Probably going LGA 1366 *but* does this motherboard exist?

**pollaxe** · 17-09-2009, 02:41 PM

I usually build/buy a new PC every three years or so and whilst I was waiting for late this/early next year for new Intel processors/USB 3 it's looking like I may have to take the plunge a little sooner than I was expecting.

I don't really want to go down the LGA 1136 route so I'm contemplating going LGA 1366 (mainly for possible future Gulftown flirtation.) I plan on going i7 920 for the interim but I'm having a swine of a time finding the right kind of board.

What I'm looking for is a board that will take two double-slot graphics cards (either for sli or crossfire; I'm currently Crossfiring two HD 4890s), leave a free 32-bit PCI slot for my X-Fi Elite Pro (I'm very attached to it and the breakout box) and have at least one e-sata port. I've not found a board yet that seems to have all of the above.

The closest I've found so far is the Gigabyte GA-EX58-UD3R (no e-sata) and I did wonder about the Asus Rampage II Extreme with its bundled X-Fi but I can't seem to find a definitive answer on whether it would work with the Elite Pro's breakout box I have (which I use quite a bit.)

Maybe I'm asking for the moon on a stick but I'd prefer not to have an e-sata back plane using onboard sata ports. It's probably not the best of times to be upgrading either but what can you do?

**shaithis** · 17-09-2009, 02:55 PM

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2-port-eSATA-i...QQcmdZViewItem

Buy that and forgo the eSata option.

When I looked for i7 boards, I wanted a very similar PCI-E layout to what you mentioned and wanted eSATA....there just aren't that many boards with the right layout and a suprising number of boards don't have eSATA......

**Pob255** · 17-09-2009, 03:12 PM

MSI x58 platinum, has 2 pci-e x16 with space for double slot cards and a pci slot still availible
has a single e-sata port on the back . . . but is crossfire only, no sli

This is a hard to find layout.

**Pob255** · 17-09-2009, 03:18 PM

Found one

XFX MB-X58I-CH19
http://www.hexus.net/content/item.php?item=17130

EDIT: nasty eps power connector location though

**pollaxe** · 17-09-2009, 03:21 PM

Nice one, that looks like it may well fit the bill nicely! Thanks a lot!

**Pob255** · 17-09-2009, 03:43 PM

If you can have the sound card in between ok (ie not too tall to get in the way of the link)
then you could get an intel board (with the odd layout)
Or BioStar Tpower x58,

Found another that fills the specs
MSI X58 PRO
According to this all you need to do is run a BIOS update to use SLi
http://www.trustedreviews.com/mother...MSI-X58-Pro/p2

**pollaxe** · 17-09-2009, 03:47 PM

Cheers Pob; much appreciated. I'll look into these this evening! Looks like there's a bit more choice than I thought!

Thread: Probably going LGA 1366 but does this motherboard exist?

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