Need some help

[Hydrow]

I want a MOBO...

I don't want SLI just a good motherboard that can use my DDR2 800 4GB RAM
my wolfdale 45nm E8400 CPU and has PCIe 2.0 for my video card, prefer no audio
an must NOT have on board video

also would like RAID 0,1, 5 options

Any Ideas?

[nyke]

Well I always go with EVGA or XFX mobo's they are just so durable. I suggest a 780i SLI Edition. If you want to upgrade you can go with the DDR3 version 790i or if you want to use a intel chipset (there new X58 which is bad ass) you can get teh EVGA X58 mobo that has 6 DDR3 Slots and 3 way SLI and Onboard Hi-def audio. pretty much all mobo's will have onboard audio now adays.

[OBM]

All of these boards are about the same quality wise with your specific needs, just about every board will have onboard sound and video but they are turned off or can be turned off in the bios.

MSI - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130180

Asus - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131295

Gigabyte - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128359

Asus - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131295

[Hydrow]

Thanks!

Just found the new i7 chip from Intel and see that its a 45nm, could i use my E8400 in an i7 motherboard so when/if i decide to upgrade i can just swap CPUs?

PS I'm looking at the EVGA X58

[nyke]

Thanks!

Just found the new i7 chip from Intel and see that its a 45nm, could i use my E8400 in an i7 motherboard so when/if i decide to upgrade i can just swap CPUs?

PS I'm looking at the EVGA X58

should be able to

[Johnny Five]

I don't want to give bad information, but I could not find any articles that stated you can use old quad/duo cpus in an i7 board. It's a completely different chipset, the entire information flow is changed. I doubt your E8400 will work with a new i7 board.

Also, don't buy a mobo with integrated software RAID (as almost all boards are). It's a very bad idea. I'm sure some people on here have had good luck with it, but it's unreliable as a whole and slow. Read tomshardware if you want to see why. You're better off just using a fast SATA drive.

Almost all boards have PCIe2.0 support, as well as integrated audio (which can be turned off in the BIOS), so don't worry about those. I don't have any advice on which specific board to get, but I hope this helps somewhat.

[marcothy]

If I were building myself a computer, or someone else who had the same requirements you mentioned, the motherboard I would go with would be this:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128359

Gigabyte is one of the top MB makers. And I would avoid ASUS like the plague. Asus has known circuitry issues on their boards and they still have some items in circulation.

I've seen 2 of their top boards go DOA, and I can say of 2 retailers that aren't carrying ASUS right now because of too many RMA's.

DDR2 800 is a lowend spec memory clock, so you shouldn't have any real issue for it clocking down. But check the MB manufacturer to make sure your memory is supported.

[Alair]

gigabyte is made of win with a side of awesome sauce. the one and only asus i bought had some bullshit USB sound "card" that sounded like a can of smashed assholes

edit actually....that's my mobo and it works beautifully. overclocked my q6600 to 3.4 on air, chipset doesn't overheat, it's glorious

[Eurus]

I think EVGA is strong now. Their products are solid and customer service is top notch. You can get a solid board that will support your E8400 for under 200 bucks and still be able to OC your processor like a beast.

As far as your E8400 working with the new X58 mobo's I don't think it will. New architecture and they had to launch new mobo's in order to support the i7. Another thing about this mobo is you'll have to upgrade to DDR3 memory if you don't have it yet and these new boards have a tri memory setup so you'll be looking at minimum $150 just for the ram upgrade.

[marcothy]

Stay away from new chipsets when they are released, unless you enjoy bleeding for the manufacturer.

For example, x35 is a very solid platform. x38 supposed to be much better....

Wrong. They all go through the growth cycle of being immature at first (in other words, shitty) and then progressing to being mature (in other words, they work).

As for DDR3, unless you enjoy paying a premium for not much in return, then go for DDR3. The stock available on them is low, the price is high, the support and availability on Motherboards are limited.

DDR2 is very much as efficient for now, more available, and supported in a broader range of motherboards.

I work in development, and I am stuck here at the office on a Friday night because of people who enjoy being on the latest and greatest also enjoy finding all the bugs...and if you happen to be the first, that bug tends to be nastier, and has teeth.