As I eagerly await price cuts on CPU's, im looking for my next motherboard.

going to buy AMD CPU (not sure which one), and from what i've read, AM2 is the way to go (Correct me if im wrong).

Need recommendations on a good motherboard. Would like the ability to OC. Don't need top of the line board, just good, solid stable board. Only going to run one HD, one Burner, vid card, NIC, sound (will look into integrated NIC and sound as well).

Thanks

sektor

If you're going for a gaming rig, a Core 2 Duo system is definitly the better choice. If you want a system for something other than gaming, and like AMD, then wait for Conroe to come out, then buy and build your rig.... AMD is cutting their prices to compete with the release of the Core 2 chips.

Here are my suggestions for each:

Intel:

CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 ($350)

Mobo: Gigabyte GA-965P-DS3

RAM: OCZ Gold 2GB (2 x 1GB) DDR2-800

Video: eVGA Geforce 7900GT KO Superclocked

Hard Drive: Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 320GB

AMD:

CPU: AMD Athlon 64 X2 4000+

Mobo: Asus M2N-E

RAM: Corsair XMS2 2GB (2 x 1GB) DDR2-800

Video: eVGA Geforce 7900GT KO Superclocked

Hard Drive: Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 320GB

Note: ALWAYS use the integrated NIC on motherboards. There is NO REASON WHATSOEVER to buy a seperate NIC card, unless the onboard device dies, which doesn't happen very often. Sound is a little bit different. If you are crazy about sound, wanting the best sound experience while gaming, go for a seperate sound card. But if it's even just a minor issue, don't bother with a seperate sound card.

Appreciate the feedback.

It all depends on the price cuts and what they are. If they are not significant enough (referring to AMD price cuts, I might look at conroe. However, the conroe CPU that I have my eyes on is $300. Then there is the question of supply and demand.)

Assuming AMD drops prices significantly, which I think they will do, I figure I could get a very very good CPU setup for relatively inexpensive.

The only pieces I have left for my rig are CPU, Mobo and memory.

I've already bought a x1900xt (got it for $295 after rebates!!), burner, HD, case, cooling etc.

I figure, I could do the research now and get ready for when Conroe and the price cuts come.

Thanks

sektor

Actually, no. The CPU really makes very little difference for gaming. I saw a benchmark setup where a Sempron 3400 had the same framerates as a 3.4 Ghz P4D, when a good video card was used. For a dedicated gaming box the only real advantage of Conroe is the lessened power requirements. If he has a halfway decent video card there is no reason to worry about the CPU other than to make sure it is a top end socket (e.g. LGA 775 or AM2).

That being said if you are going to use the box for other things (video editing-compression, audio editing, CAD or the like) then a Conroe would be a good choice as they are faster. My suggestion, if you want AMD go for it just make sure you get AM2 and get an X2 (dual-core), even if it means getting lower single-core speed dual-core is the future.

That is not true for all current games... and the weaknesses of slower processors show even at high res when using xfire solutions... and gaming programming will surely soon take more advantage of the processor now that they have it available...

This home computer is going to be used for mostly gaming, internet, skype stuff, some photo stuff (more d/l'ing and viewing).

We are buying a PowerBook for our audio and video editing stuff.

That is why I was leaning heavily towards AMD cpu's. I think I could pick up a very good CPU and mobo for around $200 total. Maybe a little more.

If I can follow up here, as I continue to look for my board.

Here is a comparrison link at newegg:

Compare boards

Now, my system will have the following components:

-x1900xt vid card
-DVD-Burner
-320gb Seagate SATA drive

Also going to add a VGA cooler and better heatsink.

With that, and that list, what are good ones? Which are ones to avoid?

I'd like to have the option to OC in the future as well.

Thanks

Let me through this out there is well:

What is better to go with: AM2 or 939 socket?

I've used mainly gigabyte boards for a while now, and from my experience none have been stellar overclockers. They can and will overclock but I've never seen much close to the crazy numbers I've heard other people getting.

But I do really like the dual bios, it's why I started buying them in the first place. I was looking at an ASUS or ABit for my next build, I would get a DFI from the NF4 reputation, but they unfortunately have no AM2 boards out yet. I know Anan did a review of some mobo's which had some NV570 chipset boards. The 570 isn't as good an oc'er as the 590, but from the comparisons you had, you seem to be looking for a bit less expensive board than the 590's are

I'd proally get that ASUS 570 if I didn't want the 590 for the extra features and ocability. Hmmm... I might anyways, that's $100 more I can spend on a cpu... :!:

Hope that helped some.

Epox review in here
MSI review in here

And definately AM2, you should be able to upgrade to the 65nm chips when they come out and even the chips after that perhaps.

Maybe not. From what I gather, AM3 is going to be coming out within the next two or three years - it won't have the longevity of 754 or 939, which is a pity. I adopted AM2 pretty soon after it came out, and I don't regret it, but I wish it supported DDR3 - which will be 240-pin, like DDR2, but arranged differently, so it won't be compatible.

But since I'll probably get a new motherboard and other parts in three or four years anyway, the point is all but moot.

Looking at the AMD roadmap, AM2 should be good until sometime in 2008 at least. Which gives a 2 year upgrade path. Sure there will be a good number of platform developments, but they seem to be more of something on the MOBO itself. Sure you won't get HT 3.0 or perhaps some other things, but otherwise, AM2 looks like it'll be going good till sometime in 2008 when they go to DDR3. And there is always the extremely off chance they'll make the new cores backwards compatable or two versions.

what about this board?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6813131022

That's the one I have been eyeing. Good price, nice features. I'm probably going to buy it today. Just be careful what RAM you buy for it, it doesn't yet seem to like non-micron IMC ram (like OCZ) very much, but stuff like corsair and kingston should be fine. OCZ has been working with Asus to get those issues resolved, so hopefully soon all will be well...

Honestly, if you've got the cash, look at the Foxconn SLI board. Wicked fast and a very very well built board. Foxconn is the company that makes all those other little parts for many other MoBo manufacturers, including the big names, so they know what they're doing. They are actually the ones that designed the reference boards for nVidia.

I seriously think that AMD is going to get DDR3 to be backward compatible with their chips (IE pinned the same). And I think they're using the name to help avoid confusion. AM2=DDR2, AM3=DDR3. They can't afford another forced upgrade so soon and they know that.

I'm personally thinking about waiting till the end of the month, as I've read that DFI should be releasing AM2 mobo's then... And with what they did with NF4 mobo's... It seems like it could be worth the wait! But I do like all the LED's on the ABit one... But can only find one review that doesn't tell you much about the board...

That's the one I have been eyeing. Good price, nice features. I'm probably going to buy it today. Just be careful what RAM you buy for it, it doesn't yet seem to like non-micron IMC ram (like OCZ) very much, but stuff like corsair and kingston should be fine. OCZ has been working with Asus to get those issues resolved, so hopefully soon all will be well...

Honestly, if you've got the cash, look at the Foxconn SLI board. Wicked fast and a very very well built board. Foxconn is the company that makes all those other little parts for many other MoBo manufacturers, including the big names, so they know what they're doing. They are actually the ones that designed the reference boards for nVidia.

I seriously think that AMD is going to get DDR3 to be backward compatible with their chips (IE pinned the same). And I think they're using the name to help avoid confusion. AM2=DDR2, AM3=DDR3. They can't afford another forced upgrade so soon and they know that.

I just bought the board, with this memory:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6820145590

I don't have a computer as mycurrent one died. I've been pieceing it together for the last 2 weeks. Only thing left is the CPU.

Sektor, you have to be driving yourself insane... Buying all the parts at different times and having them sitting there staring at you... I'd go nuts after a day or so Esp since proc prices won't be going down till I think I read the 23rd somewhere.

But if you get your computer going before the rest of us, make sure to let us know how it runs. I'm getting kinda interested in that mobo cause of the price.

I think AMD has a better future, first because you WILL be able to use AM3 cpu's in a AM@ board, without changing ram. Second, i think AMD will have the performance crown back during next year, and i think intel willl run into problems with the north bridge with the quad cores that will come out. I'm buying a 5000+ with the best AM2 board after the price cuts, then maybe in a couple years buy an AM3 cpu and continue for longer.

btw i havn't seen any xfire mobo's and just wondering if there are any? The mobo i'm probably getting with or without xfire is the M2N32-SLI-Deluxe nforce 590

I've been hearing that the DFI X-Fire board will be out near the end of the month. If they come out with SLI boards too I may be tempted to switch to Nvidia instead of ATI... ATI has been getting their butt kicked a lot in recent memory and well that dongle is horrible.

But yeah, x-fire boards should be out near the end of the month. I hope they do!