Which Motherboard?

[Pob255]

I'm currently looking for motherboard to replace my ASRock, as nice as it is I'm planning on getting a 7950gx2 and the ASRock board cannot cope with that.

Thing is I'm on a pritty tight budget atm so I'm rather limited on price, so the cheaper the better.

What I'm looking for is
1- Socket 775
2- memory support up to 800mhz (faster is nicer but not a major issue)
3- core2duo and quad support (for future upgrades)
4- 2x IDE connectors*
5- Rear pannel serial or serial header (COM) **
6- 4x SATA min (for future upgradeing, not planning on a massive raid array so 4 should be fine)
7- 1x PCI-e (x16) not massively bothered about crossfire boards as I'll not use it, although I have been considering SLi simply because
8- Cheap as poss but not a Lemon

*Currently I've got 2 IDE HD and 1 IDE DVD rw, while it would be nice to upgrade to sata I'd be looking at £70ish to replace the hard drives and another £18 to replace the DVDrw
I could get away with just 1 IDE port and replace the DVDrw but the extra cash would have to be factored in.

**I currently have an old Aiptek graphics tablet which uses serial and I love to bits, as there's no real hope that I'd beable to afford a nice WACOM. I did get a cheap USB tablet to replace it but that went back in it's box as it's no ware near as nice to use as the Aiptek.
So for now a COM port is a must, although I recently found I've got an IO blank with a COM port attached from my old motherboard that attaches to a COM header so that would be acceptable.

So any sudgestions?

EDIT: the only one I've found that really ticks all the boxes is the Gigabyte N650SLI-DS4, unfortuantly Scan only have the L version
Tekheads have some pritty cheap would be £75ish with P&P
What's Tekheads like as a retailer?

[staffsMike]

This one springs to mind for the 2x IDE.
Computer hardware and software at amazing prices, available online from Scan Computers UK

They aren't bad budget boards. Not sure about future cpu upgrades though.

EDIT: maybe just get something like this though
Akasa interface converter - IDE - Serial ATA (SATA-HDDC) |Specialtech.co.uk -

and an abit IP-35 (Computer hardware and software at amazing prices, available online from Scan Computers UK - £72)

[NightshadowUK]

What's your budget?

You can get any motherboard and just add one of these babies:

- MRI PCI Serial Port ~ £23.44

[staffsMike]

Computer hardware and software at amazing prices, available online from Scan Computers UK

has a serial header.. may be worth looking at.

[Pob255]

@staffsMike, yes I was looking at that but it has no Serial header or port

@NightshadowUK, I'm not sure at the moement, depend when scanfinally get the 7950gx2 in.
But generally speaking under £75ish or as low cost as possible.
That pci serial card is all well and good but as most of the new motherboards come with a single IDE I'd have to add a SATA DVDrw on aswell so adding 18+23=£41 to the price and I don't know of any good motherboards for around £35

EDIT: @staffsMike, I had a look at that but I think £92+18 is going to be out of my price range esp after xmass

[Pob255]

Also considering the MSI p35 boards as they have COM or header
MSI P35 NEO2-FR not in stock but not bad looking at £68

[staffsMike]

There this one

Computer hardware and software at amazing prices, available online from Scan Computers UK

This one does suggest 1333mhz support.. no idea whether it will work for the 45nm quads though.

It has a serial header.

But only 1 IDE so you would need that adapter. Still in total that would be less than £75

The MSI looks like a good deal to

[godsdog]

I'd second the MSI, nice board.

[NightshadowUK]

@NightshadowUK, I'm not sure at the moement, depend when scanfinally get the 7950gx2 in.
But generally speaking under £75ish or as low cost as possible.
That pci serial card is all well and good but as most of the new motherboards come with a single IDE I'd have to add a SATA DVDrw on aswell so adding 18+23=£41 to the price and I don't know of any good motherboards for around £35

That's a good point, so really we're looking for a board that's around £55 and has a serial header.

EDIT:

Think I have a winner:

- Gigabyte GA P31-DS3L ~ £47.59

Review here <-- plus Custom PC rave about it in one of the latest issues.

[Pob255]

Nice
What do you think of it vs the Gigabyte N650SLI-DS4 ?
review here

EDIT: What are tekheads like as a retailer?

[NightshadowUK]

I'd go with the GA P31-DS3L based on *THESE* user reviews, because it's cheaper, and because it'll support Intel's new 45nm chips.

Tekheads have always been good with me, they're a popular retailer so you shouldn't have any problem.

[Pob255]

Intresting reading through thoes

The specs say 1333 fsb BUT ONLY after a F7 BIOS update. If you have a newer 1333 fsb chip like the e6750 you will be out of luck (will not post).

I wonder how many of the 1star rateings have rma'd there board because of that.

Had a look at the customer reviews of the GA P31-DS3L and it's got a simular approval rateing

Quick question, what's the p31 chipset like?

EDIT: Must admit to leaning towards the the GIGABYTE GA-N650SLI-DS4 I really like the look of the layout of that board.

[Pob255]

Ok I have a bit more cash to play with (thanks to my father offering me an early xmass pressy )

I should have around £200 but I'll also need to add a CPU
I still like the nforce650 for it's simple to use A-syncronious FSB settings.

I have been looking at the MSI P6N SLI PLATINUM it's £16 more at £88 (I'm a sucker for heat pipes )

But now I've also got an additional question
Core2Duo E6750 or E6420
The cost differnce is pennies
At stock the 6750 wins but when OCing . . .
e6420 266 x8 = 2.13
e6750 333 x8 = 2.66

However I can forsee my OC limited by the memory, it's two sticks of this stuff Computer hardware and software at amazing prices, available online from Scan Computers UK
I bought it at a time when 2gb of decent memory was £60 and this stuff was £20 a stick, I was clinched on it when assured by Scan it's Micron chips.
Currently it's running stable at stock voltages and timeings at 667(333)mhz as that's the max my ASRock board can do.
While I trust Scan and the stock setting of this RAM to give me 400mhz I wouldn't be so sure about an OC so that may well limit me to 400fbs on the motherboard

But as I'm typeing this and looking at the numbers there doesn't seem to be any real differnce my head hurts too many numbers

[staffsMike]

I would take a look at the E4600. It's 2.4 as stock with an 800Mhz FSB so lends itself nicely to overclocking with your current RAM.

It's also about &#163;80 so cheaper than the other two.

Out of the two you have picked the E6750 is probably better and gives better overclocking results as far as i'm aware.

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

I would get an E4500 as my one can get to 3ghz easily and now costs ten quid less than the E4600.

Even with the 2mb of cache it should be faster at 3ghz than a E6750. My one can reach at least 3.3ghz with a larger increase in voltage. However I run it at 3ghz as it is fast enough for me at that speed. Even at 3.3ghz you will not be exceeding the rated speed of PC5300 memory!!

[Pob255]

Intresting, I would of gone for an e6xxx series for the large cashe as a matter of course
However with a x12 multiplier the e4600 is looking very tempting.

Ok forgetting about my original motherboard requirements

&#163;200 motherboard & CPU

which and which? (2xIDE and serial good, but if need be a sata dvd and new tablet shouldn't be too bad)