Need mobo recommendation

[brossyg]

I need recomendations for the best mobo for the following requirements:

Windows 7 - high performance business/media environment.
Intel i7 (1366)
3 video cards:
2 @ PCIe 2.0 x 16 (Nvidia) for 4 monitors on DVI ports.
1 @ PCI or PCIe or PCIe 2.0 (Nvidia) for 1 HDTV monitor on HDMI port.
Adaptec RAID card PCIe x 8
6GB RAM
SATA 6.0
USB 3.0

Not an over-clocker.

Also, any comment on using 3 vid cards, one of whiich might be PCI, would be appreciated (Don't want to use Displayport/Eyefinity).

Thanks!

 

[tecmo34]

I would look at the ASUS P6X58D Premium to start with for your needs.

 

[brossyg]

Good board, but I am concerned that if I put the two video boards and the one Adaptec 5405 RAID card (requires x8) in the PCIe 2.0 slots, the cards will not run at x16/x16/x8 the way they should. Is this a problem.

Also, no one seems to be able to answer whether a third video card can run on the PCIe or PCI bus while the first two run on the PCIe 2.0 bus (using Windows 7). Do you know?

 

[tecmo34]

You will find very few boards that run at x16/x16/x8. Most motherboards run at x16/x8/x8 for a three card setup, which will have no impact on the performance for the second graphics card at x8, which will allow the RAID card to run at x8.

As for the video card on the PCIe and PCI bus, why would you want that?? There isn't a video card really designed for PCIe and the older PCI bus cards won't be worth having with two current gen cards running on PCIe 2.0 slots

 

[brossyg]

Got it...have been looking at mobos for some time and agree with you. However, how much performance hit will there be with one video card running at x8?

The purpose of the third video card is to be able to run a fifth monitor (40" HDTV running off HDMI port). The only reason I was thinking of a PCI card is to save the PCIe 2.0 bus from the additional load ... and the need for 4 PCIe 2.0 slots. Would welcome better suggestions for running 5 monitors total without using Displayport/Eyefinity. Any help?

If your suggestion is using a thrid card on the PCIe 2.0 bus, what are the best boards for running four cards?