Please help me with upgrading my pc

[gooberz]

hello,

Here is what I want to do, First i started off with a plain Acer aspire M5640. Then i started getting into gaming and upgraded my ram from 2gb to 4gb. After that I purchased a nvidia 9600 gt graphics card. Finaly i thought id top it off with a nice gaming processor, but i found out that my motherboard only supports socket 775. I did a little bit more researching and found out that there arnt really any good gaming processors avalible in socket 775. SO now i would like to get a motherboard that has the following

-2 slots for me to put 2 nvidia 9600 gt's
-A processor slot that i can put a VERY good processor in(will be used for gaming looking for one below $150)
-At least one sound card slot (hopefully i wont have to use)
-Enough ram slots to support 8gb of ram total
-And any other futer needed gaming slots such as like any ports ect.

Since i dont know much, you help if very helpful, Thanks.

 

[MikeJRamsey]

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/intel-p45-motherboard,2001.html

Take your pick. This doesn't look bad http://www.gigabyte.us/Products/Motherboard/Products_Overview.aspx?ProductID=2831

Intel® Core™2 Quad Processor Q8400S (4M Cache, 2.66 GHz, 1333 MHz FSB) meets your price but you can do better (i.e. pay more to get more).

 

[gooberz]

Im not sure what the links are linked to. The first link, are those the motherboards that meet my requested qualifications? Also for the second link, the motherboard comes with the processor?

 

[gooberz]

Ohh yes and on the second link, for the motherboard. Are the two white slots places to put my two nvidia 9600 gt's...And i know the four red and yellow slots are RAM. I dont know what the orange slots are.

 

[MikeJRamsey]

Read this http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/257075-31-guide-choosing-parts

Go the mobo's web page and look for its manual. The manual will describe what each colored slot is.

 

[gooberz]

ok this was very helpful, but as ive read another fourm. I will want to purchase a SLI certified motherboard.

 

[MikeJRamsey]

Price seems to be a concern for you. Crossfire is probably a cheaper option.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CrossFire

Good luck with whatever way you choose to go.

 

[gooberz]

wait so, even if i already have one nvidia card it would be cheaper to go with crossfire?

which leads to my next question, can i use two Nvidia 9600 gso's together on an sli certified board? Meaning if the board is sli certified and it will fit two nvidia 9600 gso's, will i be able to use a SLI brige cable connector?

 

[MikeJRamsey]

wait so, even if i already have one nvidia card it would be cheaper to go with crossfire?

which leads to my next question, can i use two Nvidia 9600 gso's together on an sli certified board? Meaning if the board is sli certified and it will fit two nvidia 9600 gso's, will i be able to use a SLI brige cable connector?

Ah, no. If you need to go SLI than go with an SLI mobo.

Most folks start with the mobo and then pick components around that.

Most P45 boards are CrossFire. Most SLI boards are X58. Hmmm.

Maybe something like this http://usa.asus.com/products.aspx?modelmenu=2&model=2033&l1=3&l2=11&l3=627&l4=0

 

[gooberz]

will you explain to me what an sli mobo is?