Smile Call me crazy, but this is what I want to do...

I would like to build a gaming/hobbyist machine and use a quad CPU motherboard. I'd like to find a motherboard that has four proc slots, but still has a fast PCI card, current chipset, etc. Maybe I'm crazy, but I'd like to start with just one CPU and then once the CPUs get cheaper start adding more.

Most of the motherboards I found at Tyan's website are clearly for servers, and lack things like fast PCI slots (one only had one PCI slot), firewire, and the usual bells and whistles you find on a more gaming oriented motherboard.

I understand that I'm not going to be able to find a fully loaded motherboard that can also take four CPUs, but is there some kind of happy medium? I may also go dual but I'd really like to get a quad.

Is there a dual or quad based P35 motherboard scheduled anything soon? Or x38?

I'd also like to express my frustration with Intel for coming out with "core duo" and "quad core" terminology, as it has made hunting for multi-CPU motherboards a real pain!

Any help would be appreciated. I've built many PCs but never put together a dual/quad MB based system from scratch before.

Great idea, but there is one stumbling point in your plan.

What games out there have multiple CPU support? The game has to be built to take advantage of multiple CPUs or it will use only one. Sure, Dual Core or more is great, but if your machine is not set up to utilise more than one CPU, you are wasting the additional ones.

Your best bet is to get a decent Dual Core (intel or amd) supporting single CPU motherboard with all the "bells and whistles" and the fastest CPU you can find.

Until games are released that support multiple CPUs, you would just be wasting money getting more than a single, core duo or X2 CPU.