Looking for a new motherboard, advice please.

Feek · 02-08-2007, 09:09

In case it gets missed in the other thread, I'm looking for a motherboard to replace my Asus P5N-E SLI

My requirements are quite specific, it needs to be a socket 775 board that can take my Noctua NH-U12F cooler and work well with 4Gb RAM using Vista x64.

The cooler is quite big and has a backplate - It will fit many different types of socket but I think I dumped all the mounts I'm not using so a socket 775 is essential. Working with 4Gb (4 x 1Gb, matched dual channel pairs of DDR2 from OCZ) is also essential. Reliability is even more essential as the P5N-E SLI is crap. Overclock ability isn't crucial but would be nice to do it once I've got a nice stable system. I will be rebuilding the OS for the new build so chipset isn't really important to me (how pleased am I that I never activated Vista

).

This is probably the only time I've regretted not having an OcUK account as being able to search the hardware forums is useful for this sort of thing!

Stan_Lite · 02-08-2007, 09:52

Found a page with motherboards compatible with the NH-U12F here.

I have a Gigabyte-965P-DS3 on one of my rigs and I love it to bits - the overclocking potential is huge (if you should need it in the future).

I've done a bit of research and have found plenty of people saying they have 4x1Gb sticks running fine in it. It also takes the cooler, according to the Noctua compatibility chart.

If you get the 3.3 revision, it is compatible with the new 1333MHz FSB CPUs in case you decide to upgrade in future.

I like this board and have had an E6300 running flat out at 3.15GHz on it - that's a 70% overclock

Mark · 02-08-2007, 09:52

I really like my Gigabyte 965P-DS4 (now superceded by P35-DS4) - it's been rock solid for me. However, I also know that some people have had reliability issues with the Gigabyte boards (usually getting stuck in a reboot loop), can't promise they'll work with 4GB (though know of no reason why they won't), or that your cooler will fit (they have quite a few heatsinks on them so there's certainly danger it won't).

Haven't done a lot of research on the P35 chipset myself (only found out about it last week), but from what I have heard it does at least help with memory timing issues.

Feek · 02-08-2007, 10:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flat Stanley

Found a page with motherboards compatible with the NH-U12F here.

Oh very handy.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flat Stanley

I have a Gigabyte-965P-DS3 on one of my rigs and I love it to bits - the overclocking potential is huge (if you should need it in the future).

Sounds good, I see that model's still around at about £90 so I may well go for one in a couple of weeks time. I'll probably add a second 500Gb drive and RAID them for extra smoke as well

Feek · 02-08-2007, 10:14

Oooo, cheaper. Much.

http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Produ...oductID=437659

Is that the one, Stan?

Mark · 02-08-2007, 10:16

- the 965P-DS4 is compatible. Sadly the P35-DS4 isn't. :/

Feek, you might want to research the newer P35-DS3. Same basic design but with the newer Intel chipset. Done very little research on it myself but what I have done suggests it's a little more friendly on memory timings.

Edit - yup, that's the one Stan suggested. Nice price - just hope it's not the older spec one (shouldn't be as the rev. 3.3 has been out a while).

Feek · 02-08-2007, 10:24

I'd rather go with a known and tested board than a newer one which may not have been used by many real people. This is the problem with the Asus I've got that I bought it shortly after it came out and it wasn't common so the problems wern't known.

I don't need the higher FSB so it's not a huge issue if it is the old revision.

I'll look at that board today Mark but the 965P-DS3 is looking good. I've always had a soft spot for Gigabyte boards as one of the first decent pentium boards I bought was a Gigabyte.

Mark · 02-08-2007, 10:28

I used to steer away from them myself due to the well-known Gigabyte horror stories, but I got this 965P-DS4 and haven't looked back. If it can survive my clumsy putting together skills then it has to be good.

Stan_Lite · 02-08-2007, 10:32

That's the board all right.

Looking at the spec, it only states 1066MHz FSB, so possibly the older version (unless Scan haven't updated the spec). If the higher FSB isn't an issue then that looks good Feek.

I can assure you I have had no issues with this board and would recommend it to anybody, whether they overclock or not.

If you do buy it, I would recommend updating the BIOS straight away to make sure you're fully up to date. I'm not sure which BIOS version it ships with at the moment but some of the older versions were slightly flaky but the newer versions are rock solid.

Davey_Pitch · 02-08-2007, 11:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flat Stanley

I like this board and have had an E6300 running flat out at 3.15GHz on it - that's a 70% overclock

70%? On air? Tasty, very tasty indeed

02-08-2007, 09:09	#1
Feek ex SAS Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: JO01ou Posts: 10,062	Looking for a new motherboard, advice please. In case it gets missed in the other thread, I'm looking for a motherboard to replace my Asus P5N-E SLI My requirements are quite specific, it needs to be a socket 775 board that can take my Noctua NH-U12F cooler and work well with 4Gb RAM using Vista x64. The cooler is quite big and has a backplate - It will fit many different types of socket but I think I dumped all the mounts I'm not using so a socket 775 is essential. Working with 4Gb (4 x 1Gb, matched dual channel pairs of DDR2 from OCZ) is also essential. Reliability is even more essential as the P5N-E SLI is crap. Overclock ability isn't crucial but would be nice to do it once I've got a nice stable system. I will be rebuilding the OS for the new build so chipset isn't really important to me (how pleased am I that I never activated Vista ). This is probably the only time I've regretted not having an OcUK account as being able to search the hardware forums is useful for this sort of thing! __________________

02-08-2007, 09:52	#2
Stan_Lite Stan, Stan the FLASHER MAN! Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: In bed with your sister Posts: 5,483	Found a page with motherboards compatible with the NH-U12F here. I have a Gigabyte-965P-DS3 on one of my rigs and I love it to bits - the overclocking potential is huge (if you should need it in the future). I've done a bit of research and have found plenty of people saying they have 4x1Gb sticks running fine in it. It also takes the cooler, according to the Noctua compatibility chart. If you get the 3.3 revision, it is compatible with the new 1333MHz FSB CPUs in case you decide to upgrade in future. I like this board and have had an E6300 running flat out at 3.15GHz on it - that's a 70% overclock __________________ Just because I have a short attention span doesn't mean I...

02-08-2007, 10:14	#5
Feek ex SAS Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: JO01ou Posts: 10,062	Oooo, cheaper. Much. http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Produ...oductID=437659 Is that the one, Stan? __________________

02-08-2007, 10:16	#6
Mark Screaming Orgasm Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Newbury Posts: 15,194	- the 965P-DS4 is compatible. Sadly the P35-DS4 isn't. :/ Feek, you might want to research the newer P35-DS3. Same basic design but with the newer Intel chipset. Done very little research on it myself but what I have done suggests it's a little more friendly on memory timings. Edit - yup, that's the one Stan suggested. Nice price - just hope it's not the older spec one (shouldn't be as the rev. 3.3 has been out a while). Last edited by Mark; 02-08-2007 at 10:18.

02-08-2007, 10:24	#7
Feek ex SAS Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: JO01ou Posts: 10,062	I'd rather go with a known and tested board than a newer one which may not have been used by many real people. This is the problem with the Asus I've got that I bought it shortly after it came out and it wasn't common so the problems wern't known. I don't need the higher FSB so it's not a huge issue if it is the old revision. I'll look at that board today Mark but the 965P-DS3 is looking good. I've always had a soft spot for Gigabyte boards as one of the first decent pentium boards I bought was a Gigabyte. __________________

02-08-2007, 10:28	#8
Mark Screaming Orgasm Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Newbury Posts: 15,194	I used to steer away from them myself due to the well-known Gigabyte horror stories, but I got this 965P-DS4 and haven't looked back. If it can survive my clumsy putting together skills then it has to be good.

02-08-2007, 10:32	#9
Stan_Lite Stan, Stan the FLASHER MAN! Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: In bed with your sister Posts: 5,483	That's the board all right. Looking at the spec, it only states 1066MHz FSB, so possibly the older version (unless Scan haven't updated the spec). If the higher FSB isn't an issue then that looks good Feek. I can assure you I have had no issues with this board and would recommend it to anybody, whether they overclock or not. If you do buy it, I would recommend updating the BIOS straight away to make sure you're fully up to date. I'm not sure which BIOS version it ships with at the moment but some of the older versions were slightly flaky but the newer versions are rock solid. __________________ Just because I have a short attention span doesn't mean I...

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode