I'm looking for a new motherboard

[ub3rman123]

I've finally gotten around to getting a new motherboard. I'm a little constrained by two things: It has to be under 200 dollars, and it'll need to fit an 1156 socket, since that's that only CPU I have on hand that's fairly decent. Does anyone have a recommendation? I was looking at the ASUS Maximum III Formula recently, which seems to be my best bet.

 

[hoofhearted4]

well i just checked newegg and they dont even carry any boards that use that socket anymore. so if you can find that Asus one, id go with that.

[kalikka]

1156 is an obsolete socket that has been discontinued for years.

So you can't find any new mobos for it.

 

So even 200$ for a 1156 mobo sounds more or less a complete waste.

Edited December 20, 2013 by kalikka

[ub3rman123]

I might be able to afford a newer CPU if I can find one for under $100 used. I'm looking around at the 1155 range right now.

[Werne]

So even 200$ for a 1156 mobo sounds more or less a complete waste.

Why would it be a waste? High-end Sandy Bridge CPUs are still formidable for gaming, especially when overclocked. Platform may not be all "latest and greatest" but there are not many games today that can bog down an overclocked i7-2600K, except Crysis 3. Plus, Sandy Bridge i5s and i7s are still quite good in older games, they'll hold 60FPS.

 

SB CPUs may have problems in newer games but if ub3rman123 can't afford a new mobo AND a Haswell/IB AND better cooling if necessary since SB is soldered while IB and Haswell are not so they're toasty, chugging on a Sandy Bridge is the best option. Besides, the IB/Haswell 10-20% performance increase over SB is easily gained through overclocking if needed.

Edited December 20, 2013 by Werne

[FMod]

Why would it be a waste? High-end Sandy Bridge CPUs are still formidable for gaming, especially when overclocked.

Socket 1156 is Lynnfield (Nehalem), not SB.

 

Besides, buying expensive new parts to fix up an old machine is always at best a questionable proposition. You'll be

spending a lot of money on something that right away, still boxed has a value of less than half what you've paid, that you'll only use for a short while, and that won't be worth anything once you're done with it.

 

Simply put, $150 spent on a mobo for a 4 year old CPU is $135 down the drain for 2-3 years of use. $150 spent on a new mobo is $80 for 2 years of use or $135 for 6 years of use. $400 spent on a new mobo+CPU combo is $150 for 2 years of use (used CPU sell well) minus the residual value you'll get out of your CPU, which, again, probably doesn't suck all that badly if it's a good one.

 

In the end, selling your old CPU, buying a new CPU+mobo combo and selling it 2-3 years later will cost you only a little more than buying a new mobo for your old CPU and selling it+CPU 2-3 years later. All the while you'll be enjoying a better system.

Buying a used mobo for a used rig is a much more sensible value proposition, of course.

[Werne]

 

Why would it be a waste? High-end Sandy Bridge CPUs are still formidable for gaming, especially when overclocked.

Socket 1156 is Lynnfield (Nehalem), not SB.

Ouch, read the wrong number, I though it was 1155. :pinch: My bad.