Need help in choosing a decent motherboard

[kwekmiester]

Hi to everyone! I'm a regular reader here in the forums but this is my first post and I hope you can help me to choose a good MOBO from the list below. I'm planning to build a new Intel based system coz I will surely buy a Core 2 duo later. This is only my available options right now as I'm just buying from a local retailer here in my country (Philippines) and this is the only decent hardware they are offering. I'm a casual gamer and I will overclock. Also planning to buy a decent video card as my old card gave up some time ago.

MOBO:


Gigabyte GA945GME-DS2

MSI 965NEO-F P965

ASUS P5B-MX/WiFi AP

ASUS P5B

ASUS P5B-VM

ECS P965T-A P965

Im choosing from these, and I really can't make up my mind. THey are also offering Intel boards but from what I red, Intel don't allow overclocking and the best Intel board they are selling is Intel Q965GFEKR. They are also offering a MSI P6N SLI-Fl N-force but it is way too much expensive and I dont plan to go SLI.

I'm looking into the P5B-MX bec of the Wi-fi feature, I'm planning on setting a wireless network at home to connect my laptop and other PC. But the most important is the overclocking capabilities of the MOBO and I dont know which of this MOBO's is the best choice.

VIDEO CARDS:

i-Chill 7600GT 256ddr3 Arctic cooling

or

Inno3d 8600GT

or


PC ATI X1650XT 256ddr3

or

PC ATI X1650Pro 256ddr3

Among the list, The card that I will probably buy is the I-chill 7600 GT since it has good cooling, I red reviews of the 8600 GT and most of the are negative. The two ATI's are good choice but they are much expensive here than nvidia cards. They are offering also much better cards but most of the are way too much expensive.

I'm not planning to buy online and this is the only choices that I have, yeah I know that there are better choices but this the only products that they are offering that are the best. It sucks coz retailers here dont offer much high end models bec. they mostly target budget consumers.

I hope somebody can give me a helpful advice so I can finally make up my mind. Thanks in advance 😀

 

[g-paw]

I would go with the MSI after what CPUs it takes, MSI makes search for compatibility, or one of the first 2 ASUS, the VM has on board video and you don't need that. I always get a board with 3 PCI slots, e.g., audio card, wireless card, and TV tuner card. I have the 7600GT and it fine but I'm not a gamer so I defer when it comes to gaming and video cards. The Gigabyte is a 945 board while the 965 is the newer technology

 

[f61]

Just curious... if you're spending x on the graphx, are you spending, say 2x on the Motherboard, or is it more like the same as the graphx card.

f61

 

[aevm]

Well, the best mobo in my local shop is C$403 and the best graphics cards between C$700 and C$900. These days graphics cards are kind of expensive, especially at the high-end.

Lots of people on this forum go with $200 CPUs, $200 mobos, $300 GPU (all numbers approximate, of course).

 

[kwekmiester]

Thanks for the replies.

well the prices of the mobo and the video card in my list are almost the same or the difference in the price range is not too big except the 1650xt which is way too expensive like the MSI P6N SLI, SO i doesnt matter which MOBO or card I choose. Maybe later i can get some additional money to add in my budget so I can get a Xstriker 8600GT. Very nice looking video card.

Probably go with the MSI board till someone else convince me to go for the other choices like ASUS boards. I wish the retailers here add to their products a ASUS P5B-Deluxe/wifi.

 

[g-paw]

Thanks for the replies.

well the prices of the mobo and the video card in my list are almost the same or the difference in the price range is not too big except the 1650xt which is way too expensive like the MSI P6N SLI, SO i doesnt matter which MOBO or card I choose. Maybe later i can get some additional money to add in my budget so I can get a Xstriker 8600GT. Very nice looking video card.

Probably go with the MSI board till someone else convince me to go for the other choices like ASUS boards. I wish the retailers here add to their products a ASUS P5B-Deluxe/wifi.

I've always used MSI and ASUS. One of the things I like about MSI is that they make it really easy not only to upgrade the BIOS but the onboard drivers as well.