New build.

[chef7734]

Well that time has come. I have decided to upgrade my q9450 with core i7. Problem is I can not decide on the mobo. I am currently looking at the MSi x58 Eclipse http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130215 or the msi x58 SLI http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130220. Main difference is eclipse has 3 x16 10 sata vs 2 x16 and 8 sata. Eclipse has xfi card which is not an issue as i use a xfi titanium pcie card.

 

[WR2]

Will your XFI Titanium PCI-X card fit in a PCI-e motherboard?

 

[chef7734]

Sorry it is a pci e not pci x. Was a typo. Thinking of xfi and did pcix.

 

[xthekidx]

First of all, why are you upgrading? What do you do that needs an i7? Gaming performance will not be noticably better using the i7...especially not $700 worth of improvement, which is the base cost of a mobo, cpu and ram. Overclocking your Q9450 will match or beat the performance of an i7 pretty easily. In gaming, the i7 doesn't do that much better than the Core 2's, and many E8500 rigs can embarrass the i7. If you want better gaming then you should get a GTX 295.

Only thing that I can think of that would justify the switch to an i7 over the Q9450 would be if you do a lot of video editing, or writing code or something like that, and even then...

So what are your main uses for your PC?

 

[chef7734]

Th reason for upgrading does not matter. There is no reason for upgrading other than having a display computer to show off for customers. I just wanted opinons on the motherboards. It would take 2 295's to beat my 2 285's so that point is moot . Problem is I am trying to justify the extra 100+ on the eclipse when I really do not need it.My partners and employes have great systems and this would be the top show system. Watercooling, sli or tri sli.

 

[xthekidx]

Ahh I see...so this is to show off.
Well honestly I would avoid MSI boards completely and go for a P6T Deluxe V2, or if you really want to show off then An ASUS Rampage II Extreme. MSI boards are flaky and tend to have issues...I have personally experienced this. I tried the Platinum out and it died on me, then I read up on it and apparently that isn't all that uncommon. I switched to the Asus P6T.

 

[chef7734]

I have run msi boards for around 10 years without any problems thus far, but have seen some issues with boards I have not owned. I have seen issues with pretty much every make of board. I will look into the rampage II. Might do one rampage II and one MSI.

 

[Outlander_04]

Th reason for upgrading does not matter. There is no reason for upgrading other than having a display computer to show off for customers. I just wanted opinons on the motherboards. It would take 2 295's to beat my 2 285's so that point is moot . Problem is I am trying to justify the extra 100+ on the eclipse when I really do not need it.My partners and employes have great systems and this would be the top show system. Watercooling, sli or tri sli.

if you are a professional ... why are you asking for our help?

HINT: there is no good answer to that question

 

[chef7734]

Not asking for help asking for opinions. Big Difference. No one knows everything and there is always someone who knows more, had experience with items I have not. Whats the harm in asking questions or opinions on items. Maybe there is some qc problems with MSi as of lately and someone has delt with it. We tend to get stuck in our own ways after a period of time and only research and advice will keep us up to date.

 

[Outlander_04]

Not asking for help asking for opinions. Big Difference. No one knows everything and there is always someone who knows more, had experience with items I have not. Whats the harm in asking questions or opinions on items. Maybe there is some qc problems with MSi as of lately and someone has delt with it. We tend to get stuck in our own ways after a period of time and only research and advice will keep us up to date.

SEE!

I told you there was no good answer

 

[chef7734]

What makes that not a good anwser?