Motherboard comparisons

[tkemp66]

Which one of these boards is the best?

AM2NF3-VSTA (http://www.asrock.com/mb/overview.asp?Model=AM2NF3-VSTA)

or

ASRock 4CoreDual-SATA2 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157115&Tpk=ASRock 4CoreDual-SATA2)


I'm thinking of getting one or the other as I'm still using AGP vid. Don't have alot of money to build a new system just yet.

Also, based on your recommendation, what processor should I get for either one. I'm looking for the very best and fastest for the MB. Thanks

Troy

 

[o1die]

If your old board works, keep saving. Upgrade the cpu/motherboard/ram all at the same time. Be patient. Check craigslist for used combos if needed. I've seen some for only $10 including ram.

 

[mosox]

What video card do you have and what RAM.

 

[Emperus]

You may get a motherboard with onboard video as fast as your AGP card.. You can then add a discrete video card later when you assemble further cash..

 

[tkemp66]

What video card do you have and what RAM.

I have the Nividia Geforce 6800GT 256MB ram overclocked.
Physical ram on mobo is 2GB

 

[tkemp66]

ANYBODY?

 

[o1die]

Depends on the price of the board and cpu combined. Which do you prefer: amd or Intel? Some of the newer onboard video chipsets are pretty good. So you have ddr or ddr2 right now? If ddr2, go with the amd board and find a used cpu. I found an am2 4200 listed just two days ago on my local craigslist for only $15, and it even came with a heatsink.

 

[tkemp66]

I like AMD though I don'tmind Intel...Looking at the specs for the AMD compatible board - AM2NF3-VSTA (http://www.asrock.com/mb/overview.asp?Model=AM2NF3-VSTA), it is 'AM3 CPU Ready'...although there are some disadvantages such as "*If you use AM3 / AM2+ CPU on AM2 chipset motherboard, the system bus speed will downgrade from HT3.0 (5200 MT/s) to HT1.0 (2000 MT/s), but the CPU frequency will not be influenced....

*If you adopt AMD Phenom™ X4 AM2+ CPU on this motherboard with AGP VGA cards, please click here for AGP VGA Card support list."

Question is how much performance can I loose downgrading from HT3.0 to HT1.0?...There is also a maximum capacity of system memory: 16GB* vs the Intel Board with a Max of 2GB

The intel board (ASRock 4CoreDual-SATA2) incidentally is newer and is available at Newegg...But there same to be limitations to 2GB of memory with a max FSB of 1066, which limits my processor choices...I understand though in some cases its possible to add a CPU with FSB 1333, however, this will downgrade too..

Not sure at this point which board is better.Hoping the folks here can help me decide...

One of the other reasons for keeping the AGP type boards is that I have four HDD, all IDE and none SATA....All new boards are currently SATA

 

[o1die]

Using agp versus pci-e will hold you back more than the ht limitations on some boards that use amd cpus. The agp chipset boards are a bit slower but that's also true of the other board that uses socket 775. Both boards compromise to use the slower technology of agp cards. Check the ddr2 specs of both boards carefully to be sure your ram will work, then the price of an amd versus intel core2 duo cpu; don't go with any pentium 4 based cpu; it runs hotter and slower. Even the celeron 420 single core will match some old p4's for performance.

 

[mosox]

Sell that AGP card and get something like this:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.564802

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agZA7og51uo&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHWujqIXRoc

If you're not gaming you can get a Athlon II X2 or a single core Sempron.

 

[tkemp66]

Using agp versus pci-e will hold you back more than the ht limitations on some boards that use amd cpus. The agp chipset boards are a bit slower but that's also true of the other board that uses socket 775. Both boards compromise to use the slower technology of agp cards. Check the ddr2 specs of both boards carefully to be sure your ram will work, then the price of an amd versus intel core2 duo cpu; don't go with any pentium 4 based cpu; it runs hotter and slower. Even the celeron 420 single core will match some old p4's for performance.

If I decide the intel board, the bst CPU I can find at Newegg is the Intel Core 2 Duo E7600 Wolfdale 3.06GHz 3MB L2 Cache LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115059). The FSB is 1066. Again, there are also CPU's that are FSB1333 but not sure how it may work with a 1066 board.

The AMD board, the best I can probably do is AMD Phenom II X4 920 2.8GHz 4 x 512KB L2 Cache 6MB L3 Cache Socket AM2+ 125W Quad-Core (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103472)

Intel CPU - core Duo CPU within specs
AMD CPU - Quad core based on socket specs. Again the AMD board is also AM3 ready.
Purchasing ddr2 isn't a big deal as memory is very cheap these days

I guess my other concern is, could the Geforce 6800GT I have be a huge bottleneck with either processors?

By the way, in your opinion, whats better - Geforce 6800Gt vs HIS IceQ H467QS1GHA Radeon HD 4670 1GB 128-bit DDR3 AGP 4X/8X HDCP ($124.00)

 

[tkemp66]

Sell that AGP card and get something like this:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.564802

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agZA7og51uo&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHWujqIXRoc

If you're not gaming you can get a Athlon II X2 or a single core Sempron.

Mosox - I'm a huge Microsoft Flight Simmer. I built this PC in 2001 and have upgraded PSU, memory, VGA since. My board is an ASUS A7N8X-Deluxe and I'm running win7 Pro

If I decide to build a whole new system some day, I assure you I want it to last just as long. So the Product of my choice when I do build again, has to be superior. I'm a sucker for great things. Unfortunately, every time I put something together that I like, it finds its way near the $3000+ range.
Most likely, this will occur sometime mid-next year. I don't think I want to get something right now that may not serve my purpose two years from now. I appreciate the input though and will still keep those options open.

 

[o1die]

I wouldn't spend another dime on an agp video card. If you're so concerned about your old ide hardrives, why not add an ide control card which will give you more ide connections for any new board. They typically use a pci slot. If you have that much money to throw into a system, don't buy either board. The separate ide cards are a much better option and will work with most newer boards. Microbarn has a generic ata 133 ide controller card for only $13.99 shipped. I've done business with them; the card is listed on pricewatch under "controller cards". Then go with any 785 chipset board listed at newegg that can use your ddr2 ram; some sell for only $59.99 shipped at newegg. Better ones have 4 ram slots, and an hdmi port. Even biostar makes some good boards for am2/am3. The newer the board chipset, the less likely you will have to flash the bios for a newer phenom II cpu, another important consideration. Newegg surely also carries the ide controller cards; so a search on their website.

 

[mosox]

For MFSX you can go Athlon II X4, a very good and cheap CPU (but the X3 isn't bad at all). The AM2+ socket is far from being outdated because:

- It supports and will support every single AM3 CPU just like the newer AM3 socket. You have a huge line of AM3 CPUs to upgrade to in the future.
- DDR3 isn't better than DDR2.
- When AMD will change the socket to AM3+, the AM2+ mobos won't be able to take the AM3+ CPUs but so will the AM3 ones.
- Time doesn't wait for us, get now what you can and enjoy.

Bottom line whether you get AM2+ now or AM3 later it doesn't matter.

You can run the MFSX on the HD4200.

 

[tkemp66]

Oldie and Mosox - Thanks alot. You guys have been great help. I will abandon the AGP option for now and move into PCI-E technology. It seems the best option over the long run.....Happy Holidays

 

[tkemp66]

Best answer selected by tkemp66.

 

[Mousemonkey]

This topic has been closed by Mousemonkey