Please help with Mobo Recommendations

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Operaghost

[H]ard|Gawd
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Jun 4, 2004
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Ok so my Mobo crapped out on me and I need to get a new one.

This will replace the EVGA X58 that is in my I7 build in my sig.
So, I need the new board to be compatible with those other components.

Other things I'm looking for:
1. Future proofing - It would be great to be able to upgrade CPU, RAM, Vid Card etc in the future without having to buy a new mobo. I don't know much about this upcoming "6 core" tech and the like, but it would be nice to have the option to upgrade my CPU to newer tech such as smaller nm cores.

2. USB 3.0 - Although non of my devices are USB 3.0, again it's nice to have the option on the mobo.

3. I/O speeds - I do have an intel SSD as my boot drive, so the faster the SATA transfer, the better
 
If you want to be able to upgrade in the future then an X58 board will not really suffice with Sandy Bridge coming on January 5th 2011. Since you already have an X58 system, I suppose it is cheaper at the moment for you to just replace the motherboard instead of Motherboard and processor as would be the case with Sandy Bridge.

I do not think you can go wrong with any recent offerings from Asus, Gigabyte or EVGA.
 
Only difference I really see is the FSB, the asus has QPI up to 6400 MT/S.

I have no idea what that is, could someone elaborate please?

I'm leaning towards the Rampage, although the Sabertooth might also be a possibility.
I just noticed the EVGA board doesn't have any onboard sound.
 
Avoid Asus completely. They only provide Intel Matrix RAID 8.0 (option ROM - has nothing to do with drivers) which is not good for SSD compatibility in RAID mode. You want a bare minimum of 8.7 for SSDs - 8.9 or higher is best for performance reasons.

My Gigabyte X58A-UD3R came with 8.9, but I can use CBROM to put in up to 10.0 (the current version) with no problem. While I can integrate other versions into Asus ROMs, the RAID mode will no longer work. The way they program their BIOS is different than Gigabyte and incompatible with versions newer than 8.0.
 
Operaghost said:
Well I don't use RAID, so this won't really apply to me correct?
Click to expand...

You should always use RAID mode with Intel for performance reasons, especially if you use an SSD. You do not have to set up a RAID to use the RAID option ROM, and it does not prevent your disks from being read in IDE mode or on another controller.
 
See I KNEW my SSD wasn't performing as it should.
So could someone please point me towards more information on setting this up properly?

What are some of the recommended X58 mobo's to maximize SSD performance?
 
The only other brand I have experience with is Gigabyte. I have an X58A-UD3R. I run the latest 10.0 of the Intel Matrix RAID on it and it works perfectly. I can recommend the board, even though it's not perfect, as long as you don't have a power supply that will make the board resonate (whine). Some people like other brands, but I haven't worked with many different X58 boards so I can't much help you.

To get RAID mode working without a reinstall, you can grab the free utility called RAIDFix, run it and then reboot and change to RAID mode. Windows now works in RAID mode, and you can then install the latest Intel RAID drivers (since RAIDfix doesn't use the latest ones).
 
So how should I have things setup in the BIOS?
I always disabled RAID because it confuses the shit out of me and I never used it.

I can't believe it takes a reinstall to set raid up. I always thought it was more on the hardware side than software, other than the drivers. I will try using the utility you recommended but I feel a bit lost in this as I'm not familiar with RAID ROM as you have mentioned.
Don't be suprised if you get a PM from me asking for help haha ;)
Also, what is a good utility to use to make sure the SSD is running in the proper mode/speeds?

Thanks for all your advice
 
I just told you how to do it without a reinstall. You just use the program RAIDFix. After running it, you will be able to change to RAID mode, but your computer will still work without RAID mode. You can use it if you want to once you run RAIDFix, but if you don't like it or it doesn't work right or whatever then you can turn off RAID mode and nothing breaks.

For benchmarking SSDs and stuff, look in the storage section of the forum.
 
Well I think I may have to look for another motherboard option besides the Gigabyte. As I have the PCP&C 750W Silencer PSU, that is listed under the reported Whining PSU's.
 
I would recommend the Rampage III Formula which actually does support Trim correctly.

Aside from the it offers a couple of big hard benefits

1. A digital vrm for better transient response as overall improved power delivery.
2. Intel PCI-E lan controller ( non of the other board makers GB,MSI,ASROCK,EVGA offer this or the digital VRM )


The boards also feature USB3 and SATA6G
Keep in mind though overall SATA HD performance will be supeior on the INTEL SB this is due to superior interconenct that is native to the chipset as well as additional bandwidth that is afforded to the controller.

The Marvell controller is an excellent choice for a single SSD that is SATA6G capable such as the Crucial C300 or the upcomign next generation Sandforce SSDs otherwise SSD based on current controllers ( like Intel and Sandforce work best on the intel controller ).

Additionally to comment regarding raid i would NOT recommend raid configured SSD arrays this is due to the lost of Trim on the drive which can affect ensured long term performance. If you are using a drive with low level garbage collection then you can consider it but it is not something i would advise.

Shold you have any other questions, concerns or inqueries please let me know. Please enjoy the rest of your day.
 
Uhh, RAID mode works with TRIM, dude. You guys are using an ANCIENT version of the RAID Option ROM, and until you want to fix that problem, some of us are going to do what we can to make that fact known. (If you make an actual RAID array using multiple drives then THAT does not support TRIM, but to get the maximum performance from a single drive, you should be using RAID mode and just not configuring an array.)


8.0.0.1006
8.0.0.1030
8.0.0.1039 - Asus stock for ICH10 boards and maximum, nothing above works
8.5.0.1030
8.7.0.1007 - Bare minimum for SSDs to not suck, P5E3 was updated to this
8.8.0.1009
8.9.0.1023 - Recommended minimum for SSDs, Gigabyte stock for ICH10 boards
8.9.1.1002 - works with Gigabyte
9.5.0.1021 - works with Gigabyte
9.6.0.1014 - works with Gigabyte
10.0.0.1046 - Current, works with Gigabyte
 
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Well I went with the Rampage III Formula.

So should I be running AHCI mode? Or RAID?
As you can probably tell I'm not very savvy when it comes to these things.
I know my way in and around the BIOS but the whole SSD thing throws me for a loop.
 
there's nothing better than an intel processor running on a intel board.The best motherboard out there is the Intel Extreme Series BOXDX58SO2 Smackover2 LGA 1366 Intel X58, USB 3.0, SATA 6Gb/s, ATX Intel Motherboard.
 
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