Help Me Choose A Mobo

hey--did you see that $144 venice core 3200/939 over in hot deals ?

if you haven't got a cpu yet--thats a sweet price-- i think it's @ monarch computers :cool:
 
But can't the 3000+ reach the same as the 3200. And also, wat kind of harm/ware/decrease in life does overclocking do to a CPU.
 
most of the time it can--but the 3200 has a 10 x multiplier so it is easyer to get a overclock
10x 250= 2500
9x277= 2500 mhz
9x 300=2700
10x300=3000 mhz
a venice with a 10 x multi like the 3200 is a little better for a mild overclock generally spaeking-- and a lower fsb with the 3200 don't make as much stress for the system .

so that little extra bit on the multiplier helps when overclcoking--it helps keep the hyperthread from scaling too high and just makes things a little bit

well --some a64s that are overvolted and overclocked--fail sooner than they should.
i would say from my own expirements that a a-64 venice should have a close to normal life span if it is not overclocked beyond its normal limits and if it is not overvolted past 1.65v -v-core--only time i ever killed a a-64 was with the lan-party ultra D --and i accidently put way too much v-core on it --way over 1.7v

i don't know about the albatron -- but the asus has a limit of 1.55 v-core with the newer bioses and with a 1003.008 beta (an overclocking bios) it had a limit of 1.67 v

i figure the albatron has about the same on the v-core( 1.55v) should be enough for most overclocks and still be safe for the cpu. :cool:
 
What about the ASUS A8N-E board? Also, I am still waiting to hear from my cousin about the Albatron. I checked and I don't think I can get any deal but I want to see what he says.
 
nothing wrong with the a8n-e --should be a pretty decent MB--no big advantage to it over most other nf4s.

it just depends on what the goal of the build is.

i would hazzard a guess --that the albatron k8-sli would be the best least expensive all round solution with sli at clost to budget regular nf4 price.

if you need some or all the extra stuff then the asus a8n-sli deluxe for $150 is a decent deal and a good MB to boot.

if your going to overclock and want to go to the limit--the the DFI-lanparty ultra d is the way to go.

if money is tight and you don't need want sli--even in the future then get a chaintec vnf4 for $80 or so

if money is super thigt --then go check out the eggs referbs--LOL

about any of these MB's can do the job --i think your focusing too much on the MB anyways a amb is just part of a system --an important part --but just one link in the chain

i figure if your needs are modest on the overclocking-- i figure your just after the easy- overclock to around 2.4g to 2.6 g at sotck volts --most any nf4 should be able to get a oc that modest --as for SLI well given the low price of the albatron thats hard to pass up but it depends on if sli is important to you or not.

any nf4mb with a 3200venice and a x800xl would have the makings of a good allround system.
 
well a bios flash --if you haven't got the ram yet consider some g-skill with the samsung tccd chips --if there too $$ go with a good value type.

other than that --it only has 2 regular pci slots--if you get a referb--it may or may not come with a krajuan audio module --but you might not need it anyway if you got a soundblaster.

other than a few fine details it builds like any other nf4mb .

if you get the referb--download the manual from DFI

alot of times i'll read the assembly book of a MB --just to see if i want that MB or not-- :cool:
 
well m-atx mb arn't known for their overclocking ability , no sli versions i know of, even less regular PCI slots .

normally the m-atx is considered more of a oem MB .

i hardly ever build a m-atx unless it is on the lines of makeing the smallest computer possible without going SFF.


you should be able to build a decent M-atx nf4 with very little overclocking ability you'll spend more on the cpu . i would say a 3200/a-64 would be the minimum --with the more the better

right now i haven't built any m-atx's with pci-express so i couldn't advise any on brands to get. :eek:
 
most m-atx's are for budgit build --cheap cpu/intergrated video ect.

if you take a m-atx and try to get high speed's auseing a higher rated cpu--will eat up anything you saved by going m-atx in a hurry. otherwords easy to OC a 1.8g venice to 2.4g
how much is a 2.4g a-64cpu ?--alot more than a 1.8venice--

in a nutshell--i would say --NO your better off with a standerd atx type MB for anything that requires a higher cpu-clocks--

hey dude--did you see that $350 radeon x850xt platinum ? over on hot deals -- if i didn't allready have this x800pro-- i think i would jumped on that--yea $350 is high--but the thing supposed to sell for like $550

i would grabbed one but i think i'll hold out a bit longer and see what the new 7800s come out at--
 
Yeah I saw that and yes it is a little high for my budget im afraid. I do think that I will go ATX but ehich one, not sure. I am thinking maybe the DAGF, the EPOX (not great overclocker), the A8N-E, or the MSI but i have heard of a lot of problems with it.
 
Well, according to [H]ardOCP, the NF4 Epox isn't a very good overclocker but still can up to about 270 FSB. Is the DAGF a good board? Also, wat are the problems people are having with the MSI and is their NF4 board a good baord as well?>
 
reviews are dodgey at best-- you'll see one place say one thing and another say the reverse. this MB will do 400mhz-fsb-- another will say (same MB) this MB is a no-overclocking POS!--when all they needed was a bios upgrade or a few ram settings set--

since your not wanting to overclock much-- most nf4s have some overclocking ability.

most can do 300fsb IF properly set up .

-230-250fsb is what i would call an easy overclock .

IF overclocking is the main thing-- and you don't want to spend alot of money--get the referbed DFI-lanpartyUltra D --from the egg for $86 --keep in mind that this is a naked MB .

i have heard that the chaintc vnf ultra--"whatever its called" can overclock pretty good-- it's an inexpensive MB as well --you can get a new retail for about $90

and there is still the albatron k8 --SLI MB inexpensive for $108 afteh rebate--and should overclock enough .

truth is there is lots of decent NF4mb that can overclock pretty good --you don't have to blow $199 to get a good MB . it's really just is what you decide to do on it--.

the videocard /ram/cpu and PSU are important too --a cheap MB--with all this good stuff --will kick a gold-plated MB-- in the rear-- that has inferior videocard-cpu-ram-psu provided it's a good MB of course.

:cool:
 
Well I am thinking about either a 6600GT, 6800, maybe x800xl if I can stretch it, a NeoPOwer 480 PSU, hopefully PQI Turbo 1GB, and the ADMD 3000+.
 
i have heard some preaty good things about this board
abit an8 ultra or the new bfg, it has gotten good reviews, read the one here from hardocp bfg
 let us know wich one you get and post some benchmarks. :cool:
 
out of that batch--if i had to buy one today-- i would got for either the BFG or the DFI .


although any of the bunch could be good for moderate overclocking and have good stability.
although i haven't built any of these--

it would be wise to get one that has a good warretny from the seller-- and then just pick the least expensive one that suits your needs. :cool:
 
the 6600gt is pretty decent as well as the pqi turbo ram--

on the videocard-- i would say the rule of thump is what resoultions and what are you going to be running with the "eye-candy "


if you run at lower res--and turn off some of the eye candy the 6600gt still pulls darned hard .

a x800pro or even better an x800xl but cost is allways a problem-- say a referbed 6600gt--$127 raferbed x800pro @ $200 and a referbed x800xl $230

the best pick would be the XL--if the price is a problem--then the 6600gt is still ok --and there is nothing to prevent you from getting abetter card later--so that would be just up to you to decide. :cool: :eek:
 
Well its just because the x800pro is like 230 and that may be stretching my budget. How is the x800 compared to the 6600GT and is it worth it?
 
well the best buy would be the x800xl-referbed from the egg for around $230.

the x800pro has 12 pipelines -- it can be flashed to run x800xt bios --then it will run 500/500

but for some weird reason it show up in windows as a x800se -- odds are about 50/50 that it will soft-mod/hard mod to full XT(16 pipes 500/500speed) would say that with the pci-express versions it isn't worth the extra effort to save $30

better off to get the x800xl to start with.--truth is this is what i would call a transitional period for videocards-- all the new stuff comming out in a few weeks-- prices are bound to drop even more than they are dropping now.

AMD has issued a new roadmap--guess what it's got a new socket/platform on it-- so that is also a indicator of another price drop for socket 939's mb and cpu's --(if AMD sticks to the roadmap--which AMD has been known to deviate from ) :cool:

it could be a smart move to put off building anything for the next month and just wait and see what develops. --if you have to build a computer now--get the least expensive items (except PSU and case) because you might be looking at a bigger upgrade in six months that could make for a huge jump esp in videocards.

if i had to buy a videocard today-- i would either get the x800xl-referb or new oem--for $220-$250

or i would get the less expensive 6600gt for $125 referbed-- and look to upgrade to a more powerful card in the future. kinda like save the $$$ for a killer card in a few months-- a x800-256 mb for $150 (est) could also be a good buy and you could live with it a little longer before getting the next generation . i am going to look around for a deal on the 7800gtx or x850xt/plt in a few weeks myself.but right now i ain't burning up to buy anything in the videocard market--:cool: :eek:
 
Since it would probably take me that long to order everything knowing myself, I guess I will wait to see wats coming. When do you think we will start seeing this stuff?
 
prob be around the middle of augest before things start to settle down in the priceing dept.

then add a few more weeks-- say sep or even later if there are delays-.

yea something bigger and better is allways just around the corner--lol :cool:
 
OK well I have an offer to buy an ASUS A8N-E and a 3200+ Venice for 165 shipped. Is there going to be a new socket or should I jumo on this great price?
 
--the new socket will have a new chipset--probably be buggy and expensive-- if you need a computer--it wouldn't be a bad idea --if the cpu/MB are good. :cool:
 
the new socket will arrive sometime in 2006--but could be late or could suffer from what i call--socket -shift --where AMD keeps changing the socket/chipset requirements .

a well known problem--that makes you have to upgrade a MB everytime you upgrade a cpu.

as far as AMD's track record --i wouldn't hold my breath. a 939 should be a top MB for some time to come .

the new socket is supposed to support DDR-3 --now how much do you think DDR3 is going to cost ?

so whatever the new socket is it is going to require expensive new ram and cpu --i would forget about it till 2007 at least.
 
So should I go with this offer or look for something else:

ASUS A8N-E (new, unopened)
AMD 3200+ Venice (new, unopened)

Both for 165 shipped!
 
zwbuntster said:
So should I go with this offer or look for something else:

ASUS A8N-E (new, unopened)
AMD 3200+ Venice (new, unopened)

Both for 165 shipped!
Click to expand...

thats a darn good price--if they are "good" parts--i would buy that myself--
:cool:
 
zwbuntster said:
What do you mean by good parts. They are new so I am not sure how they could be bad parts.
Click to expand...

$165 is a very good price . by good i mean they work . if your buying from someone off the fourm--there is a degree of risk there-. you also find some really good deals there as well.

so i'm not going to say--buy the perts--youhave to decide if it is woth the risk of not buying from a retail place--like the egg.

if the parts are everything they are claimed to be--sure it's a great deal.
:eek:
 
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