# MoBo Options?



## confusedmike (Aug 9, 2012)

Hi ive searched around for MoBo finders but nothings giving me what i want,

I have a AMD Phenom II x4 so AM2 to AM3+ socket i believe and corsair vengance 2x4gb (CMZ8GX3M2A1600C9)(might get another pair) 

and im trying to find a MoBo that will work with both, aswell as support sli graphics.

Budget is rather low if possible; under £80-100

(my current MoBo will only allow my pc to run one stick of RAM without blue screening)
Any help will be appreciated, thanks in advance

~Mike


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## gcavan (Aug 13, 2009)

I have to ask, are you certain both DIMMs are good?

Motherboard: (AMD socket AM3+, DDR3, SLI support, under £100)

Gigabyte GA-990XA-UD3 Socket AM3+ 7.1-Channel HD Audio.. | Ebuyer.com £78
MSI 990FXA-GD65 Socket AM3+ LAN RAID ATX Motherboard | Ebuyer.com £86


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## confusedmike (Aug 9, 2012)

Thanks for that, you're a star.

As for the DIMM i checked them both individually with success both as a pair they didn't want to know, my current MoBo is years old, it was part of a cheap bundle I bought back when I was in school so it does want updating anyway

am i right in saying you don't have to reinstall windows for a MoBo change?


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## gcavan (Aug 13, 2009)

Actually, . . . no. 

It is possible to recover an operating system when replacing the motherboard, but it can be difficult and often troublesome. At the very least you will have to do a repair install, but even that can lead to problems down the road. Best advice, if you have not already done so, back up your files and do a clean install.


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

Asus and Gigabyte are top quality Mobo's.
A OS reinstall would be the better option to avoid problems.
2x4GB of RAM is plenty.
One better GPU is almost always the better option for improving graphics.
Two GPU's offer a small performance gain and only in the games/apps that can utilize two GPU's.
Two GPU's require/consume more power and generate more unneeded heat in the case.


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## confusedmike (Aug 9, 2012)

the reason for sli is a 3 monitor set up i have 2 right now but for use in game you need a centre screen, but an upgrade might be around the corner as I cant seem to find another eVGA superclocked 560ti around for a reasonable price, have they been discontinued :/

as for cooling i want to go liquid in the future but that's another project.


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## chefrob (Nov 17, 2010)

If you want a quality PC gaming experience, you should consider investing in a single NVIDIA GTX 760 4GB or higher. 780 3GB if you can afford it. 770 4GB for a compromise between the two. The 780 Ti and Titan are just way too much money to mention IMO. Your CPU should be of sufficient quality or you may run into bottleneck issues. Please be sure to check if all components are compatible with your current system before running out and simply upgrading the video card. You may also need a more powerful Power Supply Unit (PSU).

A single card listed above (or its ATI equivalent [R9 280x, R9 290]) can handle a 3 monitor setup. One powerful single card is typically recommended for best experience vs. a SLI/Crossfire configuration. Your monitors should also be "at least" 1920x1080 resolution to get the most out of your graphic card(s).

Liquid cooling carries too many risks to make the rewards worthwhile; most notably, leaking out and ruining your entire system. If you're not overclocking your CPU (which is not necessary with the latest generations) then you need not look into aftermarket CPU Cooling. Something like a $20-30 aftermarket CPU fan like the Cooler Master EVO will certainly not hurt... but it is not necessary. The main factors are case design, proper airflow setup, limited clutter, opting not to overclock the CPU, and not overdoing it with too many small case fans which ends up offsetting your goals of a cool PC.


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## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

If you are going sli for a multi monitor setup then getting a cheap motherboard isn't a good idea.

You will want a quality motherboard with as many lanes that are as fast as you can get.


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