im building a new i7 gaming rig and the only item i cant decide on is my mobo. ive done quite a bit of looking around, and from what ive read so far, it seems like asus, gigabyte, evga, and even the new foxconn bloodrage all have their followings and none seem to really stand out from the rest. in fact, it seems like the only threads that really get more than just loyal asus (or fill in the brand) preachers are the ones that are responding to specific systems and needs. so this is my attempt to get some help with mine and what might work the best for me.
as a starting point, here's what i have so far (note that the evga mobo is just a place holder):
http://secure.newegg.com/WishL...WishListNumber=9147851
first off, yes i realize that i could get a better gaming pc right now by going with a C2Duo and using the extra cash on more GPU power, so please no posts suggesting that.
basically, what i want from this rig is to have plenty of capability now, but in the future be able to add on and overclock easily, and have a high end pc for a few years to come, at least until the sandy bridge comes out.
it shoudl be noted that while i do enjoy FPS' casually (ie CoD, cysis), the bulk of my gaming is MMO type stuff (no WOW flamers either plz, never played that never will ). the reason i point out the online aspect, is that i was almost sold on the EVGA, but then saw a roundup of the four major original x58's somewhere, and the EVGA scored terribly compared to the others in NIC performance.
this is my first build, so im looking forward to working out the usual problems a builder faces as a learning experience, but the last thing i want is to be in way over my head and be at a total loss.
what i think is most important is probably:
1. quality/performance (geared toward an online gamer)
2. overclocking/expansion capability (threeway sli and an extra .05% OC ability over the competition are not all that important however)
3. support (i know; evga on this one)
oh it shoudl also be noted that i will be purchasing this in a few weeks, so waiting for the new EVGA Classified to be released is an option. i would however like to keep the cost of the mobo between 300-400 unless an extra few bucks sets this system apart from the pack.
feedback would be greatly appreciated. whatcha guys think?
as a subnote, the memory i picked -- OCZ Platinum 1333 -- seemed to be a nice balance of speed, latency, and quality/cost, but the one thing that is somewhat concerning to me, is that its standard 1.65V. should this be something i should be concerned about?
as a starting point, here's what i have so far (note that the evga mobo is just a place holder):
http://secure.newegg.com/WishL...WishListNumber=9147851
first off, yes i realize that i could get a better gaming pc right now by going with a C2Duo and using the extra cash on more GPU power, so please no posts suggesting that.
basically, what i want from this rig is to have plenty of capability now, but in the future be able to add on and overclock easily, and have a high end pc for a few years to come, at least until the sandy bridge comes out.
it shoudl be noted that while i do enjoy FPS' casually (ie CoD, cysis), the bulk of my gaming is MMO type stuff (no WOW flamers either plz, never played that never will ). the reason i point out the online aspect, is that i was almost sold on the EVGA, but then saw a roundup of the four major original x58's somewhere, and the EVGA scored terribly compared to the others in NIC performance.
this is my first build, so im looking forward to working out the usual problems a builder faces as a learning experience, but the last thing i want is to be in way over my head and be at a total loss.
what i think is most important is probably:
1. quality/performance (geared toward an online gamer)
2. overclocking/expansion capability (threeway sli and an extra .05% OC ability over the competition are not all that important however)
3. support (i know; evga on this one)
oh it shoudl also be noted that i will be purchasing this in a few weeks, so waiting for the new EVGA Classified to be released is an option. i would however like to keep the cost of the mobo between 300-400 unless an extra few bucks sets this system apart from the pack.
feedback would be greatly appreciated. whatcha guys think?
as a subnote, the memory i picked -- OCZ Platinum 1333 -- seemed to be a nice balance of speed, latency, and quality/cost, but the one thing that is somewhat concerning to me, is that its standard 1.65V. should this be something i should be concerned about?