Advice on new motherboard

[bruisedcrow]

My old PSU exploded and fried my motherboard along with my CPU So I'm in the processes of renewing my rig.

Hardware which survived:
Nvidia GTX 260
Hard and DVD drive

Correct me if I'm wrong, but Intel are leading the way in terms of processors right now so I've got my eyes set on a i7-2600.

So I'm looking at picking out a new LGA1155 socket motherboard. I don't want to be left behind as it seems everything will be moving to PCIe 3.0 soonish so I'm looking for a chipset Z68 with a PCIe 3.0 on it too. (Preferably 1 PCIe 3.0 because I don't intend on using other cards)

A friend of mine has given me a half decent PSU; Corsair CX500. I've seen accusations that this isn't really a 500W PSU more of a 400-450W PSU, will this be a problem? I don't intend of ever using dual cards or any other extension cards other than the gfx card, but I may be upgrading to a better gfx card in the near future.

I don't plan on overclocking anything, but I wouldn't mind having the option for when the rig starts to become obsolete.

Considering the specifications I've been impressed by the price of: http://www.asrock.com/mb/overview.asp?Model=Z68%20Extreme3%20Gen3

Given my situation could you guys suggest some motherboards? Thanks in advance!

 

[jaquith]

Welcome to Tom's Forum!

Perhaps you'll be one of the few, now, that can appreciate the need for a good PSU.

If you're going to get an i7-2600 then IMO get the i7-2600K or IF gaming is the 'use' then the i5-2500K will perform the same clock-per-clock. As far as Intel 'leading' the way -- yep far as of 'today.'

Regarding the Builder Grade Corsair CX500, yeah it's 500W. However, I prefer the Enthusiast/Professional Series with at least 'Bronze' or higher efficiency rating. Most importantly the build quality.

Next, IF you don't plan to OC then it seems wasteful to get the ASRock Z68 Extreme3 Gen3 or any High Phase MOBO. An ASRock Z68 PRO3 will do the same.

The PCIe 3.0 would require: a NEW CPU i.e. Ivy Bridge, a NEW GPU 'worthy' of PCIe 3.0 and maybe the 'GTX 700/800' might even fully saturate the PCIe 2.0 x6 lanes - currently we're limited to GPU's that barely saturate PCIe 2.x x8 lanes and double or PCIe 3.0 quadruple is ridicules to even think about -- maybe 5~7 years. Meaning PCIe 3.0 on only the GPU lanes is 'snake oil'. Where the PCIe 3.0 will benefit is from the Chipsets 'sharing' bandwidth and NOT the GPU. Oddly if you take a SINGLE GPU on ANY LGA 1155 + add Ivy Bridge + add GPU with PCIe 3.0 it will run PCIe 3.0 speeds on the 1st PCIe -- where PCIe 3.0 comes into play is for SWITCHING between (2) TWO GPUs.

Q - Are you going to OC the CPU?

 

[bruisedcrow]

Thanks for the information that was really useful. You really know your stuff.

Welcome to Tom's Forum!

Q - Are you going to OC the CPU?

No, I don't intend to.

The reason I have chosen a i7 over an i5 is that I thought it would be better for heavy numerical computations. I do a lot of number crunching in the form of mathematics visualizations/simulations (As well as gaming). Does that warrant an i7?

 

[jaquith]

If the Application(s) can use Hyper-Threading then go the i7-2XXX otherwise i5-2XXX.

 

[bruisedcrow]

If the Application(s) can use Hyper-Threading then go the i7-2XXX otherwise i5-2XXX.

It's Wolfram Mathematica and other computer algebra systems, which I presume does.

So what would motherboards would you suggest, given what I require? If possible I don't want an onboard graphics card.

Thanks for the help so far.

 

[jaquith]

Well it depends on what version of Mathematica 8 you have, for example the 'Home' is limited to 4-core and I have no idea 'how' it counts the 'cores' Real + Hyper-Threaded or what? Something to read -> http://kent-vandervelden.blogspot.com/2010/12/mathematica-on-core-i7-980x-update.html

Most applications 'don't' use Hyper-Threading and many that do do it poorly. So not knowing those applications other than I or you can easily Google it might be a good idea to ask the manufacture(s).

The advantage to the i7-2XXX is that from the BIOS you have the option to Enable/Disable Hyper-Threading.

MOBO's + NO OC:
$137 ASUS P8Z68-V LE - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131773
$160 ASUS P8P67 PRO (REV 3.1) - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131771 ; priced well overkill for no OC

The advantage to the ASUS P8Z68-V LE is if your GPU is bad the onboard iGPU works perfectly fine for anything 2D. It is not a good OC MOBO.

For most folks I recommend the $200 P8Z68-V PRO - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131730 but it's a Gaming and OC budget MOBO. Keep in mind the Sandy Bridge 'K' CPU are ridiculously easy to OC...

 

[bruisedcrow]

Thanks.

One last question. I'm looking at upgrading my RAM as well. 1155 sockets only do Dual channel, what kind of products should I be looking at for gaming? Again I won't really be overclocking it, but I do want some nice stock performance.

I was thinking about 2 Dual Channel kits, perhaps from Corsair. Something like this perhaps?

http://www.corsair.com/memory/intel-memory-upgrades/dual-channel-intel-memory-upgrade-kits/cmx8gx3m2a2000c9.html

 

[Sequences]

Thanks.

One last question. I'm looking at upgrading my RAM as well. 1155 sockets only do Dual channel, what kind of products should I be looking at for gaming? Again I won't really be overclocking it, but I do want some nice stock performance.

I was thinking about 2 Dual Channel kits, perhaps from Corsair. Something like this perhaps?

http://www.corsair.com/memory/intel-memory-upgrades/dual-channel-intel-memory-upgrade-kits/cmx8gx3m2a2000c9.html

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820233144&nm_mc=EMC-IGNEFL093011A&cm_mmc=EMC-IGNEFL093011A-_-EMC-093011-Latest-_-DesktopMemory-_-20233144-L03B

Memory is cheap now.

 

[bruisedcrow]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820233144&nm_mc=EMC-IGNEFL093011A&cm_mmc=EMC-IGNEFL093011A-_-EMC-093011-Latest-_-DesktopMemory-_-20233144-L03B

Memory is cheap now.

Damn, that is cheap. But I live in UK No Newegg for me.