ASUS Striker II Extreme Or EVGA nForce Ultra???

f1racer · 27 Aug 2008 at 01:34

Hi

Looking to build a new rig very soon, but undecided on the mobo. I fancy some 280GTX SLI action, so I need a Nvidia chipset...

Any comments guys on these?

Asus Striker II Extreme nForce 790i Ultra SLi (Socket 775) PCI-Express DDR3 Motherboard

EVGA nForce 790i Ultra SLi (Socket 775) PCI-Express DDR3 Motherboard (N790-IUL9)

Will be using an E8600 CPU...

TIA

balth_dire · 27 Aug 2008 at 02:53

The Asus has a non-standard design, as did their Striker Extreme and Striker 2 Formula. This can be a blessing and a curse. The Striker didn't suffer from the same data corruption issues as the initial 680i boards based on Nvidia's reference design.

The Formula however, was a disaster in my experience, more down to the chipset than anything else - which is under discussion right now on another thread - though in this case, Asus' boards also exhibited some specific BIOS and design flaws that were abscent from the reference solutions.

The 790i is supposedly a big improvement on all fronts, so it shouldn't matter too much, though I'd be inclined to go for the Evga simply because their tech support is so much better.

Jokester · 27 Aug 2008 at 07:53

I was getting data corruption with my Asus 790i even after the BIOS that would "fix" it. The same issue exists with the reference design and seems to be an inherent fault with the chipset much like the 680i boards were.

Never again.

balth_dire · 27 Aug 2008 at 11:56

Seriously??!!!

The issues I had with the 680 (Striker Extreme) were all memory related, it kept massacring modules that required a slightly higher voltage by default, the system would be rock solid for months at a time, then simply collapse! I've yet to decide if this was substandard QC on the part of Micron, or a grave oversight by Nvidia.

I've never actually encountered the corruption issue - been testing the 790 a little (in its XFX form!) and no problems as yet - I did understand the P06 BIOS resolved most of the "intolerable" issues....

What was the exact problem you had, what memory were you using and what CPU...I know you're not looking for help I'm merely curious

.

Arcane · 27 Aug 2008 at 11:57

How about getting the evga 750i F.T.W. as a stop gap and then migrate over to one of the X58 boards that supports SLI? That way you'll be able to keep the ddr2 you've got at the moment. I'd let the dust settle and see which x58 board's best for your needs. You can get a triple channel ddr3 set for it then as well.

EDIT: Jokester, are you getting corruption with 0901?

TheCenturion · 27 Aug 2008 at 12:04

if you get a striker 2 extreme, the latest bios update supossedly fixes all the problems, but remember it doesn't like ocz ram

f1racer · 27 Aug 2008 at 17:56

anant_shah94 said:
if you get a striker 2 extreme, the latest bios update supossedly fixes all the problems, but remember it doesn't like ocz ram

Hmmm, I was looking at getting the OCZ 4Gb DDR3.... Looks like I need to check that. Thanks.

TheCenturion · 27 Aug 2008 at 17:57

f1racer said:
Hmmm, I was looking at getting the OCZ 4Gb DDR3.... Looks like I need to check that. Thanks.

generally asus boards are hit and miss, you might get one that likes ocz, you might not

f1racer · 27 Aug 2008 at 18:02

Best to change my choice though if I stick with the ASUS...

My last 2 boards have been ASUS, been very happy with them, prior to that I had loads of Abit boards.

TheCenturion · 27 Aug 2008 at 18:03

f1racer said:
Best to change my choice though if I stick with the ASUS...

My last 2 boards have been ASUS, been very happy with them, prior to that I had loads of Abit boards.

If you are prepared to run the risk of problems for a fantastic mobo, go for the striker, afterall, it's still the best for games... just might have some problems

tommy6206 · 28 Aug 2008 at 10:57

Hi
I have the Asus striker 2 extreme with latest bios and Ocz ram see sig and no problems.The trouble is people overclock the cr@p out of there gear then moan like hell when things go wrong and blame the mb/ram what ever.

TheCenturion · 28 Aug 2008 at 11:05

tommy6206 said:
Hi
I have the Asus striker 2 extreme with latest bios and Ocz ram see sig and no problems.The trouble is people overclock the cr@p out of there gear then moan like hell when things go wrong and blame the mb/ram what ever.

i'm sure you can push your cpu a bit further?

tommy6206 · 28 Aug 2008 at 12:54

anant_shah94 said:
i'm sure you can push your cpu a bit further?

It will I'm on 3.375 now.I have had it at 3.5 but not used to all this new hardware and bios stuff so will do it slowly.

uk_toker · 28 Aug 2008 at 16:11

Bad support from OCUK

anant_shah94 said:
if you get a striker 2 extreme, the latest bios update supossedly fixes all the problems, but remember it doesn't like ocz ram

I found the Asus Striker II extreme dont like OCZ ram. Pitty the guys at OCUK dont know, its been 3 weeks now and i am STILL waiting to get my Pc up and running after i spent 1760 quid with them. Date orderd 5th August, date thay finaly sorted out my Tech problem, Not KNOWN, as i am still waiting for them to Book my RMA in.

Shame realy as my son who has soon gotta travel 200 miles to hospital proberly wont get to see the PC till its out dated

.

Never again will i use OCUK or Recomend them to any one else.

AndyOcUK · 28 Aug 2008 at 16:14

Jokester said:
I was getting data corruption with my Asus 790i even after the BIOS that would "fix" it. The same issue exists with the reference design and seems to be an inherent fault with the chipset much like the 680i boards were.

Never again.

?

So far so good.

Doesn't like 4GHz at the moment though

Case: Akasa Eclipse 62
PSU: Antec Quattro 850W
MOBO: Asus Striker II Extreme 790i Ultra
RAM: 4 X 1Gb Corsair XMS3 DDR3 1333MHz
GFX: Gainward GTX 280
CPU: Intel Core2 Quad Q6600 (G0)
Sound: X-Fi Fatal1ty
HDD: 2 X WD Raptor 150Gb in RAID 0 (Stripe)

XSPC Res/Pump
Alphacool CPU block
Asetek Black Ice Extreme 120.3 Rad
Motherboard has its own watercooled NB but still same loop.

Loop= Res/pump>>>Rad>>>CPU>>>NB

mike gunnz · 28 Aug 2008 at 17:52

Has anyone water cooled using the NB fusion block on the S2E? I've heard some stories about leaking etc.

TheCenturion · 28 Aug 2008 at 17:55

mike gunnz said:
Has anyone water cooled using the NB fusion block on the S2E? I've heard some stories about leaking etc.

does the board come with any watercooling accessories like barbs or clamps, or do those have to be purchased seperately?

mike gunnz · 28 Aug 2008 at 17:58

anant_shah94 said:
does the board come with any watercooling accessories like barbs or clamps, or do those have to be purchased seperately?

Retail version comes with the accessories you mentioned, i got mine OEM from OCUK so just the board, but I'm not complaining as it was only 75 quid.

So has anyone used the NB Fusion block or what?

TheCenturion · 28 Aug 2008 at 18:06

mike gunnz said:
Retail version comes with the accessories you mentioned, i got mine OEM from OCUK so just the board, but I'm not complaining as it was only 75 quid.

So has anyone used the NB Fusion block or what?

£75 for a new striker 2? to the OP, if you can find a deal like that, GET IT! doesn't matter if it's oem or retail, no matter how unstable, that's a bargain!

Jokester · 28 Aug 2008 at 18:22

It's a known issue that the NB waterblock can leak, there's quite a high failure rate. I think this applies to all the Asus MBs with that type of block.

AndyOcUK said:
?

And I'm now running my quad core on a Maximus Extreme at 4.1GHz.

Passively.