Recommend MOBO for Intel Core i7 Processor i7-2600K 3.4GHz

[marsxmarsx]

Hi,

Can you recommend a high quality motherboard for the Intel Core i7 Processor i7-2600K 3.4GHz. It needs to have at least two standard PCI slots and have at least 4 memory slots that can max out at 32gigs NOT 16. Other than that, no special requirements.

If you can recommend one, can you tell me why it is a good mobo for that CPU.

Thanx.

marsxmarsx

 

[jaquith]

Most $180+ P67 or Z68 will do this. The obvious observation is the 4X8GB and it's use -- my assumption is either rendering or virtual. Therefore, IF is the case then have you considered Xeon E3-12XX.

8GB sticks are very expensive and mostly ECC, and I'm not aware of non-ECC 8GB sticks. Okay an exception Samsung M378B1G73AH0-CH9 non-ECC but wacky expensive.

A nice vanilla WS P67 is the P8P67 WS Revolution it will run i7-2600K and the Xeon E3-12XX, but will not support ECC/Registered RAM -> http://usa.asus.com/Motherboards/Intel_Socket_1155/P8P67_WS_Revolution/#specifications

 

[marsxmarsx]

Hi,

Thanks for your response. I can't afford to go Xeon/Server right now, and after what you just said about 8 gig chips, makes me rethink my request. How about a MOBO for the processor I listed that has 6 slots and can hold up to 24 gigs. But remember, it has to have at least 2 standard PCI slots. As far as I could tell, the MOBO you recommended didn't have any PCI slots. And, you were close it is not for Virtual or rendering but for Digital Audio. VSTs, i.e., Virtual musical instruments sit in RAM and a good Bass guitar alone can take up 2 gigs of RAM, so you can imagine how much RAM a high quality orchestra would need. However, I could get by with 16 gigs and 24 would be fantastic. And since I'm on a budget I'll have to wait for a server so I can get 64 or 128 gigs of RAM.

So any other recommendations for a MOBO?

Sincerely,
marsxmarsx

 

[jaquith]

The Sandy Bridge is 2 X Dual, 4 DIMM Slots period. So you could use an X58 i7-9XX CPU e.g. $260 i7 960 4-core / 4-HT {8 threads} or $590 i7 970 6-core + 6-HT {12 threads}. The difference between to two CPUs in the 'real world' are negligible and the X58 offers 6-DIMM slots.

CPU Comparisons -> http://www.cpubenchmark.net/high_end_cpus.html

MOBOs:
LGA 1155 {P67} 4X4GB = 16GB
$234 ASUS P8P67 DELUXE http://usa.asus.com/Motherboards/Intel_Socket_1155/P8P67_DELUXE/#specifications
x PCIe 2.0 x16 2 1 x PCIe 2.0 x16 [Black] (at x4 mode, compatible with PCIe x1 and x4 devices)
2 x PCIe 2.0 x 1
2 x PCI

$183 ASUS P8P67 PRO http://usa.asus.com/Motherboards/Intel_Socket_1155/P8P67_PRO/#specifications
x PCIe 2.0 x16 2 1 x PCIe 2.0 x16 * [Black] (max. at x4 mode, compatible with PCIe x1 and x4 devices)
2 x PCIe 2.0 x 1
2 x PCI

LGA 1366 {X58} 6X4GB = 24GB
$250 ASUS P6X58-E PRO
http://www.asus.com/Motherboards/Intel_Socket_1366/P6X58E_PRO/#specifications
3 x PCIe 2.0 x16 (x16, x8, x8 or x16, x16, x1)
1 x PCIe x1
2 x PCI

$190 ASUS P6X58D-E http://www.asus.com/Motherboards/Intel_Socket_1366/P6X58DE/#specifications
3 x PCIe 2.0 x16 (at x16/x8/x8 or x16/x16/x1 mode)
1 x PCIe x1
2 x PCI

edit: I added prices. IMO if RAM is the biggy then:
$590 i7 970 6-core + 6-HT {12 threads}
$190 ASUS P6X58D-E
=====
$780 Equivalent processing to i7-2600K and more RAM

or
$260 i7 960 4-core / 4-HT {8 threads}
$190 ASUS P6X58D-E
=====
$450 Slight decrease in processing to i7-2600K ; Best choice if RAM is #1

Otherwise:
$315 i7 2600K 4-core + 4-HT {8 threads}
$183 ASUS P8P67 PRO
=====
$498

 

[garyfletcher]

Hi There.

Things have changed a little since this post was 1st replied to. There are now at least 2 more reasonibly priced 8GB DDR3 unbuffered non-eec modules available.

1 from ADATA and 1 from Crucial....between approx £100 per module.

 

[gamer25]

ASUS Maximus IV Gene-Z