Don't wanna make bad decision. Which motherboard?..help please

[Nitrom]

I am about to buy new components to build my computer.

I am going Athlon 64 an d can't decided if socket 754 or socket 939 is better.

If socket 939 is better do that translates into better performance ? Is mainly for video games even tho I am not a hard core gamer. Thanks for the replies

 

[flamingspinach]

Really depends on what you want. Socket 754 is more stable right now, the motherboards for it are better-tested. However, socket 939 is going to be used more in the future, so if you plan to upgrade your CPU soon without upgrading your motherboard, better get one. 939 is also a bit cooler and overclocks a bit better. Apart from that there's no real difference right now.

If you go with Socket 754 find a good nForce3 Ultra 250Gb board (Asus K8N-E Deluxe is good). If you go with Socket 939 find a good nForce3 Ultra board (MSI Neo2 Platinum is good). If you really really want SLI (which I don't recommend) go for the Asus K8N-SLI or wait for DFI's new SLI motherboard which will be coming out soon IIRC.

-fs

 

[Edward Lee]

If you're looking for the best bang for the buck you can go with a 754 and either keep the $50-$100 you save or reinvest it into a better graphics card. You'll notice a much greater difference with a better graphics card than any between the 939 and 754.

 

[gamerj]

hmm...i would definately go with socket 939, > future upgrades > dual channel support..
And please do correct me if im wrong, but the asus a8v is about 100 dollars right, the asus a8v deluxe about 120?

Is a socket 754 mobo really that less expensive? No, i would definately go for 939, for the dual channel alone, and possibly for upgrading, i seriously doubt that many newer chips will be made for socket 754!

 

[Relion]

Im very happy with my new rig...Proc is 939

 

[gamerj]

If socket 754 boards support dual channel as well, (? do they?), i would still go for socket 939 by the way

 

[imverygifted]

im happy w/ my k8n neo2 plat 939, but i was also happy w/ my k8n neo plat 754. i'd go w/ 939 if your planning to upgrade in the futures since it'll be around longer than the 754 i suspect

 

[Edward Lee]

Dual channel support improves performance less than 5%. Also a comperable socket 754 is 200 MHz Faster than a 939 which conincedently is about a 5% improvement in performance.

Also, you can buy a very good socket 754 motherboard for $89 and it's $120 for a 939. Add about 10-20 difference in price of processor, you're looking at about a $50.00 difference. Like I said before if you're looking for the best bang for the buck you can get a 754 with a 6800 NU card and you'll notice a bigger difference than a 939 with a 6600 GT for tha same amount of money.

And I don't know how often you'll be upgrading but if you're like most people and upgrade every 3 years or more then you won't need to worry about upgradablilty. By that time you'll want to rehash the entire system anyway.

 

[fishmonger12]

Originally posted by: Edward Lee
Dual channel support improves performance less than 5%. Also a comperable socket 754 is 200 MHz Faster than a 939 which conincedently is about a 5% improvement in performance.

what he said. just follow the ratings (3000+ etc.) and you will usually end up with the same performance. and what a coincidence, both 3000+ are the same cost on newegg right now . the money you will save will all be on a motherboard, which will vary from 30$-80$, depending on what motherboard you want to get. if i was going socket 754, i would go with the dfi lanparty ut thingy, or the 75$ chaintech board. both are fantastic i hear.

bottom line:

do you upgrade piecemeal or build an entirely new box? piecemeal, you want a new gen motherboard which will support a lot of upgrades in the future. when building an entire new box, you shouldn't care about s939.

the price difference doesn't really warrant going with 754. socket 754 is just much more stable. you dont see many posts on the tech support\motherboard forums going "my dfi lanparty ut won't post." because it is a polished, refined, feature-full motherboard. s939 on the other hand.... just look at my K8NSNXP-939 :|

 

[jterrell]

If you want to go beyond a 6800 Ultra or A64 3700+ then go 939.
If you do not plan to upgrade at all for 3 years like Edward then still go s939.

Its going to cost you no more than 50 bucks more and you will get more features with new BIOSes offering even more features every week.

The best middle of the road vid card is the 6600 GT and it is cheaper in pci-express.
If you buy a pci-express video card you may actually be able to sell it in a year.

 

[Edward Lee]

Originally posted by: jterrell
If you want to go beyond a 6800 Ultra or A64 3700+ then go 939.
If you do not plan to upgrade at all for 3 years like Edward then still go s939.

Its going to cost you no more than 50 bucks more and you will get more features with new BIOSes offering even more features every week.

The best middle of the road vid card is the 6600 GT and it is cheaper in pci-express.
If you buy a pci-express video card you may actually be able to sell it in a year.

Where is the logic?

 

[otispunkmeyer]

Originally posted by: flamingspinach
Really depends on what you want. Socket 754 is more stable right now, the motherboards for it are better-tested. However, socket 939 is going to be used more in the future, so if you plan to upgrade your CPU soon without upgrading your motherboard, better get one. 939 is also a bit cooler and overclocks a bit better. Apart from that there's no real difference right now.

If you go with Socket 754 find a good nForce3 Ultra 250Gb board (Asus K8N-E Deluxe is good). If you go with Socket 939 find a good nForce3 Ultra board (MSI Neo2 Platinum is good). If you really really want SLI (which I don't recommend) go for the Asus K8N-SLI or wait for DFI's new SLI motherboard which will be coming out soon IIRC.

-fs

i can vouch for this, the ASUS may not be a overclockers dream come true like the DFI and the MIS Neo boards....but its about as stable as lead....had no problems with this board, runs day and night 24/7 and always does what i ask of it..

its a great stable board with a plethora of usefull features....like onbaord 8 channel audio that will speak to u on boot up if theres something wrong (i have audigy 2 tho so i never use this) and the nf3 250gb has a built in firewall....its dead useful

having said that though....if i had to buy a board now...id go 939 for the upgrade possiblities...dual core cpus are going to be on 939 eventually no?

 

[Nitrom]

Thanks for the replies guys....I think socket 939 has the future...and I guess that's the direction I am going.

 

[Jeffyboy]

Yes, socket 939 is better. Has a 128b memory bus. You may want to wait a few months or more for the supply of boards to stabilize... and for the boards themselves to mature. You'll be thankful you didn't get v1.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0 of anything ;-)

Jeff