Search
Sign in with
Sign up | Sign in

Cheapest crossfire motherboard

Last response: in Graphics & Displays
Share
Register or log in to remove
Related ressources
Ask the community
Graphics card Master
Motherboard Expert

Although their is little performance loss with going with a x4 slot I would strongly reccomend you go with a at least a x8 if your going to crossfire.

The cheapest x8 mobo is around $80.If you don't have the money now I suggest you save up and do it right.Not worth spending your money on a low end mobo just to crossfire.
Graphics card Expert

hey... I think you should be aware that there was a new article on toms pretty much recommending against any Amd 6800 series card being crossfired due to the problem of micro-stuttering. I built my computer with crossfire in mind with a 6850 and now I don't know what to do... so just buy the best single card you can.
Graphics card Master
Motherboard Expert

A 720 will not bottleneck a 6870.

I wouldn't reccomend getting a Foxconn mobo.Spending the extra money for a qaulity board from Gigabyte,Asus or MSI is well worth the money.
Graphics card Master
Motherboard Expert

Are you looking for a new mobo or a crossfire mobo because that Biostar you linked isn't even crossfire capable.

Do you have the 2nd 6850 or are you just trying to get a mobo in advance?

When looking for a mobo don't just look at it for one feature.For instance don't go for a 7xx series mobo just because it's cheaper.Their's no upgrade path with the 7xx series.Get a 8xx series or a 9xx series so that way you can upgrade to a Bulldozer chip when you have the money.Or at least have the ability to in the future.

What i'm trying to say is if you buy a crappy $50 mobo you get what you pay for.Don't be surprised if in a couple months you feel like you wasted your money.

no, am gonna go for single HD 6870 and single pci-E mobo for $50 maximum $60 ;) 
whats you recommendations ? should i get the biostar i linked before ? of the faxonn, or which one ?
Graphics card Master
Motherboard Expert

I wouldn't get either.The Biostar has the most features but it just isn't logical to go with that type of mobo but it's your money.

So why are you looking for a mobo if your just getting a single 6870?





Graphics card Master
Motherboard Authority

For a new AMD build, you want socket AM3+ with a 900-series chipset to support a potential Bulldozer upgrade; otherwise you're buying a dead-end. The cheapest one I'd get is this Asus: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168... but if you want to be able to Crossfire (or SLI), another $5 gets this one: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168... which offers a pair of x8 PCIE slots.
Graphics card Master
Motherboard Expert

I would go with the Asus model even if it's a x4 slot.The quality of componets and heatsinks compared to the ASRock mobo make it worth it to loose the extra bandwith and sometimes it isn't even noticeable.
Graphics card Master
Motherboard Authority

Every now and then, HardwareSecrets has reviewed an ASRock board. One consistency I've noted is they point out that ASRock uses superior components, such as solid caps and ferrite chokes. It's a tiny sample, but none of the few ASRock boards I've bought over the last few years have had any problems.

i don't need usp3 or xsata3 or any thing fancy, i just need a mobo that can handle my hd 6870 and my phenom ii
and stay alive , easy to install and run with a decent quality ;)  for a budget gaming pc
i mean .. let say that i have $300 for a mobo and a graphic card, am gonna get $250 graphic card and $50 mobo
because the card are more important than the mobo "its a budget gaming pc" so that what am doing

any recommends ?
Graphics card Master
Motherboard Expert

If you have a $300 budget then your fine.The 6870 is $180 so that leaves you $120 to spend on a mobo.

Out of the ones you've chosen I would say eith ther ASRock or Asus mobo is the better.
Graphics card Master
Motherboard Authority

If you are limiting your choice to that last search, the Asus, because it has socket AM3+, giving you at least the potential of a CPU upgrade, if you ever want it.
Graphics card Master
Motherboard Expert

That's strange.I would have thought because the ASRock mobo is an 8xx series that it would be somewhat AM3+ capable but they don't have any BIOS updates pertaining to that.The Asus board is till using the 7xx series chipsets while able to use AM3+ CPU's.

i don't think i will upgrade to Zambezi 8 cores CPU..
the biostar is the best selling motherboard on newegg <---------

i briefer 8xx north bridge with 4250 onboard graphic card :) 

so whats would you buy if you was me ?
Graphics card Master
Motherboard Expert

If I was you I would save my money.

You still haven't answered my question.Why do you need a new mobo if you already have a Phenom ii x3 720 and your not going to crossfire?

Even if your not going to buy a Bulldozer CPU now it still leaves the option open for the future.Not now but maybe in 2 years.
Graphics card Master
Motherboard Authority

hameem 1 said:
.
.
.
so whats would you buy if you was me ?

Well that's the thing. Because I am not you, I do not know the relative value you place on various options. Also, you have not clarified the purposes you have for you computer. I can only tell you what I would do, and why; and even that may not take into account your budget.
With what I have heard and read on driver issues and microstuttering, culminating in Toms' recent article: http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/radeon-geforce-stut... I am hesitant to suggest running Crossfire today, but to have it as an option cannot be a bad thing, or if you go with nVidia graphics, to have the second PCIE x16 slot for a second card to do PhysX if that is (or ever becomes) important to you. Accordingly, for the sake of budget, in your place I would accept a x16,x4 PCIE slot arrangement.
Your choice comes down to how important any future upgrades might be. If you either don't give a rat's behind about a potential Bulldozer upgrade, or wouldn't mind buying another mobo in a couple years, get this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168... for $60. It has reasonable expansion, is cheap, and can overclock. I've personally used this board a couple times, and have had no trouble from it. Tom's has used it in some SBM builds as well.
If you are more interested in maintaining an upgrade path, and want some better connectivity options, get this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168... for $105. That's probably the one I'd buy for a "budget" build myself, anticipating future expansion or improvement.
The one I DID buy, because I wanted the longer warranty, and any imaginable likely future option, is this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168... for $190, but I was going all-out on a system I hope will last for many years.

i am going to build a Gaming PC for games like crysis 2 and bf3 and the up comings !!
i think am going to buy ii x4 955 ?BE for $120 and a sapphire HD 6870 or PNY gtx 560 non ti ;) 

and a mobo that less than $60 ;)  .. check the link above and let me see your recommendations :) 

am using my notbook ;) 
my budget $500 include $20 mouse

50 antec EW 500w
21 asus burner
25 ram 4g
42 hard drive
30 case
------------------------------------------------> this is the basic !!
175 sapphire HD 6870
$90 quad core CPU
50 mobo :) 

what you think

what about the cpu .. is a quad core cpu will be better than triple core in gaming ?
i was thinking about athlon ii x3 460
or add more and go for x4 640
or add MORE and get L3 cache cuz i herd that l3 cache are good for games!!
maybe phenom ii x4 925 or 945 or 955be
Graphics card Master
Motherboard Authority

Unlocking isn't a sure thing though. If a X2 doesn't unlock, you're going to have trouble with new games at higher settings. The 720BE is a nice choice, except that you'll need to buy a cooler for it, for at least another $15 if not $30. It may unlock, but even if it doesn't, it still has three cores and the L3.
Right now, it can only be bought in a combo, but here's one with a decent cooler, the Xigmatek Gaia: http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?Ite...
Graphics card Master
Motherboard Expert

The Gaia is actually a really good cooler.Could probably O.C. to 3.4ghz really easily maybe more if you wanted.

Are you sure you can't stretch your budget another $30?

You might even consider waiting a couple weeks to buy the CPU.With the launch of the new AM3+ lineup your likely going to see some price fluxuations and prices could drop for the current AM3 CPU's.
Graphics card Master
Motherboard Authority

If it doesn't unlock. Unlocking a working fourth core is not a certainty. The core may actually have been disabled because it is defective.
Register or log in to remove
 
Ask the community
Read discussions in other Graphics & Displays categories