X58 motherboard recommendation

pacho

n00b
Joined
Jan 25, 2007
Messages
60
Finally decided to upgrade my old opteron170/939/DDR setup. Have my mind set for an i7 920. I will be overclocking so I need a motherboard that can take it to 3.6-4.0ghz without difficulty. I just can't seem to choose one specially now that manufacturers are including USB 3.0 in some of them.
I have and old X-Fi pci card that I want to continue using. Price limit would be $300, maybe more if I go cheaper on the RAM.

Thanks guys.

Btw, is this ram set any good?
 
Any board will take you to 4ghz with ease really. I've never seen boards struggle with hitting 200 BCLK.

Since you want USB 3.0 then go with the GIGABYTE GA-X58A-UD3R. However if you want an all around better board with a less stupid layout, go with the Foxconn Bloodrage GTI. Only downside is no USB 3.0/SATA 6gbps and 3 RAM slots but it is one of the best boards out there.
 
I just picked up a Asus P6x58D Premium, the price was $285 last time I looked. USB 3 & SATA 6 included - supposed to be ready to drop-in the new 32nm chips when they come out (next month?).

No problem clocking up to 4.0, hit it on the first try.
 
Any board will take you to 4ghz with ease really. I've never seen boards struggle with hitting 200 BCLK.

Since you want USB 3.0 then go with the GIGABYTE GA-X58A-UD3R. However if you want an all around better board with a less stupid layout, go with the Foxconn Bloodrage GTI. Only downside is no USB 3.0/SATA 6gbps and 3 RAM slots but it is one of the best boards out there.

I wouldn't touch Foxconn with a 10 foot pole. I wouldn't use one of their boards on a regular basis if they paid me. They are just too unreliable, and their PMA procedures are to give out "recertified" boards. Meaning, if you have a problem, you'll get a used board that they say has no problems, yet someone else did. As far as being a "less stupid layout", I'd call that Foxconn board a really stupid layout. You can't go with 3 video cards unless they are single slot cards, only 3 memory slots, and the eSATA ports are in a really bad place.

I'd advise the GIGABYTE GA-X58A-UD3R. I've been looking at it for a while now. The USB port layout is a bit kludgey, and the lack of a usable PCI slot means you'd have to go with a PCIe audio card (meaning using a Creative Labs POS) but if you can stand using onboard sound, the Gigabyte is a good board. Gigabyte is also much better for support and replacement. If you get a bad board, they'll replace it with a new one, not a "recertified" one.
 
My recommendations:

Gigabyte X58A-UD3R
Gigabyte X58A-UD5
ASUS P6TD
 
Thanks for the replies. I decided to go with the gigabyte X58A-UD5 with a set of g.skill ripjaws 3x2gb; and today I picked up a 920 D0 from a local store.

Hope to have installed everything by Sunday.
 
Thanks for the replies. I decided to go with the gigabyte X58A-UD5 with a set of g.skill ripjaws 3x2gb; and today I picked up a 920 D0 from a local store.

Hope to have installed everything by Sunday.

Good choice. Good luck with the rest of the build. :)
 
I wouldn't touch Foxconn with a 10 foot pole. I wouldn't use one of their boards on a regular basis if they paid me. They are just too unreliable, and their PMA procedures are to give out "recertified" boards. Meaning, if you have a problem, you'll get a used board that they say has no problems, yet someone else did. As far as being a "less stupid layout", I'd call that Foxconn board a really stupid layout. You can't go with 3 video cards unless they are single slot cards, only 3 memory slots, and the eSATA ports are in a really bad place.

I love my Foxconn FlamingBlade :p
 
I got the parts last week, set the system up outside the case to install windows 7 while waiting the arrival of a retention kit for my old ultra-120 extreme.

Put everything in the case last night, installed the latest bios and started overclocking. So far, got the 920 stable at 3.6ghz stock volts, tried 4ghz with a little more power but barely boots into windows to give me a bsod a few minutes later. Will play with overclocking a few more days; probably will leave it at 3.6ghz since it's my biggest upgrade after a long time and I don't wanna risk damaging something.

I had to leave the x-fi pci card out due to creatives damn drivers. Besides, onboard audio sounds pretty good. Probably will put it back when creative decides to release better drivers.
 
I had to leave the x-fi pci card out due to creatives damn drivers. Besides, onboard audio sounds pretty good. Probably will put it back when creative decides to release better drivers.

really? im currently using an x-fi pci extremusic in windows 7 on a s775 board...works fine. hopefully i dont have the same issue. although i ultimately decided to go with a p55/i5-750 so my experience might be different, i hope...
 
I have that same x-fi card. I never install any of the creatives applications, hate them, only the driver with it's audio console.
The problem with it on the new system and windows 7 is that the audio console won't open, giving the message that it can't find the device. I mean the sound card works but I can't change any of the settings in the audio console which comes with game mode by default when I use entertainment, use the crystalizer etc.

I installed an update creative released recently which is supposed to fix this issue with windows 7 but didn't work. I also tried changing its compatibility to other versions of windows.
 
I have that same x-fi card. I never install any of the creatives applications, hate them, only the driver with it's audio console.
The problem with it on the new system and windows 7 is that the audio console won't open, giving the message that it can't find the device. I mean the sound card works but I can't change any of the settings in the audio console which comes with game mode by default when I use entertainment, use the crystalizer etc.

I installed an update creative released recently which is supposed to fix this issue with windows 7 but didn't work. I also tried changing its compatibility to other versions of windows.

maybe a chipset compatibility issue? my pci x-fi xtrememusic works great with windows 7 x64 and p55. i can change all the settings around using either the creative control panel or the console launcher.
 
I have that same x-fi card. I never install any of the creatives applications, hate them, only the driver with it's audio console.
The problem with it on the new system and windows 7 is that the audio console won't open, giving the message that it can't find the device. I mean the sound card works but I can't change any of the settings in the audio console which comes with game mode by default when I use entertainment, use the crystalizer etc.

I installed an update creative released recently which is supposed to fix this issue with windows 7 but didn't work. I also tried changing its compatibility to other versions of windows.

I have W7 Pro + evga X58 Classified + X-Fi extrememusic PCI and it works perfectly.
I just used the drivers and the audio console, nothing else.

Here's the driver link:http://support.creative.com/Product...T=prodfaq:PRODFAQ_14066,VARSET=CategoryID:209
 
If you want a high end board,

Gigabyte GA-X58A-UD7
Gigabyte GA-X58A-UD5
EVGA X58 Classified

And if your on a budget, I suggest the Gigabyte GA-X58A-UD3R
 
If you want a high end board,

Gigabyte GA-X58A-UD7
Gigabyte GA-X58A-UD5
EVGA X58 Classified

And if your on a budget, I suggest the Gigabyte GA-X58A-UD3R

yup the gigabyte boars are awsome, super stable!
i have the ex58-extreme and it overclocks like mad!
 
yup the gigabyte boars are awsome, super stable!
i have the ex58-extreme and it overclocks like mad!

With these CPUs, the overclock is more dependent on the specific CPU rather than the motherboard. Most X58 boards actually perform very well.
 
I'd go with the P6TD. After owning several Gigabyte boards (965P-S3, EP45-UD3L, 2x X58-UD3Rs) I find Gigabyte boards very flaky compared to other manufacturers.
 
Nobody recommend EVGA X58 3SLI? non classified edition? U can buy it for 250$ these days.... And its awesome board!
 
Back
Top