I'm trying to put together a new dual socket LGA 1366 based workstation and I can't seem to find the right motherboard.
I'm looking for something with the Intel 5520 and dual LGA 1366 sockets, 2 PCIe x16 slots, 1 32-bit PCI slot and dual gig-e (if possible). I only need 3 DIMM slots per socket.
I can find this, but only in extended ATX (SuperMicro X8DAi-O) but I'd rather stick with ATX (or something that can fit in a standard ATX case). It seems that most of the ATX motherboards are using the 5500 and not the 5520, and even the onces that do, they don't tend to have 2 x16 PCIe slots.
1. You are going to be hard pressed to find a quality server board with what you want. Manily the ATX limitation as most of the true server boards are EATX.
I'm using this system for a linux based computer vision software development project. The second PCIe x16 slot is for a non-graphics card. I was hoping to avoid an EATX motherboard so I could save space but I'd given up on that requirement.
Budget wise I'm willing to spend what it is needed to get on the knee of the price/performance curve without wasting money.
The above is about $2K from newegg, I'm going to recycle the case, graphics card and 4 disks for scratch storage. I'm not sure if I should go with a slightly larger (and maybe a bit more efficient) power supply but the Corsair seemed reasonable.
I wish the X8DAi-O had a parallel ATA interface for a DVD drive, because the 2 SSDs and 4 disks will take up the available SATA slots. Why they waste pins on a floppy interface and not a parallel ATA I'll never understand...
^Don't get that cooler. It's a 60mm fan and will probably not be able to cool a Nehalem with out sounding like a jet engine. Get this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6835119116 $24 (Out of stock right now).
Unless size is a problem, go with any of these (or like you said, if your current case has space go with it). I tend to lean to the 2nd ABS case linked above, as one of my friends use it with a smiler set up as yours (except it's a 2P Core not a Nehalem)
As for not having enough PATA ports, you could get an ad on card for PATA for less than $80.
Any specific reason for the SSDs? You could get 2x the storage for less if going with 2x VelociRaptors in RAID.
CPU,motherboard looks good. PSU is good quality, but read the below.
The Dynatron G666 is designed for use with the 80W Xeons but mostly for rack mount where you don't care so much about the jet engine. Noctura has a new pair of coolers for 1366 Xeons but they haven't hit newegg yet (NH-U12DX 1366 or NH-U9XDX 1366).
I have an old lian-li midtower I'm going to recycle that is extra deep for EATX motherboards. Not sure why they don't still sell it.
I picked the Corsair 750TX based on a 'review' for the motherboard on Newegg. Good catch! The Corsair only has 1 EPS/ATX12V connector and the motherboard requires 2. I wonder if there is a supply at a similar price point (maybe lower power then the PPCS910) with modular cables, because I don't need most of the cables and they will surely get in the way.