AMD Spec Check please

sswats

sswats

sswats

Associate
Joined
26 Mar 2004
Posts
1,199
Already have PSU, Win7, a big HDD and a ATi Graphics card.

List is complete apart from the motherboard, which i could appreciate some help with.

ocukshop.jpg


I want to leave the small chance that i will crossfire in the future open, so i've narrowed it down to these motherboards

Biostar TA890FXE
which has the newer 890FX chipset with Crossfire x16 and sata 3. But its a Biostar.
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MB-004-BS&groupid=701&catid=1903&subcat=1782

Asus M4A89GTD PRO.
Only has the 890GX with only crossfire x8 but does have Sata3.
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MB-392-AS&groupid=701&catid=1903&subcat=1782

Asus Crosshair III Formula AMD 790FX.
Uses older 790FX chipset, no sata3. but does have Crossfire x16.
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MB-339-AS

Or any other suggestions. I'd rather not spend more than a £100 on the motherbaord.
 
Seems like a good option. cheap too.
Whats the advantage of the 890GX chipset from that Asus over the standard 880G one on the Gigabyte?
 
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The 880G has a slower IGP than the 890GX and also losses the ability to do symmetrical Crossfire(one slot will be at 16X electrical and the other at 4X electrical).
 
Thats what i thought, but it specifically says in the Gigabyte description
"and dual PCI Express 2.0 graphics interfaces (running at x8 and x8) for ATI CrossFireX/ATI Hybrid CrossFireX support"

So it runs at 8x just like the 890GX chipsets. Only the FX chipsets run at x16 and for the 800 chipsets those are too expensive for me.
 
Biostar's drawback is the PCI-E slots are too close together according to reviews.
Could cause heating problems if I do go Crossfire.
 
sswats said:
Thats what i thought, but it specifically says in the Gigabyte description
"and dual PCI Express 2.0 graphics interfaces (running at x8 and x8) for ATI CrossFireX/ATI Hybrid CrossFireX support"

So it runs at 8x just like the 890GX chipsets. Only the FX chipsets run at x16 and for the 800 chipsets those are too expensive for me.
Click to expand...

This is the Gigabyte web-page for the GA-880GA-UD3H:

http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=3425#sp

This is what is says on the specifications list:

"Expansion Slots 1 x PCI Express x16 slot, running at x16 (PCIEX16)
1 x PCI Express x16 slot, running at x4 (PCIEX4)
2 x PCI Express x1 slot (The PCIEX1_2 slot shares bandwidth with the PCIEX4 slot.) (Note 5)

(All PCI Express slots conform to PCI Express 2.0 standard.)
3 x PCI slots"
 
Weird.
OCUK are not the only stockists who claim this motherboard runs at x8 and x8 in crossfire.
I think the Biostar seems the best option at the moment
 
vertex 2 isn't sata 3.

Whats so bad about the C300?

edit: okay crappy write speeds.

Okay vertex it is. Just need to find a cooler now.
 
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Yes, I find it runs silently when the CPU isn't under load. Under load I can't really tell because the exhaust on my soon to be replaced case is on full pelt.
 
I've changed my mind over the Biostar. Going with a Gigabyte 890GX board for a bit cheaper.

and i'm probably getting the Frio cooler. supposed to be very cool at low rpm.
 
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