New Build Need Help Thank you.

Twist86

Distinguished
Oct 10, 2008
112
0
18,690
So simply put I have $500 coming to me and its basically free money I did very little to earn it. I want to upgrade my current system and give my old setup to a long time friend who lost his PC when he got robbed. Note that everything not listed I all ready have psu/hdd etc the only thing I don't own atm is a SSD.

Currently I am looking at this.
Memory
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231180

i5 750
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115215

Cooling
Spire TherMax Eclipse II

The question is what is a good motherboard for SATA 3? When the SF-2000 / G3 comes out I plan to buy my first SSD then. Currently this peaks my attention here.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128425

My question is if I need to add a x4 card (case of flaw with SATA 3 on board) can I with the PCI x16 slot? If so will it limit the GPU from x16 to x8 or x4 slowing performance? My next GPU will be a 460 or a 6850 maybe a higher model depending on how long my 260 lasts me.

I have never needed to SLI and from what I hear its better just to get the best single GPU you can. Currently I run a GTX 260 192 core and it still maxes my games @ 1680x1050 22'' monitor.

1 question I did have on SLI/Crossfire however though, It says x16 in single and x8 x8 when using two cards on most boards, does 8x8 effect performance vs say a x16 x16 board?
Also is the current SATA3 boards actually able to hit 500mb or is it like "dx11" cards that are really not powerful enough to play DX11 like the first generation was? If it is I would need a x4 slot for a adapter to get over the limits of the south bridge correct?

Thank you very much :)


If there is a better option on any of the parts linked let me know. I will overclock the system and I use a Antec 900 case. My worry is if I get big ram the cooler will become a problem. I currently use a Xigmatek S1283 on a Q6600 so I dunno if the Spire will fit.
 
You can probably go for a motherboard like the Asrock P55 Extreme which will save you from all the hassle and confusions associated with those pci express slots on the Gigabyte motherboard.. Don't worry about SATA 6Gbps though.. Even SSD's have not been able to saturate the SATA 3Gbps bandwidth till now..

As for video card slots, the performance decrease between a 16x + 16x config and a 8x + 8x config is hardly 5%.. Having said that, I too always use and advocate a single more powerful card instead of two inferior cards..
 

Twist86

Distinguished
Oct 10, 2008
112
0
18,690
I see thanks Emperus. One thing you must remember on my SATA 3 question though is new gen are coming out next year. The SF-2000 is out in March and I want to make sure I am ready for them when they come out.

So if I was getting a SATA 3 board for a SF-2000 today and not for tomorrow would the Asrock actually work?