1156 Motherboard Suggestions

[headsh0t]

Well with my new i5 750 on it's way I guess I'll be switching platforms and am in need of a new motherboard! I'm not really sure what's out there, but I've check out NCIX's 1156 motherboard line-up and I'm just noticing that there's a price premium for SLI boards. Most, if not all P55 boards, include CrossFire but the ones that include SLI are like $50 more. Is that just a case of the manufacturer needing to pay nvidia for the use of SLI? That is redonculous if you ask me. Anyways, I'd prefer to have an SLI ready board, since I've got a 260 on the way and may want to add another card later. I may even add in my 8800gt right away to fold with. I'd like to keep it $200 and under. I think this EVGA one looks sexy and it's the lowest end model and it's already $20 more than what I'd like to spend lol. Then there's also the Asus one I got linked and another Gigabyte similar to the Asus except the Giga has free ground shipping right now and a $20 MIR. Now I might not have to have SLI if there's some sweet hidden gem of a mobo that doesn't support it, maybe one day I'll go ATI. So what would you guys suggest? I'm also needing some RAM so you can make suggestions on that too if you wish.

NCIX.com - Buy EVGA P55 ATX LGA1156 DDR3 SLI Crossfire 3PCI-E16 1PCI-E1 2PCI Sound GBLAN Motherboard - 132-LF-E655-KR In Canada.

NCIX.com - Buy ASUS P7P55D Pro LGA1156 P55 DDR3 3PCI-E16 2PCI-E1 PCI SLI CrossFireX 6SATA GBLAN 1394 Motherboard - P7P55D PRO In Canada.

NCIX.com - Buy Gigabyte P55-UD4P ATX LGA1156 P55 DDR3 2PCI-E 3PCI-E1 2PCI RAID 2GLAN CrossFireX SLI Motherboard - GA-P55-UD4P In Canada.

Thanks.

[gingerbee]

I would buy the evga but that's just me. jmo

[headsh0t]

Care to expand on why you'd choose EVGA?

[ayah]

I have to wave the eVGA flag just because their support is top of the notch.

[Retro]

I did a new build last month with the Asus P7P55D Pro board, i5 750 and a 4GB set of GSkill DDR3 2000 Ripjaws,
all from NCIX. I wanted sli support in case I decide to get another GTX 275. Or not. So many good new cards coming out now
The Asus board has been great, stable and overclocks well, but I did consider the EVGA P55 FTW, as well. One major issue with all Asus and most other P55 boards is the use of Foxconn cpu sockets, which have been subject to poor clamping and pin contact resulting in some failures.
see this link:
AnandTech: P55 Extreme Overclockers: Check your sockets!
There have been some reports of this happening with non-extreme overclocking and air-cooling as well on XSF.
There is a good chance that the EVGA FTW board uses the better Lotes or Tyco Amp sockets which do not have this issue.
My cpu or socket hasn't fried yet, but if I had known about this before I bought the Asus board I would have gotten the EVGA instead.
Something to consider.

[headsh0t]

Hmmm that is quite interesting. Did you check your cpu pads to see if they had pin marks in them like in that article? Do any retailers in Canada carry the DFI P55?? Can't find it anywhere. I dunno if I'd get the EVGA FTW since it's getting a bit expensive @ 260 + taxes, the extra power connection and extra VRM cooling doesn't seem worth $40. Is there other differences other than that between the boards?

[Retro]

Originally Posted by headsh0t

Hmmm that is quite interesting. Did you check your cpu pads to see if they had pin marks in them like in that article? Do any retailers in Canada carry the DFI P55?? Can't find it anywhere. I dunno if I'd get the EVGA FTW since it's getting a bit expensive @ 260 + taxes, the extra power connection and extra VRM cooling doesn't seem worth $40. Is there other differences other than that between the boards?

Actually, I just dis-mounted my Noctua cooler last night and checked the cpu and socket very carefully with a good magnifying glass and halogen lamp for my tired old eyes I have been running it overclocked to 3800 MHz and as high as 4200, for over three weeks, had the v-core as high as 1.425 but have settled on the settings in my sig. for 24/7 use. Upon inspecting it, there appeared to be good pin contact, I couldn't find any un-marked cpu pads, and certainly no evidence of any scorching on either.
I have been researching this Foxconn socket issue for a while now, on several forums.
Here's another good link:

P55-UD6 socket burn - XtremeSystems Forums

It gets really deep if you read about new revisions coming from some boards that will be dropping Foxconn and using Lotes or Tyco Amp sockets, Foxconn themselves may be revising their socket.
Maybe I am being too paranoid about this, my Foxconn socket has been doing just fine. I hope! But it is scary to see the problems some have had.

You mention the DFI P55 boards, I have read that they will not be using Foxconn sockets so that's good news. Looking at NCIX's current DFI stock, they have a handful of P45 and X48 boards, that's it.
I don't know why they don't or can't keep an up to date stock of DFI boards, perhaps they will be getting some in eventually.
However, even Newegg Canada has no DFI P55 boards yet.
Check the latest NCIX Sale, I think they have the EVGA P55 FTW on sale this week for $234.99.
Good video review from Linus at NCIX on it.
However, the other EVGA board you linked for $209.99 MAY also have a Lotes socket, and it looks to be a good board as well.

[gingerbee]

Originally Posted by headsh0t

Care to expand on why you'd choose EVGA?

because i believe you have much less chance of a bad socket ( quality control@evga) and if you do get one evga will stand by there product better

[gingerbee]

I would not be worried about socket burn unless you are planing on anything over the 4ghz range. My problem would be socket mis-alignment so your cpu pads are not getting good contact ( will matter in the long run of things ) check contact pads

[Retro]

Originally Posted by gingerbee

because i believe you have much less chance of a bad socket ( quality control@evga) and if you do get one evga will stand by there product better

Yes, I do like dealing with EVGA in that respect, they will "make it right" if you do have a problem, I've been buying their video cards for many years now. Unlike companies like Asus, where dealing with RMA's can be difficult.

Originally Posted by gingerbee

I would not be worried about socket burn unless you are planing on anything over the 4ghz range. My problem would be socket mis-alignment so your cpu pads are not getting good contact ( will matter in the long run of things ) check contact pads

I agree, I would have been shocked if there was any burning in my socket I was mainly looking for poor pin contact, and this is what still concerns me, as the mis-alignment, even though it may not be evident, may cause problems later on.