So what would be your recommendation given my budget? I really can't go over that seeing as I have to buy CPU and RAM as well. Is the IP45 going to be affordable for me?
Well the IP35P will do the job and it should have some overclocking life in it (E8400 and E8500 are gentle on the board and it is P35 after all), so in your case if you never have intention of Crossfire and want to keep the budget down, I think I'd go for it.
It is a shame the IP35 and IP35-E are no longer for sale.
I used to spend a fortune on MOBOs (it's the heart of the system right?). Nowadays, forget it. I use dedicated graphics and sound to get just what I want. As long as you choose a MOBO with correct FSB and CPU support it ain't worth spending a fortune
You do get more for your money, PWM system, capacitors, feature set, overclocking but you are absolutely right, if you don't need it, why pay for it?