Need Motherboard for Dual Mode ASUS 9800 GT Graphics Cards

whistler49

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I'm looking to buy a new motherboard for a video editing workstation. My graphics cards, which I would run in dual mode, are ASUS GeForce 9800 GTs. I'd probably use a Intel Core i7-860 Quad-Core Processor. Can someone recommend a good mainboard to support these cards and this processor?
 
Solution


One can run at x16 - if you use two they will run at MAX x8. The latter means that the board can only support bandwidth up to half the full x16 speed. But that is no practical problem sense few graphics cards run faster that what is allowed by x8. You would have to spend over $300 to get a video card that runs faster than an x8 slot can handle.

Note that you have to keep separate the socket physical size - x16 - which is required for almost any PCIe graphics card. These are not x8 slots, but only run at that speed...

whistler49

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Your help is greatly appreciated. The reviews seem to say that the PCIE slots in both MBs are "too close together" and it is hard to keep two graphics cards cool. Do you have an opinion about this?
 

rockyjohn

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I prefer Gigabyte boards for overclocking and support provided and the UD – ultra durable – construction/

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gigabyte-ultra-durable,2094.html

Also note the Gigabyte ultradurable boards selected by THG in their recent $2,500 Performance and $1,300 Enthusiast Builds:

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/build-new-pc,2497.html
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/build-own-pc,2503.html

This would be an excellent for SLI or Crossfire:

GIGABYTE GA-P55M-UD4 LGA 1156 Intel P55 Micro ATX Intel Motherboard – Retail - $135
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128404

You can also get a more expensive version with that the new SATA 3.0 and USB 3.0 incorporated:

GIGABYTE GA-P55A-UD3P LGA 1156 Intel P55 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard – Retail - $160
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128417

Although note there are some limitations on how it was incorporated into the P55 design:

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/usb-3.0-performance,2490.html
 

whistler49

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wa1, it seems to me you're doing just fine with motherboards. Regarding your last suggestion, the ASUS P6T, is a little pricey, but maybe I can overcome that.

rockyjohn, thanks for your input, too. Please give me your thoughts on the following:

1. The expansion slot specs for the P55M-UD4 describe the PCIE slots as follows: "2 (@x16 or @x8, x8)." Does this mean you can run them both at x16, or only at x8? (Why would anyone want to run them at x8?)

2. The P55A-UD3P ($160) appears to have only one PCIE 2.0 slot. Also, the review says, "you lose 8x lanes of your primary PCIe graphics interface" for GIGABYTE's USB3/SATA3 implementation.
 

whistler49

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I should add that I don't understand your last post, rockyjohn. Are you saying that wa1's suggestions won't work for me?

Also, I need to remind those seeking to help me out that I want to use the computer for video editing using two GeForce 9800 GT grahics cards. So, two PCIE x16 slots and Nvidia compatibility are high priorities.
 

whistler49

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Good question, Sniper. No, I'm not planning on using SLI. I'll use one graphics card for a computer monitor, and I'll display my main Windows desktop on it. I'll use the second card in clone mode for a second computer monitor and an 86" HDTV monitor, and I'll display the extended Windows desktop on both of them.
 

whistler49

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I already own one ASUS 9800. I opened the box from Newegg last week but haven't installed it.

I bought it because I want a powerful card for cideo editing and playback and Nvidia's website ranks it high for that purpose. Is the ATI 4650 jas good? I don't want to be stupid and waste power, but I also don't want to compromise more than necessary on the graphics cards.
 

rockyjohn

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Many of the recent 9800 GTs are the low voltage version with the smaller fab. Which do you get? Also some video cards can support two monitors. What size monitors do you use and what does your 9800 GT say about supporting more than one?

Also keep in mind that nVidia's Physx can assist in video editing, depending on the software.
If you are using two monitors and have software that uses the card to assist in processing, then two cards might be the best way to go
 

whistler49

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Thanks, Rockymount. I have the high voltage 9800 GT, and it supports two monitors. As I said above, I need two cards. I use one graphics card for my main computer monitor and display my main Windows desktop on it. I use the second card, in clone mode, for my second computer monitor and an 86" HDTV monitor. I display the extended Windows desktop on the second monitor and TV.
 

rockyjohn

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One can run at x16 - if you use two they will run at MAX x8. The latter means that the board can only support bandwidth up to half the full x16 speed. But that is no practical problem sense few graphics cards run faster that what is allowed by x8. You would have to spend over $300 to get a video card that runs faster than an x8 slot can handle.

Note that you have to keep separate the socket physical size - x16 - which is required for almost any PCIe graphics card. These are not x8 slots, but only run at that speed.

Also note the "2 (@x16 or @x8, x8)" configuration is the standard spec for the P55 mobo - regardless of manufacturer. You won't find any with more bandwidth for the 1156 socket - so obviously the engineers don't figure there will be much of a problem.



Sorry, linked the wrong one - here is the UD4P with the newer SATA and USB:

GIGABYTE GA-P55A-UD4P LGA 1156 Intel P55 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard w/ USB 3.0 & SATA 6 Gb/s - Retail - $185
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128409
 
Solution

whistler49

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So, rockyjohn, if I understand you correctly, in my proposed configuration (with two ASUS 9800 GTs) and for my purposes (video editing and playback), I can do no better than PCIE 2.0 x8 for both cards? And even if I could, it would make no difference in performance?

Follow-Up Question: Some motherboards spec two "PCI Express 2.0 x16" and do NOT qualify the spec by adding that, if two video cards are used simultaneously in the slots, they will run at only x8 (e.g., GIGABYTE GA-EX58-UD3R, see http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128375). Are these motherboards of a different and higher technology? Sorry for my ignorance.