Some questions...(motherboards, external HDDs, etc.)

[crazydog]

So here's what I'm thinking:

1) Buy this motherboard http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128359 to replace this motherboard http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128059 and buy an external 1TB eSATA drive
Cost: $105 + $150 - ~$70 = $185
MoBo + HDD - Selling current MoBo

2) Buy an external 1TB eSATA drive + a PCI-E 1x -> eSATA card
Cost: $150 + ~$30 = $180
HDD + addon card

Here's the drive I was looking at
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822154294
Surprisingly, that's the BEST 1TB external HDD I could find on Newegg with an eSATA connector.

Suggestions?


Edit:
Just had another thought:
What about just replacing my 2 500 GB drives with two of these:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136284, increasing my storage by 1 TB
Although if I buy that new MoBo and ONE of those HDDs, I have a better MoBo and 1 TB more storage for about the same price...

[V.I.P.]

I'd get this mobo, it's a little more expensive but it's max RAM is 16GB instead of 8, and it's SLI.  Plus it has 8 3gb/s Sata slots.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128358

If you actually need that much storage go ahead...I think I'm gonna wait to see how much SSHD's go down in price in the next year.

[crazydog]

That's the one I was looking at VIP.
Edit:
Oh wait: Not it isn't.
Anyway, the one I was looking at has 16GB max RAM, 8 SATA slots, but no SLI. I don't think I'm gonna need to SLI my 9800GTX for a while, so I'd rather save the $10.
Also, my RAM is too slow for that board, and it's not TRUE dual-PCI-E. One is 16x, the other is 8x.
That board also has one more PCI-slot (Don't need). And 2 LAN cards. Besides that, it's all the same. I would never use that extra stuff though.

The other one is the one I have now.

I have 1515.4 GB of storage right now, but only 94.43 GB free (with less than 20 GB on each drive).

[V.I.P.]

If you don't wanna go SLI that's perfectly fine, but on my next build I'm getting a SLI board because the way graphics card prices drop it'll be very affordable to go that route.  10$ extra isn't much if you look at it over the period of time you'll have the board =)

[crazydog]

Well the only problem is that the two GFX cards would cover up the PCI-E 1x and one PCI slot, so I'd only have one PCI slot left which I need, meaning I wouldn't be able to add any more PCI cards.

[Video_Master]

Why do you need so many cards in your system?

[crazydog]

I don't?

The Motherboard VIP reccomended is layed out like this

PCI-E x16
PCI-E x1
PCI
PCI-E x16
PCI

If I were to SLI with the 9800 GTXs, I'd lose the PCI-E x1 Slot, and the second PCI slot. The first PCI slot would be for my TV tuner, so if I ever needed to use another PCI card, I couldn't (easily).

[V.I.P.]

You shouldn't ever need another card.  Your sound on-board is sufficient and you have enough USB ports between the back of mobo and others on the case.  Your LAN ethernet is on your board...just doesn't seem like you'll need another PCI slot.

[MDK22]

Here is my suggestion for a mobile hard drive. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822101104 this is about 20 buck cheaper. I own a cavalry they make good components mines a 500gb in that same case.

For mobo http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128359 this would be my choice out of the ones you have listed. also have heard that the fsb on this can hit 700 as long as the ram can take it. So ya you could oc with this board if you ever needed/wanted too.

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