Best X38 Mobo For E6750 Now, and Penryn Later? Preferably DDR2 Based

[JohnClark]

I will be building a new system within the next 3-4 weeks. I would already be doing that, but am waiting to see what comes of the ATI 2950/3800 series release, and the nVidia 8800 GT or GTS release. At the moment, I am leaning a bit toward the 3870's, and using two in Crossfire mode, but not 100% positive yet until I see the first legit benchmarks. Alternatively, I would go with dual 8800GTS cards, again, depending on benchmarks.

I really like what I have seen of the Asus Maximus Formula SE as a board, and understand there are only limited quantities available. I understand this board does offer Crossfire, but I'm not sure what my best option would be if I instead go nVidia and need SLI.

What are your recommended best X38 based motherboards for Crossfire, and for SLI? And with the ability to use DDR2 since I cannot see the sense in paying the price for DDR3 anytime in the forseeable future. Thanks.


This pc will be focused on being able to run games with all the bells and whistles with good FPS, as well as standard uses for surfing, music, digital photography, etc.

[Speederlander]

Wait one month. The number of options for X38 is crap right now. Board makers are still tuning their BIOS and boards also.

[Supershanks]

I've just got the Gigabyte GA X38 DQ6 and am pleasently suprised with it. It was the 1st x38 launched , there's been relatively little about it. I got it as i was fed up of waiting & not knowing when the Abit ix38 QuadGT

luck

[zsamz_]

as speeder sais wait a month

[DJBUDDY]

asus p5e!!

[C'DaleRider]

Wait one month. The number of options for X38 is crap right now. Board makers are still tuning their BIOS and boards also.

Exactly! With all the compatibility and performance problems that seem to be abounding the X38 motherboard release, it almost doesn't pay to be an early adopter in this case......or should that be early guinea pig/bug finder?

[Richard Dower]

Wait one month. The number of options for X38 is crap right now. Board makers are still tuning their BIOS and boards also.

I wanted to ask you about your mobo, your CMOS battery shipped with Mitsubishi...yet mine came with KTS, Japan vs. China.

Very minor, but i'm thinking what else is different...as in maybe your board is somehow different. Not a board/PCB revision per se, but minor differences.

Do you have any closeups of the PCB and the chipsets onboard?

[Speederlander]

I wanted to ask you about your mobo, your CMOS battery shipped with Mitsubishi...yet mine came with KTS, Japan vs. China.

Very minor, but i'm thinking what else is different...as in maybe your board is somehow different. Not a board/PCB revision per se, but minor differences.

Do you have any closeups of the PCB and the chipsets onboard?

My mobo? I'm on XBX2 after my P5K Dlx died and took about $1000 RAM with it. Waiting for X48 with clear CPU zone for phasing.

[mjb1206]

Why Wait, Mine Has Worked Perfectly From Day One !! Overclocked Nicely, And Has Been Rock Solid Stable!

[sonicsallen]

P5K premium or Maximus Formula

[Nate P.]

Wait one month. The number of options for X38 is crap right now. Board makers are still tuning their BIOS and boards also.

I agree with that.

[zsamz_]

my x38 dq6 did overclock my 6850 to 4.3 but to be honest was happy when it died it was fun testing but installing os 10 times in a month
in my opinion they need to revise something and the bios
it was like orderin a medium steak n gettin it server raw or burnt
i will be buyin an x48 if the fix the bugs
and to be honest my p35c rocks and is almost as fast as the x38 but more stable i'm ok with 4.0 24/7

[JohnClark]

Thanks for the advice to wait. That was my gut feeling, and what I truly think is best. My only concern was that the Maximus Formula SE is supposedly, just that, a special "limited" edition, with a short period of availablilty.

Worst case is, if I wait a month, it's no longer available, and the "right" solution ends up being two of the
ATI 3870's, what do I do for a quality, Crossfire mobo? I'm not sure there are any others.


John

[ElEctric_EyE]

heh. You will hear what you want to hear. I say look at a motherboard manufacturer's history AND the chipset. Gigabyte and Asus were the only two to get on the X38 bandwagon early on, and sites like anandtech trashed it cuz they were not happy with the BIOS, but (and this is why I still reed their reviews) they say to watch for BIOS updates and everything will perform better. I don't see a company like ASUS (I just purchased a Maximus SE, and 2 weeks earlier a P5-WDG2-Pro) supporting a mobo for 2 months then trashing it. The move to DDR3 should be anyones main reason to wait for a new chipset/MB even though x38 does support DDR3 right? Come on, you guys are behind the power curve! The mobo manufactures gambled that the price of DDR3 will STILL be too expensive in the few months to come. I say screw DDR3, I got my Corsair DDR2 1066 up to 1460FSB. Everything now is in the OC corner!

[Speederlander]

heh. You will hear what you want to hear. I say look at a motherboard manufacturer's history AND the chipset. Gigabyte and Asus were the only two to get on the X38 bandwagon early on, and sites like anandtech trashed it cuz they were not happy with the BIOS, but (and this is why I still reed their reviews) they say to watch for BIOS updates and everything will perform better. I don't see a company like ASUS (I just purchased a Maximus SE, and 2 weeks earlier a P5-WDG2-Pro) supporting a mobo for 2 months then trashing it. The move to DDR3 should be anyones main reason to wait for a new chipset/MB even though x38 does support DDR3 right? Come on, you guys are behind the power curve! The mobo manufactures gambled that the price of DDR3 will STILL be too expensive in the few months to come. I say screw DDR3, I got my Corsair DDR2 1066 up to 1460FSB. Everything now is in the OC corner!

You can get 8 gig of DDR2 1000 for under $400 right now. Why go to DDR3 at all? For a 4% improvement in benchmarks but at the cost of only having 2 gig of RAM for $100 more than the 8 gig of fast DDR2?

[JohnClark]

You can get 8 gig of DDR2 1000 for under $400 right now. Why go to DDR3 at all? For a 4% improvement in benchmarks but at the cost of only having 2 gig of RAM for $100 more than the 8 gig of fast DDR2?

agreed!

John

[Leeghoofd]

Well I really like my Maximus Formula though it requires more tweaking in the bios to get it from not corrupting the winblows installation...( I love my Norton Ghost DVD as it puts the OS back in under 3 minutes) though once you get used to the abundance of tweaks... you can get P35 based OC's rather easily... and it runs so much cooler than my P5K Dlx...

The Formula SE will fade away from the market in a matter of month(s) but the normal Formula will be released to the masses prolly (so without the copper Fuzion block)...

Till now P35 has matured very well, X38 needs some more time to get the most out of it...

[Brother Esau]

Wait for D.F.I X38

[zsamz_]

Wait for D.F.I X38

ive never owned a dfi board but i'm waitin to see the dfi too
as long as dfi dont do a rd600 number on the x38 chipset lol

[Brother Esau]

D.F.I P35 is Awesome!

[zsamz_]

D.F.I P35 is Awesome!

i love my p35c i just wished had more options in bios

[Brother Esau]

If you want allot of tweaking options in Bios and a challenge to overclock where it does not become boring and you lose interest the D.F.I X38 is for you

[zsamz_]

If you want allot of tweaking options in Bios and a challenge to overclock where it does not become boring and you lose interest the D.F.I X38 is for you

i spent 3 weeks on x38-dq6 it was a nightmare lol
even after passin memtest 100% it would kill my os
i like tweekin lol but need to use pc too
n i dont wanna go passed 2.35vdimm to get what i got with 2.24v with p35
even my cpu was demanding more juice with the x38-dq6
funny how overclocking more fun than playin games damn i gettin old or what

[Brother Esau]

i spent 3 weeks on x38-dq6 it was a nightmare lol
even after passin memtest 100% it would kill my os
i like tweekin lol but need to use pc too
n i dont wanna go passed 2.35vdimm to get what i got with 2.24v with p35
even my cpu was demanding more juice with the x38-dq6
funny how overclocking more fun than playin games damn i gettin old or what

Were all getting old well some of us anyways!

[zsamz_]

good thing dfi got a com attachment on board
its the only reason i didnt jump on the asus