Purchasing a new MotherBoard... Suggestions?

[aLawLz187]

Hey,
I am going to be purchasing a new motherboard for my system relatively soon. This is mainly because the stock one is crap and i am trying to optimize my performance and setting up RAID 0 [hopefully]. I am wondering if you have any suggestions for a good motherboard... My PC Specs are:
AMD Athlon 2600+
512mb RAM PC2700[2x256]
120gb hard drive [NTFS file system...]
ATI Radeon 9600 Pro
Creative Sound Blaster Audigy LS

i know that best buy has pretty good hard drives for ok prices [want to use my best buy gift card]. i have been looking on newegg.com for motherboards because of prices.

so far i have come up with two motherboards that in my eye look ok [i am open to suggestions as long as the price is reasonable...]
1. ABIT NF7-S ( http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproduct.asp?DEPA=0&submit=Go&description=N82E16813127166 )
2. ASUS A7V600 ( http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproduct.asp?DEPA=0&submit=Go&description=N82E16813131470 )

I am just wondering if either of these mobos is good for raid 0 and if my current hd is even able to be setup in a raid 0 config.

thank you
-lawler

 

[pat]

Well, every nforce2 mobo perform better than VIA one. If you are going to use RAID, then try to find one that has the PROMISE RAID controller, as they perform better than the SIL/ITE one..almost double as fast. Soltek 75frn2-RL is one of them. I use it, perform good and very fast.

-Always put the blame on you first, then on the hardware !!!

 

[dna_hardesty]

get the Asus A7N8X-E duluxe board, http://usa.asus.com/news/2003/20031209.htm

 

[pat]

If you dont need all the goodies the Asus board have, then go with the Soltek, or MSI, which have the Promise too, I think. Asus quality is not really,...well, constant now.

-Always put the blame on you first, then on the hardware !!!

 

[aLawLz187]

so the soltek has less goodies than the asus mobo... which is going to be more helpful for me, essentially gaming and graphic rendering. both of the boards can set up raid 0. so which one is better for Gaming? they both cost about the same [newegg.com 112 usd for asus while another online store had soltek for 97] im not an expert about mobos so i dont really see many differences between the two.

thanks
-lawler

 

[Spitfire_x86]

Go for ABIT NF7-S, without any doubt.

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Please vote in this poll: <A HREF="http://forumz.tomshardware.com/community/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&p=39560#39560" target="_new">Should Tom Fire Omid?</A>

 

[aLawLz187]

alright everyone has their own board, but what about me? im stuck with some crappy compaq board [err]. for specifics my first priority is gaming then... well more gaming. Which one of these boards is the most cost effective and has the best features for gaming because i do not want to spend a goldmine [aka $130] on a new mobo because i have other updates i want to persue also.

Thanks
-lawler

 

[Ed_Phoon]

Go for abit NF7s, great for overclockers/non-overclockers.

Choose Nforce chipset over Via KT600 cause it's faster.

For reason to choose NF7s over A7N8x, go to <A HREF="http://www.lostcircuits.com/" target="_new"> Lostcircuits </A>, read their reviews on A7N8x and NF7s.

 

[Crashman]

No, go with nForce2 because it comes from a more reliable company using better technology, and be happy that it's also faster.

<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>

 

[aLawLz187]

i agree that nforce has a better chipset [happy with idea of soundstorm... till i bought my sound card] but which of the boards is better for gaming? right now im leaning for either the abit then the soltek, but which of these is better for gaming and has better software for RAID 0?

Thanks
-lawler

 

[pat]

All the nforce2 mobo will perform about the same, the Soltek preform very well, but if you are going to use onboard RAID, then go with the Soltek, or, if you prefer, the Asus. The Sil/ITE raid found on the NF7 doesnt perform really more than a single drive solution. And the Soltek overclock as good as the Abit.

-Always put the blame on you first, then on the hardware !!!

 

[Ed_Phoon]

Yeap!
I believe Nvidia don't two years to solve a bug.

 

[aLawLz187]

soltek sounds like a good company but the only distributor that i know of for them is currently out of stock... anyone know where i can get one?

 

[pat]

Well, if you are from Canada, there is NCIX. Otherwise, I dont really know.

-Always put the blame on you first, then on the hardware !!!

 

[pat]

Well, if you are from Canada, there is NCIX. Otherwise, I dont really know.

-Always put the blame on you first, then on the hardware !!!

 

[aLawLz187]

im not from canada, but i live relatively close [Rhode Island] do you have any idea what shipping prices are? one more question; is there a limit to what type of ram you can use in either board? because i am going to purchase some new ram from best buy [wicked good deal on HyperX] and i want to know if it can support the type before i get either [Kingston HyperX PC4000]

Thanks
-lawler

 

[pat]

RI..I lived there for 6 months in october 2002 to marsh 2003...Westerly! Nice place! Nice beachs..

Well, if you plan dual channel, then 2 sticks of the biggest cap you can find. If not, then 3 sticks of it...I think! I think NCIX doesnt ship anymore to the US. Newegg have Soltek boards in he US think.

-Always put the blame on you first, then on the hardware !!!

 

[pat]

RI..I lived there for 6 months in october 2002 to marsh 2003...Westerly! Nice place! Nice beaches..

Well, if you plan dual channel, then 2 sticks of the biggest cap you can find. If not, then 3 sticks of it...I think! I think NCIX doesnt ship anymore to the US. Newegg have Soltek boards in he US think.

-Always put the blame on you first, then on the hardware !!!

 

[aLawLz187]

Cool, i live in East Greenwich [that small town no one cares about but is richest in state yet we have the worst school systems in the state... well thats life for ya] yea i just checked newegg, they have soltek boards but not the specific one that you mentioned, the closest one to yours has a via chipset instead of the nforce2 chipset. im not sure if the memory is dual channel or single channel [its Kingston HyperX PC4000 512mb] uhhh the only store i know of that has the mobo is out of stock and who knows how long its been out of stock and how long it will take to become available. well im going to check NCIX in case and check around a little more.

thanks
-lawler

 

[pat]

http://www.misrcorps.com/

I found that. It may help you.


-Always put the blame on you first, then on the hardware !!!