Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus (
More info?)
Apparently, (so say the A8V testers) the AGP/PCI lock works perfectly well
under the latest revision bios.
"Linda :-Þ" <Consult the Book of Armaments!> wrote in message
news:40d4bac1$0$28950$5a62ac22@per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au...
> Wow, so much info! Thanks
> He currently has a A7A266-e and running athlon XP 1600. He just wanted to
> upgrade a little and talking aboutt he $600 range etc.
> I guess I better cruise some of the comp stores/fairs and suss it out a
bit
> more.
> All this talk of sockets is too much for my mind to absorb LOL I'm
> definitely no techie........... LOL
> Thanks for all that info though! I'll pass it on to him.
>
>
> "Paul" <nospam@needed.com> wrote in message
> news:nospam-1906041223110001@192.168.1.177...
> > In article
<40d42630$0$28947$5a62ac22@per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au>,
> > "Linda :-Þ" <Consult the Book of Armaments!> wrote:
> >
> > > Hi there,
> > > My partner is a gamer and we're thinking of updating his motherboard.
He
> > > likes to stick with Asus so would anyone have a suggestion as to what
> model
> > > Asus MB he should go for?
> > >
> > > Thanks
> > > Linda
> >
> > There are at least 50 motherboards on the Asus web page, and some
> > of them are limited to expensive processors. We would need to know
> > whether the budget is "unlimited" or is more tightly constrained.
> > For example, AMD boards are regarded as good for gaming, presumably
> > due to the floating point units of the processor. There is a
> > brand new board (just appeared on the Asus site within the last
> > couple of weeks), the A8V, which is like a K8V, but with Socket939
> > on it. The processors with 939 pins listed on Newegg, start at
> > $485 and go up. The board will undoubted perform well. Newegg shows
> > they aren't in stock yet, but the price is $171. I don't know if
> > this has a working AGP/PCI lock, but somehow I doubt it, as VIA
> > doesn't do "locks" well. (This limits extreme overclocking.)
> > As far as I can tell, both processor types use unbuffered memory,
> > the most common type.
> >
> > Athlon64 Socket939 3500+ 2.2Ghz 512KB $485
> > Athlon64 Socket939 3800+ 2.4Ghz 512KB $698
> > AthlonFX Socket939 FX-53 2.4GHz 1MB $799
> >
> > The Via K8T800 Pro chipset is mentioned here, as having a working
> > AGP/PCI lock, but I would want proof it is working on the Asus
> > board before buying and spending the big bucks on a 939 processor.
> > While this review is for Socket754, the same K8T800 Pro is used
> > in both cases.
> >
> >
http://www.anandtech.com/mb/showdoc.html?i=2063&p=2
> >
> > A K8V SE Deluxe uses a Socket754 processor. The Via chipset doesn't
> > have a working AGP/PCI lock, so this limits overclocking the FSB from
> > about 200 to 228MHz. Newegg lists this for $121. This has a single
> > memory channel, and with Clawhammer, has some speed versus number of
> > DIMMs limits (see the K8V SE manual). The Newcastle processor is
> > supposed to change these limits, but I haven't read anything on it
> > yet. The Newcastle presents a slight dilemma - it has 512KB cache,
> > and a higher core speed, compared to Clawhammer with its 1MB cache, but
> > I've read one comment that Newcastle also improves the driving of
> > the DIMMs. To figure out what it can do, may require downloading the
> > datasheet from the AMD website. (The clever bastards at AMD have
> > changed the way they do datasheets, and I cannot find info on the
> > driving limits of Clawhammer any more. Similarly, I cannot get info
> > on how well Newcastle fixes it.)
> >
> > Athlon64 Socket754 3200+ 2.0GHz 1MB $282
> > (There are two models, Clawhammer version with 1MB cache recommended
> > while they last. May give 5% more performance. If you expect to need
> > to use all DIMM slots, then buy Newcastle 512KB cache chip.)
> >
> > There is a new, and as yet unseen, K8N-E Deluxe listed on the Asus
> > site. It uses the Nvidia "250GB" chipset, which has a working AGP/PCI
> > lock and is socket 754. That will also be a candidate to replace the
> > K8V SE Deluxe. That board is not even listed on Newegg.
> >
> > The difference between Socket754 and Socket939/940, is the extra
> > pins are used for dual channel memory.
> >
> > The SK8V is Socket940. It uses AthlonFX or Opteron processors and
> > registered memory only. Dual channel, with four DIMM slots. $182
> > Note that the following processor is different than the one listed
> > above, by one pin. This one uses registered memory, but I think the
> > Socket939 one above uses unbuffered memory. As always, check the
> > manual for the board, and check the cpusupport web page for processor
> > version and speed. (Note: Unknown what happens if you plug a 939
> > processor into a 940 socket. The socket will probably work just fine,
> > but if the DIMM sockets are only keyed for registered memory, it
> > will be impossible to fit the needed unbuffered memory.)
> >
> > AthlonFX Socket940 FX-53 2.4GHz 1MB $799
> >
> > Socket 939 is the wave of the future, while Socket 754 and Socket
> > 940 are the current versions. Socket 754 could become the "value"
> > segment socket of choice, replacing the AthlonXP stuff.
> >
> > So, in summary:
> >
> > Socket754 (unbuffered memory, single channel, Athlon64)
> > No AGP/PCI lock (K8V SE Deluxe)
> > AGP/PCI lock (K8N-E Deluxe - not shipping)
> > Processors - Clawhammer 1MB cache, Newcastle 512KB cache and
> > possibly the ability to drive more modules at DDR400.
> > Socket940 (registered memory, dual channel, FX or Opteron processors)
> > Don't know (SK8V)
> > Socket939 (unbuffered memory, dual channel, Athlon64 or FX 939)
> > AGP/PCI lock ??? (A8V Deluxe - not shipping)
> >
> > What the summary is saying, is if your partner is not an overclocker,
> > buy what is on the shelf now. If your partner wishes to experiment,
> > then the boards that aren't shipping yet are the ones to get.
> > Socket 939 looks to be the "wave of the future" on the performance
> > end.
> >
> > At the other extreme, an A7N8X family board and a Mobile Athlon XP-M
> > can also be used, and depending on how high it overclocks, also give you
> > a good gaming experience. Be careful when buying the processor, as
> > there are AthlonXP (the ordinary ones, also an option) and Athlon XP-M
> > is the mobile one. You have to select the right type of mobile processor
> > to get a high overclock. Use the search engine on nforcershq.com for
> > more info on overclocking the XP-M.
> >
> >
>
http://www.nforcershq.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=42432&highlight=xpm+2500+new
> egg
> >
> > Have fun,
> > Paul
>
>