PCI Express Intel-Compatible Motherboard Suggestions?

Status
Not open for further replies.
I'm looking to replace the logic board in my desktop system with a PCI Express-capable model. The current logic board is an Asus P4C800-E with a 3.4 ghz P4 CPU.

What I would like is:
1 16x PCI Express slot (two would be better)
at least 4 other PCI slots
USB 2.0
FireWire
Onboard gigabit Ethernet
Has to play well with the current processor

My upper limit is around $250 for the board. Suggestions?
 
A socket 478 p4 board with pci-e is not too common.
I also doubt you'll find one with 4 pci slots as well(although they have some pci-e x1 slots too).
Here're two I could find w/ pci-e and socket 478.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813157075
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813170143
After looking at both, I'd definitely go with the albatron model of the two, it has 1 more pci slot, and also has full pci express x16(not the asrocks "agi express", which is limited).
The downside to the albatron is that it only has 1 ide port, so you could only have 1 ide hd if you have one cd/dvd drive, or no ide drives if you have 2 cd/dvd drives. It basically means you need to use sata hard drives with the board, (or you'd have to get a pci/pci-e x1 ide controller to add 2 more ide connectors).
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16815150049
^that has 2 ide connectors if you'd need more ide connectors. It also adds usb and firewire.

If you need firewire you can add a card like this(or if you need ide ports and get the above, firewire is already built in).
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E1681512400
Or if you don't want to tie up a pci slot, you could get a pci-e x1 model like this.
http://www.buy.com/retail/product.a...rm=10412677&Type=PI&Category=Comp&dcaid=17194

And if you need gigabit ethernet, same situation, you can get pci or pci-e x1.
Here're 2 x1 cards.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...7163&ATT=Network+Interface+Ca&CMP=OTC-yah00TT
http://accessories.gateway.com/Acce...&cm_ite=10/100/1000Base-T_adapter_PCI-Express

So if you got the albatron board, the pci-e x1 firewire card, pci-e x1 gigabit ethernet card, you'd mostly have your requirements(you'd have 3 pci instead of 4).
Also, if you fill both pci-e x1 slots, you'd need to make sure your graphics card only take up one slot(or you'd lose the one x1 slot if you got a dual slot card), as many newer cards use two slots.

So the price including the adapters(firewire, gigabit), would be about $230.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back