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View Full Version : Motherboard choice advice please



flyingfluffypiglet
08-11-2007, 08:59 PM
Hello all

Could some of you savvy users on this forum put me out of my (self-induced) misery when it comes to motherboard please?

Okay, bear with me here.
Building a new system from scratch and spent A LOT of time going through stuff and do my research. Original plan A was to go for the Asus Striker Extreme. That is until I checked what users had to say about it. I say users because reviews of it I read were gleaming but with all due respect to reviewers they are send tripled checked boards and as they don't often get to carry on using them past reviews, it's us users that get to deal with arising issues and I for one tire of feeling like a guinea pig in all this. Now, though I know many users had trouble free installs withe the SE, a great too many for my liking had mind-crippling headaches with CPU init, memory and/or power issues, etc.etc., etc., the list goes on. Am aware bios updates fixed some issues and so did board revs, was told by retailers they had many returns prior to latest board revision, but I see there are still problems and so no guarantee that you get a fully trouble free mobo. Frankly, the last thing I (or any of us) want/need is spend hours if not days as these poor souls did troubleshooting a supposedly high end mobo that instead of simply work as it should, throws constant mind boggling diva fits and it may take -if you're lucky, a few replacements before you end up with a good girl.

So musing that maybe there was a chance the nvidia chipset had something to do with those issues 'cause let's face it, there are some problems across the board with SLI boards ('scuse the pun,) I checked plan B: the Asus Commando. Had a peek on Asus forums and a fit of nervous laughter before running away when I saw the list of similar problems. So as the Commando has an Intel chipset, can't blame Nvidia here. Meanwhile, I'm starting to get really nervous, the fun of the system build is draining fast and I am loosing sight of reliable motherboards, meaning those consistently going through post, init and operation without complaint and not throwing fits after a while, 'cause techno-geek I may be, ********* sure as **** am not.

So I'm back to the mobo drawing board and sure would appreciate your input. It doesn't even have to be SLI; it's a nice plus being able to run 2 high end graphics cards at full x16 each, but well, one excellent one should suffice 'till its time later to upgrade to higher one. So unless the response overwhelmingly suggests otherwise, I think I'll pass on Asus even though
it scored plus points for me with the aforementioned mobos: intel chip upgradability and stuff (a must), extra fans connectors and generous USB/Sata ports, room to breathe etc. and giving superb performance if and when they works as should. The if and when gamble bothers me and I have the feeling Asus has been resting on their laurels too long and past quality is going down the drain as a result, not too mention a support department that now sucks it seems. Okay, rant over, suggestions welcome. Thanks!

Jonny2Bad
08-11-2007, 10:44 PM
Well I own a striker and have had a few probs with it but on the whole if it wasnt for the fact it doesnt like o/c quads it would be an good board for me!! I would certainly not be put off buying another asus just because their highend motherboards have teething problems, my next mobo will more than likely be an asus, my choice at the moment i think would be http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/spec ... l?ASU-P5KC (http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/specpage.html?ASU-P5KC)
or
http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/spec ... ml?ASU-P5E (http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/specpage.html?ASU-P5E)
an 8800gt should see you through most games on either of those boards!!

djgandy
09-11-2007, 09:07 AM
Personally I think Asus boards are overpriced junk. Yes I own one, but that was only because it was the only suitable one novatech had in stock and didn't cost the earth. If they had gigabyte DS3's in I would have taken that. From what I've read (people moaning) Asus support is awful too, and infact I requested tech support last week and never got a reply, so thank you asus.

Anyway, It's really not worth spending £200 on a mobo, an £80 will perform just as good as it, unless of course you need 12 usb ports 12 SATA ports Firewire Wireless all built into your mobo. Problem with that is it'll turn up and half of those things won't work. My mate has to use a PCI usb card in his asus board because none of the onboard ones work!

Then there is SLI. Do you really want it? It's not that great, and the money is better spent on a better card at a later date. Especially since to use SLI you have to use nvidia chipsets.

My recommendations would be

http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/spec ... GIG-5CDS3R (http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/specpage.html?GIG-5CDS3R)
http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/spec ... ?GIG-35DS4 (http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/specpage.html?GIG-35DS4)

Or maybe

http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/spec ... l?ASU-P5KR (http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/specpage.html?ASU-P5KR)
http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/spec ... l?ASU-P5KC (http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/specpage.html?ASU-P5KC)

flyingfluffypiglet
09-11-2007, 11:28 AM
Well I own a striker and have had a few probs with it but on the whole if it wasnt for the fact it doesnt like o/c quads it would be an good board for me!!

Indeed I've read from users that O/C is also a problem with this board and it shouldn't be, since if you look at Aus's site they market it as a board that likes and copes well with O/C!
As for graphic cards, I'd already chosen the 8800GT and am sticking to that so great choice!:wink:

Djgandy, from what their users are saying, you have to nag Asus to get support on their boards. Shame doesn't describe it, maybe could learn a thing or two from Gigabyte whom I hear have offer very good support which as a consumer, tips the balance. Sad really to feel so worried to go for a manufacturer and the irony is that I have an Asus in another system that has been carrying me for years without a single glitch!

Nah, am not greedy enough to need that many USB/FW ports, 4/2 will suffice, am more concerned about how many fans the mobo can take.

And you are right about SLI. Really not needed right now as a good graphics card will carry me though for some time until it needs upgrading. SLI/Crossfire is a nice concept but I think it still has teething problems that can render a board very instable, and as far as Nvidia chipsets go, boy do they get hot under the collar!

Thank you both for your suggested mobos, going to check those now.

GN
09-11-2007, 12:19 PM
COFF COFF SPLAATTT... http://us.dfi.com.tw/index_us_noflash.jsp?SITE=US


Wops, didnt mean to coff out that link... :roll: