Best Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 Overclocking Motherboards?

[ElMoIsEviL]

Just curious as to what motherboards would be best to OC an E6600 past 3GHz. It will be cooled by a 226W TEC and DYI Watercooling system.

System will not have SLI or ever have SLI therefore SLI boards are not what I'm looking for. If they happen to OC the best then so be it.

Specs (already bought):
Intel Core 2 Duo E6600
Sparkle Calibre P880 GeForce 8800GTS 640MB (Quiet TEC Air cooling)
4x1GB OCZ PC-6400 Rev2 DDR2 memory.
Creative SB X-Fi Fatal1ty
Pioneer DVD+/- 16x Burner
OCZ GameXstream 700W PSU

I want a board that will easily do 400MHz FSB. I tried my ol' P5W-DH but she's not wanting to push anything above 389MHz (it's the board not the CPU or so it seems because if I cool the NB I can get to 400MHz but it gets noisy).

So I need a board doesn't matter the chipset but the best board to OC this little sucka without additional NB/SB cooling.

NB = NorthBridge
SB= SouthBridge

 

[ElMoIsEviL]

BUMP,

I've heard of a Gigabyte GA-965P-DS3, will this do the job? Or should I look elsewhere.

This system is a dead end, no need for anything forward looking. It'll be used for the simple task of converting Youtube Videos from MPG to WMV, that and possibly some gaming when the main rig is down for repairs.

 

[ElMoIsEviL]

BUMP

 

[scifiguy]

The DS3 is a good board that should provide you with the needed "NADS" to get you your 400. Have one, nice board, good OC with an E6420 @ now 3.4 on air and DYI water cooling system. Picked it up on sale at the "egg" for a buck nineteen (119). Good luck with yours.

 

[ElMoIsEviL]

The DS3 is a good board that should provide you with the needed "NADS" to get you your 400. Have one, nice board, good OC with an E6420 @ now 3.4 on air and DYI water cooling system. Picked it up on sale at the "egg" for a buck nineteen (119). Good luck with yours.

Allright... I'll take that board into consideration. But did you have to add any additional cooling to the NB/SB?

 

[3Ball]

I have my AB9 Pro @ 400mhz as we speak and it is stable for 24+ hours and I can take it further, but my CPU just wont do it and I have reached my highest voltage I will use on air cooling. I have built with the DS3 as well and it seems to have more overall overclocking options and can hit similar heights but both are good. If you are curious the NB voltage max on the AB9 Pro is 1.45v. Other than those two, I believe the best option may be a 680i chipset. Hope this helps!

Best,

3Ball

 

[ElMoIsEviL]

Thanks man... I'll look into the DS3. I just want something stable and reliable at overclocked speeds. Seems hard to find decent boards these days.

 

[systemlord]

The Asus P5B Deluxe is an awesome overclocker! Mine hit 535 FSB but without water cooling I can't even go there. "The P5B Is known to be the mainboard that has managed to be the highest FSB overclocker of all the Intel boards." I could have gone up to 4GHz but the temps were to high. Theres also the succeser to the P5B, the P35 which is 45nm ready.

 

[rushfan]

Thanks man... I'll look into the DS3. I just want something stable and reliable at overclocked speeds. Seems hard to find decent boards these days.

Here's another vote for the DS3. Got my E6400 running @ 426 MHz FSB with just a tiny bump in voltage (1.32 >>1.36v) to the CPU. All other voltages at stock. Best motherboard I have ever owned.

 

[scifiguy]

NB and SB chips both run on the upper edge of tolerable (55C, south bridge not so much) with the addition of a 120 MM side fan blowing directly onto the MB. I have a Highly modified CoolerMaster Praetorian. I installed the one side fan and 2 80MM fans on the top. Case temps very rarely go over 35C with a room temp of 24c. 1950Pro under fulload for 2 hours on water cooling never gets above 52, CPU with Orthos or Intel Tat for 2 hours never went above 50. Thinking of trying a TEC with water cooling on the CPU and then run it up a little higher in clock and voltage. If it blows, then that will give me an excellant excuse to get a Q6600 in JUly.

 

[turpit]

Thanks man... I'll look into the DS3. I just want something stable and reliable at overclocked speeds. Seems hard to find decent boards these days.

systemlord mentioned the P5B. Ive seen a lot of stuff around the web about that board being a very successful overclocker

 

[ElMoIsEviL]

Thanks man... I'll look into the DS3. I just want something stable and reliable at overclocked speeds. Seems hard to find decent boards these days.

systemlord mentioned the P5B. Ive seen a lot of stuff around the web about that board being a very successful overclocker

Hmm... well I guess I could buy both and then keep the one that OC's the best and return the other one.

Sounds like a plan to me. (I'm this stores best customer so it's not a problem).

 

[3Ball]

If you can do that then its probably a pretty good idea...never thought of that one! lol

Best,

3Ball

 

[nevesis]

I'd almost be willing to bet the asus p5b will OC marginally better, however the systems that I have built with the DS3 seem to significantly faster.

 

[ElMoIsEviL]

Well guys... I was talked into getting a VERY different board by the guys over at Xtremesystems.

I'll be getting the Gigabyte GA-P35-DQ6 motherboard. It's like twice the price but apparently I can get near or beyond 500MHz FSB with ease.

Do you guys know of any reason why I shouldn't think about getting this particular board? Or should I get all three and see which one wins?

 

[monst0r]

well i just got my p35-ds3r and im very happy w/ it. i got my fsb to 400 with my 667 ram @ 1.9v and my 6300 undervolted (@ 1.2v!). the p35 chipset is definitely the way to go. good luck.

 

[IcY18]

I just read the thread today and i was just about to shout get a P35 board. Seems like you've got the recommendation from XS which is good. The P35 chipset is already looking fairly mature even in this early stage. While the P35-DQ6 will overclock very well, the Asus P5k Deluxe or Gigabyte P35-DS3R will do just as well while costing less.

The main reason for recommending these boards is for future compatibility with intel's 45nm processor's and with more and more bios updates these boards are performing better than P965 chipsets.

So to me it's really a toss up between the Asus P5K Deluxe, Gigabyte P35-DS3R and P35-DQ6.

All of them will only require some airflow in your case.

 

[jackluo923]

I think you should buy all three and see which wins. But i don't think it's an ethical way of getting the best product, but it depends on you.

Good lucky finding the best board.

 

[systemlord]

Well guys... I was talked into getting a VERY different board by the guys over at Xtremesystems.

I'll be getting the Gigabyte GA-P35-DQ6 motherboard. It's like twice the price but apparently I can get near or beyond 500MHz FSB with ease.

Do you guys know of any reason why I shoulqdn't think about getting this particular board? Or should I get all three and see which one wins?

Don't you want a motherboard thats 45nm ready so you can run the new yet to be released Intel processers? P35 is the way to go now, wish I had. I saw a review at Anandtech where they reached 540 FSB. You'll soon fine out that unless you have a very good water cooling system you won't see yourself hitting more than 3.8Ghz as at that FSB heat becomes a "big" issue. I have one of the best air coolers and I can't reach 3.8Ghz without heat issues.

 

[ElMoIsEviL]

Well guys... I was talked into getting a VERY different board by the guys over at Xtremesystems.

I'll be getting the Gigabyte GA-P35-DQ6 motherboard. It's like twice the price but apparently I can get near or beyond 500MHz FSB with ease.

Do you guys know of any reason why I shoulqdn't think about getting this particular board? Or should I get all three and see which one wins?

Don't you want a motherboard thats 45nm ready so you can run the new yet to be released Intel processers? P35 is the way to go now, wish I had. I saw a review at Anandtech where they reached 540 FSB. You'll soon fine out that unless you have a very good water cooling system you won't see yourself hitting more than 3.8Ghz as at that FSB heat becomes a "big" issue. I have one of the best air coolers and I can't reach 3.8Ghz without heat issues.

Yeah it'll be cooled by a DYI TEC Waterchilling setup. So should idle bellow freezing and load at about 15C.

 

[systemlord]

Well guys... I was talked into getting a VERY different board by the guys over at Xtremesystems.

I'll be getting the Gigabyte GA-P35-DQ6 motherboard. It's like twice the price but apparently I can get near or beyond 500MHz FSB with ease.

Do you guys know of any reason why I shoulqdn't think about getting this particular board? Or should I get all three and see which one wins?

Don't you want a motherboard thats 45nm ready so you can run the new yet to be released Intel processers? P35 is the way to go now, wish I had. I saw a review at Anandtech where they reached 540 FSB. You'll soon fine out that unless you have a very good water cooling system you won't see yourself hitting more than 3.8Ghz as at that FSB heat becomes a "big" issue. I have one of the best air coolers and I can't reach 3.8Ghz without heat issues.

Yeah it'll be cooled by a DYI TEC Waterchilling setup. So should idle bellow freezing and load at about 15C.

What do those go for, I'm thinking about going WC.

 

[ElMoIsEviL]

I have an older model...
CLICK ME!

The blocks themselves are over $130CDN. You then need a special power supply and all the DYI watercooling parts (like a pump, reservoir and Radiator).