Best 875p Board ??

[JRH_Tech]

What's the take on the best 875p chipset board out there now? Is it the ASUS p4C800 deluxe or the MSI Neo-FIS2R ?

anyone seen any reviews on the 875p boards being offered?

 

[Prof133]

It's kind of early to tell which one is best. I was going to pass on the Abit board in favor of the epox board (not available yet) because of the <A HREF="http://forum.abit-usa.com/showthread.php?s=87ce4b8566513bb86d26c8d9df095e8e&threadid=9107&perpage=15&pagenumber=1" target="_new">memory timing issue</A> but it seems that that will be resolved with a future BIOS release.

Here are two reviews:

<A HREF="http://www.anandtech.com/mb/showdoc.html?i=1814" target="_new">ASUS P4C800 Deluxe</A>
<A HREF="http://www.anandtech.com/mb/showdoc.html?i=1813" target="_new">Gigabyte 8KNXP Ultra</A>

 

[JRH_Tech]

here's the review i was reading on the <A HREF="http://www.hardwarezone.com/articles/articles.hwz?cid=6&aid=705&page=1" target="_new">MSI 875P Neo-FIS2R</A>

 

[Prof133]

System bus speed :- 100MHz to 500MHz (in 1MHz steps)

Memory speed settings :- 266, 333, 400, 500, 532MHz (at official 133/200MHz bus speeds)

PCI/AGP speed :- 33.3/66.6 to 75.5/151MHz (in 0.5/1.0MHz steps)

CPU core voltage :- 1.5500V to 1.5850V (in 0.0125V steps), 1.60V to 2.30V(in 0.05V steps)

DDR voltage :- 2.50V to 3.30V (in 0.05V steps)

AGP voltage :- 1.5, 1.55, 1.6, 1.7, 1.75, 1.8, 1.9, 2.0, 2.1V

An overclocker's dream no doubt.

I'm not aware of any issues that may be present on the two aforementioned motherboards, usually found by end-users, so based solely on the two early reviews mentioned in this thread, I would go with MSI.

 

[JRH_Tech]

any idea when Intel will be selling it's D875PBZ board through vendors? I read today also that it got better benchmarks than the ASUS.

The other thing about MSI is i'm not too sure about their product reliability/stability. Don't wan't to get stuck with a board giving me endless compatibility problems though. lol so it's a toss up. If those intel boards were available i might go with them instead.

 

[Prof133]

D875PBZ appears on pricewatch in a few vendor databases. Not sure if it is in stock though.

 

[fireflayer]

I know quite a few people that have gone with MSI and everything has been good for them. NewEgg has the nice MSI one is stock now:

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduct.asp?DEPA=1&submit=manufactory&catalog=280&manufactory=1312&description=&Order=priceD

Cheaper than ASUS with more cool stuff on board .

 

[Crashman]

I'm looking at the Abit board because it's designed for higher bus speeds, although I haven't seen any tests to prove it, which is one reason I'm waiting.

<font color=blue>Watts mean squat if you don't have quality!</font color=blue>

 

[Darkmatterx]

I just found out today from my friend, that her supplier says that the Abit IC7-G won't be out till mid-may? I'm confused... I thought it was already out.

 

[melvin13]

I read there on Anandtech that intel has delayed shipments on the 800Mhz FSB CPU's due to some glitch or something...cant find the link now.

Anyway what puzzles me is I heard that with the 875 apparently you cant achieve DDR400 without having a 800 MHZ fsb cpu in place...is this true?

 

[Prof133]

<A HREF="http://www.excaliberpc.com/product_info.php?products_id=2031" target="_new">ExcaliberPC</A> has ABIT IC7-G Max2 Advance for $224. Appears to be in stock. They also have the IC7 which looks pretty good too at only $147.

 

[JRH_Tech]

so far i like the ABIT and Intel's D875PE for stability reasons. the ABIT's IC7-G is out cause some other guys on another board have already installed some. The ASUS board isn't bad but they did away with a few of Intels new technology like:

1) ICH5R I/O controller for the slightly less expensive ICH5

2) the Pro/1000CT Gigabit Ethernet controller for CSA replaced with 3Com 3C940 PCI Gigabit Ethernet chip

3) Instead of using Intel's Serial ATA RAID, Asus offers the Promise PDC20378 PCI Serial ATA RAID controller.

 

[Crashman]

I don't think you can run ratios faster than 1:1, no.

<font color=blue>Watts mean squat if you don't have quality!</font color=blue>

 

[shadus]

Bumped for Jim_A... I don't think any of the other 800mhz fsb boards are worthwhile compared to canterwood, especially now that prices are dropping a bit on the boards.

Shadus

 

[Col_Kiwi]

Anyway what puzzles me is I heard that with the 875 apparently you cant achieve DDR400 without having a 800 MHZ fsb cpu in place...is this true?

THG's review said you can't and I haven't heard anything to discount that.

-Col.Kiwi

 

[Renegade87]

Crash,

HotHardware(www.hothardware.com)has a comparison between the 2 main contenders for your i875 mobo dollars: the Asus P4C800 Deluxe and the Abit IC7-G. You might be interested in checking it out.

"It's not that I don't like people, I just seem to feel better when they're not around"

 

[Crashman]

Well, I know this will sound lame, but:
I like the layout of the ports on back of the Abit board, I have a lot of high end analog speakers and might like to use those analog outputs, and it includes 2 digital outputs in case I switch.

Of course there are other things I like about the Abit board, like the fact that it comes with the ICH5R southbridge (which I would prefer over any add-on controllers), but the main reason I like Abit is their very good warranty (I build a lot of systems, Abit's warranty service is FAR better than...anyone elses).

But right now the Asus board has it all over the Abit board in the memory department. Now I had been following a thread in Abit's forum that told me Abit BIOS will back your memory timings down without your knowledge at reboot! A rep turned up and showed a new BIOS that would cure the problem, which is only in it's alpha stage. I'd like to see how this turns out when the BIOS goes Beta before making any decisions. Abit might just end up on top with the new BIOS, all I need is for them to end up on par with Asus before going with them, considering the other things I like about these boards.

Unfortunately I can't afford the -G version. The IC7 still has SATA RAID via ICH5R, but no onboard LAN. Well, CSA Lan would be nice, but not needed for me. Asus doesn't even have it, and Abit only uses it on the -G. Without CSA I'd just as soon through one of my many LAN cards in as to get my LAN onboard.

<font color=blue>Watts mean squat if you don't have quality!</font color=blue>

 

[Javic]

I just built a system with the Gigabyte 8KNXP (non-Ultra) with the P4 3.0GHz 800MHz FSB cpu and after about 2 days of screwing with it, I finally got it running so it won't crash at random times.

I think my problem lies in using 1GB Corsair TwinX PC3200LLPT ram. The way I have it running right now is by only having one chip in and using the "Fail-Safe Defaults".

I'm going to further play around with the settings, but one thing that I noticed, that is really pissing me off, is that even in the advanced BIOS config, it won't allow me to lower the CAS Latency Timer. The only option to choose from is 2. This, ofcourse I find very odd and I'm really hoping Gigabyte changes this with a BIOS update. I feel that if I lowered the CAS Latency to 2.5 or 3 that it might just work in Dual Channel. One thing that I haven't tried yet but will give a shot soon is running both 512MB sticks in NON-Dual Channel. Granted, this won't make me happy, because the whole purpose for buying the TwinX was to be able to run in Dual Channel.

Gigabyte already has 2 BIOS revisions after the one that comes installed on the board, and I'm currently running the most recent, F5.

Unfortunately, I haven't really had much chance to try playing around with anything else because I've just been trying to get the system stable, but I'm running 2xWD800JB's in RAID0 off the GigaRAID PATA Raid controller and that seems to perform very well.

Things can only get better!

 

[HardWareBoss]

Thanks for the info on Gigabyte 8KNXP non Ultra. I may buy that Mobo. I thinking of useing Corsair PC3500. Two 512K sticks. Maybe they'll work better.

 

[HardWareBoss]

Have to find Web site I was buzzing around. Abit IC7-G They where running 2 Gigs of Corsair I think it was PC3200LL I'll let you know when I find site. Unless you read it allready.

 

[Crashman]

I really want to see benchmarks using the new IC7 BIOS which allows faster memory timings.

<font color=blue>Watts mean squat if you don't have quality!</font color=blue>

 

[bob_dn]

Crashman;

I've been following threads on Abit and Asusboard forums. The Abit memory timing issue (timing defaulting to Abit settings no matter what manual timings were set) was solved with BIOS update 1.1, but this BIOS update caused a problem with ICH5R RAID configuration - second HDD "disappeared" when BIOS was flashed to 1.1

Also for those who have PATA drives (most of us) and want to use them on SATA port with adapters in RAID config, the only adapter ABIT will work with in RAID with PATA drives is the Abit Serillel 2 converter and those aren't available for retail sale anywhere yet. With the IC7-G board you get ONE Serillel 2 adapter. Bottom line - if you want to run a RAID 0 or 1 off the ICH5R you need SATA drives or two Abit Serillel 2 converters to use PATA drives in RAID.

PATA drives will work with any parallel to SATA converters just not in RAID. Abit is suppposedly working on ANOTHER BIOS fix for this problem as well.

(I wonder if anyone has tried using a standard parallel to SATA converter on drive one and the Abit Serillel 2 converter on drive 2 in a ICH5R PATA-SATA RAID config? Would it make a difference?)

 

[bob_dn]

Check this out from <A HREF="http://www.asusboards.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=42761&perpage=15&pagenumber=5" target="_new">Prometheus at Asusboards</A>:

Prometheus
Section Moderator


MORE Memory Ratios (post #72)

MORE Memory Ratios

There are quite a few memory ratios available on the Abit that are not revealed until you adjust the N/B Strap. The N/B Strap is a setting in SoftMenu that allows you to alter the options available for memoy ratio AND memory timings.

Available settings at each N/B Strap Setting:
400 - 3:4, SPD
533 - 1:1, 4:5, SPD
667 - 5:4, 1:1, SPD
800 - 3:2, 5:4, 1:1, SPD

In practical terms this means the following memory ratios are available at ANY FSB, depending on the N/B strap setting: 3:4, 4:5, 1:1, 5:4, 3:2, SPD This means at 180FSB with a good 2.4 - 3.24GHz - you could choose the foolowing Memory speeds by varying the N/B Strap: DDR480, 450, 360, 288, 240, SPD(rated memory speed).

In addition I have found that the N/B strap chosen also alters the point at which the board overides memory settings and the overide used. The net result is MUCH better than first supposed when the timing override issue was first mentioned last evening.

 

[Crashman]

The SATA RAID issue does not affect me yet, so I could go ahead and buy now if I could just see the performance numbers on the IC7 that I'm looking for. It might be YEARS before I use SATA. On the other hand, I would like to use the SATA to ATA adapter, but they don't come with the base IC7, they will cost money, and I already have an IDE card I can use instead for additional drives.

<font color=blue>Watts mean squat if you don't have quality!</font color=blue>

 

[okietex]

well, granted - I'm a big-time newbie at this and don't have very much experience building systems. With that, the new MSI Neo-FIS2R looks like a great board and really performs well at least with one of the reviews I have read on it. That being said, I'm still reviewing or trying to find more reviews on the MSI NEO-FIS2R, the ABIT IC7-G Max2 Advance and then lastly the ASUS P4C800 Deluxe.

But - as of right now and if I had to order one, I think I'd pick the MSI NEO-FIS2R. So, that's my opinion right now ... FWIW and that's not too much!!!

Peace. -ot