Need Help Choosing Which Motherboard

[Guest]

For about two weeks now I've spent all of my time researching and figuring out what hardware I want for my extreme gaming PC. I had a couple motherboards in mind but I ran into some issues along the way.

Here's my setup:
Case: HAF X 942
CPU: Intel i5 2500k
GPU: 2x Sapphire 6970 in CF
PSU: Cooler Master 1000W 80 Plus Gold
RAM: G.SKILL Ripjaws 12GB (3 x 4GB)
SDD: Crucial M4 2.5'' 128GB SATA III MLC
HDD: Something that's 500GB

I also plan on liquid cooling my CPU and GPU's.

Please help me decide on a motherboard for this setup, I'm trying to stay under $200.


Thanks to all in advance as always =)

 

[gmcizzle]

Why is your RAM 3 x 4GB? That's not triple channel is it?

 

[gmcizzle]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157265 if you're looking for PCIe 3.0 support.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128480 if you want 16x/16x for CF, but it goes way over your budget.

 

[Guest]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157265 if you're looking for PCIe 3.0 support.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128480 if you want 16x/16x for CF, but it goes way over your budget.

so there's no other board that's 16x/16x thats cheaper?

 

[Guest]

Why is your RAM 3 x 4GB? That's not triple channel is it?

And yes, it is triple channel. Does that make it a problem?

 

[gmcizzle]

Triple channel is for X58 boards (LGA 1366). Sandy Bridge CPUs support dual-channel only, and at 1.5v, so be sure to check that as well.

Here's one of the most popular kits used in that setup: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231314

 

[Guest]

Triple channel is for X58 boards (LGA 1366). Sandy Bridge CPUs support dual-channel only, and at 1.5v, so be sure to check that as well.

Here's one of the most popular kits used in that setup: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231314

LOL I realized my problem. I was looking at my list of 'desired' items off of newegg, I must've accidentally clicked the 12gb ripjaws and not the 8gb.....

(I had the ones you linked me all along, just a "tiredness/laziness/lack of paying attention" mistake haha)

And I was looking at a couple benchmark/testing videos and the 16x/8x on some MOBO's don't make any difference, why is that?

 

[gmcizzle]

there's not much difference because most cards don't max the bandwidth of 8x/8x right now. I think if you do 2x 580s on 8x/8x there might be a few percentage difference vs. 16x/16x, but anything lower runs the same basically.

 

[Guest]

there's not much difference because most cards don't max the bandwidth of 8x/8x right now. I think if you do 2x 580s on 8x/8x there might be a few percentage difference vs. 16x/16x, but anything lower runs the same basically.

On LinusTechTips on youtube he tested the difference with gtx580's, and the 3d mark was 3389 (x16) vs 3386 (x8)..... so that's almost nothing. And I'm not worried that much about future pci-e 3.0

So I would be able to crossfire two cards with one on 16x and one on 8x or do they both need to be on the same one?

And if I went with an AMD board/CPU, what would a good setup be? (which board/cpu) because I wanted to have options before I bought