The new motherboard merry go round!

[zekrahminator]

Hi guys,
Recently, my motherboard decided to crap out. So I sent it back to Newegg. Newegg received my RMA, approved it, and then remembered they don't carry my motherboard anymore. My Dad will get $70 on his credit card soon, and we obviously want to spend it on a new motherboard. I was looking for suggestions. I need something for socket 939 3800+ Venice, and maybe a 3800+ X2 Manchester with a PCI Express slot. My memory died on me too, so I don't need to worry about various voltage issues (I'll be buying new RAM with the motherboard). I'm not looking for the most 1337 overclock on TPU, I just want something reliable, powerful, and just plain cool. The motherboards currently in my consideration-

• Abit AN8
• MSI K8N Neo-4F
• ASRock 939Dual-VSTA
• Gigabyte GA-K8NF-9

Feel free to post comments/thoughts/rants about any of these boards if you have (had) any of them. Or if you have any recommendations, please say so.

 

[Azn Tr14dZ]

I had this board, really great board, and overclocks close to DFI's boards.

Jetway 939GT4-SLI-G
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813153030

Anand Tech Review:
http://www.anandtech.com/showdoc.aspx?i=2506&p=7

 

[zekrahminator]

No offense to Jetway, but my friend has had lots of trouble with Jetway in the past, and I really don't need three PCI Express slots...in short I don't want a Jetway motherboard. New update. I did a bit more research and found the Gigabyte GA-K8NF-9. I'll be modifying original post and poll soon.

 

[pt]

it's open box, but it is a good mobo
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813136152R

 

[Azn Tr14dZ]

No offense to Jetway, but my friend has had lots of trouble with Jetway in the past, and I really don't need three PCI Express slots...in short I don't want a Jetway motherboard. New update. I did a bit more research and found the Gigabyte GA-K8NF-9. I'll be modifying original post and poll soon.

Many people have had this specific one, and it's great. I've had it, i_am_mustangman has it, and he likes it. Even markkleb has it. This one is different, and rarely any people have had problems w/ it. It has three for one reason. SLI. The outer ones are for SLI, the inner for single card.

Oh well, you don't like.

 

[zekrahminator]

Yeah...sorry Azn, I'm just stubborn .

 

[zekrahminator]

Bump.

 

[pt]

did you check my post?

 

[zekrahminator]

Yes I did, it's not exactly open box sale anymore . Right now I have my eyes on the Gigabyte board. Lots and lots of good reviews, it's from a reliable company, it's a great performer, and most importantly, it just works.

 

[gygabite]

I have the MSI K8N Neo4 F and it runs stabile (even with OC)
The only bad thing is the noisy Nf4 Chipset fan, its so small and makes such a noise at boot, when the computer is turned on a whle, the noise disappears.
But its OK

 

[Tatty_Two]

My PSU fried during the week and unfortunatly took my Mobo with it as well so I am in a similar situation as you, I have just ordered (am in the UK) an Epox EP-9nPA NF4 ULTRA as what you over the pond would call "open box" for £28 (about$45). This board has no real issues, has the NForce 4 Ultra, HUGE overcolcking abilities and apparently stable as a rock, there are loads of excellent reviews on the board and I recommend it purely because my friend has it and also owns a DFI Socket 939 Infinity and he says the Epox is MUCH better with equal overclocking/tweaking options, here is one review to look at:

http://www.driverheaven.net/reviews/Epox 9NPA+/index.htm

And you can find it here at Newegg:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813123258

 

[Azn Tr14dZ]

For some reason, I never like the Socket 939 Infinity lines from DFI. For AM2 and LGA775, the Infinity lines are great, but for 939, LanParty is best. Guess most the effort goes to LanParty.

Epox boards, are nice, but one thing I don't like about it is the placement of the 24-pin connector. Kind of a hassle to hide the wires. But besides that, many great reviews about it.

 

[Tatty_Two]

I know what you mean, I have read a couple of articles saying that the 939 version of the infinity is much more tempremental than even the 775 version. A couple of reviews however actually say the Epox is better than the Lanparty as DFI does tend to have some memory compatibility issues with some memory manufacturers.

 

[Azn Tr14dZ]

But if you find the right type of memory, you can go far with it. But DFI never goes well with Corsair, or rarely.
Ony my previous board, my max stable was 2.6Ghz. On my new DFI, it's been 2.73Ghz, but I wasn't trying to reach high yet. With proper cooling, I'm sure I could reach 2.8Ghz.

 

[Tatty_Two]

But if you find the right type of memory, you can go far with it. But DFI never goes well with Corsair, or rarely.
Ony my previous board, my max stable was 2.6Ghz. On my new DFI, it's been 2.73Ghz, but I wasn't trying to reach high yet. With proper cooling, I'm sure I could reach 2.8Ghz.

Now that would be a very tasty overclock on a 3200!

 

[Azn Tr14dZ]

Yes it would, but overclocking in Arizona is never good, since it's 115 degrees here during the day (46 Celisius!) You can get stable clocks at night, but when day comes, get ready for it to be unstable.

 

[pt]

my vote is on the ABIT AN8, but i found another one out of the box
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813127232R

 

[zekrahminator]

Update- I've thinned the list down to the Gigabyte and the ASRock. If anyone wants to help me compare the two boards, that would be great . And thanks for those links PT, but I'm a very stubborn guy lol.

 

[psychomage343]

My vote is on the DFI Lanparty nf4-sli dr, please get this board, and you will not be dissapointed, aside from making my morning coffee, and auto muting my girlfriend this board will do everything and more, and it's quick as hell. You can't go wrong with dfi, spend the extra money if you have to, it's like paying a little more for www.dfi-street.com the best support forum for dfi users or any motherboard users ever. Anyways, i'm a dfi fan, so get one please

 

[pt]

i will choose the gigabyte then, do you have a agp card?

ps: i'm a very stubborn guy too

 

[Tatty_Two]

IMO the Epox is much better than both looking at specs and reviews.

 

[Tatty_Two]

Yes it would, but overclocking in Arizona is never good, since it's 115 degrees here during the day (46 Celisius!) You can get stable clocks at night, but when day comes, get ready for it to be unstable.

Shiiiittttt, sounds a bit like the movie "Pitched Black"!!!!!

 

[Azn Tr14dZ]

I don't like it here at all, but when Winter comes, it's not too cold, just perfect. If you can stand 3 months of heat, this is a great place to live. (Too bad I can't stand 3 months of heat... )

I like DFI, and I'm sticking w/ it. So many requirements though, but once you meet those requirements, it's really fun having a DFI.

 

[LiLvi3tbOi69]

I don't like it here at all, but when Winter comes, it's not too cold, just perfect. If you can stand 3 months of heat, this is a great place to live. (Too bad I can't stand 3 months of heat... )

I like DFI, and I'm sticking w/ it. So many requirements though, but once you meet those requirements, it's really fun having a DFI.

requirements? what do u mean. u have to have special hardware?