Motherboard Questions

[Chellexelle]

What is better for gaming, Intel or AMD?

Why are Intel boards so much more expensive than AMD boards? The most expensive
AMD motherboard on Newegg is $240 but the most expensive Intel motherboard is $1,300.

What is the best gaming motherboard with the most PCI slots and ports and features that can also support many many hard drives?

 

[Deleted member 88227]

For pure gaming. Intel.

Intel generally comes at a premium price, but lucky for you a good gaming motherboard will cost ya about $100 for Intel.

How many hard drives are we talking? Most Intel boards support 6 - 8 hard drives (SATA ports) Not sure why anyone would need that many or more for a gaming rig though.

 

[Chellexelle]

Right now I am just building an ok/moderate gaming rig but will eventually transfer this new motherboard and other parts into a highend PC later on which is why I want a kickass motherboard now.

I don't know how many drives I will have in this future PC as I am just dreaming/planning right now but it could be in the range of 20-50 drives

 

[Deleted member 88227]

Sounds to me like you're planning this all wrong. Buying a high end motherboard for a "high end PC" later on is not a sound plan. By the time you intend to upgrade to a "high end PC" there will almost for sure be better hardware in both a CPU (will most likely require a new motherboard) and motherboard (will defeat the purpose of buying a high end motherboard in the first place) which means you'll be upgrading dated tech when for the same money you could have a really descent gaming rig and when the time comes have a separate "High end PC."

Exactly what is a "high end PC" anyway and what will you be doing with this PC?

20 - 50 drives is not going to happen with a consumer/desktop motherboard. They don't even make cases big enough to hold that many drives much less a motherboard with that many SATA ports. If you intend to use that many hard drives then I 1. recommend against it, I highly doubt you'll need that much space 2. recommend getting larger capacity drives and 3 building a dedicated NAS

 

[Chellexelle]

Thanks for the advice regarding the motherboard.

I consider $4-5,000 high end.

I don't plan on using a consumer case for my future rig, I will be designing and building a custom system which I am not currently ready to reveal the details of yet. I already have a file server using a Norco RPC-4224 but I don't like the idea of all my data being on one device with no backup so when I build this other system, my current server will become a backup server.

Do you have any recommendations on a good motherboard or should I just pick one?

 

[Dan_D]

A high end motherboard isn't necessarily better than a mid-range or lower end motherboard for your purposes. You need to identify your actual needs and plan accordingly. If you aren't running anything that utilizes the extra cores or PCI-Express lanes of X99/59xx series processors or Xeon E1xx/E26xx v3 processors then there Is zero point to going with that platform over Z97.

If you are going with a 1080P display then it doesn't make much sense to go with two or three high end video cards. Two mid-range cards rarely makes sense over a single higher end card due to limited memory bus width (in some cases) and lower amounts of VRAM. You also introduce multi-GPU scaling issues into the equation when it isn't necessary. You didn't say anything about graphics cards in your post, so I'm just addressing this in very general terms.

20-50 hard drives you say? I'm sorry but what the hell for? You need to identify your actual disk usage needs and plan accordingly. If you actually need that many disks then you'd be looking at a large SAN array in which case your looking for FCoE and blade chassis or something along those lines. Given how your post was structured I think your day dreaming and coming up with arbitrary configuration goals to satisfy a desire to have something high end without knowing what that really means. A more realistic model would be a few (4 to 6) 2-6TB or so drives in an array to cover your storage needs and a fast M.2 or SATA based SSD for your OS. If you really need more than that and your still talking about consumer type work loads then you can build / buy a separate NAS for that. I can't imagine what you would actually be doing to require such a large storage array unless you have a huge porn and or video collection.

$4,000-5,000 high end? Higher end than most machines for sure, but I could drop two or three times that on a single gaming PC easily. You just have to have a little imagination and it doesn't take lofty and unrealistic goals about 25-50 hard drives to do it.

As others stated if your drive needs really follow along these lines then a consumer motherboard / build isn't really for you. And this type of configuration and gaming rig are pretty much mutually exclusive. You can try slapping a GeForce card into a file server or PCI-Express SAS or Fiber channel RAID controllers in a gaming rig but you won't like the results.

 

[Dangman]

Do you have any recommendations on a good motherboard or should I just pick one?

The problem is all that you have told us so far is that you're planning on using this PC for gaming and as a file server with 20+ drives. As Dan_D pointed, those are almost mutually exclusive. In addition, if you're just gaming with just a single high-end GPU, a $80 mobo basically performs almost the same as a $230 motherboard when it comes to gaming with all things equal. In other words, you have not given us enough information that'll allow us to recommend a solid motherboard to you.

A few more questions:

1. What are you doing with this PC? Gaming? Photoshop? Virtualization? etc.
2. What's the max resolution of your current or planned monitors?
3. When do you plan on buying the entire PC?
4. What features do you need to have on a motherboard? Key word is "need", As in you'll actually use said feature.

 

[Chellexelle]

I will be recycling as many parts from my current PC as possible such as the hard drives, CD drive, power supply, and case.

I plan on getting a GTX 970.
I plan on using 16GB of ram.

I guess I really only need advice on which motherboard and CPU to get.

The PC I plan on building down the road will be a gaming/server behemoth so it isn't relevant right now.

 

[Dangman]

I will be recycling as many parts from my current PC as possible such as the hard drives, CD drive, power supply, and case.

I plan on getting a GTX 970.
I plan on using 16GB of ram.

I guess I really only need advice on which motherboard and CPU to get.

The PC I plan on building down the road will be a gaming/server behemoth so it isn't relevant right now.

Could you please answer questions 1, 3, and 4 that I listed above?

And 5 to 8:
5) What case and PSU are you reusing?
6) Do you have a SSD?
7) Are you reusing the RAM or buying new RAM?
8) Will you be overclocking?

Again, we can't give you solid advice if you don't provide us with the information we need.

As for your future down the road system, the amount of money spent on making a gaming/server behemoth could be used towards building a separate gaming PC and server. In fact, I'm more than willing to bet that the separate routes would actually perform far far better at their respective roles than the "behemoth".

 

[Chellexelle]

I can't imagine what you would actually be doing to require such a large storage array unless you have a huge porn and or video collection.

I LOL'ed at that... if you only knew...

$4,000-5,000 high end? Higher end than most machines for sure, but I could drop two or three times that on a single gaming PC easily. You just have to have a little imagination and it doesn't take lofty and unrealistic goals about 25-50 hard drives to do it.

As others stated if your drive needs really follow along these lines then a consumer motherboard / build isn't really for you. And this type of configuration and gaming rig are pretty much mutually exclusive. You can try slapping a GeForce card into a file server or PCI-Express SAS or Fiber channel RAID controllers in a gaming rig but you won't like the results.

I get why you are confusion because I have provided little information. My dream PC will cost me $15,000 and if you can see the vision I have, you would want it to. My design is dependent on Helium drives which are too expensive right now.

 

[Chellexelle]

Sorry Dangman, my bad.

My current PC is a HP M8000 with a LiteON PS-5301-08HA.

I will not be using the old RAM. I already have 8GB of HyperX Fury DDR3 1600 UDIMM RAM that I bought for my server before finding out that not every motherboard (especially server boards) will just take whatever RAM you put in it. See how much of a noob I am?

I will not be overclocking.

 

[Dangman]

Sorry Dangman, my bad.

My current PC is a HP M8000 with a LiteON PS-5301-08HA.

I will not be using the old RAM. I already have 8GB of HyperX Fury DDR3 1600 UDIMM RAM that I bought for my server before finding out that not every motherboard (especially server boards) will just take whatever RAM you put in it. See how much of a noob I am?

I will not be overclocking.

....You're still so very new at this. The adage "Run before you can walk" applies here.

So here's the problems:
1) That power supply is absolute shit. It is no way suitable for a gaming PC. I'd only use that power supply in a PC I want to die. So you're looking at a new PSU.

2) That case will not provide sufficient cooling for a gaming PC. So you're looking at a new case.

3) This is mainly a CYA measure on my part but do note that you cannot reuse the Windows key that came with that HP. It is tied to that HP motherboard. You will need to buy another Windows key for this new PC.

4) The hard drive included in that PC is stupid old. As such, it's so slow that it'll actually make a brand new system feel like the old system in terms of responsiveness. As such, you basically need a new hard drive (preferably a SSD for the OS and certain programs) if you actually want to feel like you have a new PC.

So now my next questions:
1) What's your max budget for the new PC? That includes the CPU, mobo, SSD, HDD, PSU, OS, and case.
2) When are you planning on buying all the parts of the PC?
3) For the umpteenth freaking time: WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH THIS PC? GAMING? PHOTOSHOP? VIRTUALIZATION? 3D/AUDIO EDITING? etc.

 

[Chellexelle]

1) That power supply is absolute shit. It is no way suitable for a gaming PC. I'd only use that power supply in a PC I want to die. So you're looking at a new PSU.

OK SO I need a new PSU, I suppose I could get an EVGA 500W.

2) That case will not provide sufficient cooling for a gaming PC. So you're looking at a new case.

I really like the IN WIN Cases, so I was thinking the IN WIN 901. These cases certainly are pricy though.

3) This is mainly a CYA measure on my part but do note that you cannot reuse the Windows key that came with that HP. It is tied to that HP motherboard. You will need to buy another Windows key for this new PC.

Pay for windows? People still do that?

4) The hard drive included in that PC is stupid old. As such, it's so slow that it'll actually make a brand new system feel like the old system in terms of responsiveness. As such, you basically need a new hard drive (preferably a SSD for the OS and certain programs) if you actually want to feel like you have a new PC.

I will get a cheap SSD.

So now my next questions:

1) What's your max budget for the new PC? That includes the CPU, mobo, SSD, HDD, PSU, OS, and case.

As affordable as possible. My current breakdown:
IN WIN 901 - $120
EVGA GTX 970 - $330
EVGA 500W PS - $43
PNY OPTIMA 120GB - $62
Additional 8GB RAM - $62

I have 2 Seagate 4TB drives and a 600GB drive in my current PC I can use.

I still have no idea about CPU or motherboard.

2) When are you planning on buying all the parts of the PC?

ASAP

3) For the umpteenth freaking time: WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH THIS PC? GAMING? PHOTOSHOP? VIRTUALIZATION? 3D/AUDIO EDITING? etc.

GAMING! Watching movies, GILF porn.

All I want to do is play "War For The Overworld" but my current piece of shit computer can't even run one Unity game.

 

[Dangman]

Pay for windows? People still do that?

Yes because only unintelligent uneducated unworthy unreputable unrepentant unabashed unmindful useless people pirate Windows these days. So are you going to buy a new Windows key?

EDIT: And you do know that In Win 901 case is a mITX case right? Which means a mITX setup. That means more money.

 

[Chellexelle]

Yes because only unintelligent uneducated unworthy unreputable unrepentant unabashed unmindful useless people pirate Windows these days. So are you going to buy a new Windows key?

No lol. I already have a Win7 x64 Disc and key from a tablet I bought that I can use. I was not expecting a response like that though. I was expecting a laugh or comment about that GILF remark.

 

[Dangman]

No lol. I already have a Win7 x64 Disc and key from a tablet I bought that I can use. I was not expecting a response like that though. I was expecting a laugh or comment about that GILF remark.

You cannot use that tablet's Windows 7 key since it's already tied to that tablet. Again, you need to buy a Windows key. SO will you be buying a Windows key?

Your comments in this thread have overshadowed any humor attempt.

 

[Chellexelle]

NO Because I already have a windows key. It will work because it worked on the computer I am using which is the old HP M8000 that originally came with Vista on it. I am honestly starting to get annoyed. Lets just drop it and move on.

 

[Dangman]

NO Because I already have a windows key. It will work because it worked on the computer I am using which is the old HP M8000 that originally came with Vista on it. I am honestly starting to get annoyed. Lets just drop it and move on.

I'm sorry but I can't drop it until we can clear this up. See rule #18 of the [H]Forum rules and you'll see why I cannot let this drop. Again, if that tablet came with Windows 7 installed with that key and you later used that Windows 7 key on another PC, that's against Microsoft's rules. So you have to buy a new Windows key. I don't care if you can do it from a technical standpoint. We're talking legal standpoint.

As for how you're getting annoyed, note how many times we asked you the same questions over and over again before you answered them in some form. Even then, you didn't provide the right info. See how that could be annoying? I'm trying to help but you being purposely vague and unwilling to learn isn't helping.

 

[Chellexelle]

I am way too tired to argue with you. Whats vague is that rule 18. I am sorry for making a piracy joke. The reality is that what I do for an operating system is none of your business at all, in fact I just may put Ubuntu on my new machine, who knows. I am done taking about this. Either help my or move on and let someone else help me.

 

[Dangman]

dshdfghfghbrfbhf

So you don't want our help then?

Ohhh I see you did an edit there:

I am way too tired to argue with you. Whats vague is that rule 18. I am sorry for making a piracy joke. The reality is that what I do for an operating system is none of your business at all, in fact I just may put Ubuntu on my new machine, who knows. I am done taking about this. Either help my or move on and let someone else help me.

Sorry man, I can't do that. Read Rule #18 very carefully and what I said earlier about the legality of what you're doing. Even if I wanted to let someone else to help, I couldn't due to the aforementioned.

So becuase you want to try to break a rule here:

THREAD LOCKED.