Motherboard Choices. Need help deciding.

[SILVERWOLF]

Well, I searched around but wasn't able to find much on this. I'm building myself a new Gaming computer to play Elder Scrolls: Oblivion, and I'm pretty sure on all the parts I want except for one: The Motherboard.
Note: I already have the Disk Drives, Harddrive, and floppy.

Here's what's going to go into it:

CPU: AMD 64 3700+
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16819103539

RAM: 2 gigs OCZ Platinum Dual channel PC 3200 DDR
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820227210

Video Card: PNY GeForce 7800 GTX
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814133145

PSU: Antec Truepower 550 Watt
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817103931&CMP=BAC-hardocp_pujune&ATT=TruePower

Case:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811196005

Heatsink:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16835118115

Now then, I've narrowed it down to about 4 motherboards:

ASUS A8N-SLI Deluxe
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813131517

ASUS A8N-SLI Premium
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813131540

MSI K8N Neo4 Platinum
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813130484

DFI LANPARTY Ultra-D
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813136152

I want a nice stable motherboard, with some overclocking capability. I want to be able to overclock my AMD 64 3700 to the speeds of at least an AMD 64 4000.

I'll be spending enough on RAM as it is, so I want a motherboard that's compatible with the OCZ RAM I've picked out. It doesn't look like OCZ has updated their compatibility list in awhile. I'm flexible in this area though.

I've heard the the ASUS A8N Deluxe has had a lot of problems with the Northbridge fan dying, so that's why I'm thinking of getting a Premium instead. I also want the computer to be as quiet as possible, so the heatpipe on the Premium is a nice feature as well.

I would like to be able to have SLI capabilities just so I can add another card in in the future, but if there's a really good motherboard out there that doesn't have SLI, it's not a real big problem.

The DFI board also isn't compatible with the heatsink I chose. So if a lot of you recommend that one, a link to a compatible heatsink that is quiet would be nice.

If any of you have any suggestions, or see something wrong with the setup I've got going, please let me know. Thanks.

EDIT: Forgot to mention that I can't go over $1500 on this, and would much prefer to stay around $1000-$1200.

 

[septoid2]

K8N Neo4 Platinum. MSI has a patented Dynamic Overclocking Technology (D.O.T.) which enables you to overclock on the GUI. Its a very carefully orchestrated overclock done on the windows gui (also available in the bios too). It also monitors the fan speeds, temps, and voltages, you have control over every aspect of your motherboard.

I highly reccomend the MSI.

 

[Wayniac]

I have no personal experience myself with it, but I hear the DFI LANPARTY is extremely good when it comes to overclocking. You can probably do a tech-forums search for each motherboard to see what each would be good for. You'll find that the LANPARTY is mentioned a lot.

 

[SILVERWOLF]

K8N Neo4 Platinum. MSI has a patented Dynamic Overclocking Technology (D.O.T.) which enables you to overclock on the GUI. Its a very carefully orchestrated overclock done on the windows gui (also available in the bios too). It also monitors the fan speeds, temps, and voltages, you have control over every aspect of your motherboard.

I highly reccomend the MSI.

I've heard completely the opposite about the MSI board, and that people have had a lot of trouble being able to overclock it.

I don't know if it was just the people doing it wrong or what...

 

[PZEROFGH]

DFI nF4 ultra-D

or nF4-SLi

great for extreme overclockers, and mild overclockers

EDIT: OCZ ram is great for DFI

 

[SILVERWOLF]

Has anyone here had personal experience with the DFI Ultra-D? It seems to have the least problems of any of the boards I'm looking at, and the only issue people complain about is the complexity of the BIOS and lack of documentation.

 

[DJ-CHRIS]

K8N Neo4 Platinum. MSI has a patented Dynamic Overclocking Technology (D.O.T.) which enables you to overclock on the GUI. Its a very carefully orchestrated overclock done on the windows gui (also available in the bios too). It also monitors the fan speeds, temps, and voltages, you have control over every aspect of your motherboard.

I highly reccomend the MSI.

You can do the same thing with almost any good board and free third party software. I DO NOT RECOMEND OVERCLOCKING FROM WINDOWS HOWEVER. This can lead to problems, and even corruption as some members have demonstrated.

Personally I do not recomend Asus motherboards for AMD builds due to their problems, And I refuse to use them now

I do recomend the Lanparty's if you have the money for them. They are a million times superior for overclocking, more reliable and more stable.

 

[SILVERWOLF]

Can some of you recommend good Heatsinks then? The Zalman 120mm one I was looking at is incompatible with the DFI Ultra-D.

And remember, I want this computer to be quiet

EDIT: Oops, the heatsink I want IS compatible, I just can't install a different VGA cooler if I use that heatsink (and I don't plan on changing the video card heatsink anyway).

DFI's looking pretty tempting...

 

[SILVERWOLF]

Alright, now I'm trying to decide between the DFI Ultra-D or the DFI SLI-DR

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813136152

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813136157

If they're the exact same board other than the fact that one supports SLI and the other doesn't, I'll have to get the SLI-DR.

I won't be SLI-ing two cards at first, but I might drop another card in a couple years down the line when they're nice and cheap.

 

[Mr. Switch]

I won't be SLI-ing two cards at first, but I might drop another card in a couple years down the line when they're nice and cheap.

It would make sense to go with the SLI board if you are going to add another card in the future.