MEgamer
When buying a motherboard for SLI, what are the recommended PCI-e slots needed for SLI, is it ok to buy a MoBo with { PCI Express 2.0 x16 : 2 (x16, x8) }, or both of them should have to be x16 ? and i need a LGA 1155 chipset.
Which on of these cards are better, im not going to OC, just which is better for SLI ?
1)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128512
2)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130572
Beej
MEgamer could you please tell me where your getting the parts from? Also if your not going to overclock these boards are almost the same. You see when looking into sli, the pci-e lanes might split into 16x/8x or 8x/8x, either these two are good. You will not loose any fps between the two configs. As for the chices above the ud3 has the edge, not because 16x/8x vs 8x/8x on the msi, but it has better power design. Though its cheaper.
Conclusion, if you want to save a few $s go msi, if your willing to shed a few $s, well you go gigabyte :).
A small request is to say what is your gpu/ram/psu..etc you will go with this mobo.
scorz
I am planning to buy a new rig. Now my question is:
Are only the board listed
Here compatible with SLI?
I am planning to buy a
Inno3D GeForce GTX 560Ti and an
Intel BLKDX79TO Board.
Thanks!
The-MMMs
You don't need to refer to any website to tell if a motherboard is SLI capable
Generally speaking, if it were, it will be included in it's own specifications on its own website
That board is SLI enabled yes; although if your budget permits go for an Asus board - better BIOS.
scorz
I see, thanks for your advice!
MrClass
The-MMMs wroteYou don't need to refer to any website to tell if a motherboard is SLI capable
Generally speaking, if it were, it will be included in it's own specifications on its own website
That board is SLI enabled yes; although if your budget permits go for an Asus board - better BIOS.
Woah! Hold your horses. What you're saying is a false positive. I had a bad experience with ASUS motherboards; I actually blacklisted them as a brand. My ASUS nforce based motherboard was utterly crap it died in less than a year. Even some options and expansion ports were disabled till a more stable BIOS release (example: the board had 3 PCI-express x16 slots, only 2 were enabled, the third was not till the release of a BIOS update 6 months later!). I'm rocking a Gigabyte now and couldn't be any happier. I recommend EVGA as well.
Maybe the new ASUS boards are ass-kicking, but I wouldn't get one ever.
Beej
@ scorz, could you answer me the following questions if you may?
Why are you buying an x79 based system and not z68/z77?
What cpu are you going to use?
What are you going to use this system for?
scorz
@Beej
I am not a hardware guru so I read a lot of reviews and discussion in forums about x79 vs z68.
I conclude that x79 are more recent and they offer more features - please correct me if I am wrong -
As for CPU I checked Board compatibility and I guess I'll get the i7-3820.
Well I'll be using it for several purpose, gaming, video editing, compiling some .net project, some photoshop...
I know I may not need such configuration but I want to buy a rig that will last at least 10 years from now!
I usually use Linux, so I have never needed a 'super-pc' to run games or whatsoever...
The last piece of technology I brought was in 2007 or 2008 can't recall, An old toshiba laptop!
And finally Thanks for your help!
MrClass
scorz I really recommend you invest in an SSD. SSDs are simply amazing when you edit video. Rendering times decrease greatly. Of course you need a fast CPU; not sure if you need more CPU speed rather more CPU cores, it depends on what video editing application you're using. Getting a decent graphic card is a no brainer.
Are a professional video editor or is it just a hobby?
ManOwaRR
Z77 Asus Saberthtooth + 3770K Ivy Bridge
thats all u need
as for GPU , well it depends on how much u wanna pay
i
Beej
scorz, there are alot of varialbles that i will list:
1) This board DOES NOT suport i7 3820, i know that intel says so, but no current bios (or stock bios) work with this cpu. Only 3930K and 3960X variants.
2) The i7 3820 is equal to (performance wise) the i7 2600k/i7 2700k, so unless you need quad channel ram, and better multi-gpu support. Go z68 or better yet go z77 like ManO said.
3) If you still want to invest in a x79 motherboard, i suggest getting a branded motherboard (asus/msi/asrock/gigabyte) which will have better support/feature/expantions/sata/overclock features.
4) As to where to get this stuff, i suggest ROG store. The guy can get you anything if your patient (takes him 2-3 weeks to get the stuff).
5) Please dont waste this entire setup just for a gtx 560ti... We have alot better options, if you want to go high end you have gtx 680. If you want to save alittle (alot) of $ and still have the same performance as a 680 get the gtx 670. Gtx 670 consumes power = to gtx 560 yet performes x2.
6) Also z7 motherboards offer more feattures than x79 and z68 and are the newest chipset.
If you need more help as to what best to choose and what would suit your needs best, well we are here to help.
scorz
@MrClass
No dude, just a hobby I just edit family picture/video and send them abroad.
@Beej
- Thanks for your enlightenment, I guess I'll go 2700K then. I
May use multi-gpu but not in the near future.. In fact I may never use it, I am not a hardcore gamer.
- So for the board I guess I'll get a simple Intel one Maybe
DH67CL. (@ManOwaRR Thanks for your suggestion) Any other suggestion will be useful!
- About the gpu-card I'll compare it price and judge, if the 670 isn't a lot more expensive then the 560ti I'll get it, or I may downgrade to i5 then...
And by the way, I checked ROG on facebook. Well Prices are too high, I had a better deal from a local store.
Thanks for your help!
taekh3
To SCORZ / MEgamer,
Beej Pretty much said it all only 2 things i want to add, 1st when it comes to Workstation Rig's / Gaming Rig's 4 Major Component's you should Focus On Mobo, Cpu, Gpu & PSU therefore investing in 1 of those while living the others won't give you the ideal solution for instance throwing your money on an Intel Mobo isn't called a Wise Investment / Future Proof Solution, Think Quality, Think Performance, Think Durability "Think ASUS & ASRock".
2nd To SCORZ, like i noticed your upcoming Rig it's a "Multipurpose One" even if you'll be running "CS6" Rendering Images / Videos Z77 should be on your wish list for Example this "ASUS P8Z77 WS LGA 1155" is capable of Quad SLI / Quad XFIRE with enough Room to keep your Gpu's Temps as Low as possible since the PCI-E Spacing is Outstanding. Only in one case scenario the X79 should be your N:1 Priority, if you are a "Mechanical Engineer" and your Running 'CAD CAM' Software's like NX8 (Unigraphics), CATIA V6R2012x (Dassault Systemes) I've been using them from a long time ago and lemme tell you this if you ever wonder which "Software" could literally "Destroy any PC" than look no further these two are Hardware Killers and they need the Ultimate Hardware in the Market just to Run them.
To MrClass, I'm sorry about your Mobo Mate, you know strange things happens some times, but you also must know Neither ASUS or any other Company Test's every single mobo by Hand before rolling them into the Market if so that means Long Man Hours = More Pay Cheques, However they don't leave the ASUS Factory or any other factory without going through an AOI (Automated Optical Inspection) machine which will catch any obvious SMT or soldering defects and they are visually inspected by workers, so that they can easily spot any missing or misaligned components. Finally the motherboards undergo an 'in-circuit test' which involves testing each motherboard's circuit paths, electrical characteristics and the chips by applying electrical current to certain specific test points on the board. Each motherboard is placed on a special rack and a testing board is lowered onto it, making contact with the motherboard at specific points. Current is applied, and the results are analyzed by the technician running the station. Conclusion for the 10th Consecutive Year ASUS is Holding the N:1 Spot in Motherboards Manufacturing & it's not by a coincidence it's all about Huge Effort / RND a series of Innovations, Performance, Endurance & Perfection.
Finally you will change your mind sooner or later because gigabyte it's not gigabyte of the P45 Era and this is a Fact ;).
Beej
Scorz: Its tough for me to swallow it, running an i7 2700K on an h67 motherboard is not a good choice. You see what the K series have is an unlocked multiplier, thus are more oriented towards overclocking, which CANNOT be done on an h67 based motherboard regardless of the brand. It can be overclocked on p67/z68/z77 motherboards. So getting a cpu thats made for oc and not being able to, is a waste of money. Either get a non overclockable cpu with an h67 board, or get a K cpu with a decent board.
Also gtx 670 is in another league compared to gtx 560 ti, and its priced almost 2x too.
My suggestion is this: If you want to oc and save money get a decent z68 or even a new z77 motherboard (other than intel original) with an i5 2500k/ i5 3570k/ i7 2600k/ i7 2700k/ i7 3770k (Price acsending but performance difference between highest and lowest is barely 10%)
Regardless of the prices that you saw, i see alot of competiton here in lebanon. We all know what is our reference when it comes to prices and valability. But in the same sence, rog has ALOT more better deals. I will not go through them as i will not be a part of marketing. I aim to see what is better and when it comes to resellers (in general) playing on the peoples lack of knowlage, it just feels bad. WHen i see people coming and saying beej i have this game and its not working...etc. And i ask what is your pc and he tells me the specs and how much he paid for it... Honestly i am shocked (cause i worked at NINO's store, so alot of the gamers i talked to).
No wonder we live in such a place called lebanon, we transfromed this country because of how we do business. I aim to change that, and god help i am putting this as my number one target. So far i have nothing on Tarek's store, and yet i have alot of notes on other stores.
Back to the point, Scroz can you give me your budget? Ill see what i can squeeze out of sellers here and there and try and get you the best deal. How much are you willing to pay and is it just a case? Or an lcd/keyboard/mouse/ups is also needed?
scorz
Well money is not an issue. Of course I am not willing to pay 10 grand for a rig. My budget is between 1000~1500 a few hundred less or more is not a big deal. I can get rid of a monitor, I just need a ups with the rig.
PS: As I said I am not a hardcore gamer, I won't overclock or whatsoever.
The main games that i'll install are GTA san andreas and GTA4!
I am freshly joining the windows and gaming world ( I am still playing outlaws(1997) on win95 and wolf3D on 3.1 :P)
I may not need high specifications for running gta4... But I chose such one just in case I want to run something higher later!
Beej
Well then, we have an avid gamer getting back to the "nowadays".
Ok then ill need time before i can see what you can get (best price/performance)
i will update this post later on.
EDIT: Well i am back with some good news... Now i checked here and there, pulled some strings here and there and i am back with this offer to you.
This pc will have some basic stuff that you have to choose on your own, i am only giving you options. 4g or 8g or even more ram is ur choice (gaming wise 4g is enough but since you do other stuff than gaming go 8gs and upgrade later on if needed). Also HDD you want 500 or 1 TB is up to you, and ofcourse the choice of gpu and what suits you. I tend to cheap out on the case, as i see no real benefit from that case when it comes price/performance, surley a great case like HAF series and other have the looks/room/aircooling(IMPORTANT)/cable management..etc but thats just me. Save a couple of 100$ and invest in a better something.
ENough chit chat, here is what i have for you:
Board: Asrock z77 Extreme 4 250$*
Ram: 4g (2g x 2): 32$*
8g (4g x 2): 52$
HDD: 500g 87$*
1TB 110$
CPU: i7 2600K 340$
i5 3570K 360$*
ODD: Pioneer dvd 28$*
Case: HAF X 380$
Thermal Take V3 47$*
PSU: XFX 650w 127$*
XFX 750w 160$
GPU: ASUS GTX 680 880$ (reference/depends on availability as it could be msi/evga/gigabyte..etc)
ASUS GTX 670 750$ (non-reference DCuII)*
ASUS HD 7970 800$ (non-reference DCuII)
ASUS HD 7950 700$ (non-reference DCuII)
*: Recommended by myself.
Lets talk more details here, the difference in both cpu is within 5-7% favoring 3570 as its Ivy-Bridge. This cpu has pci-e 3.0, so when coupled with one of the above gpus, you will have better performance (still within 5-10%, but once you go multi gpu sli/xfire the difference grows between pci-e 2.0 vs pci-e 3.0). Now all parts are from ROG, not that really expensive actually its alot cheaper than others.
I would recommend getting a gtx 670 since its within 7-10% of gtx 680 and you save like 130$s!!!
So the price of a pc housing the most expensive parts, with a gtx 670, would be: 2137$ Thats alot!! right?
No, and here comes my logic, if we shave off the haf X for a v3 and downstep the psu from 750 to 650 we save 366$s!Now the total is 1771$. You want to save even more? Go 4g of ram and a 500g hdd you will save 43$s and the total is now :1728$s.
So 1728 is a pc that is guaranteed to run ALL games on 1920x1080 resolution, even higher if you have with great fps. You will have the ease of mind that your pc is upgradable, overclockable, you can add another gtx 670 and the 650w psu will handle it no problem. You can save even more if you go 2600k, but you will loose features of the ivybridge platform, Lucid MVP and a better builtin gpu (quit handy i the dedicated gpu is dead), and more importantly pci-e 3.0. And you can get the 7950 (which is no slouch either and your pc will cost by then 1658$s).
Now you can add an ssd to the mix, dedicated for you OS, and this ssd really makes your pc fast, not in games, bu in everything else.
If you have further questions, please ask away.
taekh3
Well Beej cracked it & i agree about everything he said, although i have 2 More Suggestions that you might find them interesting.
1st, i have a "Tray" Maximus IV Gene-Z (Z68 - Socket 1155), with the I/O Shield / Drivers are Available no worries about "SATA Cables" i can hook you up with many of them for a 190$ T.T.C. which is a Bargain Price for sure.
Edit: 6 Months Warranty Still Available.
Note: Tray, doesn't mean it's used thus it's out of the Box / Accessories / Drivers & Utility DVD / Manual.
2nd, Corsair Vengeance Memory Kit's are Available if you want the Best Performance Memory Kit's then look no further "Corsair or G.SKILL". I can hook you up with 4Gigs - 1600MHz - 1.5v - Dual Channel Kit for 95$ T.T.C or 8Gigs for 190$ T.T.C.
If you have more Questions Feel Free to ask.
yasamoka
Well, scorz, these 2 guys here nailed it. I have one objection though, although it may not apply much if he's not overclocking. It can be disastrous if he is:
1) PCI-E3.0 barely helped the 7970, which is a compute giant, compared to PCI-E 2.0, and that was only with a compute benchmark. Until now, I have seen no difference in games whatsoever.
2) Ivy Bridge heats up too much. You have seen the reviews. It's all due to Intel using thermal paste between the cores and IHS compared to solder. A Japanese review replaced the TIM with the likes of OCZ Freeze and Liquid Metal Ultra and got up to a whopping 20C difference.
3) The GTX680's memory bandwidth matches the 580's. The 580 was limited to PCI-E 2.0. Why should the 680 suffer from 2.0, even if by 5-10%? Nvidia even resorted to disabling PCI-E 3.0 on its newest driver when coupled with an X79 platform (due to some reason you probably shouldn't care for. It will be rectified soon). And it's in the heat of competition, where differences of 15% over the 7970 in games are pushing people towards the 680 which is barely available, and as you can see, more expensive now (it was aimed to be 500 vs 550, now it's easily 500+ vs 480).
Scorz, if you're aiming for performing computations using the GPU, forget about the GTX 670/680 and go for the 7970. The GTX 670/680 are gaming cards. The 7970 compete with them, and at OC nearly match them, but are (MUCH) better at compute. However, it seems Nvidia back up their drivers and game support better than AMD, although the latter are improving a lot in that.
If, and I mean, IF AND ONLY IF, you are willing for quality RAM, then pay for it. There is nothing like headache-free quality RAM. Take it from me. I'm running Corsair Dominator 6GB DDR3-1600 and I have NEVER ran into any problems, except when overclocking RAM a bit far, in which case a simple reset solved the problem.
If I remember something, I will be back wuhuhuhu
Other than that, listen to these gurus. They are really on the right track.
scorz
Things are more clear now.
Thanks for your help Beej & tarekelkhaledi!
Edit: And thanks yasamoka, I just read your post :)
taekh3
And i was thinking where is Ramzi? here you are finally :D
