Picking a good motherboard based on CPU

raingame · 07-10-2008, 01:41 PM

Hello everyone. This looks like a very friendly forum and I am excited to talk to you guys.

I am building a new desktop PC, my price range is about $2000.

I have only begun shopping around for parts online. I figured the best place to start was the CPU. I browsed intel's website and landed on the Intel Core 2 Quad Q9450. I am a gamer, and I am building this PC hoping to be able to play the latest games at the higher qualities (I'm aiming to be able to play Crysis at High), and I am aming to be able to play future games (Starcraft 2, Diablo 3) at very reasonable settings.

I know these expectations rely on the video card I choose, but for now I am just looking at CPUs, motherboards, and power supplys. If this is the wrong appraoch, please let me know.

I've picked out my CPU and my fan, and so my questions are:

What specs should I be looking at on the motherboard to ensure that I am getting one that is up to par?

How do I know the power supply I pick is good enough for the motherboard, cpu, video card, case, etc?

What specs on the power supply and motherboard need to be high to ensure I can play these games at high quality, what how high should the specs be?

Thank you for any information.

- Rain

~~OMGmissinglink~~ · 07-10-2008, 01:54 PM

IMHO Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3R is a solid mobo, power supply determination depends on graphic card more than the mobo.

raingame · 07-10-2008, 02:04 PM

My old motherboard is a gigabyte as well. But when I'm shopping around for motherboards, are there any specs I want to aim for? How can I tell good ones from bad ones?

**wrench97** · 07-10-2008, 02:12 PM

Do you have a preference for a single video card,or Dual in SLI or Crossfire ?

raingame · 07-10-2008, 02:24 PM

I am probably going to get a single video card. Nvidia, 1 or 2 down from the top of the line.

Based on your forum thread here on Power Supplys, I think http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817703009 would be a good choice so far. I plan on having a 150+ GB HD, a dvd player, network card, etc.

patriothntr · 07-10-2008, 02:26 PM

If you have any preference for Nvidia or ATI video cards, let us know...best bang for buck would probably be a couple of 4850 cards in crossfire...or a couple of 8800gts g92 cards.

I would probably be looking at a P45 based board if I was going crossfire, and a 750i board if I was going SLI...

patriothntr · 07-10-2008, 02:32 PM

In that case, maybe a 9800gx2 on a 750i or 780i board...it would be an easy upgrade to quad sli if quad sli implementation improves...If you have no intention of ever getting a second card, look at the P43 chipset as an alternative...

Your power requirements would be met with a high quality PSU...something between 600-700w...from Seasonic, Corsair, FSP, PC power and cooling, etc.

If you want to be ready for a second 9800gx2, look at this (SLI cert. for 2x 9800gx2) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817171017

raingame · 07-10-2008, 02:40 PM

After looking at it a bit, I think I like the "couple of 8800gts g92 cards" idea the best. So now I have to make sure that the motherboard I choose supports two video cards? Does it need to be a 750i board?

Would I want to get 2 of these? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814130325

patriothntr · 07-10-2008, 02:54 PM

You do have to make sure your mobo supports two cards in SLI...that means you will need to have a Nvidia chipset...I would be looking at the 750i and 780i boards...

**wrench97** · 07-10-2008, 02:54 PM

To use SLI you will need to use a Nvidia chipset. It doesn't have to be a 750I though.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...DIA+nForce+700
I personally feel that SLI isn't worth the money or the hassle for the increase in frame rates you get you might want to think about a 9800gt card on a P45 chipset look at the cost/performance of that set up compared dual 8800gt's on a 7xx chip set.
Just something for you to look at.

07-10-2008, 01:41 PM	#1 (permalink)
raingame Registered User Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 15 OS: windows xp sp2	Picking a good motherboard based on CPU Hello everyone. This looks like a very friendly forum and I am excited to talk to you guys. I am building a new desktop PC, my price range is about $2000. I have only begun shopping around for parts online. I figured the best place to start was the CPU. I browsed intel's website and landed on the Intel Core 2 Quad Q9450. I am a gamer, and I am building this PC hoping to be able to play the latest games at the higher qualities (I'm aiming to be able to play Crysis at High), and I am aming to be able to play future games (Starcraft 2, Diablo 3) at very reasonable settings. I know these expectations rely on the video card I choose, but for now I am just looking at CPUs, motherboards, and power supplys. If this is the wrong appraoch, please let me know. I've picked out my CPU and my fan, and so my questions are: What specs should I be looking at on the motherboard to ensure that I am getting one that is up to par? How do I know the power supply I pick is good enough for the motherboard, cpu, video card, case, etc? What specs on the power supply and motherboard need to be high to ensure I can play these games at high quality, what how high should the specs be? Thank you for any information. - Rain

07-10-2008, 01:54 PM	#2 (permalink)
~~OMGmissinglink~~ Troubled Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 1,535 OS: XP Pro sp2 My System	Re: Picking a good motherboard based on CPU IMHO Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3R is a solid mobo, power supply determination depends on graphic card more than the mobo.

07-10-2008, 02:04 PM	#3 (permalink)
raingame Registered User Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 15 OS: windows xp sp2	Re: Picking a good motherboard based on CPU My old motherboard is a gigabyte as well. But when I'm shopping around for motherboards, are there any specs I want to aim for? How can I tell good ones from bad ones?

07-10-2008, 02:12 PM	#4 (permalink)
wrench97 Moderator, Hardware Team Join Date: May 2008 Location: S.E. Pennsylvania Posts: 18,654 OS: Win7	Re: Picking a good motherboard based on CPU Do you have a preference for a single video card,or Dual in SLI or Crossfire ? __________________ Power Supply and Selection

07-10-2008, 02:24 PM	#5 (permalink)
raingame Registered User Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 15 OS: windows xp sp2	Re: Picking a good motherboard based on CPU I am probably going to get a single video card. Nvidia, 1 or 2 down from the top of the line. Based on your forum thread here on Power Supplys, I think http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817703009 would be a good choice so far. I plan on having a 150+ GB HD, a dvd player, network card, etc. Last edited by raingame; 07-10-2008 at 02:27 PM.

07-10-2008, 02:26 PM	#6 (permalink)
patriothntr Registered User Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 321 OS: XPsp3, PCLOS, other	Re: Picking a good motherboard based on CPU If you have any preference for Nvidia or ATI video cards, let us know...best bang for buck would probably be a couple of 4850 cards in crossfire...or a couple of 8800gts g92 cards. I would probably be looking at a P45 based board if I was going crossfire, and a 750i board if I was going SLI...

07-10-2008, 02:32 PM	#7 (permalink)
patriothntr Registered User Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 321 OS: XPsp3, PCLOS, other	Re: Picking a good motherboard based on CPU In that case, maybe a 9800gx2 on a 750i or 780i board...it would be an easy upgrade to quad sli if quad sli implementation improves...If you have no intention of ever getting a second card, look at the P43 chipset as an alternative... Your power requirements would be met with a high quality PSU...something between 600-700w...from Seasonic, Corsair, FSP, PC power and cooling, etc. If you want to be ready for a second 9800gx2, look at this (SLI cert. for 2x 9800gx2) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817171017

07-10-2008, 02:40 PM	#8 (permalink)
raingame Registered User Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 15 OS: windows xp sp2	Re: Picking a good motherboard based on CPU After looking at it a bit, I think I like the "couple of 8800gts g92 cards" idea the best. So now I have to make sure that the motherboard I choose supports two video cards? Does it need to be a 750i board? Would I want to get 2 of these? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814130325 Last edited by raingame; 07-10-2008 at 02:42 PM.

07-10-2008, 02:54 PM	#9 (permalink)
patriothntr Registered User Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 321 OS: XPsp3, PCLOS, other	Re: Picking a good motherboard based on CPU You do have to make sure your mobo supports two cards in SLI...that means you will need to have a Nvidia chipset...I would be looking at the 750i and 780i boards...

07-10-2008, 02:54 PM	#10 (permalink)
wrench97 Moderator, Hardware Team Join Date: May 2008 Location: S.E. Pennsylvania Posts: 18,654 OS: Win7	Re: Picking a good motherboard based on CPU To use SLI you will need to use a Nvidia chipset. It doesn't have to be a 750I though. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...DIA+nForce+700 I personally feel that SLI isn't worth the money or the hassle for the increase in frame rates you get you might want to think about a 9800gt card on a P45 chipset look at the cost/performance of that set up compared dual 8800gt's on a 7xx chip set. Just something for you to look at. __________________ Power Supply and Selection