Your opinion: Best MOBO/RAM for a Q9450 proc?

[tmeltdown]

I'm building a new computer (like most people who ask questions here are doing) and cannot decide on a motherboard. There are so many options....here are my major requirements:

It's going to be a gaming machine/workstation.
Needs to support Crossfire in case i feel like getting another ATI HD4870 video card
Good onboard sound
No onboard video
Overclocking ability would be nice, but I'm not a hardcore overclocker.

Your suggestions? I have no real company preference either, although Abit/Asus/Gigabyte are my favorites.

 

[aevm]

It's between Asus P5E Deluxe X48 and Gigabyte GA-X48-DS4, IMO. Maybe aBit IX38 QuadGT. There are better but more expensive boards too, like the Rampage or DQ6.

RAM: DDR2-800 2x2GB. Corsair seems to do good work these days.

 

[aznguy0028]

i was going to recommend the GA-X48-DS4 too

 

[RetiredChief]

A 4th for Gigabyte X48-DS4, unless you Need/want the 2 Extra SATA (JMicron) channels then you would need the DQ6 version.

I very satisfied with my DQ6. I have the two SATA DVD drives on the JMicron controller, 4 HDD's (Two Pairs of Raid0) on the Intel controller, and a Removable (Tray) IDE HHD on the JMicron IDE slot.

Had to include aznguy...

 

[tmeltdown]

Hmmm good info. Thanks. Will that motherboard work with intels upcoming new chip?

 

[aevm]

What, Nehalem? Absolutely not. No motherboard in stores today will work with Nehalem - those chips are wider and use more pins.

 

[tmeltdown]

Ok cool. Wasn't expecting it to but was hoping


The more I read about that gigabye DS4 board the more I like it. Thanks for the advice guys.

 

[westieboy]

Hi there, read the above with interest as i'm starting to plan a build surrounding the Q9300. How would the asus p5k premium/wifi compare with giagbyte x48-ds4? I'm a complete noob and the array of motherboards is confusing me. I'm basically after the requirements as tmeltdown but would like onboard wifi, not fussed with overclocking either.

 

[aevm]

I wouldn't buy the P5K or any other P35-based motherboard any more. OK, maybe if the computer is not for gaming and it runs a card like 8800GT or HD3870 or less. For recent cards you should get something with PCI-E 2 slots.
You can always just buy a Wi-Fi card (PCI for example).

What's your budget? Will you play games on the PC?

 

[peter_peter]

I own an evga 780i - absolutely love it. No problems - STABLE- OC q9450 to 3.2 on air - using corsair (2g x2) - gtx 260.

 

[peter_peter]

OH, HERE IS MY SETUP

Vist64 | EVGA 680i | Intel Core 2 Quad Q9450 @ 3.2 | XFX GTX260 | (2x2GB) 4GB Corsair XMS DDR2/800 | WD Caviar SE16 SATA 3GB/S | ZALMAN CNPS9700 | Antec Neo PS | ANTEC P182 GunMetal | Samsung 22" G2G 2MS

 

[tmeltdown]

Well budget is somewhat midline.

Here's what I bought:
ARCTIC COOLING Freezer 7 Pro 92mm CPU Cooler - Retail - $26.99

Intel Core 2 Quad Q9450 Yorkfield 2.66GHz LGA 775 95W Quad-Core Processor Model BX80569Q9450 - Retail - $329.99

OCZ Platinum 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model OCZ2P10664GK - Retail - $109.99

Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate SP1 English NA DVD - Retail - $277.49

Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeGamer 7.1 Channels PCI Interface Sound Card - Retail - $90.99

SAPPHIRE 100243L Radeon HD 4870 512MB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire - $284.99

GIGABYTE GA-X48-DS4 LGA 775 Intel X48 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail - $224.99

Subtotal $1,345.43

Still time to change order if somone notices something totally F'ed.
I feel it's a pretty sweet setup though.

 

[peter_peter]

That system is pretty sweet. :->

 

[Bighairyman]

Rampage

 

[fatty35]

nice setup, swap the cooler for a Zalman CNPS9700 if you want to overclock sometime in the future & also get some arctic silver thermal paste.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835118019

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835100007

 

[peter_peter]

I'm using zalman too - keeps it cool - but not as cool as i want... It might just be the cpu itself.