Help me pick a motherboard for this video card!

KhaosKhaos New Hampshire
edited February 2006 in Hardware
I'm putting together my new system. I already have my mind made up on an X1900XT, which of course I will overclock to be faster than an XTX...

I need a good motherboard to run it in. I don't like any of the ATI RD480 based boards out there based on what I've read and what I know of the technical aspects. Ideally, RD580 would be out and it would be everything promised, but that is not the case and I don't want to wait around on it if it is NOT everything promised. Worst comes to worse, I will just buy one when they come out. A $200 motherboard is a relatively minor purchase in the grand scheme of things.

My question is thus: What motherboard do I get in order to run an FX-60 with 2GB of XMS4000 and the X1900XT?

I want this thing to overclock heavily, be super stable, etc. Anybody who is familiar with how I use the systems I build will know that I want the absolute best motherboard out there.

All indications are that the ASUS A8N-SLI x16 board with the 8-phase power is pretty much the best overclocking board available. Will this motherboard mesh well with the video card and RAM? Has anyone heard of issues with it that I should be aware of?

I'm somewhat weary of this decision because the heatpipe cooler on these motherboards fails when mounted upside down. I have my heart set on a Lian Li 2000B PLUS case, which is extremely sexy, but has the motherboard mounted upside down with the PCI slots at the tippy top of the case. I would have to replace the chipset and MOSFET cooling on the ASUS board. =[

Is there another motherboard out there featuring 8 phase power that has a good reputation like the ASUS? Preferably without heatpipes?

Any advice welcome. Thanks!

Comments

  • KhaosKhaos New Hampshire
    edited February 2006
    Bump... Someone!? :D
  • jradminjradmin North Kackalaki
    edited February 2006
    7800GTX 512 a MUST!!!

    just to stir the pot =D
  • muddocktormuddocktor
    edited February 2006
    I would suggest holding off for a few weeks before getting all in a bind about a mobo and see if the new RD580 Asus mobo comes out soon. I just glanced at an Anandtech review of it (which was pulled down BTW, but it still exists on the net ;D ) and it looks like a great board. The article says they got to over 320+ HTT at 1T ram timings with it.

    If you can't wait, then I would suggest looking at the DFI boards and see if they suit your fancy. Since you don't plan to go SLI (or Crossfire, since you are getting an ATI vid card), then an NF4 board won't hinder you in the slightest. You also might want the older A8N-SLI board that doesn't use the damn heatpipe too. It is still a good performing board and wouldn't mind running in a V2000.
  • QeldromaQeldroma Arid ZoneAh Member
    edited February 2006
    If you're not planning to ever go dual card, you can pick just about any AMD 64 939 board you want- regardless of the 580 chipset. I guess that is my first question- do you ever plan to Crossfire? If so, maybe just a cheapoid board until it does hit the market?

    I like your choice in boards, but I'm ASUS partial and I think DFI and MSI also have excellent boards. DFI LANParty is a great overclocker from what I've been reading and MSIs have a good stability rep. I refer you to

    this thread

    for a brand name. Names I respect greatly are partial to names other than ASUS.

    Just some thoughts. I avoid hard answers- especially when I'm looking for my first 939 too. (Will watch this one)
  • ArmoArmo Mr. Nice Guy Is Dead,Only Aqua Remains Member
    edited February 2006
    Asus A8N*
  • Omega65Omega65 Philadelphia, Pa
    edited February 2006
    Khaos wrote:
    I'm putting together my new system. I already have my mind made up on an X1900XT, which of course I will overclock to be faster than an XTX...

    I need a good motherboard to run it in. A $200 motherboard is a relatively minor purchase in the grand scheme of things.

    My question is thus: What motherboard do I get in order to run an FX-60 with 2GB of XMS4000 and the X1900XT?

    I want this thing to overclock heavily, be super stable, etc.

    All indications are that the ASUS A8N-SLI x16 board with the 8-phase power is pretty much the best overclocking board available.

    I have my heart set on a Lian Li 2000B PLUS case, which is extremely sexy, but has the motherboard mounted upside down with the PCI slots at the tippy top of the case. I would have to replace the chipset and MOSFET cooling on the ASUS board. =[

    Is there another motherboard out there featuring 8 phase power that has a good reputation like the ASUS? Preferably without heatpipes?

    Any advice welcome. Thanks!

    understand that Heavily Overclocked and SuperStable are two Diametrically opposed items.....

    the best OCing mobos are the DFI Expert & the Asus A8N-32SLI. The DFI has more voltage options and will OC higher. The Asus has twin 16x PCIe slots but has the heatpipe cooler that doesn't work as effectively upside down.

    My Advice get the DFI NF4 SLI-DR Expert
  • QeldromaQeldroma Arid ZoneAh Member
    edited February 2006
    Omega65 wrote:
    My Advice get the DFI NF4 SLI-DR Expert

    To hear that from an "EPox Evangelist" should say something about the board :D
  • KhaosKhaos New Hampshire
    edited February 2006
    Interesting advice... My purchase got pushed back anyway so I'm probably going to see about RD580. Thanks guys!
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