Need m/b feedback; Really confused!!!

[Amazed]

Hello all. I need some input on a new m/b with the following features:

1) for the new Core2Duo E8400 Wolfdale (45nm)
2) RAID capable
3) eSata (x2)
4 2xPCIe 2.0 SLI (for additional future 8800 GT)

Overclocking is not a priority, maybe decent for future testing/tweaking etc.

LOOKING FOR BEST BANG FOR THE $$$!

I've done hours of research but usually get carried off on a tangent and just give up before I can finish.

I considered AMD Black Edition 5000+; but I'd rather start at 3.0 GHz rather than get there by overclocking.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Crotan]

750i

either that or one of the 780i boards

 

[silent-circuit]

780i is your only real option and that's a ~$270 board. No such thing as bang for the buck with those specs, you're talking top top end.

 

[Amazed]

780i is your only real option and that's a ~$270 board. No such thing as bang for the buck with those specs, you're talking top top end.

Figures, welp, thanks anyway!

 

[farfromhome]

780i is your only real option and that's a ~$270 board. No such thing as bang for the buck with those specs, you're talking top top end.

Actually, not really. The 750i can do all he wants easily unless he demands two x16 slots, and that's a very worthwhile compromise IMHO to get a $150 motherboard instead of a $270 one. And it will be PCI-E 2.0 slots no less, one at x16 and one at x8 all the time, unlike the x8+x8 PCI-E 1.x of midrange SLI chipsets past. I'd just get the MSI P7N SLI Platinum when it hits retail shelves in the very near future; if MSI is good at one thing it's cramming in features for a low price, even if it's at the expense of being the best overclocker on the block.