Advise for purchasing nForce2 or SiS648 mobo

[Ripp]

I could use some help... Looking for some input on a new mobo & cpu combo in the less than $400 price range and don't know whether to go with a nForce 2 setup or some kind of P4 setup (unfortunately prices for Granite Bay boards are way to expensive).

For nForce 2 -- thinking about getting a EPoX 8RDA+ or Asus A7N8X with XP 2600+ ????
For Intel platform -- maybe a mobo with SiS 648 chipset and P4 2.53GHz/533 cpu????

I have been accumulating new hardware/software accessories thanks to the "Hot Deals" forum and am now faced with a purchasing decision over the final remaining items > a good mobo + cpu combination. The most important thing is price & performance regardless of whether it's a AMD XP or P4. The system will be running WinXP Pro and will be used for gaming, business apps, and DV editing.

So far my shopping basket contains - WinXP Pro, 2 pieces of PNY 256MB PC2100 DDR, 40GB IDE HD, Maxtor external 120GB FireWire HD, Verbatim 52x24x52 CD-RW, Radeon 9500 Pro, and a Logitech MX 700.

Here is my wish list for a good performing motherboard + cpu combo....maybe some minor o'clocking but not that important:
- Support for DDR memory, supports AGP 8x, ATA 100/66
- 4-USB 2.0 ports, 1 or more firewire ports
- onboard LAN 10/100, onboard 5.1 sound w/SPIDF output preferred

Suggestions anyone?

 

[buckchoi]

If you were looking at the AMD side then yes the Asus or the Epox would both be good boards. The Asus has dual LAN ports and also SATA but you may not need those in which case the Epox better value.

For the Intel side.....I would look at the boards with the 845PE chipset onboard. Although to run the P4 at closest to full potential you would need to pair up the 845PE chipset with PC2700 DDR ram.

I wouldnt worry about AGP8X too much as the gains are not that significant.

Out of the two choices I'd personally go the AMD side but its up to u

 

[Vette73]

I like the Abit nForce2 board as it comes with a SATA adapter to make a IDE drive run off it. That way it leaves your 2 IDE ports open for a burner and a dvd rom.

But I say nForce2

 

[oldfart]

For AMD, Nforce2

For Intel, 845PE or Granite Bay if you can wait and dont mind the $$$ cost of it.