews for asus products (user reports on forums) than the MSI board right now. Obviously because the MSI board is new and not tested as much. Like I said my overclock will be very simple and I have had 2 ASUS boards including the one in my sig and they both had various issues. I have an MSI board for my A64 system and it's been solid.

 

[troutinator]

Yeah, I'm beginning to wonder if I really need SLI. The 650i Ultra boards look good performance wise, I wish they were out with some user feedback. I'd like to see ASUS's, MSI's, and Gigabytes's boards built around the 650i. The eVGA board had a few issues, but from what I understand they would eventually be fixable via a new bios, such as the 2.2V max vDimm.

 

[cmdrdredd]

Originally posted by: troutinator
Yeah, I'm beginning to wonder if I really need SLI. The 650i Ultra boards look good performance wise, I wish they were out with some user feedback. I'd like to see ASUS's, MSI's, and Gigabytes's boards built around the 650i. The eVGA board had a few issues, but from what I understand they would eventually be fixable via a new bios, such as the 2.2V max vDimm.

Yeah...I did volt mods on my board. Memory was at 2.6v and I killed it after a bit (had cooling on the DIMMS). And my board got zapped in the process so it likes to corrupt my windows install sometimes lol. That's why I'm getting a new board. I think that the MSI's better cooling system would be welcome for me too. I like to have good cooling on my parts.

Now I'm going to be conservative. DDR2-1000 at 1T is possible or even DDR2-800 at 1T. 3.2Ghz on my CPU and I'm set. Right now I run DDR2-533 6-6-6-18 @ 1.9v and stock 2.13Ghz because it will not start any other way heh. Sometimes it runs for a week, sometimes it crashes in 5min and I have to CMOS reset and change the position of my HDD cables on the board to get windows to load.

As for the SLI option, I only have a 19" monitor (nice LCD tho) so my resolution would be limited to 1280x1024 native. Thats fine and I don't need SLI to achieve good FPS even with AA/AF. It would be a waste for me to spend tons of cash on 2 cards for this monitor.

 

[JohnDoe2]

Originally posted by: troutinator
A bit off topic, but not really, to much. Is SLI a good(price-vs-performance) upgrade option for the future? Or is it better to just get 1 good card now, or to get a decent card, then add another for SLI in the future?

Get one good card. SLI is more problems than its worth unless you need dual cards because you play at 1920x1200. Ever notice how many games have trouble with SLI?

One 8800 is already basically the same as having SLI 8600s, I think it even beats them and will use less power.

I suppose you can get two 8800s?

The other thing to consider is shader support. Remember all those people with SLI 6800s getting screwed by Shader 3.0? You think you might be able to run the card longer, but new shaders will force you to upgrade.

 

[cmdrdredd]

Originally posted by: JohnDoe2

Originally posted by: troutinator
A bit off topic, but not really, to much. Is SLI a good(price-vs-performance) upgrade option for the future? Or is it better to just get 1 good card now, or to get a decent card, then add another for SLI in the future?

Get one good card. SLI is more problems than its worth unless you need dual cards because you play at 1920x1200. Ever notice how many games have trouble with SLI?

One 8800 is already basically the same as having SLI 8600s, I think it even beats them and will use less power.

I suppose you can get two 8800s?

The other thing to consider is shader support. Remember all those people with SLI 6800s getting screwed by Shader 3.0? You think you might be able to run the card longer, but new shaders will force you to upgrade.

Plus at least for me I don't see my PC as a gaming platform anymore. There hasn't been a game in quite some time that forced me to upgrade my video for it. Not yet.

 

[troutinator]

Hmm . . . I really need thank Spanki for teaching me to take Newegg's specs with a pound of salt. I checked Gigabytes specs on the DS3, it supports 1333Mhz (atleast at rev > 2.3) which was one of the things turning me away from the DS3 (and SLI, but since I've come to my senses its not an issue).

 

[Heidfirst]

Originally posted by: troutinator
Also, I think the seller for me is now that the ASUS has a more mature bios, it overclocks like a beast.

it always did from day 1 & the latest BIOS aren't really any better than the original release imo

 

[cmdrdredd]

Originally posted by: Heidfirst

Originally posted by: troutinator
Also, I think the seller for me is now that the ASUS has a more mature bios, it overclocks like a beast.

it always did from day 1 & the latest BIOS aren't really any better than the original release imo

Yeah but for the average person...any 650i board will overclock to a good amount. For instance... take a 6400 to 3.4Ghz is no problem assuming the CPU can do it. Even with the cheapest one.

 

[troutinator]

True. Would you stop making this such a hard decision for those of us trying to pick a mobo? LOL. The way I'm beginning to see it, it really doesn't matter which mainboard you get if your not some over-clocking freak. For those of us who want a nice overclock, say cmdrdredd's stated 3.4Ghz, still a good ~60% OC!!!! So it comes down to which name do you like better, which fits your budget, and physical layout differences (as per Spanki's post), plus a few none-OC related features (RAID, # PCI slots, SB & NB benefits). Everybody pretty much agree with this?

 

[cmdrdredd]

Originally posted by: troutinator
True. Would you stop making this such a hard decision for those of us trying to pick a mobo? LOL. The way I'm beginning to see it, it really doesn't matter which mainboard you get if your not some over-clocking freak. For those of us who want a nice overclock, say cmdrdredd's stated 3.4Ghz, still a good ~60% OC!!!! So it comes down to which name do you like better, which fits your budget, and physical layout differences (as per Spanki's post), plus a few none-OC related features (RAID, # PCI slots, SB & NB benefits). Everybody pretty much agree with this?

Only thing I don't really like is how like ABIT has crummy BIOS, DFI has amazing BIOS (no 650i board tho), and Asus has like 100 releases until a good one.

So...that is something however at this point... MSI, ASUS, EVGA etc all have good BIOSes.

 

[Heidfirst]

abit will get to a good BIOS - at the moment the vast majority of people say that it's very solid at stock just that it doesn't yet overclock as well as some of the other 650is.

Atm afaik there aren't really any truely bad boards from the major players (although some may have minor quirks) & even the "less good" 965s & 650is will still do 400fsb.

 

[Edge1]

I vote for MSI:thumbsup:. SLI-FI for budget high performance and Platinum for same performance and some extras. I like the copper heatpipe.

 

[troutinator]

Yeah, I just changed from going with the ASUS P5N-E SLI to the MSI P6N SLI-FI, partially because I don't like the idea that the ASUS doesn't use all the screws to hold down the mobo (thanks Spanki for pointing that out). Of course now I need to check if the SLI-FI needs any extra cooling on the SB and NB.