Am I limited to x38 if I want crossfire?

Cairnsey

Cairnsey

Cairnsey

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I've just bought a OcUK HD3850 512Mb and, as I'm in the market for a new motherboard anyway, thought I'd check ot my crossfire options. If I went for a P35 based board, which I understand has reduced bandwidth in varying configurations, would the loss in bandwidth be enough to notice over an x38 based board?
 
Introduction
GIGABYTE's GA-P35-DS4 REV.2.1 motherboard provides the ultimate dream machine for serious overclockers and enthusiasts. Making sure gamers have plenty of future CPU headroom, the GIGABYTE GA-P35-DS4 REV.2.1 supports Intel® Core 2™ multi-core processors as well as the all-new Intel 45nm CPUs. In addition to providing record setting support for 1600MHz (O.C.) Front Side Bus and up to 1200 MHz (O.C.) of DDR2 memory, the GA-P35-DS4 REV.2.1 is further equipped to support ATI CrossFireX™ with dual PCI Express x16 interfaces. The GA-P35-DS4 REV.2.1 also delivers several Unique GIGABYTE innovations including the latest edition to GIGABYTE’s technology arsenal, the Dynamic Energy Saver(DES), providing extensive power savings with one simple click. Featuring the award-winning Durable 2 design, the GA-P35-DS4 REV.2.1 provides additional power savings, ultra cooling and extended system durability for even the most hardcore PC gamers.

no as long as its a rev 2.1 mobo your set and half the price ok x38 boards!
 
P35 is 16x / 4x, all of them are appart from the special ASUS Blitz one that is 8x / 8x and comes with a price premium that puts it on the same level as the X38 boards.

You can go Crossfire on a P35, but you will take a performance hit which varies depending on the game, but in all cases it will be slower than an X38 board.

If you want full speed Crossfire goodness you need an X38.
 
Think I'll just wait a bit til the prices drop before I decide on motherboard, by which time another HD3850Pro will be super cheap.
 
Other option is grab a P35, then at the end of the month, flog the 3850 and grab a 3870X2 :D
 
rippling said:
Introduction
GIGABYTE's GA-P35-DS4 REV.2.1 motherboard provides the ultimate dream machine for serious overclockers and enthusiasts. Making sure gamers have plenty of future CPU headroom, the GIGABYTE GA-P35-DS4 REV.2.1 supports Intel® Core 2™ multi-core processors as well as the all-new Intel 45nm CPUs. In addition to providing record setting support for 1600MHz (O.C.) Front Side Bus and up to 1200 MHz (O.C.) of DDR2 memory, the GA-P35-DS4 REV.2.1 is further equipped to support ATI CrossFireX™ with dual PCI Express x16 interfaces. The GA-P35-DS4 REV.2.1 also delivers several Unique GIGABYTE innovations including the latest edition to GIGABYTE’s technology arsenal, the Dynamic Energy Saver(DES), providing extensive power savings with one simple click. Featuring the award-winning Durable 2 design, the GA-P35-DS4 REV.2.1 provides additional power savings, ultra cooling and extended system durability for even the most hardcore PC gamers.

no as long as its a rev 2.1 mobo your set and half the price ok x38 boards!
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Thats not a bad mobo actually P35 chipset + 2 x 16x pciexpress slots.... no real need to go X38 then ;) but only issue is its £110, for £140 u can get the cheapest X38 board.
 
It isn't 16x/16x it is 16x/4x like all other P35 boards.

And yes, you'd be far better spending £140 on the cheapest X38 instead.

Personally I wouldn't spend over £100 on a P35, as you are getting too close to X38 money then.
 
HighlandeR said:
Thats not a bad mobo actually P35 chipset + 2 x 16x pciexpress slots.... no real need to go X38 then ;) but only issue is its £110, for £140 u can get the cheapest X38 board.
Click to expand...

Cheapest on on here is £129 for the Gigabyte. I only paid £125 for my P5E a couple of months ago though.
 
Not forgetting that the P45 Chipset should hopefully be out soon (I believe that is what foxconn were showing off with their quadfire setup at CES, although I'm not positive).

You could go for an 975 motherboard though right? That can run as 2 8x slots? (I don't know very much about those boards as was AMD for many years).

Matthew
 
P45 is 8/8, which is far better than 16/4, hardly any performance loss with 8/8.

975X is 8/8 as well, but as it's an old chipset it sucks for overclocking.
 
pastymuncher said:
Cheapest on on here is £129 for the Gigabyte. I only paid £125 for my P5E a couple of months ago though.
Click to expand...

Yeah use to have the P5E while back before PC was sold... very nice board u managed to get it at a decent price also, the gigabyte looks pretty good as well couldnt go wrong with either choice.

Yeah dont think the P35 board is worth it especially if that other ones not dual x16 slots... best to stick with the x38, heres hoping ATIs 3870X2 will proove a monster ;)
 
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