Most trouble-free 680i SLI or 680i LT SLI board?

[Max0r]

Looking for the most trouble-free (least issues) quality board to run the following @ stock settings:

X6800
4x1gb 1066 MHz DDR2
Dual 8800 Ultras in SLI

So far I've got my eyes on the EVGA board.

[twin_savage]

are you going to be running vista? if so make sure that board has non-crappy drivers for vista.

i have a p6n diamond and it hasn't crashed on my once, and it also runs out of spec ram, i got up to 1150 on it. its good in vista too but i don't like the sound drivers as much

[Max0r]

Probably XP to start with, but Vista when it's necessary for certain games. Possibly dual boot. Vista drivers have to get better eventually right? :shrug:

[virtualrain]

If you are running at stock settings, any board will probably do fine with that hardware. I would make my choice based on the layout and support. You can't go wrong with EVGA support although their layout leaves a bit to be desired with a molex and front panel headers in the middle of the board near the memory slots. The Striker is a nice board as well but ASUS support sucks. The DFI has a great layout and good support, but there have been too many problems with people bricking boards lately to recommend it.

[Max0r]

He he he, yes stock settings all around. I'm wondering if it's a good idea to run the QX6850 instead of the X6800. Since the QX6850 is a 1333 FSB proc, it sounds like I'd have to turn something down to run non-overclocked DDR2 memory. Without overclocking, it ain't gonna happen is it? If I underclock the FSB, I'll be underclocking the proc yes? They are linked? I have zero experience with the new intels!

[twin_savage]

well the system should be stable-ish as long as you keep it cool and up the voltage if necessary on whatever you overclock.

yes under clocking the fsb does underclock the proc as long as you keep the same multiplier on the proc. you can mess with the multiplier too change the processor speed but unless you get an unlocked processor you can only make the multiplier go down.

hears how the speed of the prosessor works, it starts out with the 266mhz fsb, but its "quad-pumped" so it is effectively a 1066mhz fsb and the clock multiplier is basically the number the original fsb is multiplied by to get the frequency. ex: i have a 2.4ghz proc so i have a x9 multiplier, 266*9=2400

[Max0r]

Sounds like X6800's where it's at for me then. Simple to work with @ stock settings. Just throw some 1066 DDR2 in there and bam all set.

So which ones are unlocked? Engineering samples?

[NaeKuh]

uhhh trouble free + Nvidia intel chipset DO NOT BELONG in the same sentence.

Unless you mean Trouble Free Downtime. Because you'll have a lot of it.

Do you honestly really need SLI? Are you running a Dell 30 inch LCD where your 8800 Ultra cant keep up?

Anyhow, if i had to go back to a Nvidia board again, and i mean honestly was dragged and forced to, i would look at gigabyte's or DFI's solution. I hear they have the least issues.

eVGA has the best warrenty if you get the A1. Cant beat lifetime on board, and eVGA's service is the best ive delt with so far.


Honestly, if you dont have the 2nd 8800ultra, i would recomend you waiting. G90's are coming out soon. And pick up a X38 board.


Incase you wanted to know... im a evga 680i owner. It now sits in a box. It is my 4th board RMA'd from them. Ive had problems anywhere from bad ram slots killing ram sticks, to burnt out mosfets causing C1 error, to board refusing to boot up for unknown reasons. Man, nvidia blows for intel straight up.

[Max0r]

My boy with money to burn wants the best and refuses to overclock. Money's not an object. He wants max game performance no compromise no nothing. If it were me, I wouldn't go for SLI unless I was relatively wealthy and wanted to have some fun testing/pimpifying parts. We're running stock so the board shouldn't be stressed at all unless it's defective.

By the way people talk about FPS but what no one talks about is momentary FPS dips ;)

[mdzcpa]

uhhh trouble free + Nvidia intel chipset DO NOT BELONG in the same sentence.

Unless you mean Trouble Free Downtime. Because you'll have a lot of it.


No offense but this is nonsense. I have more than a handful of Intel SLI builds out there now and not one warranty issue. Stable as the day is long. The 680i may not be the best clocker out there, but it is far from a troubled combination. Most folks reporting problems are in the heavy OC department.

If you want an SLI set up, the 680i is an easy choice. I can build and tune one in my sleep now.

[Eddie3dfx]

don't get evga...
I have both an evga 680i and an asus p5n-e sli.
The asus is superior in terms of quality, but the evga has more robust mosfets. caps, etc. You can overclock much better on the evga 680i, but eventually it will break. The asus 650i won't let you overclock as well, but it will be much more solid.
Maybe the striker or I also heard good things about DFI 680i

[Eddie3dfx]

MDCPA you couldn't be more wrong.
The foxconn creation that was used for evga is a piece of garbage.
It has serious design flaws and if you go on the forums, most people, like me, are on there 4-5th boards.
They are veryyyyy sensitive boards. A simple install, like a new fan into the system, can cause it to go completely dead and a cmos clear won't fix it.

[twin_savage]

i believe AMD had some FX's comeout with unlocked multipliers, awhile ago (939?), but you have to pay extra for them. and you've probably heard of the famous graphite pencil pin link of the K7's were you would draw a line to certain pins on the K7's and since graphite is conductive it magically "unlocked" the processor, well not magically.

I've heard of alot of DFI boards ariving dead. and does asus have that good of driver support? i know Asus's hardware quality is top-notch.

[icon57]

my x6800 ran fine on this evga 680i, i think you would be best off with evga or wait for the new one...

[twin_savage]

Yes now would definataly be a good time to wait, Nvidia is coming out with their next chipset very soon, the X48 chipset coming out soon too

[Max0r]

Won't the new hardware be buggier?

[twin_savage]

nvidia generally comes out with software to support the hardware that is relatively well refined, i mean if you take into perspective other companies, MICROSOFT.

from my understanding the x48 chipset is some what simmilar to the x38, so intel should have some experience with it, like ddr3 support and all that new stuff.

but that is a good point

[Max0r]

Either way, the guy who wants the system doesn't mind waiting at all, so neither do I :up:

[icon57]

thats good, if you wait about 1 month, you should have a few good choices to pick from.