Need some help picking out a good Micro ATX motherboard

[icetear]

Hi all,

this is my first post, so if I ask the wrong question here, please forgive me.
I have an old Compaq desktop and it's a mid-tower, which can only contain MicroATX mobo. I am thinking of replacing everything inside, including the PSU. My mind was set on Asus mobo, but if there is any good suggestion, I will take it! Thanks in advance!

 

[o1die]

Newegg has an ecs 760gx board for only $34.99 after rebate for socket 754. It comes with onboard video, which is probably what your old board had. I would look at sempron cpus to go with it. They start at around $50 for the sempron 64 2800 (pricewatch). I've used ecs and biostar boards for awhile now, and had no problems with them. Asus hasn't lived up to their previous reputation for awhile. I don't like their speech reporter or picky memory requirements for some boards.

 

[INeedCache]

You may have to do some modification work on the front panel connectors, as they quite likely are in some proprietary format that will only fit on a board from Compaq without modifications to the front panel connectors. Foxconn has some nice mATX boards.

 

[icetear]

So where do you guys suggest me to get a mATX board? Newegg? Tigerdirect? Or anywhere better?

 

[kukito]

Here's an Asus mATX Conroe motherboard.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813131041

It uses the excellent and mature Intel 945G chipset. There are also cheaper alternatives from Asrock.

 

[Raviolissimo]

the MSI K8NGM2-FID Socket 939 MB,
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813130529
$85

uses the 6150 chipset. i have one with an Opteron 175 dual-core.

the intel Core2Duo compatible 965 chipset board
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813121050
... would be an all-intel system, chipset, CPU, and motherboard.

that MB is $115.

if you want AM2, MSI also has an AM2 version of their K8 board.