Author Topic: New mobo.... ASUS or MSI? (Read 445 times)

SKurj · « **on:** July 10, 2003, 05:43:22 PM »

Ok I am looking at upgrade time!

From: MSI turbo 2 A7V

I will just be upgrading board, ram and video for now.
GF4 4200 coming tomorro to replace the gf4 mx

Now ... which board to buy?
I am basically limiting myself to MSI and ASUS, both brands I have owned before and been pleased with and readily available nearby.

I will be using my current CPU for the time being AMD XP1800+ but want the capability to go to a 3000+ Barton with the new board.

WHich chipset?
Which boards offer better built-in sound than the crap Creative sells?
Need minimum 4 USB.
Not concerned with RAID.

Is DDR 400 the memory to be using these days? Will start out with 512 but will want to be able to use over 1gb if I choose.

Just want a board that will last me 2 years minimum, offering best performance at a decent price.

SKurj

Revvin · « **Reply #1 on:** July 10, 2003, 05:55:24 PM »

Just built a system based on MSI's K7N2 Delta ILSR motherboard. A well featured board and easy to work on and the nForce chipset gives great sound.

Altogether just built:

AMD Athlon XP 3200
1GB DDR400
120GB Serial ATA
MSI K7N2 Delta ILSR
ATi Radeon 9800 Pro 256mb
400w PSU
Logitech Mx700 Mouse
MS Multimedia keyboard
iiyama 19" Monitor

SKurj · « **Reply #2 on:** July 10, 2003, 06:05:45 PM »

Looks like a decent board Revvin

I checked MSI's website and noticed this...:

Supports DDR266/333 with internal graphic core,DDR266/333/400 with external add-on card

Whats it mean by add-on card? Do you need to buy a board to get the beneifts of the DDR 400? or does that mean if you use a separate video card you are ok?

SKurj

bloom25 · « **Reply #3 on:** July 10, 2003, 06:39:36 PM »

I prefer Asus boards over MSI, though the few MSI boards (K7N420 Pro based) I've used have been OK.

Neither AMD or Intel is planning on releasing any new desktop CPUs until around September. In addition, the Athlon XP 3200+ will probably be the last Socket A cpu and it's possible the 3.4 GHz P4 (possibly P5, as it will use the new Prescott core) will require new boards as well. Regardless, Intel is switching to a 775 "pin" socket early next year. Basically this means that don't expect much of a CPU upgrade path on any system you build today.

As far as what to build, I'd say your primary choices would be between a Springdale chipset based 'C' type P4 rig, or an nForce 2 Ultra 400 based Athlon XP rig. The Asus boards to look at would be the P4P800 and A7N8X Deluxe (revision 2.0) respectively. Right now the 2.4 GHz 'C' type P4 and Athlon 2500+ are the most popular (and most overclockable) CPUs in their respective product lines. Both of these systems would be about equal in overall performance. The AMD system would be significantly cheaper (it only needs DDR333 for best performance, the P4 system should be equipped with DDR400), but the P4P800 based 2.4 'C' system is certainly more overclockable. It's also worth considering that the 3.2 GHz P4 is definately faster than the 3200+ Athlon if your budget is that large.

That info from MSI's site tells me that board has the integrated GeForce 4 MX video, which you probably will not use. (It also means that board CANNOT take the 3200+ Athlon...)

SKurj · « **Reply #4 on:** July 10, 2003, 09:03:51 PM »

There be 2 of them Bloom, one with built in gfx one without, yet the text description for the memory is the same for both boards

So it is just built in GFX that prevents the use of DDR400?

You also mention the AMD 2500+ will perform better with DDR 333? or would DDR 400 show an improvement?

SKurj

bloom25 · « **Reply #5 on:** July 10, 2003, 09:54:08 PM »

There are quite a few nForce 2 chipset combinations. The newest two are the nForce 2 Ultra 400 (dual channel memory) and nForce 2 400 (single channel memory). Both of these support a 400 MHz FSB, which the 3200+ uses. The version of the nForce 2 with the integrated GeForce 4 MX will not support a 400 MHz FSB, only DDR 400 memory, according to nVidia. This means that any nForce 2 based board with integrated graphics will never officially support the 3200+, only up to the 3000+. (This is not the same as DDR400 support. All nForce 2 chipsets can support DDR400 memory, but only when the integrated graphics core is not enabled.)

There are also two different southbridge options for the nForce 2 chipset (MCP and MCP-T). One, the MCP-T, has the desirable Soundstorm audio and a lot of other nice features. This is the difference between the Asus A7N8X and A7N8X Deluxe.

All nForce 2 boards perform best when the ram is run syncronously with the processor's FSB, meaning that running the ram at 333 MHz yields top performance on the 2500+ - 3000+. Only the 3200+ requires DDR400 for top performance. Using DDR400 memory AND running it at 400 MHz actually hurts performance on the 2500+ - 3000+. (You could go into the bios and force the ram to run at 333 MHz if you used DDR400. Only if you planned on overclocking a 333 MHz FSB Athlon XP or using a 3200+ should you be using DDR400.) So, yes, a 2500+ will perform best when using DDR333.

SKurj · « **Reply #6 on:** July 10, 2003, 11:02:11 PM »

Thank you Thank you for the explanations Bloom!

Well I won't bother with DDR400 then, as I won't be going 3200+ for awhile.

DDR 333 with a 266 (1800+) won't cause any issues will it? I will likely upgrade the cpu before xmas, but for now I cannot justify the expense.

SKurj

Karnak · « **Reply #7 on:** July 10, 2003, 11:03:19 PM »

MSI

Having owned many brands of mobos, including multiple ASUS and MSI boards, I feel that ASUS used to be the best, but has since ridden on their reputation. The most troublefree systems builds I've done have all been on MSI boards.

bloom25 · « **Reply #8 on:** July 11, 2003, 12:11:37 AM »

I'd probably get the DDR333 considering you plan on upgrading, but be sure to set it to run at 266 MHz in the bios for best performance with the 1800+. Once you upgrade the CPU, then set it back to 333.

Revvin · « **Reply #9 on:** July 11, 2003, 02:02:05 PM »

Skurj> The K7N2 Delta ILSR supports DDR 400 without any need for an add-on board. It's a very nice board to work on and well featured, 4 USB ports built onto the motherboard riser, speaker connections to allow 5.1 speaker connection, optical connection for 5.1 speakers, a USB 2.0 and Bluetooth bracket, S-Video brackets as well as two serial ATA connectors, a 5 1/4 to Serial ATA power connector and a rounded IDE cable. Flashed the BIOS with the auto update software which runs in Windows so everything was easy.

beet1e · « **Reply #10 on:** July 12, 2003, 06:31:10 PM »

<== have been so delighted with Asus (with VIA chipset) that I'm unlikely to change. Even W-Me works flawlessly with the mobo/drivers combo.

SKurj · « **Reply #11 on:** July 13, 2003, 09:52:11 AM »

Had enough of VIA chipsets and SBLive! cards under XP myself. Thought this time around I would try the nForce chipset. (Hope I don't regret it)

Anyways Revvin sold me on the ILSR.. and damnit its not available locally yet (i won't mail order)

oh well, no huge rush

SKurj

Sox62 · « **Reply #12 on:** July 13, 2003, 07:48:51 PM »

I've built systems in the past with both.

Now I build with Asus motherboards exclusively.

Skurj-my system is exactly three months old...Asus A7N8X Deluxe Nforce II motherboard...rock solid stable.

Make sure to install the Nforce drivers after building it(if that's the way you go)or you will scratch your head wondering why your onboard nic won't work,lol. (Don't ask....lmao)