Best Motherboard for Core 2 duo E6600

[Onit]

Yo guys im new to the Forum and hoping you guys can help me make a good choice...

Im looking for a motherboard that can do SLI, and that you can also adjust the CPU multiplier for overclocking. I wanted to got with the Asus P5B deluxe but there's no support for SLI .. Also my GPU is going to be a single BFG 7950 GX2 for now and want to add a second in the Future.. Cost is no issue just want a stable motherboard were the CPU multiplier is unlocked up and down hopefully, and is ready for quad SLI... 2-- BFG 7950 GX2 cards.

let me know if i need to add any other info that would help...

 

[Doughbuy]

Asus P5N32-SLI... kinda limited choices though, might want to wait for new nForce mobo's to come out... if you can wait... but the P5N32-SLI works decently enough.

Edit: Just read your multiplier statement, no SLI mobo's I know can unlock the multiplier unless you get the X6800... Tough out of luck here.

 

[Onit]

thanks for the Reply maybe the Nforce 590 for Core 2 Duo will have the Multipliers Unlocked... i hope so hard to get the most out of a CPU if you cant change it..

 

[neocristi]

you CAN'T have unlocked CPU upwards. The ONLY way to have that is to buy an extreme edition CPU that is not really worth the money.

 

[Doughbuy]

Yeah, the P5B only unlocks the multiplier between 6-12? I think, depending on what processor you have, but you can't go to a higher multiplier if the processor doesn't support it...

 

[will14]

It's a matter of the processor is locked.
There is no way to "hack" this.
Doesn't matter what the motherboard allows.

 

[l1zard]

It's a matter of the processor is locked.
There is no way to "hack" this.
Doesn't matter what the motherboard allows.

How is this possible when as far as i know C2D E6600 is locked and it is still O/C?

 

[rwaritsdario]

C2D + SLI + great overclocking = I doesnt exist yet... (maybe even wont).

What you should think of is if you will really need QUAD SLI??
Unless youre running at resolutions higher than 16x12 a SINGLE 7950GX2 is overkill. Check out the VGA charts in tomshardware and youll fully undersand what im saying.
Also if youll have another $550 for a video card in say 6 months, it is very likely that DX10 cards will be here and youll simply swap your 7950GX2 for one of them.

The P5B Deluxe has unlocked the multipliers and offer "future-proofability". Look up a review on Anandtech for more info.

 

[ngr2001]

p5w dh deluxe and conroe 6600 9 x multiplier run it at 333 x 9 and get 3ghz easy without even stressing it.

 

[MagicPants]

I wouldn't trust a 7950 GX2 to work right on a 975 or 965 based system. You really need to go with some sort of nforce system. It may be single slot but it's still SLI and needs a mobo that can support that. I have yet to hear a single report of a 7950 GX2 working in mutli-gpu mode on a 975 or 965 mobo.

It'll work in multi-monitor mode just fine on those boards, but that'll be slower for games than a 7900GTX.

 

[ngr2001]

i dont think SLI is really worth it few games really run that much better with it, save the 400 bucks and just wait for better graphic cards to come out, or buy more ram or faster ram and overclock your cpu to the max.

 

[MagicPants]

A single 7950GX2 works in any PCIe 16x motherboard under SLI mode with latest ForceWare without special work.

http://www.nvidia.com/content/geforce_gx2_sbios/us.asp why did nvidia put up this list then?

In more detail the mobo bios needs to support PCI-E switiching which 965 and 975 can do, BUT only if it's activated in the bios. Most 975 and 965 mobos don't have this. Most nforce do.

You can run a 7950gx2 on any mobo like you said, but it'll be at half speed.