8rda+ VS. a7n8x

[shud]

The Epox is now $85 shipped at newegg, and the A7N8X is $130 shipped.

My question is...are the advantages of the Asus mobo worth the $45 price difference when both will run a 2500+ Barton?

 

[Schadenfroh]

the a7n8x deluxe has sata raid and dolby digital 5.1 (soundstorm) if you need that stuff, check out anands nforce2 round up

epox

asus

 

[shud]

I really don't need that stuff. I've got regular ATA drives and I plan on going with Audigy 2 Platinum and running optical cables to my receiver for audio.

Epox is sounding like the better and more economical choice.


By the way, is there any truth to the rumor I heard that the Barton 2500+ won't operate on any ram lower than pc2700 speeds?

 

[bjc112]

Originally posted by: Schadenfroh
the a7n8x deluxe has sata raid and dolby digital 5.1 (soundstorm) if you need that stuff, check out anands nforce2 round up



asus

Also has the ablity to get that extra 11mhz out on the FSB.

 

[Brian48]

I've had two A7N8Xs. Get the Epox.

 

[Ilmater]

Originally posted by: bjc112

Originally posted by: Schadenfroh
the a7n8x deluxe has sata raid and dolby digital 5.1 (soundstorm) if you need that stuff, check out anands nforce2 round up



asus

Also has the ablity to get that extra 11mhz out on the FSB.

Are you on crack? The northbridges are all made by nVidia. One will not get more FSB than another without a Vdd adjustment, and neither board has that. Get the Epox board. I have two and I love them.

 

[squidman]

Asus - excellent quality, awesome features, extremely stable.
Epox - hella cheaply built, either works or doesnt work at all, always has conflicts with different components, and an extremely GAY northbridgefan, that has a tendency to fail, and i really dont see a need for it.
The only other board out there that has ASUS pro's is Abit. But abit got a gay a stupid northbridge fan too. Why couldnt they just slap on a heatsink, like Asus??! Idioits.

Performance wise 2 are the same.
Stability wise ASUS is better.
Feature-wise ASUS is better.
Compatibility wise Asus is better
Economy wise Epox is better.

British gentlemen have a saying: "Im not rich enough to buy cheap products". Dont save extra 30-40 bux. THey'll pay off.

 

[squidman]

Did u notice that people recommend the stuff they have? But, when u consider Epox, ignore the lucky people whose stuff works (Same applies for Asus, and any other board), and listen to the people whose stuff dont work. Pay extra attention to the "sicknesses" of the board. Do they have a rare, or regular pattern? Do they have a "heavy" or "light" character (ie how how is the possibility of RMA'ing).
This is how u pick stuff.

 

[Whitedog]

ASUS board has a couple of strikes against it though (I have one)
I don't know if the epox has the features, but I hear some boards do. Anyway.

Asus board has max vcore of 1.85 volts. Some have higher I hear, like 1.95
Some CPU's have max MultX of 12.5 (2500+ barton for example). Some other mobo's have all the MultX's.

Check into it before you buy.

I could REALLY use the higher vcore setting.... as I am stuck at 2.35GHz@1.85 volts. Not that that's not enough, but I sure would like to hit 2.4 or 2.5

"Most" of the extra features the ASUS board has as not needed... but as stated.... IT SURE IS ONE STABLE FREEKIN BOARD!

 

[Novgrod]

i always recommend asus by default 'cause i've had success with their products, but for $30 i'd personally get the epox.

 

[shud]

Whitedog: I really don't know what that means.

2.4ghz OC'd sounds good enough to me, though.

Anyway, if the board dies (without me spilling something on it or something), is the RMA process difficult or anything?

 

[Bonesdad]

follow your instinct and budget, get what you want. Both are excellent boards.

 

[Zarick]

Ive had nothing but problems with asus boards. Problems that go as far as asus recommending that I cut a resistor to solder a lead to another lead to bypass power problems. Problems with ram slots not able to handle 3 chips at a time. asus has been total crap both times I have had them.

Go with abit or epox. Stop paying for overpriced trash.

 

[Spudd]

Originally posted by: squidman
Did u notice that people recommend the stuff they have? But, when u consider Epox, ignore the lucky people whose stuff works (Same applies for Asus, and any other board), and listen to the people whose stuff dont work. Pay extra attention to the "sicknesses" of the board. Do they have a rare, or regular pattern? Do they have a "heavy" or "light" character (ie how how is the possibility of RMA'ing).
This is how u pick stuff.

You mean, like you?

Anyway, I've built with both boards, and quite frankly the Epox is the better bet. Epox ALSO has the same soundstorm capability, it's just not "Soundstorm" approved yet (ever, who knows?). Both boards use the ALC650 along with the MCP sound APU. The board also has a multiplier above 15. The only DOWNSIDE to the board, from an objective stand point, is that it lacks the SPDIF and thus extra connection points for 6 channel audio--you have to order that separately. And the 8rda+ doesn't have a fan on the northbridge guy...just a heatsink. And why's everything "gay" to you? LOL....sound like an ASUS fanboy to me..... :beer:

 

[shud]

Yeah, I'd like the SPDIF out to run to my receiver, as it's a digital connection, and I get horrible feedback right now from a box in which I just run line out to the receiver. But Epox is sounding like a better choice.

 

[Sunner]

Im staying clear of Epox for the time being, after buying a couple of their mobos.
I bought 3 8KHA+ mobos a while back, one failed and had to be RMA'd, and after that, both the replacement as well as the one Im currently using has had issues with the NB fan, don't know how the last one is doing.