Purchasing Motherboard...

xioutlawixxioutlawix Join Date: 2002-11-05 Member: 7118Members, Constellation
edited February 2003 in Off-Topic
<div class="IPBDescription">Need comparison info</div> Hey everybody,
I'm going to be going ahead and putting together a new computer pretty soon (seems like I've been talking about doing this for a long time, although can't seem to make up my mind on certain components...)

I can tell you I'm definitely getting a p4 2.53ghz processor, and putting in a gig of ddr333 ram.

The main problem I'm having trouble deciding on is the motherboard.

One board I've heard a lot of good things about which is currently at a good price is the Soyo Dragon P4X400 ultra motherboard (platinum bett4r than j00 edition).

The board I'm also considering is the (i think the newest) asus P4G8X motherboard.

Asus is obviously reliable and a bigger name, but I've heard lately that their boards have been crap/overrated. Soyo is the smaller name, but for a lesser price, still a good board, the only negatives I've heard about it are the potential for IRQ sharing errors between its agp8x and onboard sound, although I think current bios revisions might have helped the matter.

Does anyone have any experience with these two boards? Bear in mind this is for the purpose of building a gaming computer, so something that won't immediately go obsolete a month later would be nice.

Edit - Open flames/slander/compliments/praise on the boards are welcome, although actual experience stories with them are preferable, I'm basically just trying to avoid a losing scenario here <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif'><!--endemo-->
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Comments

  • DOOManiacDOOManiac Worst. Critic. Ever. Join Date: 2002-04-17 Member: 462Members, NS1 Playtester
    I've been looking into the P4G8X myself. But it is $220 heh, and that is quite expensive for a board. So I guess now I'm back to looking for alternatives. I don't really care about onboard sound, ethernet, or firewire. I'm just interested in the Dual-Channel DDR support as I hear that's quite spiffy...

    As far as CPUs go, I'd recommend a P4 2.4B instead of the 2.53, as the 2.4B is $191 whereas the 2.53B is $233. Whatever one you get make sure you get the B version, as its higher FSB (i think that's what it was anyway)
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  • xioutlawixxioutlawix Join Date: 2002-11-05 Member: 7118Members, Constellation
    Good heads up on the processor Doom, I doubt I'll miss the extra mhz <grin>

    The only thing really that concerns me about the onboard sound on the soyo is the horror stories you read on the internet about someone's radeon 9700 not performing because of IRQ conflicts.

    It basically comes down to an issue of peace of mind. Although I could be sure I'm going to get a motherboard that functions properly with the asus, and it becomes only a matter of specs, the source I'd be buying it from doesn't take exchanges, so if I buy it I'm stuck with it. Whereas with the Soyo, I can go cheaper, but then it becomes a what-if circumstance :-x
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  • SaltySalty Join Date: 2002-11-05 Member: 6970Members
    Im looking for a new one, I need knew case first and the one i got takes up alota room in my dorm so ill get one when I move out. More 744mhz action me :-/
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  • DOOManiacDOOManiac Worst. Critic. Ever. Join Date: 2002-04-17 Member: 462Members, NS1 Playtester
    Well, I found a <a href='http://www.hothardware.com/hh_files/Motherboards/asus_p4g8x.shtml' target='_blank'>very, very praising review of the P4G8X</a>, where it basically blows away the competition. Looks definately worth the extra $$ you'll be spending on this board.

    Also, that review did bring up a good alternative to the P4G8X: The <a href='http://www.hothardware.com/hh_files/Motherboards/msi_gnb-max.shtml' target='_blank'>The MSI GNB Max-FISR</a>. It was neck and neck w/ the P4G8X throughout all the benchmarks, and even had a few things that the reviewers like better, such as a better onboard sound solution and also better gigabit ethernet.

    What i'm liking is MSI seems to have <a href='http://www.msi.com.tw/program/products/mainboard/mbd/pro_mbd_detail.php?UID=387&MODEL=MS-6565' target='_blank'>a barebones version</a>, without that SerialATA RAID and Gigabit ethernet. That's bound to be cheaper.

    Alas I cannot find any pricing on the MSI one and I gotta go. You do some research for me so when i get back I can have a price, k? Thanks. :)
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  • DOOManiacDOOManiac Worst. Critic. Ever. Join Date: 2002-04-17 Member: 462Members, NS1 Playtester
    Okay I found some pricing on the MSI board. its MORE expensive than the P4G8X :X
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  • wendigowendigo Join Date: 2002-11-13 Member: 8371Members
    In my experience MSI boards tend to be a better quality board. I've had some recommendation to buy MSI in the past. All my systems run on MSI boarda and I've never had an issue with any of them.
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  • DOOManiacDOOManiac Worst. Critic. Ever. Join Date: 2002-04-17 Member: 462Members, NS1 Playtester
    edited February 2003
    looking at the numbers in my checkbook get lower as i pay for things like rent and groceries, i start to think "perhaps those 6 fps in quake i'll be gaining isn't worth the $160 after all". heh. So tommorrow after I finish my homework I'm gonna look up the 3rd place solution in most of the reviews: the <a href='http://www.asus.com/products/mb/socket478/p4pe-bp/overview.htm' target='_blank'>Asus P4PE BP</a>.

    Its only $120 or so, so yeah it'd be saving me $100. Though I really wish it had Dual-Channel DDR support. And AGP 8X. :( :( /me wimpers
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  • DOOManiacDOOManiac Worst. Critic. Ever. Join Date: 2002-04-17 Member: 462Members, NS1 Playtester
    edited February 2003
    Yeah, **EVERY** 7205 chipset mobo is above $220...

    crap :X

    I need $ :P

    [edit]
    Right as I was about to go to sleep I found <a href='http://www.googlegear.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=241037' target='_blank'>this</a>! $190! That isn't too bad, I'd pay $70 more... Gotta find reviews on it tommorrow when I wake up :X
    [/edit]

    [edit2]
    okay well instead of sleeping tonight I decided <a href='http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview.cfm?catid=29&threadid=972171' target='_blank'>to post on Anandtech forums</a>. Those guys have always been great in the past, so hopefully they can help me out.
    [/edit2]

    I just realized that I kinda hijacked this thread. Sorry bout that, but hopefully whatever mobo is best for me will likewise be good for you too eh?
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  • xioutlawixxioutlawix Join Date: 2002-11-05 Member: 7118Members, Constellation
    edited February 2003
    <!--QuoteBegin--DOOManiac+Feb 9 2003, 05:20 AM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (DOOManiac @ Feb 9 2003, 05:20 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> I just realized that I kinda hijacked this thread. Sorry bout that, but hopefully whatever mobo is best for me will likewise be good for you too eh? <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Exactly <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->

    I sorta slept on the concept, figured since I've saved up the money (a long and grueling process) I'll just go with the asus, might as well get the peace of mind going.
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  • DOOManiacDOOManiac Worst. Critic. Ever. Join Date: 2002-04-17 Member: 462Members, NS1 Playtester
    heh. I think I'm just gonna settle for the P4PE, as from what i'm getting from most peeps is that while the expensive boards are nice, I'd probably enjoy having $100 more. heh.
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  • KboTKboT Join Date: 2002-11-20 Member: 9436Members
    I say get the nForce Mojo, Best motherboard out there (But its like $300+)
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  • DOOManiacDOOManiac Worst. Critic. Ever. Join Date: 2002-04-17 Member: 462Members, NS1 Playtester
    Too bad that's for the entirely wrong cpu...
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  • xioutlawixxioutlawix Join Date: 2002-11-05 Member: 7118Members, Constellation
    Hmm, so conveniently enough I took the opportunity to print out the asus p4g8x manual from work (am I the only one who does this?) and apparently it only supports a max speed of pc2100 ddr ram? Now, I convinced myself I didn't exactly need pc3200, and was willing to settle for pc2700 (ddr400 to ddr333), but should I be the least bit worried about this? I know it supports dual-channel memory, but...Hrm... <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo-->
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  • DOOManiacDOOManiac Worst. Critic. Ever. Join Date: 2002-04-17 Member: 462Members, NS1 Playtester
    doh. :(

    I think I'm just gonna save some $ I don't have anyway and get the P4PE. Its right behind the others in performance, and $100 cheaper...
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