Which motherboard should I get?

[Ethereal]

Posted this in general hardware but thought I might get extra responses here since this is the official mobo forum.

I just bought a Core 2 Duo E6420 CPU and 2 GB OCZ PC2-6400 RAM dual channel today. I'm probably going with a Nvidia graphics card in 2 weeks and will need a motherboard as well.

Anybody have any suggestions on which mobo I should get? Which brand and model? I'm checking now and would like sata II as well. I will be getting a Raptor 150 GB drive for my OS some time within the next month.

 

[Heidfirst]

budget?
do you think that you may want SLI in the future?

 

[imported_hubs99]

Not trying to thread hi-jack. I just have a similar request.

I am looking for a decent MB with the following.
Firewire, Optical Sp-Dif (Back preferable)

Would like these, but if the board didn't have them it would not be a deal breaker.
e-sata, 1333FSB for future proofing, good overclocking abilities

I do not need SLI connection ability. Again if the board has this its not a deal breaker.

Oh and hopefully modestly priced.

Hope someone can help.
Hubs

 

[Basilisk]

So many variables/options, and so little information about your -requirements-. That won't preclude a recommendation:
MSI P6N Platinum, ~$170. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130081
- Nearly every desirable feature (save on-board WiFi & FireWire-B): including external S-ATA, FireWire, co-axial & optical 7.1 audio.
- Yeah, SLI, but you won't find many boards with all the other features w/o SLI.
- Very positively embraced by its NE owners' reports.
- Unsure (doubt) it will reach 1333FSB; can't imagine that would impact many uses. You're talking Intel here: there isn't any feature set that won't be obsoleted in a year anyway.

My personal experience with it? NONE -- though it should arrive Tuesday and be assembled by the weekend. Quite good boards are available for $40 less, but none that I've noticed with comparable features and owner satisfaction. I'd prefer u-ATX, but then you risk problems later when you want to add tuners, etc. Ciao!

Edit: a new Tweaktown Review of the P6N Platypus

 

[imported_hubs99]

I was thinking along the same lines as you Basilisk. My current pick is the
GIGABYTE GA-N650SLI-DS4 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128044
No E-sata but everything else on my list.

Just waiting to figure out which processor I'm going with before I pull the trigger.

 

[Basilisk]

Originally posted by: hubs99 I was thinking along the same lines as you Basilisk. My current pick is the
GIGABYTE GA-N650SLI-DS4

I commend you on your good taste, as that m/b was my second choice.

Alas, I'm irrationally partial to the external s-ata of the P6N-Pl, and am uncertain that the cathedral-shaped heat-sink on the Giga would co-exist with the Zalman cnps7700 cpu cooler -- not enough customer reviews to tell. For that matter, the Giga seems a rather new board and might still have some surprise issues (pardon my paranoia).

W/o taxes, the Gigabyte board is $147 from NE; I bought the MSI for $156 from mWave.com -- the same price as I'd have to pay for the GB from NE ($10 NJ taxes for me).

Edit- PS: Rest of system... Vista HP on 6420, CNPS7700, 2GB 6400, Gig'8600GTS (silent pipe), 520w psu, Sams' hd501lj, Sony/Nec AD7170, Sams' 226BW, Onkyo HT-S590 for sound, 12p nails to hold it together