Motherboard Options Core i7 build

[BlueFireAngel]

I'm putting together a list of components for a new build. I know that I want a Core i7 processor but I'm debating whether to go with the P55 or the X58 chipset. These are the features I'm most interested in right now:
-SATA 6 Gb/s
-USB 3.0 & eSATA connectivity (prefer at least one available on the front)
-ability to do Crossfire or SLI
-RAID capability
-ease of overclocking is less important factor

I'm still new at this so if any of these features dictate one chipset over the other, I apologize for my ignorance. I'm looking for recommendations on specific boards with reasons for each suggestion. For the sake of this discussion, money is not an object. Obviously cheaper is nicer but I'm more interested in performance and features then price.

Thanks for the help!

 

[bavman]

One of the better x58 boards is the sabertooth by asus?. But if your just gonna be doing gaming and nothing really heavy on your cpu than its better to go with p55 and a good board for that is the p7p55d-e pro by asus.

 

[BlueFireAngel]

Comparing the boards side by side, the biggest differences other than the chipsets, are the number of PCIe slots and available x16 lanes and triple channel vs dual channel RAM. If heavy gaming or 3D modeling aren't on the table, does it come down to a personal oreference and how much money there is to spend? Or is there a reason to choose one over the other?

Thanks for the reply

ETA: Another thing I've noticed in reviews on newegg is that there seems to be compatability issues with other components on both boards, particularly SSD's and RAM. What are your thoughts on that? Are these quality control issues or inherent drawbacks to these particular boards?

 

[batuchka]

A few things u should know about SATA/USB 3.0 tech and mobos as shown by our very own forums here
USB 3.0, SATA 6Gb/s, Motherboards, And Overcoming Bottlenecks
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/usb-3.0-sata-6gb,2583.html
Not All USB 3.0 Implementations Are Created Equal
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/nec-controller-usb-3-pd720200,2682.html

Stand-alone cards may be bottlenecked on older PCI Express systems, as well as practically all Intel machines that implement PCI Express 2.0 only on the graphics interfaces. In case you aren't up to speed on the situation there, the company's Lynnfield- and Clarkdale-based desktop processor employ an integrated PCI Express 2.0 controller limited to 16 lanes. The remaining connectivity comes from chipsets like P55 and H57, which run at PCIe 1.1 signaling rates, thereby handicapping performance.

Also note that LGA 1156 shall be usurped by LGA 1155 as soon as end of this year/possible Q1 next year if u intending to sink a wee bit on chip + board FYI.. with no backwards/forwards compatibility
http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/cpus/2010/04/21/intel-sandy-bridge-details-of-the-next-gen/