Best Motherboard CPU Combo 2011
ASUS LGA 1155 P67 SATA 6 GBps and USB 3.0 Supported-ATX Motherboard P8P67 Pro
Intel Core i7-2600K Processor with 8 MB Cache, 3.40 GHz for Socket LGA1155 - Unlocked Boxed
Amazon Price: $328.00
List Price: $348.86
Now that the i7 series of processors have come down in price, gamers everywhere are looking to find the perfect motherboard CPU combo to improve their gaming performance.
Because CPUs only fit certain motherboards it's important that you decide which type of gaming processor you want before you look at motherboards. If you haven't chosen your CPU then I recommend you read this hub on the best gaming processors for 2011.
Before we begin I'd like to advise you that since this hub is about i7 CPU and motherboards, there will be no AMD boards and CPU featured. This is because I have written a hub entirely dedicated to the best AMD CPU motherboard combos for 2011.
Why you need to choose your CPU first
If you already know why you need to choose a CPU before you choose your motherboard, then you can skip this section.
Motherboard's are now brand specific. For example, you wouldn't try to put an AMD processor on a motherboard that is made for an Intel processor or vice versa. Also motherboards only fit certain types of CPUs. The easiest way for you to tell if a motherboard would work with the CPU that you have is to look at what type of socket it has. The "i" series of Intel processors are all built in one of three types of sockets, the LGA 1155 LGA 1156 and the LGA 1366. When purchasing your CPU it will list the socket type in the processor name. Make sure it matches the socket type in one of the motherboards that you choose below.
The Gigabyte LGA1366 SATA3 ATI CrossFireX ATX Motherboard GA-X58A-UD3R - My Choice for Best Gaming Motherboard Under $200. ASUS LGA 1155 P67 SATA 6 GBps and USB 3.0-Supported ATX Motherboard P8P67 Deluxe
1155 Motherboard for use with the all new sandy bridge. If you are on a budget, then it may still be wise to consider a 1156 or 1366 socket Motherboard and CPU.
Amazon Price: $250.80
ASUS P6X58D Premium - LGA 1366 - X58 - DDR3 - USB 3.0 SATA 6 Gb/s - ATX Motherboard
List Price: $299.99
Gigabyte LGA1366 SATA3 ATI CrossFireX ATX Motherboard GA-X58A-UD3R
This is my choice for best gaming motherboard under $200.
Amazon Price: $209.51
List Price: $237.99
Asus LGA 1366 Intel X58 Extreme Reliability and Durability ATX Motherboard Sabertooth X58
Amazon Price: $185.99
List Price: $205.99
Intel DP55KG Extreme Series Desktop Motherboard (P55 ATX Core i7 Core i5 LGA1156)
Amazon Price: $159.99
List Price: $250.00
Gigabyte LGA1156 4DDR3-2200 CrossFireX/GBE/Raid/SATA3/USB3.0/7.1-CH ATX Motherboard GA-P55A-UD3
Amazon Price: $130.22
List Price: $158.99
Best Gaming Motherboards for the i7
In picking out a motherboard it's always a good idea to understand what the future limitations of a product will be. For example, the 1156 socket motherboards are great for the i7 and less expensive right now, however; 1156 socket motherboards are not meant to support 6 cores. If you plan on upgrading your CPU in a year or two to 6 or 8 cores, then it would be a good idea to go with the new 1155. If you'd rather build your machine for a couple of years and then start over, then it's possible you can save a little money buy purchasing an 1156 socket motherboard. For gaming purposes you should be good to go either way in the short-term.
1155 Motherboards:
1155 motherboards are not currently available at Amazon and other retailers. Until Intel re-releases their Sandy Bridge CPU, these will not be available. If you are looking for performance go with the 1366 Socket motherboards in combo with the Core i7-950.
Gaming Motherboards: Options to Consider:
Sata 3 Gb/s vs 6 Gb/s?
One of the options to consider when choosing a motherboard will be whether you want Sata 3 Gb/s or 6 Gb/s. From what I've seen most 1155 and 1366 socket motherboards are compatible with the Sata 6 while only some of the 1156 are. In the future because of solid state drives this may become a moot point, but from what I have read from Seagate in the last couple of days, SSD may not become a standard for several years until there is more capacity to produce them. Also remember that if you want to use the 6 Gb/s not only do you need a motherboard that is compatible with it, but a hard drive as well. Expect to pay a little bit more for one with 6 Gb/s Capability.
DDR 3 and USB 3.0
Most newer boards now support both, but it's always worth checking.
Ram
How much ram do you plan on using? A good motherboard will go up to at least 16 GB of ram or more. For gaming, I don't see a need for more than 16 GB of ram for the next several years, but there are some that go up to 24 GB. If it's cheaper, then I'd stick with the 16 GB for now as by the time we all need 24 GB ram, you'll want to upgrade everything anyway.
ASUS LGA 1155 P67 SATA 6 GBps and USB 3.0 Supported-ATX Motherboard P8P67 Pro
Amazon Price: $201.52
Intel Core i7-2600K Processor with 8 MB Cache, 3.40 GHz for Socket LGA1155 - Unlocked Boxed
Amazon Price: $328.00
List Price: $348.86
Best Gaming Motherboard CPU Combo
My choice for the best gaming motherboard under $200 is the ASUS LGA 1155 PP8P67 PRO 8. This along with the 2600k (unlocked) CPU from intel is our choice for best motherboard cpu combo for 2011.
2/3/2011 - *As you've probably heard Intel has recalled it's Sandy Bridge CPU and will be re-releasing these again in the next month and a half. For now, consider the core i7 950 with the ASUSP6X58D.
About: Best Motherboard for Gaming - Top i7 CPU Combo
I hope you've enjoyed this hub on the best motherboards for gaming. If you have, then please comment and vote this hub up at the bottom. This allows other gamers to see this hub.
Did I miss something?
Sometimes I try to run 4 cores on a brain that simply only has one. When I try to overclock, it freezes and gives me a blue screen. If I've missed a product that you would like me to feature, then let me know in the comments below. You can see additional information on motherboards for 2011 here.
Gaming Hubs
•Best Processor for Gaming - CPU for 2011
Having the best processor for gaming is crucial for performance. The best gamer in the world can perform poorly, if given a machine that is laggy or under par. In this hub, we'll cover the best gaming processors for 2011.
•Best Wireless and USB Gaming Mouse - Top Razer, Logitech, Microsoft Sidewinder Optical Laser PC Game
Here's a review of various gaming mice you come across while looking online. Specifically we'll be reviewing the 3 most popular brands of wireless and usb gaming mice in the market; Razer, Logitech, and Microsoft.
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