8RDA vs 8RDA+ vs A7N8X...Help me Pick AT'ers!

[alchemize]

OK my trusty Anandtechers...help me decide I've ruled out the A7N8X Deluxe as I am building a gaming PC...no need for onboard vidoe

I have a LAN card, I have an SB Live...I don't have any firewire devices (yet). I will do mild overclocking. I won't have paired memory (yet), rather 768MB of mixed.

8RDA:
About $93 shipped
No Firewire, no LAN, cheap onboard audio


A7N8X
About $113 shipped
LAN
Onboard Audio
No firewire?

8RDA+:
About $125 shipped
Fireware, LAN, good onboard sound.


I'm leaning towards wthe 8RDA, since a few PCI slots used won't hurt me too bad and it is good and cheap. Anyone care to sway my decision?

 

[magomago]

You have misunderstood this.

The Asus A7N8X Deluxe does NOT have onboard video. But it has soundstorm, firewire, SATA, 5.1 audio, dual lan....

That is the reason it costs more


So I say a7n8x deluxe

 

[RideFree]

Check out Anand's review of these and the Shuttle SN41G2 at Anand's nForce2 review This will give a good comparison of what exists (as of Jan. 6th) and their strengths/weaknesses.
He does:
ASUS A7N8X Deluxe (nForce2)

ABIT NF7-S (nForce2)

Chaintech 7NJS (nForce2)

EPoX 8RDA+ (nForce2)

Shuttle SN41G2 (nForce2)

Leadtek K7NCR18D Pro (nForce2)

MSI K7N2-L (nForce2)

EPoX 8K5A2+ (KT333)

Gigabyte 7VAXP (KT400)

Shuttle SK41G (KM266)

A great round-up!

 

[alchemize]

Thus the ASUS A7N8X Deluxe won our Editor's Choice Silver Award for best high-end motherboard for the Athlon XP platform.

The Editor's Choice Gold Award for best value motherboard goes to the Epox 8RDA+. (or without the +)

Hmm...guess if I go for value, I go 8RDA+, and high end I go A7N8X Deluxe....

Decisions decisions...

 

[MrC4]

Hmm...guess if I go for value, I go 8RDA+, and high end I go A7N8X Deluxe

I'll second this. For under $100 you can't beat te 8RDA!

 

[alchemize]

OK...let me ask this question then....

Do any of these have sound comparable or better than a SBLive 5.1? Otherwise I'm probably better off going on the cheap...but if I can pull both my LAN card and SBLive card and free up 2 PCI slots I'd be a happy camper.

Hmm why would I ever need 2 LAN ports? Probably never in a home setup? Unless I was doing some Firewalling...

 

[chizow]

Originally posted by: alchemize
OK...let me ask this question then....

Do any of these have sound comparable or better than a SBLive 5.1? Otherwise I'm probably better off going on the cheap...but if I can pull both my LAN card and SBLive card and free up 2 PCI slots I'd be a happy camper.

Hmm why would I ever need 2 LAN ports? Probably never in a home setup? Unless I was doing some Firewalling...

Anyone of the boards with SoundStorm 5.1 will be better than SBLive 5.1. The 2nd LAN is handy if you want to share an internet connection (ICS) w/out a router or if you have an XBox setup close to your PC.

Chiz

 

[JSSheridan]

The sound on my A7N8X Deluxe is better than my SB Live 5.1, and that should be the case with the other boards too. I have heard that some people consider it to be slightly better than an Audigy. Good luck with your new system. Peace.

 

[WalMart1564]

8RDA+ for 108 from TCWO

might want to check this out

 

[Killrose]

I like My 8RDA. Buy what you need. Believe me, the fanciest nForce2 board is'nt going to be worth what you paid for it when you decide to dump it on someone else anyway's.

 

[SHAGVIRUS]

i like epox 8rda+ for the 2.2 v core

im getting 1 today

 

[alchemize]

OK I think I'm getting there but I'm still confused...

The Epox 8RDA+ lists: Onboard Audio: Realtek ALC650E 6-channel audio
The Asus A7N8X Deluxe lists: Onboard Audio: Realtek ALC650 6-ch w/built in amplifier, integrated APU (Audio Processor Unit), Soundstorm Encoder

(From Newegg.com)

These are the exact same correct? The 8RDA+ is "Soundstorm" also? Does the "E" mean anything?

Iwas leaning towards the 8RDA+ since it is $127 shipped vs. $145, I don't really need a second LAN port (no X-Box, Linksys router), and even though newegg doesn't say, I'm sure the 8RDA+ has firewire (even though I don't need it yet).

But then I saw an interesting comment on the reviews:

"This looks like a great Nforce2 board. But if you want to feed a surround sound system you have to buy the ($35.00 from Epox) SPDIF fiber optic adapter card (SPD650). That brings the price of the board to $118.00 + $35.00 = $153.00. That's about the same as the ASUS board (A7N8X Deluxe), which has SPDIF built-in."

 

[alchemize]

Screw it, I went with the Asus A7N8X Deluxe Anand is (almost) always right.

Now to smooth things over with the wife.

 

[Link]

Originally posted by: alchemize
OK I think I'm getting there but I'm still confused...


These are the exact same correct? The 8RDA+ is "Soundstorm" also? Does the "E" mean anything?

It means revision E which supports S/PDIF input. Anthing before E, only supports S/PDIF output.

 

[alchemize]

It means revision E which supports S/PDIF input. Anthing before E, only supports S/PDIF output.

Hmm, so the A7N8X Deluxe has output but no input. Oh well, I clicked submit on Newegg I'm done

 

[chizow]

Originally posted by: alchemize

It means revision E which supports S/PDIF input. Anthing before E, only supports S/PDIF output.

Hmm, so the A7N8X Deluxe has output but no input. Oh well, I clicked submit on Newegg I'm done

Hmm I think my manual says sp/dif input is supported only with a daughterboard. I can double-check if you were planning on using it.
Also, make sure to read-up over in Motherboards, as the A7N8X-DLX can be a PITA to set-up with its shipping BIOS.

Chiz