Cant choose... ABIT or GIGABYTE...

[crazyhandpuppet]

I'm trying to decide on a new motherboard for a build and think I've narrowed it down to these two options:

ABIT IP35 Pro @ http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16813127030
or
GIGABYTE GA-P35-DS4 Rev. 2.0 @ http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16813128064

Both retail for about $180 and no, mail-in rebates don't sway my purchasing decision.

Or...if you have any other suggestions...


Other components include:

Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600
G.SKILL 4GB(2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1000 (PC2 8000) (CL4) (Only $130!!!)
MSI RX3850-T2D256E OC Radeon HD 3850
BenQ FP202W V3 Black 20" 5ms

...Among the other more standard components and software.

 

[Maziar]

Both are very good, u wont be wrong with either, also consider
ASUS P5K-E WIFI too, its a very solid board

 

[crazyhandpuppet]

While I agree it's a good choice, it only has 1 x16 slot. I may not use the feature, but I'd like the PC to at least have the possibility of Crossfire in the future. Thanks for your suggestion.

 

[dashelj]

If you want crossfire in the future you will have to consider a X38 board since all the P35 boards have only one 16x PCIe slot. The other slot only has the bandwidth of a 4x slot even if it is labeled as a 16x so any second card you put in will probably not have enough bandwidth to be fully utilized. An X38 also gives you PCIe 2.0 which may be useful in the future but certainly adds nothing right now.

Abit, gigabyte and Asus also make very good x38 boards with the abit being the least expensive and the gigabyte being the most.

For myself I would say that I think it likely that I would upgrade to a videocard which requires PCIe 2.0 before I upgrade to a CPU which needs a new chipset so I plan to get an X38, probably the abit. But then again I only have a vague idea about how much bandwidth the cards actually use now so that timeline could be wrong.

 

[Maziar]

P5K-E WIFI supports CrossFire and has 2 16x slot(but @ crossfire mode, one will operate @ 16x and the other will operate @ 4x)

as dashelj said, if u want CrossFire, u better go with X38, dual 16x mode are alot better than 16x4x mode

 

[aevm]

Seconded. X38 is the way to go for Crossfire. I like the GA-X38-DQ6, but it's a bit expensive at $260.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128066&Tpk=GA-X38-DQ6

 

[crazyhandpuppet]

I have difficulty jumping on something so new as the X38. Components, especially chipsets, require time for the hardware to mature, let alone the drivers. Maybe it's just me, but I just don't trust first revisions. I don't like being the guinea pig for tech companies - especially with the bad rapport motherboard companies have in dealing with issues.

 

[aevm]

How about P5W-DH Deluxe then, do you like that one? It's great for Crossfire and it's based on the older 975X chipset.

 

[Dahak]

Of those two boards I would recommend the GIGA-BYTE as it has 2 PCI-E slots for SLI as opposed to the ABIT which only has one PCI-E slot.But if only running one card with no intent to get a second card for SLI,then either one will work fine.Goodluck.

Dahak

M2N32-SLI DELUXE WE
X2 5600+ STOCK (2.8GHZ)
2X1GIG DDR2 800 IN DC MODE
TOUGHPOWER 850WATT PSU
EVGA 8800GT SUPERCLOCKED
SMILIDON RAIDMAX GAMING CASE
ACER 22IN WS LCD 1680X1050
250GIG HD/320GIG HD
G5 GAMING MOUSE
LOGITECH Z-5500 5.1 SURROUND SYSTEM
500WATS CONTINUOUS,1000 PEAK
WIN XP MCE SP2
3DMARK 05 15,686

 

[Maziar]

How about P5W-DH Deluxe then, do you like that one? It's great for Crossfire and it's based on the older 975X chipset.

agreed. also there are 2 P35 boards which support CrossFire @ dual 8x mode, ASUS BLITZ EXTREME and BLTIZ FORMULA

remember Dual 16x mode deosnt have alot of difference with dual 8x mode, but they both are alot better than 16x4x

 

[BUFF]

Of those two boards I would recommend the GIGA-BYTE as it has 2 PCI-E slots for SLI as opposed to the ABIT which only has one PCI-E slot.But if only running one card with no intent to get a second card for SLI,then either one will work fine.Goodluck.

They both have 2 physical x16 PCI-E slots although as already mentioned the secondary only runs at x4.
Neither officially supports SLI but do Crossfire.


I'm very happy with my IP35 Pro & if fan control/silence is important then the abit is definitely superior.
Otherwise they are both good mobos.

 

[toasty2]

I had to make a similar choice awhile back (but the Gigabyte GA P35 DS3L instead). I chose the Gigabyte since the Abit was out of stock. I really wanted that Abit though...the bios with it should be great.

 

[ZOldDude]

Get a DFI MB.

 

[3Ball]

I personally like Abit the most of all mobo companies, then ASUS and then Gigabyte. I would say to go with the IP35 since I just built a system for my friend and it is a very good and stable board. Hope this helps!

Best,

3Ball

 

[Maziar]

I always recommend these boards as one of the best P35 OC'ers:
ASUS P5K-E WIFI
GIGABYTE P35 DS3R
ABIT IP35 PRO