Is this a good Mobo Processor combo? Suggestions?

[FataLFlaw]

Hey guys I was wondering if you could take a look at this mobo and processor combo from tigerdirect for me. It seems like a pretty good deal to me. Only thing I noticed was that they sell this packaged with an XP3000+ processor and their description says it can handle up to a 2800+. whats that ishh about? You guys have any other recommendations for a $350 price range?

Heres the one i was looking at by the way

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=608603&Sku=MBM-KT400D-3000&CatId=188

Thanks for the help.

 

[ChipDeath]

[EDIT]
Here's a clicky for your link <A HREF="http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=608603&Sku=MBM-KT400D-3000&CatId=188" target="_new">If anyone else wants to see..</A>
[EDIT]

I would have to say no.
A better bet would be an Abit NF7-S motherboard (<A HREF="http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=13-127-166&catalog=22&manufactory=BROWSE&depa=1" target="_new">newegg.com</A>, $102) and a XP2500+ (<A HREF="http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=19-103-379&catalog=343&depa=1" target="_new">newegg.com</A> again, $91) For these reasons:
1)The nforce2 chipset is a better performer than the KT400 chipset on the motherboard you listed
2)This combo costs less than $200
3)The on-board sound on the Abit NF7 (nforce APU) is <i>far</i> superior to that on the Soyo board (better than most sound cards even)
4)Barton 2500+ can <i>easily</i> be overclocked to true 3200+ speeds on NF7.

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<font color=red>The preceding text is assembled from information stored in an unreliable organic storage medium. As such it may be innacurate, incomplete, or completely wrong</font color=red> <P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by ChipDeath on 12/23/03 12:41 PM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

[FataLFlaw]

I appreciate your suggestions and I will definitely consider it when I purchase my board. The only problems with your suggestion are:

1) I already have a motherboard and an Athlon xp1700+ so would a 2500 really be a big step up?
2) I didnt really plan on any overclocking because during the summer months my lack of AC has caused me some random computer lockups due to overheating.
3) I currently own a soundblaster Audigy Gamer Sound card so I doubt the on board sound would be put to any use on either board.
Maybe I will try the motherboard you suggested, possibly with a slightly faster processor.

<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by Fatalflaw on 12/22/03 05:49 PM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

[Crashman]

Uh, proofread that.

<font color=blue>Only a place as big as the internet could be home to a hero as big as Crashman!</font color=blue>
<font color=red>Only a place as big as the internet could be home to an ego as large as Crashman's!</font color=red>

 

[JJN]

I have basically the same question. I'm currently running a ECS K7S5A with a XP1900+. I am thinking about upgrading to the ABIT board with the XP2500+.

1. How hard is it to overclock a new XP2500? (new = locked?)
2. Do you need the RAM to overclock or can you overclock it and pick up the RAM a little later (i have PC2100 right now)?

 

[Crashman]

PC2100 isn't ideal for the XP 2500+, you should consider getting the proper RAM (PC2700) or something faster for overclocking (PC3200 for example).

<font color=blue>Only a place as big as the internet could be home to a hero as big as Crashman!</font color=blue>
<font color=red>Only a place as big as the internet could be home to an ego as large as Crashman's!</font color=red>

 

[ChipDeath]

Thanks for the heads up crash.... I've edited it so I no longer claim it's easy to run a 2500+ overclocked on a P4 mobo.. Although It would be interesting to see :lol:

<b>FatalFlaw:</b>
a 2500+ @ 3200+ speeds will be no hotter than a 'real' 3200+ would be, as they're both the same core. And like I said - it really isn't difficult to do, just setting FSB in BIOS to 200. If it doesn't work straight away up the CPU Vcore very slightly. I'm not sure I've seen a single poster not get <i>at least</i> 2.2Ghz (3200+ speed) from a Barton 2500+ on an nforce2 mobo.

If it gets that hot where you are you might want to consider getting a decent third-party cooler instead of the stock AMD one anyway(even if not overclocking), and make sure your case has good airflow.

But if you're not comfortable with overclocking, the NF7 (especially -S version) is still far better than that soyo board, and I suspect crash will wholeheartedly agree on that one .

[EDIT]
Oh yeah, and in terms of efficiency (i.e. the amount of processor cycles having the sound going takes up), the onboard audio on the Abit NF7 is actually <i>superior</i> to your audigy. Plus it's got all the EAX stuff too. THG did a little comparison a while back, I'll go have a look...
[/EDIT]

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<font color=red>The preceding text is assembled from information stored in an unreliable organic storage medium. As such it may be innacurate, incomplete, or completely wrong</font color=red> <P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by ChipDeath on 12/23/03 12:57 PM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

[ChipDeath]

I found the article I mentioned. It doesn't actually feature the original Audigy, but it does have the Audigy 2 included, and it's probably a safe assumption that the Audigy 2 is better than the original one it replaced

<A HREF="http://www20.tomshardware.com/game/20030405/index.html" target="_new">Clicky for article</A>

As you can see, the nforce2 APU chip is not your average onboard sound, and if they just stuck the damn' thing on an add-on card, they'd have a lucrative little sideline in sound cards on their hands.

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<font color=red>The preceding text is assembled from information stored in an unreliable organic storage medium. As such it may be innacurate, incomplete, or completely wrong</font color=red>

 

[Crashman]

Abit is a better company than Soyo.

<font color=blue>Only a place as big as the internet could be home to a hero as big as Crashman!</font color=blue>
<font color=red>Only a place as big as the internet could be home to an ego as large as Crashman's!</font color=red>

 

[Crashman]

nVidia should come out with a TV-Tuner/Sound card, or a TV-Tuner/Sound/Video card, for all those stupid enough to buy an SFF PC.

<font color=blue>Only a place as big as the internet could be home to a hero as big as Crashman!</font color=blue>
<font color=red>Only a place as big as the internet could be home to an ego as large as Crashman's!</font color=red>

 

[ChipDeath]

Those stupid enough to go with SFF fully deserve their self-inflicted punishment. Nvidia should not provide such a life-line, or they will begin to feel justified in their strange purchasing decision and might pass the idiotic fervor to others.

What makes Abit a better <i>company</i> than Soyo? Aside from the established quality of Abit's stuff that is. Soyo involved in dodgy business practices or something?

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<font color=red>The preceding text is assembled from information stored in an unreliable organic storage medium. As such it may be innacurate, incomplete, or completely wrong</font color=red>

 

[Crashman]

Yes, since SFF goes against Micro ATX in the market, it's popularity forces a reduction in variety of Micro ATX parts which were more ideally designed for exactly such applications.

<font color=blue>Only a place as big as the internet could be home to a hero as big as Crashman!</font color=blue>
<font color=red>Only a place as big as the internet could be home to an ego as large as Crashman's!</font color=red>

 

[Crashman]

I've dealt with Abit and Soyo. Abit replaced ALL my bad boards that were less than 3 years old, even if I wasn't the original purchaser, simply by the production date. Soyo "lost" 6 RMA's over an 8 month period on a NEW board before agreeing to replace it for a $15 service fee, provided I could prove the board was purchased within 1 year of that final date.

<font color=blue>Only a place as big as the internet could be home to a hero as big as Crashman!</font color=blue>
<font color=red>Only a place as big as the internet could be home to an ego as large as Crashman's!</font color=red>

 

[theback26]

I have a K7S5A + XP1800. Yes, it's a good board but 2 things. You can't use DDR and SDRAM at the same time and no, the board is horrible for overclocking. Some people post custom bios' for the board claiming you can overclock with it, but all it did to me was give me a migraine when I had to get a new BIOS chip.