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I wish you could do SLI 16x/16x with intel chipsets...
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P35 vs 680
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Mansize_tissue
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Me too. I really don't know whether to get an eVGA 680i or an ASUS/Gigabyte P35 board...
Me too. I really don't know whether to get an eVGA 680i or an ASUS/Gigabyte P35 board...
Well that's a tough call. The 680i SLI is a great chipset and has the best feature set right now. The problem is that it's not for the novice and setting up a system based on that chipset sometimes requires a few extra steps in order to make it work correctly.
Typically, for the sake of keeping things simple and problem free I recommend Intel chipsets whenever it's an option. Granted if you are considering SLI, then you're choice is clear.
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Right now, I think it's a better idea to go with a P35 simply because it's ready for newer CPU's.
Mansize_tissue
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This is what i was thinking, but the P35 lacks an extra x16 PCI-e slot and, i'm assuming, it doesn't allow you to set memory frequency independantly to that of the CPU's FSB. Are there any problems with it at the moment; memory incompatibility, problem with sound cards etc.? I haven't had time to do any research on this chipset because i was, originally, dead-set on getting the 680i.
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There are some P35 boards with multiple x16 slots (P35-DQ6 and some of the DS3's I saw). Not sure what Asus has with the P5K Deluxe.
The unlinked memory is kind of a gimick. It is useful, but it's not necessary. I'd take future CPU support over unlinked memory personally.
Mansize_tissue
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How do these boards handle 4GB of RAM; either 2x 2GB or 4x 1GB? Also, is there a "best" one out of the few that've been released? I would've thought that ASUS P5K Deluxe is better than the Gigabyte DQ6, right?
Thank you for your help, by the way, i really appreciate it!
Thank you for your help, by the way, i really appreciate it!
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I think you have to wait for the NDA to lift before you'll get any good reviews on the boards. I've never been a big Gigabyte fan, but the 965-DS3 I had wasn't half bad. The P5K Deluxe is probably a very good board (even cheaper than the DQ6). Asus boards have usually been rock solid for me (only one that wasn't was a A8N-SLI Deluxe). Their Intel boards have been fantastic (currently on a P5W DH).
here's how my p5k-dlx handles 4x1gb of d9gmh on stock volts apart from cpu/dimm
p35 is killer
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From what I've seen the P35 has a much better memory controller.
I've just realized the P5k Deluxe won't take my Areca RAID controller (x8 PCIe) and a x16 video card, well, not if the RAID controller wants to run at full speed as the P5K's 2nd PCIe is only x4... I'm bummed now. I don't want to get a 680i as they're so fraught with issues but I also don't want to resign myself to a Bad Axe 2 as it won't support any of the 1333 / 45nm chips right around the corner.
Gah!
Gah!
Mansize_tissue
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I, too, would like to know what voltage they're running at? Also, what RAM is it, exactly. I'm just going to put 4x 1GB of G.Skill PC2-6400 PK in there.
That's good, then. I really hope i'm making the right decision dropping the eVGA 680i and getting this, instead.
Mansize_tissue
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volts are in the screenshots fellas
it's 4gb of crucial d9gmh
Crucial Ballistix PC2-6400; or something different? It's good that you don't have to lower their frequency to 333Mhz, say, with 4x 1GB. What HSF are you using for this board? I was wondering if the Thermalright Ultra-120 would fit alright.
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eWiz and ClubIT had them. The vanilla P5K was around $150.
2 sticks of crucial tenth anniversary and 2 of 5300-c3, but they're all basically identical sticks right down to their batch codes.
my cpu is under water but i think the ultra-120 should fit ok
Intel's memory controllers are ALWAYS better. At least from a historical perspective. Intel chipsets have never had a problem with 4 DIMMs being installed, and everything else always has. Intel chipsets also tend to out perform the competition. (AMD memory controllers aside.) Even though the AMD Athlon 64, and X2 memory controllers are certainly faster, they aren't as flexible.
Me too. I really don't know whether to get an eVGA 680i or an ASUS/Gigabyte P35 board...
Well first off, they aren't the same class of chipset. The 680i SLI chipset represents the very highest end offering from NVIDIA. The P35 is the replacement of the P965 Express chipset which is a mainstream chipset. The NVIDIA 680i SLI is going to be a much more feature rich solution. That being said the features aren't what I'd be most concerned with.
If you are building a machine and you do not plan on using SLI ever, grab an Intel chipset based board. However if super high end chipsets are your thing, I'd recommend waiting until X38 chipset based boards are available. If you are going to use SLI or you plan to do so in the future, you will need a 600 series chipset based board. There is no other answer. To that I'd say the 680i SLI represents the most feature rich and highest performing solution available from that family. As far as memory performance, there is some concern about the fact that the 680i SLI may not be able to match the P35. I don't know if it can or not. Most of the tests like those on Anandtech have kept the ram running at 800MHz on all the chipsets. I'd like to see the same test repeated with the 680i running EPP capable memory at full speed. (DDR 1200 or 1142) I suspect that the 680i SLI can in fact match the performance of the i975x, P965 and P35 given those conditions.
It would be viewed as a cheat by some, but I consider it leveraging the chipsets advantages to find out what it can really do.
Mansize_tissue
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Thank you, Dan. I am still undecided as to whether i'll ever utilise SLI in the future, but it's nice to have the option to do so. My main concern, if i were to get a motherboard based on the 680i chipset, would be whether i'd run into incompatibility issues with the memory. Either board i get, be it the 680i or P35, i'm still likely to upgrade it in the future anyway to a feature-rich solution when i get a 45nm CPU. So, in this sense, i'll probably be better to get the 680i which has more features and due to the SLI capatibility. However, looking at it realistically, i'm not likely to have the funds or need for SLI so i would be better getting the P35 board right off the bat. However, the main feature this board brings (compatibility with the new line of processors, not DDR3 support since i'll get a DDR2 version) won't ever be used since i'll have (probably) upgraded to a more feature-rich solution, like i mentioned above. Since i have to buy this in a week, what would you suggest?
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I'm not sure that the 680i supports 45nm CPU's.
If you plan on upgrading to a 45nm processor, I'd go with the P35, as it's the only board out today that is guaranteed to work with the new CPUs.
Mansize_tissue
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Yeah, but what i'm saying is no matter what board i get, whether its the 680i or P35, i'm still likely to upgrade to a newer, more feature-rich motherboard when i get a 45nm CPU. Therefore, the main feature the P35 board brings, the support for 45nm CPUs, won't ever be used if i make another motherboard upgrade before then. So, in this sense, i'm better to get the 680i board until i want a 45nm CPU. However, the main thing deterring me from getting the 680i board (memory incompatibility) seems to be a non-issue with the P35 board. So basically, i'm trading in the features of the 680i board for guaranteed memory compatibility with the P35 board. I just don't know if it's a worthwhile compromise. If i were to get a P35 board now, which would be the one to get?
The 680i SLI is fine. You just have to get the right memory. I can recommend several modules that I know will work and the manufacturers usually have a list as well. Corsair's website will also tell you what memory of theirs works on each 680i board as well.
I know for a fact that my OCZ Flex XLC PC9200 modules work very well on the eVGA 680i SLI but not the ASUS Striker Extreme. Also the OCZ Flex XLC modules won't work in groups of four on the EVGA 680i. (Just as examples.)
Mansize_tissue
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I don't know if i want to take the risk, though. Plenty of people still have problems with memory which is meant to be compatible, especially when using 4x 1GB configurations. However, with a P35 board i'm pretty much guaranteed whatever RAM i buy will be compatible in a 4x 1GB configuration. Since i'm unlikely to ever make use of SLI, what else will i be missing out on with the 680i board? LED screen which shows errors, unlinkable memory frequency. I think i'd be safer to get a P35 board. Then, also, i don't have to upgrade the motherboard straight away if i decide to get a 45nm processor, even though i'm likely to get a new one around the same time anyway. Which, out of all the available P35 boards, is the best? Bearing in mind it has to fit a vertically-mounted Thermalright Ultra-120. I know the DQ6 can do this, but i thought the P5K Deluxe was a better board.
Thank you for your help.
The 680i has more features such as dual NICs and crap like that, but you won't be missing anything performance wise by going with a P35 based board. I have always said and I still say that if you are going to buy a motherboard and you don't need SLI, Intel chipsets are the best bet. I have only worked with one P35 board myself and that was the Gigabyte version. The ASUS has been getting great reports in all the forums so you'll have to decide that one on your own.
Mansize_tissue
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Hmm, it seems the Gigabyte board has trouble with RAM much like the 680i boards. I guess i'm going to get the P5K Deluxe, then. I just need confirmation a Thermalright Ultra-120 can be mounted vertically on it.
Alot of motherboards have ram compatibility issues these days for some reason. Back in the day this wasn't something you ever saw on Intel chipset based motherboards and was only something you'd see with VIA, SIS, NVIDIA and ALI/ULI chipsets.
skinnypotbelly
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There's some pics of a Ultra 120 extreme mounted on this board on the xtremesystems forums.
Mansize_tissue
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Really; do you happen to have a link to the particular page/thread? Thank you.
Mansize_tissue
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OK then, thank you. I guess i don't really have anything to worry about then. How is the Thermalright Ultra-120 mounted on your P5K Deluxe; do you have a picture handy?
gigabyte boards always have problems and it takes them ages to fix, memory problems on their 965 boards for instance.
not that asus are perfect but i'd take the p5k-dlx over the gigabyte in a flash, apart from a couple of niggling board layout problems the bios is spot on.
Mansize_tissue
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P5K Deluxe it is, then. I don't like the look of the Gigabyte board anyway, i just wish the SATA ports were better placed on the P5K Deluxe.
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Sweet rig