Need help decieding on CPU and motherboard

I'm going to replace my Phenom system not because of the CPU but becuase my motherboard dose not let me run my memory in Dual Channel. The motherboard has to support DDR2 memory but it can support DDR3 memory down the road. But I want a crossfire motherboard as I'll swap the pair of Radeon 4870's into that board.

I was thinking of going all Intel with thinking of getting a Quad at the end of the year. I was thinking a P45 motherboard with a E8500 or E8400. I'm not going to take the E8400 out of my other system as it is for a lan party computer. I would love 45nm.

oh by the way I don't think I want foxconn or MSI.

your motherboard will allow dual channel memory, it probably lies in the Memory itself (u may have 2 slightly different types of memory, or u have all slots taken up by different sized memory sticks).

as for an intel system, too be honest with u, it might be best to keep ur AMD mobo, replace the ram with 2x2gb 800mhz RAM, and get urself a Phenom 2 (aslong as ur mobo allows for Phenom 2 in the Bios update).

if this is not what u want and a P45 mobo is what u r looking for, then an Asus board (P5Q-pro) is prob the best recommendation, if not then a Gigabyte board.

as for Intels quads, u can get the Q6600 for roughly £30 more than a dual core penryn (45nm).

for another quad, the Q9550 (penryn 45nm) is only another £50 aboe the Q6600.

good luck

here is my motherboard it's the Foxconn A7DA 790GX. I have only one type of ram and 2GB 2x1GB sticks from G. Skill. They don't say on the ram them selves that they support Dual-Chanel but when I try to put a stick in slot 3 it is difficult to get the ram to set. I have to apply a bit of a force. More than usual. Once it is in there the computer never postes and keeps restarting. But when I put it in Slot 3 the system boots up with out restarting but no post screen. That is Why I'm thinking of a new motherboard and I'm thinking of going Intel LGA 775 and grap a Core 2 Duo E8400 or the E8500 with the EO stepping and later this year. Like after Intel releases their 32nm chips to pick up a quad then.

I just think I receved a fualty board when I swtch from Asus MPV-Delux SB600 to this one but did not notice till now.

I'm looking at spending about $300 for the motherboard and CPU.

thanks. Like I said at the yend of 2009 I'll get an Intel Core 2 Quad. Right now I'll have to work for some money so maybe by the time I get to it it'll be a little cheaper. How do I know if I get an EO stepping CPU? I plan on overclocking the CPU to 4GHz.

You dont really get any real performnace gain from running the ram in dual channel anyways. I would not go out and spend money on a new board/system just to the ram can be run in dual channel.

I don't know what Phenom you have, but a lot of people had problems overclocking the Phenom. Also, if you have an SB600 verses the SB750, that will also limit your overclocking. You already have a good chipset and it supports the Phenom II (providing Foxconn has already come out with the BIOS update).