Help - Best Motherboard for this config???

[7th]

Hello everyone!

I'm here to ask for help cause I'm thinking of upgrading my computer and I just can't decide about the mobo

What do I want to buy?
AMD Phenom II X4 965 Black Edition Deneb 3.4GHz AM3
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...819103692#spec
G.SKILL ECO 8GB (4 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820231330

I do like ASUS mobos (never had problems with them) and I read nice things of the ASUS Crosshair III Formula AM3 AMD 790FX
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813131392

The problem is: at asus' website we read that this mobo uses "ATI CrossFireX™ Technology"
http://www.asus.com/product.aspx?P_ID=2Y4dQFaJ6gPN18cQ

Does that mean that I wont be able to use my cards on SLI? Now I have two nVidia cards and I don't want to replace them to ATI video cards...

If that's true, what's the best mobo to buy and run this config with my nVidia Cards?

two side notes:
* I don't like Intel processors
* I was thinking about buying Corsair memories but they are too ugly

THANKS!
Feel free to share your opinion about the config, maybe suggest something different, just, PLEASE, don't say that I have to change my video cards

[Snee]

SLi support generally requires an nvidia chipset, or a late model intel chipset (like X58).

Crossfire-support doesn't preclude SLi-support, but unless it's specified it also supports SLi somewhere, you'll probably want to look elsewhere. It ranges from tricky to impossible, enabling SLi on a chipset that doesn't explicitly support it.

ASUS makes cool mobos though.

You could also look at mobos with socket AM2+. They also support socket AM3 cpus, but use DDR2 instead of DDR3. Good if you're on a budget, and have DDR2 you can reuse.

[7th]

You could also look at mobos with socket AM2+. They also support socket AM3 cpus, but use DDR2 instead of DDR3. Good if you're on a budget, and have DDR2 you can reuse.

First of all, thanks Snee for your answer

I'll surely try to find out if this mobo from ASUS supports SLI.

What tricks me is that the Asus' website says that this same mobo but for Intel has something they call "Multi-GPU Technology", that gives support to SLI "and" CrossFireX

If not, could you name one mobo that I could by?

About the AM2+ mobos, it's really hard to find any that will support memos running speeds up to 1600, although I believe memory speeds won't make much difference for my use.

Thanks again for the help... I'm going to download the manual and check what I can find out...

[Snee]

Welp. The chipset you want is probably 980a.

A quick search turned up a few mobos, like the ASUS M4N82 Deluxe, which uses DDR2, and does tri-sli.

But I've a hard time finding anything with SLi-support and DDR3 and AM3.

[7th]

Welp. The chipset you want is probably 980a.

A quick search turned up a few mobos, like the ASUS M4N82 Deluxe, which uses DDR2, and does tri-sli.

But I've a hard time finding anything with SLi-support and DDR3 and AM3.

The chipset are:
North Bridge AMD 790FX
South Bridge AMD SB750

The 980a would work but only DDR2
gosh, is it so difficult to produce a motherboard to run mems at 1600, a good AMD processor and SLI?

oh well, thanks again Snee... maybe I should change to Intel...

better than that... I think I'll wait more until upgrade things
maybe they're about to launch a new mobo that will do the "trick"... I hope!

[Snee]

Maybe this is something for you.

It's pretty much the best I can do, atm. Only one matching the description I could still find for sale at my usual place.

Note that it cuts the bw in half for the pci-e slots when running two cards in sli, though (x8/x8).

[7th]

Maybe this is something for you.

It's pretty much the best I can do, atm. Only one matching the description I could still find for sale at my usual place.

Note that it cuts the bw in half for the pci-e slots when running two cards in sli, though (x8/x8).

Snee, thank you very much for taking the time to search for things and help me... MUCH appreciated, really!

I checked the review and couldn't believe you've found that hehe... It's exactly what I've been looking for except for one thing... it has a graphic card integrated, and I don't really like that BUT... if nothing different comes really soon, and for this price, I'll take it for sure

and thanks again!

Note that it cuts the bw in half for the pci-e slots when running two cards in sli, though (x8/x8).

and the asus mobo does the same

[Snee]

No worries.

And I wouldn't worry about the integrated graphics card, it'll be easy to turn it off through the BIOS.

Heck, I expect it's possible to use it to run a third monitor, or use it as a physx card. It'll be horrible for the latter, though. Helped build a computer with an 8200-chip recently, and we tried both hybrid SLi (paired it up with an 8400GS and later an 8500GT) and using it as a physx-card for laughs alongside a 9600GT.

[7th]

No worries.

And I wouldn't worry about the integrated graphics card, it'll be easy to turn it off through the BIOS.

Heck, I expect it's possible to use it to run a third monitor, or use it as a physx card. It'll be horrible for the latter, though. Helped build a computer with an 8200-chip recently, and we tried both hybrid SLi (paired it up with an 8400GS and later an 8500GT) and using it as a physx-card for laughs alongside a 9600GT.

A 8600GT is really good for physX so I guess a 8400GS would be quite nice too but I don't think I would be able to leave it as a third graphic card for physX.

Btw, physX is the motive why I don't want an ATI graphic card...

[Snee]

I'd go with a 9600GSO or 9600GT minimum for a dedicated physx card, 8600GT is kind of weak.

Some guy made a patch so you can use an nvidia card for dedicated physx and an ati card (or cards) for rendering.

Using it now. Two HD5770s in CF + one GT240.

Requires a monitor with both a vga and a dvi input connector (or an extra monitor you don't mind doing nothing with) and an extra vga cable (or dvi cable) to connect the monitor to the nvidia card, the patch, and a set of supported drivers.

I can run Batman AA with physx on high, and fluid mark is smooth and displays it's using hardware physx, so it works.

But since you already have the nvidia cards...why bother?