OrphanShadow

Both boards give you a multitude of options. PCI-E ports that dont get used for Video cards can be used for loads of other cards: TV Tuners, Sound Cards, RAID cards, etc.

Out of the 2 my recommendation goes with the DFI board because I own it and it is an amazing board. Gives you lots of overclocking options, but at the same time doesnt mess around with features you'll never use.

Check the review in my sig for more info

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yankneck

So if I went with the DFI board is it possible to add in an external firewire connection somewhere? Just wondering. I don't think I have anything at current that uses firewire but ya never know when I might end up with something.

OrphanShadow

Yeah, of course.

A firewire add in card would fit nicely

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yankneck

Please don't laugh @ me as I really am quite new to all of this. A firewire add in card would go where exactly? In the back or is there a way to have it in the front?

OrphanShadow

Hey, everyone has to start somewhere. A couple of years ago I woulda been asking most of the questions you are.

Add in cards slot into the slots which are found on the front of the motherboard. So, in the review I showed you, all of the long yellow slots across the bottom end of the motherboard are for add-in cards.

The longer ones, the PCI-E slots, are mainly used for graphics cards and what not. There are also different sizes of PCI-E slot according to how powerful they are (PCI-E x16 are usually used for graphics cards and are the longest, PCI-E x1 are very short and are used for Storage cards, sound cards etc).

Then there are PCI slots. These are used for a multitude of add-ins, too many to list fully.

But as a quick reference:

PCI-E x16


PCI


PCI-E x1

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yankneck

OK so PCIe is 16 the PCI are usually the white slots & anything else like PCIe 1 or 4 is quite short right?