Big order tomorrow, only motherboard decision left

[bluey71]

posted similar thread the other week but didnt get enough feedback, ordering tomorrow and would appreciate your help to make the motherboard (nf4 ultra) decision easier on me.

here are the parts: -

AMD 4200+ X2
OCZ 2x1gb ddr400 cas3 (value) or OCZ Peroformance 2GB (2 x 1GB) cas 3, is it worth the extra $30??
PNY Quadro FX3400 256MB 256-bit DDR PCI Express x16
1x74gb raptor, may add second hard drive HITACHI Deskstar 7K80 80GB 3.5" Serial ATA II
NEC 3540A burner
antec sonata II case

the only part that i cant make decision is the motherboard. like everybody else, there are good and bad points about every brand, the guy i am building the computer: -
- he wont overclock at all.
- fan and drive noise is not an issue at all
- extra features are cool but not on the account of stability
- not willing to change the NB fan now or in the future
- no gaming
- no sli

the epox looks has the least problems but what i didnt like is the layout, unlike the dfi, msi and asus where the ide and floppy and 24 pin connectors are all beside each other, also the distance between the ram slots are wider than the epox

also havent seen lot of posted problems with the dfi, but the only complain is the bunch of tweaking you have to make, however, for me i have assembled few computers and troucbleshooted them and not planing to overclock, so would dfi still be a problem to set up successfuly and get the best out of it even for stock speed ppl?

what is the story of msi needs -5v? the case and the ps i chose doesnt have -5v, what would be the problem? i read that the onboard sound wont work, is that true? and is it the only problem? also read cap problems with the msi and fan failrue.

the sami goes to asus about their nb fan problem, is it fixed now or still the same?

which motherboard supports amd x2 out of the box? and if the one i bought is not ready, would the x2 work on it till i install windows and update the bios through windows?


thanks for your help and advice?

 

[mdubrow]

If he's not doing any overclocking and doesn't care about the noise, then I vote for the MSI board. I believe there's a $25 rebate on it this month, which makes a few $ cheaper than the Epox. Supposedly very stable but not for overclocking. I've had an MSI RS480M2-IL in another system (HTPC) for few months now, and it's been steady as a rock. (Knock on wood.)

 

[mdubrow]

BTW, here's the link for the rebate: MSI Rebate PDF

 

[bluey71]

we are talking about the MSI K8N Neo4 Platinum Socket 939, right?

how about the bad talks about the fan failure and bad capacitors?

 

[mdubrow]

Yes, the MSI K8N Neo4 Platinum Socket 939.

I haven't heard about fan failures and bad capacitors on this board, though to be honest I didn't thoroughly reserach it, either. At the time, the Epox was $20 cheaper, so if I was going to get a board with a fan on the northbridge, it would be the Epox (I was considering the Abits and Asuses with the silentpipes on the northbridge as possible alternatives). The rebate would have changed the calculus, but I already made my purchase.

 

[imported_Kensai]

MSI K8N Neo4 Platinum.
2GB OCZ EL Platinum PC3200.

 

[asicman]

I'd prefer a board that was stable for overclocking because you know you have the headroom. I like the EPoX NF4 boards.

 

[bluey71]

UPDATE

i just bought the cpu from frys AMD 3800+ X2 $379.99 and gonna order the rest parts tomorrow but i still havent made my mind regarding the motherboard.

have seen some motherboards at frys but not sure whether the graphic card will touch the NB fan specially the DFI UD.