Extreme X58 Motherboards - All Hail the Ultimates!
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Page 12 of 12 - Conclusion
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Conclusion
Conclusion
If you had previously thought that X58 motherboards are expensive, we're sure that your impressions have only grown stronger with the ultra premium ones here. These are, in the words of others, trophy boards that often do not justify their cost. Of course, we're not dismissing the legitimate users who will require and fully utilize a majority of the features on these boards, but such users are an even smaller minority. For those who feel that they need the best, most over-the-top consumer motherboards in existence, then these are the perfect companions for that Core i7-980X processor or two in their delivery boxes.
Let's start with the EVGA X58 SLI Classified, which was one of the most extravagant (and larger) boards when it debuted last year. The shine is slightly dulled now in terms of cutting edge technology due to its lack of SATA 6Gbps and USB 3.0. But when it comes to the important stuff that enthusiasts care about, it's still as relevant. Features like voltage check points, a separate overclocking control panel, and numerous BIOS options are just some examples. The 3-way NVIDIA SLI with PhysX support is another nice touch. A huge passive heatsink keeps the temperatures relatively low and the power consumption was reasonable, but it did contribute to our installation woes with the stock cooler of the Intel Core i7-980X. Based on its features and innovation, the S$749 price tag is hardly reasonable, but its intended audience may disagree. Those needing USB 3.0 and SATA 6Gbps can easily get an affordable add-on card to fulfil these needs when necessary.
There's always a new champion, king of the hill and the Gigabyte GA-X58A-UD9 not only surpasses the company's own former flagship UD7 model, it is without doubt, the most expensive consumer motherboard available now. For its princely S$839 price, one gets a motherboard that's significantly larger than the ATX form factor, and which requires a chassis with sufficient allowance. It comes with dual nForce SLI controllers for additional PCIe lanes to support 4-way SLI/CrossFireX. And thanks to the extra room, this 4-way multi-GPU configuration is possible with dual-slot graphics cards. The extra PCB space also ensures that it is not cramped like some other Gigabyte boards. Gigabyte doesn't go for the overclocking enthusiasts with crowd-pleasing features like voltage check points, but the 24-phase power delivery system, together with its choice of top grade components make for a board that can withstand the rigors of overclocking.
Finally, the most 'affordable' of the bunch at S$519, the MSI Big Bang-XPower, obviously has fewer features in order to fit its average ATX form factor. That's not to say that MSI didn't manage to cram in some enthusiast friendly touches, like its OC Genie (it too has voltage check points) and the same, costly components as those used by its competitors. However, the limited space did lead to a less than ideal layout, though to be fair, it's a minor quibble. The features and the storage options especially onboard, are modest by comparison. The power consumption also turned out to be one of the best, with lower idle and peak numbers than the others by a significant amount.
Perhaps we are penny-pinchers at heart, but the features and its value convinced us that the MSI Big Bang-XPower would be the board we'll get, if we ever could spend more than S$500 on a motherboard. The other two are simply too extravagant for our tastes, but if your reserves are endless, then the Gigabyte UD9 would definitely be the super luxury motherboard you had always wanted.
Models | Performance | Features | Value | Overall | Price (SGD) |
EVGA X58 SLI Classified | 8.0 | 8.5 | 7.0 | 7.5 | ~S$749 |
Gigabyte GA-X58A-UD9 | 8.5 | 9.5 | 7.0 | 8.0 | ~S$839 |
MSI Big Bang-XPower | 8.5 | 8.5 | 8.0 | 8.5 | ~S$519 |
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