Mobo suggestions wanted

[treetops]

Hi I recently discovered my brother motherboard is dead. So time to get a new board. I was wondering what cards are available around the 100$ range. Questions would we need 2x pci2x16 slots to put in 2x nividia 7600 gt video cards? Would 2x 7600 gt video cards be better then a 9500 gt 8800 gt? How exact do the 7600 gt video cards have to be? I ask because I noticed they sell for like 25$ on ebay and why not buy another with a new mobo? I dont want to run 2 screens I would like to know will it make games run way faster with 2x cards?

Things wanted
quad core capability for future upgrade
3g+ ddr2 ram capability
2x Pci-e slots (if getting another 7600 gt is wise)

Current Specs
Windows Xp
Cpu Core 2 duo
Video card pciex16 nvidea 7600 gt
sata cables
778 form factor case
2x 1gig ddr2 ram sticks (3x if I can find my other ram stick)
430 watt psu
1680x1050 res (way higher with a giant monitor coming out of storage soon)

 

[Tmagic650]

This is the type of motherboard you want:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813136054

 

[PaulWuzHere]

Here ya go,
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157143
I am really enjoying the quality in AsRock as of late. It will upgrade from your C2D to a Quad and has 2 x PCI-X 2.0 ports. Best of all, Its in your budget. As for the 7600gt's, what games do you want to play?

 

[treetops]

Couldnt wait got this before anyone replied
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131232R

I want to be able to play any game at med to high settings. I can already play the new wow expansion with maxed out settings, with only 1 card. Could I get a 8800 card and use that with my 7600? What are 2x 7600 gt equivalent too?

 

[Rage_3K_Moiz]

SLI only works with identical cards. And two 7600GTs are far outclassed by a single 9800GT. Even an 8800 card will not have problems blowing the dual-7600 setup away, since the 9800 series are basically re-named and/or souped up versions of the 8800 cards.

 

[treetops]

SLI only works with identical cards. And two 7600GTs are far outclassed by a single 9800GT. Even an 8800 card will not have problems blowing the dual-7600 setup away, since the 9800 series are basically re-named and/or souped up versions of the 8800 cards.

Do you think its worth spending 20-40$(Ebay) on another 7600 gt card? How much would I have to spend on a 8800 or a 9800 that would be a lot better then dual 7600's? When you say identical cards, does that only pertain to like 7600? Or could I have like one 7600 gt and one 7600 none gt? Or like one bfg brand and one another brand?

 

[Rage_3K_Moiz]

SLI works only if you have the exact same card with the same GPU and BIOS. So you can only get another 7600GT.

I would recommend getting an HD 4830. The performance boost will be enormous. If your PSU cannot handle that, grab a 9600GT instead.

BTW, what resolution do you game at?

 

[treetops]

1680x1050 at the moment, when my brother moves his big screen monitor back in, at like 1980x1600 or something like that, I don't know the exact numbers of his monitor its 50 inch+. That mother board should be arriving today. The only high demand game I play right now is world of warcraft. But Im tired of it, Im waiting for a new game I like to come out. I know ill be playing starcraft 2 when it comes out and diablo 3.

How important is Stream Processing Units?

How much better are the hd cards, the 9800's for the same price have higher core clock and memory, what else would I need to look at when buying a video card?

The psu is 430 watt

I decided to move the topic to here
https://www.techspot.com/vb/showthread.php?p=742040#post742040