First Time Builder Needing Help With Mobo Selection ...

[DiscreetCat]

Hi - putting together my list of parts for my first build, so perhaps unsurprisingly, this is a plea for help ...

So far I have decided on Athlon 64 3700+ (San Diego) as my CPU, so I know I need a socket 939 motherboard. I will use my PC for general usage (including gaming) but I'm in no way a hardcore gamer, so I will not need SLI and I doubt I'll ever OC.

Having said this, I would like a feature-packed mobo which is relatively future-proof. As I listen to music a lot I wish to have support for the Creative X-Fi XtremeMusic soundcard - but I understand only certain mobo manufacturers have released BIOS updates to resolve issue with nForce 4 chipsets (which most 939 mobos seem to have).

Budget-wise, I'd prefer not to pay for things I don't need but I don't mind paying a little extra for a decent solid and stable board. I'm prepared to pay up to around £120/$200.

After days of reading on here and on the web I thought I'd found a good solution in the MSI K8N Neo4 Platinum - but then I read lots of posts saying the northbridge fans are very noisy - I would like a quiet PC (part of the reason I decided to build my own) - but don't want to water cool as I don't think my needs dictate it. It does not even seem to be a good idea to remove the fan and cool passively as there is not enough room due to the fan's proximity to the PCI slot.

I liked the board otherwise - especially as it has IEEE and USB features etc which I need also.

So now my head is beginning to hurt something terrible from going round in circles trying to find something to fit the bill. 8O

Perhaps you guys could make some suggestions before I get too dispondent at this early stage :?:

 

[tjhva]

the ABit KN8 SLI board looks good. 100$USD

http://www.abit-usa.com/products/mb/techspec.php?categories=1&model=306

 

[INeedCache]

Foxconn NF4UK8AA-8EKRS.

 

[DiscreetCat]

thanks of the replies, but the ABit board is SLI which I said I didn't want. Was not keen on the Foxconn either.

Due to issues with X-Fi and Nforce4 I'm considering a non-nforce chipset board - is this a stupid idea? I guess there may be some good ATI ones out there fitting my requirements?

 

[timberwolf1]

It's actually quite tough finding a non-SLI motherboard these days. Why not go for one - I don't think there's much price difference between an SLI and non-SLI board.

If you still want a non-SLI, I'd think the Tyan Tomcat K8E is a good choice.
- NVIDIA nForce4
- Socket 939
- PCI Express x16
- RAID Support
- SATA
- USB 2.0

Not sure about Firewire support though.

 

[carpcmelee]

theres really no price diff between sli and none sli mobos today. i just recently saw an sli mobo selling for like $80. that is less than the asus a8n-e non sli mobo

 

[uber_g]

Hi - putting together my list of parts for my first build, so perhaps unsurprisingly, this is a plea for help ...

So far I have decided on Athlon 64 3700+ (San Diego) as my CPU, so I know I need a socket 939 motherboard. I will use my PC for general usage (including gaming) but I'm in no way a hardcore gamer, so I will not need SLI and I doubt I'll ever OC.

Having said this, I would like a feature-packed mobo which is relatively future-proof. As I listen to music a lot I wish to have support for the Creative X-Fi XtremeMusic soundcard - but I understand only certain mobo manufacturers have released BIOS updates to resolve issue with nForce 4 chipsets (which most 939 mobos seem to have).

Budget-wise, I'd prefer not to pay for things I don't need but I don't mind paying a little extra for a decent solid and stable board. I'm prepared to pay up to around £120/$200.

After days of reading on here and on the web I thought I'd found a good solution in the MSI K8N Neo4 Platinum - but then I read lots of posts saying the northbridge fans are very noisy - I would like a quiet PC (part of the reason I decided to build my own) - but don't want to water cool as I don't think my needs dictate it. It does not even seem to be a good idea to remove the fan and cool passively as there is not enough room due to the fan's proximity to the PCI slot.

I liked the board otherwise - especially as it has IEEE and USB features etc which I need also.

So now my head is beginning to hurt something terrible from going round in circles trying to find something to fit the bill. 8O

Perhaps you guys could make some suggestions before I get too dispondent at this early stage :?:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813131530
or
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813123236

both have PCI-E amd dual core support , AMD 64
everything

=]

 

[Daggett]

if your goina go with the Ati this ASUS looks nice
ASUS A8R-MVP Socket 939 ATI Radeon XPRESS 200 CrossFire ATX AMD CrossFire Motherboard for $95.99



http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813131584

 

[DiscreetCat]

OK, some good suggestions. I think I was maybe getting hung-up on a non-sli board. Thanks for your help.

 

[TabrisDarkPeace]

Due to issues with X-Fi and Nforce4 I'm considering a non-nforce chipset board - is this a stupid idea?

What f***ing issues ?

I am doing this right now, no issues, if people have 'problems' with hardware and start a rumour it will hurt Creative and hurt nForce board sales.

Sometimes people start rumors because they can't get something working or want to look big.

 

[DiscreetCat]

What f***ing issues ?

I am doing this right now, no issues, if people have 'problems' with hardware and start a rumour it will hurt Creative and hurt nForce board sales.

Sometimes people start rumors because they can't get something working or want to look big.

hmmm, hello big mouth, try reading these 86 pages of "issues" reported at the Creative site (issues admitted by Creative as to nforce and x-fi) http://forums.creative.com/creativelabs/board/message?board.id=soundblaster&message.id=26289&view=by_date_ascending&page=15

or, assuming you know how to use google - you could type in "nforce" and "xtrememusic" and get further links

then I assume you'll be posting back with an equally emphatic and humble reply ...

 

[DiscreetCat]

Still reading eh?? 86 pages is a lot to read isn't it? :lol:

I found another link for you to read when you've finished: http://www.hardwarelogic.com/news/118/ARTICLE/1093/7/2006-02-16.html

Perhaps all these people (including Creative) are starting "rumours" as you call them? Or are you starting to feel a little ?

 

[TabrisDarkPeace]

errr, no actually I have a job and work my ass off.

I just got home, had a fairly tough day, and I don't help people with negative attitudes towards me, even at work . As such I can't really be fucked reading 86 pages of documention for someone who is ungrateful and 'expects free IT support'. 8O

During my 3 day weekend maybe I would've cared, but right now I couldn't care less, your attitude didn't help in that regard either btw.

Didn't expect that reply did you ? (I am not coming back to this thread either so don't bother replying some childish shit to look tough, you'll just be wasting your time).

================================================

Maybe I just configured my hardware in a slightly different (read: correct) way. Who knows :?:

Currently running 4 x Maxtor Diamond Max off my nForce SATA controller, with NCQ working, all fine.

Also have a Creative X-Fi XtremeMusic working fine.

I've had Sound Blaster Live! working on Via 686B southbridge chipsets fine in the past too. (another 'well documented' fault that never bothered me).

I guess maybe I just do something that other people who 'whack a 'puter together' don't do. Must just be force of habit from MicroChannel and ISA days, I am not fond of Plug'n'Pray, even today.

Maybe I am blessed or something, although I do see far more than my fair share of faults, just not when I build my own machines.

Still as you are not in need of my help, I'll take it to another thread.

Don't hold it against me though, perhaps next time we meet in a thread we shall both have something worth contributing.

 

[DiscreetCat]

errr, no actually I have a job and work my ass off.

I just got home, had a fairly tough day, and I don't help people with negative attitudes towards me, even at work . As such I can't really be ****** reading 86 pages of documention for someone who is ungrateful and 'expects free IT support'. 8O

During my 3 day weekend maybe I would've cared, but right now I couldn't care less, your attitude didn't help in that regard either btw.

Didn't expect that reply did you ? (I am not coming back to this thread either so don't bother replying some childish **** to look tough, you'll just be wasting your time).

================================================

Maybe I just configured my hardware in a slightly different (read: correct) way. Who knows :?:

Currently running 4 x Maxtor Diamond Max off my nForce SATA controller, with NCQ working, all fine.

Also have a Creative X-Fi XtremeMusic working fine.

I've had Sound Blaster Live! working on Via 686B southbridge chipsets fine in the past too. (another 'well documented' fault that never bothered me).

I guess maybe I just do something that other people who 'whack a 'puter together' don't do. Must just be force of habit from MicroChannel and ISA days, I am not fond of Plug'n'Pray, even today.

Maybe I am blessed or something, although I do see far more than my fair share of faults, just not when I build my own machines.

Still as you are not in need of my help, I'll take it to another thread.

Don't hold it against me though, perhaps next time we meet in a thread we shall both have something worth contributing.

:roll:

You got it all wrong again. I don't have any problems - all I posted on here if you would care to look again, was that I wanted some suggestions for a mobo - and that I wanted it to work with X-Fi XtremeMusic. I also added that there were issues with Nforce4 chipsets and that soundcard.

Enter you ... with your bold 28 point font, using a swearword aimed at me, totally uncalled for. I then draw your attention to that fact that you should have perhaps researched a bit before doing what you did ... but clearly you know best and think that somehow I wanted your specific help with fixing an issue relating to a card and mobo that I have not even purchased yet.

Then you have the audacity to point the finger at my attitude.

Fact #1: 100's of people have reported a fault between non X-ram X-fi boards and Nforce4 chipsets.
Fact #2: you don't appear to have issues (probably coz you got the latest card with updated firmware (i.e. the cards with the heatskink on).
Fact#3: you need to start reading what poeple are saying before you start pointing the finger and using insults aimed towards people. You might forget you're not at your PC one day and do it to someone's face ... they might then make you wish you had been more polite.

Oh, and do you want a medal for actually having a job? Most people in the world do have jobs you know.

Lets move on.