Best Intel Motherboard under $200!!

[BryanCampbell]

I'm trying to figure out the best motherboard for me to get under $200.
I'm definitely getting a Duo 2 Quad, 6600 or 6700. Another requirement is PCI Express 2.0. I'm getting 1 GeForce 8800 GT right now, so I won't use SLI right away, maybe in the future if I want to upgrade.

These are the priorities in this order:
1) Performance
2) Stability
3) Flexibility

I was thinking about getting an SLI motherboard but then if I dont upgrade till 5 years from now, I'll probably want to replace the processor which this motherboard may not support. Was thinking about getting DDR3 compatible board but I by the time I actually need to use DDR3, years may go by and I mind as well get a new board as well.

Basically what I'm trying to say is that I'm not sure how much flexibilty is worth in the board: DDR3, SLI, 45nm compatible intel cpu holder. But maybe I'm wrong and I should invest in a flexible motherboard.

With all this in mind these are the boards im looking at:

- ASUS P5N-D ($150)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16813131232
Pros: SLI, Asus therefore Quality, Highly Praised
Cons: only DDR 800, more expensive due to SLI, 1333/1066MHz FSB

- ASRock P43Twins1600 ($75)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16813157130
Pros: Cheap, DDR3 (4Gigs is enough for me), WIFI, 1600/1333MHz FSB
Cons: Cheap parts low Quality from what I hear, no SLI

- ASUS P5QL PRO ($95)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16813131329
Pros: Quality (asus), everything I need for right now including DDR2 1066
Cons: No SLI or DDR3

- Anything else less than $200

I just want the best bang for the buck, please help I've been going over this forever it seems, at a fork in the road. THANKS A LOT!!!!

 

[DSF]

If you're not planning on upgrading for five years it won't matter what board you have. Intel is changing to a new socket in a few months, so this is pretty much the end of the line for Socket 775.

I also would avoid SLi unless you're planning to use it from the get-go. It's not a viable upgrade path for a lot of reasons. Intel chipsets will be more stable and have fewer issues than Nvidia chipsets in general, and will also tend to overclock better. Avoid DDR3 as well. There's no real performance benefit.

 

[BryanCampbell]

So your saying chipset is what really matters and that is confusing for me as well.
I see a lot of chipsets and I know there are performance differences as well as layout.
There are too many to pick from and I don't know exactly the differences in performance.

x48, x38, p35, p45, p43, etc... And I hear there is a X58 coming out soon...

How would you rank these chipsets?

Thanks

 

[DSF]

It's all a question of what you're looking for.

Are you going to be running two ATI graphics cards in Crossfire mode?
If not, you can pretty safely eliminate X38 and X48. The extra price isn't justified unless you're buying them for Crossfire. If you are using Crossfire, they're your best options.

Are you planning on overclocking?
If not, you'd be fine with the the P43 chipset. It will be less expensive than P35 and P45, be just as stable, and have PCI-e 2.0 for what that's worth. If you are overclocking on a single-GPU rig it comes down to P35 and P45. P45 is slightly more expensive, with the only real benefit being the PCI-e 2.0 slot.

Once you've nailed down the chipset you want, choose a motherboard from a reputable manufacturer like ASUS, Gigabyte or MSI according to the features you need. (Things like firewire support, a large # of SATA ports, onboard RAID, etc. are important to some users and an unnecessary expense for others.)

 

[sweatydoughboy]

Excellent summary DSF. Thank you.

 

[DSF]

I forgot to add that once you've decided on a particular board, it's a good idea to double check and make sure there aren't any crippling bugs in it. Many boards have a quirk here and there (often something most users won't encounter anyway) but some have serious issues.

 

[BryanCampbell]

Awesome thanks a lot, I think I'm going to overclock and single GPU. I would like pci express 2.0 but maybe its not so great...
So that leaves p35 and p45. Im thinking about getting the HD 4870. I'll post a build soon and see what you guys think, thanks a lot!

 

[BryanCampbell]

CPU: Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 Kentsfield 2.4GHz LGA 775 Quad-Core
MOB: GIGABYTE GA-EP45-DS3L LGA 775 Intel P45
RAM: Mushkin 2GB (2 x 1GB) DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) 5-5-5-12 1.8V
GPU: SAPPHIRE 100243L Radeon HD 4870 512MB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16
PSU: CORSAIR CMPSU-650TX 650W ATX12V
FAN: ARCTIC COOLING Freezer 7 Pro 92mm CPU Cooler

New Egg Part List: http://secure.newegg.com/WishL...WishListNumber=8866966
$734.94

I might be able to get some parts in other places for cheaper.

I definately want a Quad, GPU under or close to $280, and I'm planning on overclocking.

Parts I have already: Case (need to be replaced), Hard drive (need to be replaced), Monitor, Keyboard, Mouse, and DVD Drive

Concerns:
- Still a little too expensive
- Still need a hard drive and a case honestly

Recommendations Needed:
- Need Cheaper, same Quality P45 mobo
- Cheaper Ram, low settings and voltage for overclocking
- Want cheaper PSU and perferably one that comes with a case so I can knock 2 birds out with 1 stone.

Questions:
- Is 650W needed, can I go lower? What is the lowest number of Watts I should get?
- Should I try to get better ram, 1000/1066/1200, will it make a difference?

My Budget is very very low, like $600, but I'll pay more if I have too.
Rig Purposes:
1. Gaming
2. Gaming
3. Gaming
4. Some server applications, like streaming music across the web
5. Photoshop (no 3d work)
6. Web Programmer and multitask like non other

Please tell me your thoughts, thanks a lot!

 

[iBPJohn]

Well going with a 4850 will shave off $100.

And here's a good case with a good power Supply for less than your power supply alone.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16811129024

 

[DSF]

Any reason you're sold on the quad? For a gaming computer the benefits are minimal right now, and since you're overclocking you could save a fair bit of money by going with the E7200 which is a very capable chip. I agree that stepping down to the 4850 is another way to save a big chunk of change, and it should be fine for anything 22" or smaller. A 550W PSU is more than plenty, and 450W would even be fine.

With all of the savings there, I would go ahead and get 4GB of DDR2-800 instead of 2. Get a 2x2GB kit.

 

[BassBomb]

go for a p5q one that is in the 150$ range