Motherboard recommendations for a new build?

Hey everyone, I'm sitting on two Nvidia GeForce GTX 480s right now. Looking to pick up a new motherboard, CPU, and power supply to go with them. Thinking about grabbing an Intel Core i5 4400, but I'm stuck on the board and PSU. Budget is roughly $500 +/- 200. I'd prefer sticking with Corsair or ASUS if possible, so let me know what you'd suggest. Thanks.

Winter is coming, so if you need some extra heat around the house, two GTX 480s would actually work great for heating. You'd need to pick up a power supply of at least $233 like an EVGA 750W, but personally, I wouldn't touch that kind of setup for anything.

Alexander Moore67 said:Winter's coming. If you need a space heater, two GTX 480s will get the job done. Just make sure you grab a power supply with at least $233 EVGA 750W, though personally, I wouldn't touch that setup if my life depended on it.

Might be better to just sell them and put about $167 toward something else. Any suggestions for something under $500?

Honestly, trying to pair those two cards together sounds like a recipe for madness to me. 😁 The power draw on them is just massive—you’d basically need an EVGA 750W just to keep them running under full load without everything crashing. If I were you, the smartest move would be to sell them off like you mentioned and put that cash toward something else entirely.

So, what's the total budget we're looking at here? Are we talking about enough to cover a new GPU, a CPU, a motherboard, and a power supply? And what's the situation with your RAM right now?

urbancyclist66 said:In that case, I might just sell my current setup and put some extra $167 toward an upgrade. Does anyone have recommendations for something under $500?

Just let us know what you're currently running first, and give us a specific budget for the part you want to swap. We need a bit more info to help you out...

Alright, here's the deal. I've got 2x4 GB of RAM, a 1TB WD Blue, and a Zalman Z3+ case. I'm looking to pick up a motherboard, CPU, and GPU. My budget is roughly $1000 max $3200
.

The i5 alone is eating up half your budget... then you throw in the motherboard for another quarter... and honestly, that GPU for $233 isn't even going to give you any real satisfaction.

Corsair 2 x4 1600, WD 1TB 7200 RPM 64GB SATA 3 Blue, Zalman Z3+, Intel Core i5 4400. Got about $1000 +/- 200 left for a motherboard, GPU, and PSU. Looking at Corsair or ASUS specifically. ATI or NVIDIA, doesn't matter to me. Also, anyone know if ASRock boards actually hold up? Curious if they're any good. Thanks.

1 x ASUS M5A97 R2
1 x AMD FX-Series X6 6300 Processor 3.5GHz, 14MB, 95W, AM3+, FD6300WMHK
1 x EVGA 500W Power Supply, Hyper, PPA5005003, 12cm fan
1 x EVGA R9-270A, R9-270A-CDFC, Double Dissipation Edition 925M Boost
1 x Spire Kepler Rev.2 Cooler, 1156/775/FM1, 96.5×51×125 mm, 92mm

$1049
craigslist.com

1 x Gigabyte 970A-DS3P, AM3+, AMD 970 SB950, 4x DDR3 2000(O.C.)/1866
1 x AMD FX-Series X6 6300 Processor 3.5GHz, 14MB, 95W, AM3+, FD6300WMHK
1 x EVGA R9 270X, R9-270X-CDBC, Black Edition, Double Dissipation Edition
1 x EVGA 500W Power Supply, Hyper, PPA5005003, 12cm fan
1 x Spire Kepler Rev.2 Cooler, 1156/775/FM1, 96.5×51×125 mm, 92mm

$1073
The second one is a bigger mess, just with a slightly weaker motherboard🙂

No CPU $1000, just the GPU, power supply (Corsair), and motherboard (intel lga 1150). Thanks.

urbancyclist66 said:Without the processor. $1000So, to clarify—I just need the graphics card, the power supply (EVGA), and the motherboard (Intel LGA 1150). Thanks.

Better brace yourself—you’re about to pick up an absolute beast of a graphics card.

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980—specifically the Direct-to-Consumer version. I've been looking over the specs for this particular component—it's essentially a standard part you'd find at any local Best Buy or Micro Center—but I wanted to share the details here for anyone considering an upgrade. It's a straightforward piece of hardware, nothing too flashy, but it serves its purpose within a standard build. If you're planning to integrate this into a system, just make sure your current setup can accommodate the specific requirements listed. It’s one of those things where you don't realize how much the small details matter until you're halfway through a build and realize something doesn't quite line up.

Gigabyte H81M motherboard I happened upon this listing for the Gigabyte H81M—it’s a fairly standard little board—and I couldn't help but notice some of the technical specifics listed there. It seems to be one of those straightforward, no-frills options for anyone looking to build a budget-friendly machine around an Intel LGA 1150 setup. Nothing groundbreaking, really, just a reliable workhorse if you aren't planning on pushing any extreme overclocking limits.

EVGA Series 600 Watt, 80+ Bronze, ATX, EPS12V, PS/2, USA Version

The total comes to $3,340.29 via Amazon—I'd suggest pulling the trigger on this immediately, as that graphics card isn't going to stay in stock for long.