Best motherboard

[Emoclaw]

So, I want to dream a gaming computer.
What is the best motherboard released so far?
I've done some searching but results are different in websites.
Straight question, I think.

 

[DeaconFrost]

It's anything but a straight question. That's like asking what the best flavor of ice cream is. There are so many variables to consider.

My suggestion is to choose your processor first, then pick the motherboard second, based on features, as long as it is compatible with that processor. Then you choose the rest of the components.

 

[Erick Aguilar]

Agreed with Deacon.
That's subjective. There is no ''best'' motherboard. Technically there is no ''best'' computer component. Only components that do what you require or want them to do.

 

[Emoclaw]

Yeah okay let me rephrase that, what is the best motherboard that can handle the most RAM, i7 processor, in general that has the most "Features"

 

[Erick Aguilar]

That question is also subjective. It's not about ''the most features'' It's about what you need it to do. And what you will need it to do in the future. Are you planning to do video encoding/editing? How much ram are you talking about? If you will game you will barely need 4GB. No matter what anybody tells you 16gb for gaming is an incredibly mongoloid decision. In the long run, it might be sutiable, but now. For Gaming? No.

Pick your socket. Do research online for motherboards.

Asus Republic of Gamers Motherboards are ''cool and gamer'' I think it's Crosshair Formula IV or something. They are pretty. Nothing another motherboard can't do though.

 

[essenbe]

I agree with the posts above. What are you going to do with the board? If you are going to be gaming, more than 8GB ram is overkill. I think the highest I have seen my ram usage is aroung 5GB. But, the board that will handle the most ram is probably the Sandy Bridge -E boards which I believe will handle 64Gb. But, a mid range board and CPU will set you back around $1000-1200 US. The board for a gaming rig is complete overkill. A good CPU for gaming is the i5-3570K or if you want extreme, the i7-3770K. The biggest difference between the 2 is hyperthreading, which is rarely ever used in gaming. Most of the Z77 boards can run 32GB of ram. The board with the most features is overkill too, I know, I own one. Asus Maximus V Extreme. They named it right, it is extreme and worth the price only if you use the extreme features which very few do. Unless you want to try extremely high overclocks with LN2, you don't need it, aside from the fact that it is pretty expensive. So, I have to go back to the question above, what besides gaming do you use it for? Pretty much everything I have mentioned here is way overpriced and overkill for a gaming rig. And, for a good gaming rig, the Graphics card is more important than the CPU. A very reasonably priced i5-3570K will play any game out or that is coming out in the next few years very well and will not strain at any of them. Put your money into a graphics card for a better gaming experience.

 

[Jerlys]

Agree with Essenbe. A I5-2500 and a GTX 670 on a P8P67 board 8gb DDR3 will flat out stomp just about any game but crysis 3, in which case SLi or a GTX 690 is recommended to max out that one. including tower, PSU and peripherals, your looking at maybe an $1000 rig. $2000 if you are crazy enough to get a 690.

 

[Wishmaster]

I agree. Its not about "features" so much as what you will use. Un-used features are just a waste.

For example, when I got mine, I went with the eVGA P67. Sure, it lacks many features some competitors had at the time but it also offered others the competitiors did not.
Bit better quality parts in places such as thicker board, more gold in the sockets etc.
Of course this also raisde the price, putting it in the ball park off other that offered more features. So while it may seem you're paying the same for less, you're not depending on what you are looking for.

And for my use and purposes, it fits the bill perfectly. It had everything I needed.


Buying a bit more than you need is one thing, or a feature that you may have use for soon. But to grab top end just because may not be worth it.


I guess what Im saying is ...
Get a quality board that suits your needs VS a board that offers a ton of features you may never use. That comes at a price of either of a lesser quality build OR much higher price tag. Either way, not a worthwhile tradeoff IMHO if you have no need for those features.

Also keep in mind about hardware. For example, if you use a dedicated sound card, no point getting a board that offers "high end" integrated. Wasting money there.


On RAM, just stick with 8GB. (2X4GB)
The reason is that most games will not use more than the 4GB mark anyway. In fact, most are 32 bit whick means limited to 2GB address space. So 2GB for game, 2GB for OS and thats all it will ever use regardless how much is installed.
Technically, 4GB is plenty. But, 8GB gives a touch of headroom.

I do alot of video encoding and some photoshop. In both cases, 8GB has been enough. Though it does at time get up there at around 80% use, it doesnt max it out. For everything eklse, not even close to using it all.
Though some may have need for more than that currently, the fact is a good 95% or better of us never will.

 

[linnemeyerhere]

Oh and then there's the how long "the best" stays "the best". At this point I would trade warranty, customer support and reliability for the absolute best. Another thing I find is by the time I've saved up the difference for all the best the line has moved.

 

[Britton30]

Here's a nice board, look at its specs and figure out what you don't need and we can better adivse you along with what you want the computer to do in real life.
ASRock X79 Extreme11 SSI CEB Intel Motherboard - Newegg.com

 

[bobkn]

How about this one?

ASUS - - ASUS P9X79 WS

It's an X79 desktop board, but in addition to the desktop LGA2011 CPUs, it also accepts Xeons. You could use an 8 core (16 logical core, with hyperthreading) CPU. The least expensive of those list for over $1k, but you asked about a dream system, not a good one.

 

[Layback Bear]

May I suggest do things in this fashion
1. How much money are you willing to spend?
2. What CPU have you chose?
3. What are you going to use this computer for and hopefully in the future?
4. What capabilities do you want your motherboard to have and are willing to pay for. Example: How many USB 3.0, USB 3.0, WiFi., SATE II and SATE III ect.

There are just to many motherboard to hunt and peck through without knowing the answers to these questions. We like to help, we want to help but we need your help to do so.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

May I suggest do things in this fashion
1. How much money are you willing to spend?
2. What CPU have you chose?
3. What are you going to use this computer for and hopefully in the future?
4. What capabilities do you want your motherboard to have and are willing to pay for. Example: How many USB 3.0, USB 3.0, WiFi., SATE II and SATE III ect.

There are just to many motherboard to hunt and peck through without knowing the answers to these questions. We like to help, we want to help but we need your help to do so.

+1 for my two cents worth - how much money do you have to or willing to play with or for that matter fry? Myself again FWIW I like to know there is good support for whatever you buy

 

[Emoclaw]

I am not planning to buy anything, I am just curious, I've chosen IntelCore i7-3970X Extreme Edition Processor 3.5GHz
and a 96GB of RAM, I'd use this computer for sound and video rendering, gaming, multitasking.

PS: I am not paranoid, I am just writing down some specs incase I win the lottery.

 

[kbrady1979]

So this is hypothetical?

 

[Erick Aguilar]

Lol, in that case look for the specs of the computers operating the large hadron collider.

 

[Britton30]

I am not planning to buy anything, I am just curious, I've chosen IntelCore i7-3970X Extreme Edition Processor 3.5GHz
and a 96GB of RAM, I'd use this computer for sound and video rendering, gaming, multitasking.

PS: I am not paranoid, I am just writing down some specs incase I win the lottery.

By that time everything said here will be obsolete and there will be the neural interface.

 

[Layback Bear]

Have a nice day.
Emoclaw

 

[Britton30]

Lol, in that case look for the specs of the computers operating the large hadron collider.

Had to read that twice.:shock: