EVGA 680i Get it, or cheaper/comparable alternative?

teemo_smb

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Mar 22, 2007
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I'm thinking of building a gaming system. I'd like to know if I really need the 680i which runs around $250. Or is there a motherboard for Xeon 3060/E6600 which is just as good? Some overclocking and with the future in mind. Thanks.
 

jeff_2087

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Feb 18, 2007
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The Gigabyte 965P DS3 is half the price and overclocks just as high. Doesn't have as many fancy overclocking features, but they're similar in terms of max FSB. Also it can't do SLi.
 

teemo_smb

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Mar 22, 2007
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Eek, I gotta keep the SLI ability. May save me having to buy another computer in 2-3 years. Well, that's what I thought my last one would do... then came along PCI Express heh.
 

jnguyen4007

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I just installed my eVGA 680i mobo last night. I like the motherboard layout, I can't stand the manual. Another weird thing I encountered was that I hooked up two hard drives to where the manual said SATA 1 and 2 located at. When I went into the BIOS, it showed the drives hooked up to SATA 4 and 5. Very strange. I will install XP tonight and install VISTA this weekend as a dual boot.
 

Howard_Stern

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I have the EVGA 680 SLi and it pwns. I would highly recommend it. I'm running two BFG 8800 GTX, insane performance.

Great OC features too.

Regards,
Howard
 

Jest_of_EVE

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When I went into the BIOS, it showed the drives hooked up to SATA 4 and 5.

Same thing happened to me, it's a typo in the manual.

Plug them into the two slots on the side of the MB.

GL with the board, hope you don't have any issues like the ones on the EVGA forum...pretty nasty. :(

Jest
 

jnguyen4007

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This is supposedly the latest revision board with most if not all of the bugs that were encountered in the original release been taking care of. Hopefully I won't encounter too many gremlins with it. I will install xp either tonight or tomorrow.
 

zenmaster

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Set a budget and spec out a full system, not a single part such as mobo.
Forget about "future proofing" your system too much.
It's not really possible. It will be money less than well spent in most cases.

When it's time to upgrade, sell your old system and start new again.

IMHO, unless you plan on implementing SLI immediately or in the very near future with the 8800GTX cards, do with the 965 and put the $100-$150 into other parts to improve your system.
 

hashbrown

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I'm going to say that SLI is not going to future proof your system. Whats going to future proof your system is going with a single slot PCIe, buying a really kick A card that will last as long as possible, then when a new generation/version comes out that kicks its ass, buy that one, instead of having to search for a second for a pair a year or two after you initially buy. Only go with SLI if you're going to SLI right away. Other wise, I'd say that the Gigabyate P965 S3 or DS3 is your best bet. The S3 costing you only $100 will leave you that extra $150+ for an even more kick ass card or more memory. Plus, the only way you will really see any benefit from SLI is if you have a monitor running at like 1600x1200 or higher.