Buying a new computer, need to pick a motherboard...

[Brackus]

Hey all, I am basically gutting my current system and replacing it with mostly newer parts...

What I am keeping is: 30 and/or 40 gig hd at 7200 rpm's.
-Geforce4Ti 4200 128mb VIVO
-cd-rw at 24x8x48
then only really my monitor and other crap

the new things I want to buy are:
pc2700 ram 2x256mb ram (kingston or "name brand" do you think, the difference is $10 overall for the 512)
amd athlon xp 2400+ (might be lookingfor anything 1900+ but I am not finding any good prices...)
a new case (who cares what it looks like)
a new psu (I am thinking maybe over 300w this time?)
a case fan to help keep temps down
and basically the rest will be determined by what motherboard I am using...

So my question is, what would you take, and why?

-ASUS A7S333 SiS 745 $92 http://usa.asus.com/mb/socketa/a7s333/overview.htm
-ASUS A7V8X-X VIA KT400 w/ audio $94
-EPoX 8K5A2 VIA KT333 $129 http://www.epox.com/html/motherboard.asp?product=EP-8K5A2&lang=1
-Gigabyte GA-7VAXA VIA KT400A, LAN, audio $109 http://www.giga-byte.com/MotherBoard/Products/Products_GA-7VAX-A.htm
-Soyo KT333 Dragon Plus VIA KT333 $119 http://www.soyousa.com/products/proddesc.php?id=189


Anything to keep in mind might be that I am shopping here likely... www.canadacomputers.com and I might get a little into overclocking if I can get my system running nicely, and it needs a boost to play some of those newer pc games coming out!!!

If I forgot anything, just ask... (obviously integrated lan and audio is better, isnt it?)

 

[mechBgon]

How about re-using your existing case with a little beefier power supply? That might save you some money that you could spend on a nicer motherboard (EPoX 8RDA+ would be nice, with a very fine onboard audio processor and support for mad overclocking, plus other goodness like Firewire).

 

[cmdrdredd]

would you consider a P4 system? I don't know how prices from canadian retailers are though

 

[Bonesdad]

Agree with above...look at the NForce2 motherboards. EPoX 8RDA+ is an excellent board, as are most of the others...just depends on what you need to have onboard and what your budget is. The EPoX is about the cheapest (read: least expensive) NForce2 mobo out there. It has EXCELLENT onboard sound and a LAN onboard. I think it is $85 at newegg.com. Ooos, your in canada...no newegg for u! But the NForce2 is the top of the line chipset for AMD CPU.

Reuse the case you have and spend the $$ on a good PSU (Antec TruePower 330 or 380 should be fine, it's one of the more expensive ones, but it will hold you through another upgrade or two, esp the 380W).

Everything else looks pretty good...

 

[Brackus]

sorry guys, but honestly ive had the worst luck ever with this mobo and/or case here, just way too much dust, and everything seems to break, like, I just want to restart with everything I dont totally trust...

I dont know, www.canadacomputers.com is about the best place I can find anywhere around... but if anyone has some ideas, im in st. catharines ont.... anyway, check the page if you want to run a nice p4 system..

Thanks so much,

Dustin

 

[Brackus]

anyone out there with different, or same ideas???

I am still not convinced on going p4,

remember my prices I currently get are at http://www.canadacomputers.com if anyone has any better ideas shoot em on over...

thanks,

Brackus