680 or p35??? performance difference unclear

[sdk1985]

I want to buy a new system with an e6750 (2 gb ram for now, 8800GTS 640mb) planning on using the NZXT Zero case with 8 fans+the Zalman 9700S (NT/not NT).

The biggest problem is: is 680 slower then p35 and then how much since I pay more for 680...

Demands:
Future usage of 3 to 4 hd's. Starting with 2x 320 GB in raid setting)
Connection for 1 DVD drive+ 1 DVD burner
Overclockable: I want to be able to at least overclock a little since I have tons of cooling.

But I can't figure out wich mobo to buy:S. Almost all components I selected but this is hard(!).

The first thing that comes in mind is the asus nforce 680 chipset: P5N32-E
It has required 6 sata connections . For now I am using only 1 3dcard; an nvidia (so crossfire is no value added). Maybe in one year SLI would allow me to buy +80% performance for 100 euro. (My current 3d card 6800GT is now available for 68 euro, 200 lower then what I paid for it+cheaper then a new card that is 80% faster). Also EPP memory is nice since i don't know a lot about voltages.

My opinion for now:
+sli
+heatpipe
+500 mhz FSB according to review
+8 fan connectors
+That EPP ready memory for easy overclocking
-price
+/- performance???

The second is the intel p35 chipset, I think the gigabyte p35C-DC3R would be best here, it includes ddr3 (not really usefull comming 2 years though), should be as fast as the nforce, a LOT cheaper (140 euro vs 190). Little heatsink on northbridge though...
+ddr3 ready
+overclock was called good for cheap mobo (460 mhz)
+cheap
-hot northbridge
+/- performance???

What I can't figgure out: which is faster??? I have no where seen a comparison between these 2 chipsets or p35 vs 680 (only 680 vs older intel chipsets). I saw that the p532-e PLUS was a goof performer relative to other 650 chipsets but I want the full 680 instead of a frankenstein board (prefer normal drivers, less risk of bad bios I hope).

Can anyone give his opinion???

 

[V lyx]

If you are overclocking and don't plan on SLI then get the p35 board if you want SLI and plan/not planning to o/c then get the 680. When you say faster you mean fps? If so then the differance is like 1-3fps.

 

[sdk1985]

So 680 overclocks worse then p35? Hmm what p35 board would you suggest then (since this this gigabyte overclocks worse then the asus 680)

 

[jeb1517]

If you want SLi get the 680, if you don't want SLi get the P35. They will both OC just fine and when you ask which one is faster, it's a little confusing. You're putting the same processor, memory and vid card in both motherboards so they're both going to be almost equally fast, IMO, you're not going to notice a difference.

 

[erloas]

There are a number of benchmarks around showing comparisions between the P35s and the older chipsets, 680s, 650s and 965s. I'll let you find the links, but they are out there.

For the most part it seemed like the P35s did better, but it depends on which benchmarks and it was usually not by any amount worth actually worrying about. And a 500MHz FSB overclock is not a minor overclock. Every review I've read about the majority of the P35s they where able to hit the maximum that their processor supported and it was the processor capping the FSB speeds and not the boards themselves.

As for the size of the heatsink on the northbridge, that doesn't mean the northbridge will run hotter though, it could very well just mean that the northbridge is designed better so it generates less heat in the first place.

http://www.tomshardware.com/2007/08/01/taking_the_e6750_beyond_4ghz/ On the main page of the site you are on even has 4 different P35 motherboards that were able to go over 500 MHz FSB (most tied at 520)

 

[sdk1985]

@erloas
I did found comparison between older 965 and 680 also I found a 650 showing up in a p35 article however the article stated: check the 650 review for 680 performance. But it's hard to translate the distance the 680 has on the 650 to the distance the p35 has (or not) on the 680...

I'm still not sure about the sli:S though I would like to keep the option open if there are no huge drawbacks.

 

[bydesign]

At this point P35 unless you have to have SLI which is not going to give +80% most cases it will be less.

As for which board avoid those with DDR2 and DDR3 the will not be the best performers. Search reviews and make your choice