ASUS or Intel MOBO for Cor2Duo E7200

TinyTim · Post by **TinyTim** » Wed Jan 28, 2009 3:08 pm

I have an Intel Cor2Duo E7200 processor and would like to purchase a stable/reliable/compatible/all that other good stuff motherboard and RAM combo to compliment it.

Here are the motherboards I was currently thinking of:

ASUS P5Q DELUXE - http://www.asus.com/products.aspx?model ... 3=709&l4=0

Intel DX48BT2 (http://www.intel.com/products/desktop/m ... erview.htm)

Intel DP45SG (http://support.intel.com/products/deskt ... erview.htm)

Probably use 4GB of Crucial Ballistix for RAM

Any thoughts on stability / quality of one board vs. the other?

I have read info online and both seem like good boards - I guess it would help to know what the use of the PC will be...mainly used for digital photo editing (large files with various layers) and, of course, e-mail/surfing the net.

I have a few Seagate 500 GB hdd that I will be adding to it along with an 8600GTS video card (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6814130394).

Easto · Post by **Easto** » Wed Jan 28, 2009 3:23 pm

I'm running that board (different version) with a C2D and haven't had 1 problem in the last year or so. I have a very small OC going on and have seen no bad effects.

TinyTim · Post by **TinyTim** » Wed Jan 28, 2009 3:25 pm

Which board are you running?

YARDofSTUF · Post by **YARDofSTUF** » Wed Jan 28, 2009 3:29 pm

I would say all 3 boards are high quality boards. The ASUS board will probably have a more customizable BIOS, but if your looking for good stability you wont really be messing with the settings so much.

I would probably pick the Intel X48 board.

As for memory for the Intel X48, the Intel site lists tested RAM:

http://www.intel.com/support/motherboar ... 028495.htm

TinyTim · Post by **TinyTim** » Wed Jan 28, 2009 3:32 pm

Did not know that was there....do you know if Asus has a smilar site that would list "tested" RAM for the mobo?

YARDofSTUF · Post by **YARDofSTUF** » Wed Jan 28, 2009 3:41 pm

TinyTim wrote:Did not know that was there....do you know if Asus has a smilar site that would list "tested" RAM for the mobo?

Click download, select OS and whatever they want and in teh list of downloads available it should say Qualified Venders, in there it should provide the info.

Easto · Post by **Easto** » Wed Jan 28, 2009 4:11 pm

tinytim wrote:which board are you running?

pq5 ws

TinyTim · Post by **TinyTim** » Wed Jan 28, 2009 5:00 pm

Thanks for the input...I think I will go with the Asus board

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Wed Jan 28, 2009 6:55 pm

Either are sound choices.

TinyTim · Post by **TinyTim** » Thu Jan 29, 2009 7:16 am

Well, I placed the order for the ASUS late last night at Newegg, should be here next week. I also ordered a few 1TB WD Black drives (5) to put into a raid 5 config for data storage with the OS being placed on a 74 gig WD 10k drive and 4 GB of Crucial Ballistix RAM (which was on the QVL of the Mobo)....now I am keeping my fingers crossed that the constant driver/memory issues will subside for a while....

Many thanks once again.

I think when I save enough dough I am going to just order a Dell Precision workstation and have my wife just use it for the photoshop stuff - sounds great in theory, but it never works out that way.

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Thu Jan 29, 2009 7:25 am

As much as I love Crucial....their Ballistix RAM can be touchy..often requires higher than standard voltage to run. Some mobo's have issues with that. I suggest standard Crucial RAM.
I'd go with a pair of these..
2GB, 240-pin DIMM, DDR2 PC2-6400 memory module
CT25664AA800
20 bucks per stick.

Seasonic power supply too.

Will this rig be mainly for storage?

TinyTim · Post by **TinyTim** » Thu Jan 29, 2009 9:57 pm

YeOldeStonecat wrote:As much as I love Crucial....their Ballistix RAM can be touchy..often requires higher than standard voltage to run. Some mobo's have issues with that. I suggest standard Crucial RAM.
I'd go with a pair of these..
2GB, 240-pin DIMM, DDR2 PC2-6400 memory module
CT25664AA800
20 bucks per stick.

Seasonic power supply too.

Will this rig be mainly for storage?

Don't tell me that...I went with the Ballistix because it was on the QVL for the Motherboard...yes, will be used for storage, not workstation

YARDofSTUF · Post by **YARDofSTUF** » Fri Jan 30, 2009 10:11 am

TinyTim wrote:Don't tell me that...I went with the Ballistix because it was on the QVL for the Motherboard...yes, will be used for storage, not workstation

LOL If its test and works you're good, I'm sure the ASUS board has plenty of voltage options to support the chips.

Easto · Post by **Easto** » Fri Jan 30, 2009 1:33 pm

Like Yard said... I wouldn't give it a second thought. You should be able to dial it in just fine. Enjoy your new rig!

TinyTim · Post by **TinyTim** » Fri Jan 30, 2009 4:45 pm

Easto wrote:Like Yard said... I wouldn't give it a second thought. You should be able to dial it in just fine. Enjoy your new rig!

ok, I know who to look too if it does not work then....

///starts making note of Yard and Easto's addresses in-case this does not work///

westy · Post by **westy** » Sat Jan 31, 2009 8:00 pm

Running a P5q-E here with memory in sig and it's a great board.......