Expansion slots, 16x or 8x8, Understanding?

[cruc1al]

Ok I am an amateur to building computers, but I'm giving a new i7 with a P67 Motherboard. My question is for the expansion slot on newegg.com, I see all this junk that I don't understand. For example on this motherboard. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131702 it says 2 x PCIe 2.0 x16 (single at x16 or dual at x8/x8 mode). Is there a motherboard that runs both expansion slots at x16 dual? Or am I stuck with splitting them x8/x8 mode?

 

[Ninja Pants]

The following P67 boards have NF200 controllers that allow x16/x16:
ASUS WS Revolution: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131714
Gigabyte UD-7: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128480
ASUS MIVE: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131700
as do their Z68 equivalents and you can throw this in there for Z68 mobos also:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157269&Tpk=extreme7

Question is do you need it? x16/x16 is only available on high end mobo's at this time and the performance difference between x8/x8 and x16/x16 is around 1-2% depending on your resolution. So it depends on how deep your pockets are and what graphics cards you will be using (to be honest even at the top end the performance difference is minimal but if your spending $1000+ on a couple of GPUs why not spend the extra hundred or so on a better mobo).

Hope that helps.

 

[cruc1al]

It did. So it's a 2% jump anyway I look at it, in performance by buying a highend mobo. Then of course the high end mobos have USB 3 which will be making its biggest push in 2012. So its not that big of a deal, but to some maybe.

 

[Ninja Pants]

Even the mid range boards offer USB 3.0 it just depends on how many ports you want / need

 

[cruc1al]

The main reason for the upgrade is I put this computer I'm on now together in 2007, it still Runs Crysis 2, to the max. But I want a new rig that will run Battlefield 3, balls out. So my aching question is.

If I get a mobo that supports 1slot x16 which graphics card should I get to run Battlefield 3 full bore max settings or is this not even possible. I was late registering for the alpha or I would have this question answered. Since I don't plan on been frugal when it comes to my graphics card(s).

I know this should be in the graphics thing, but figured its not to important to make another topic.