Epox 4PEA+ or Asus P4PE R/L, SATA?

[KentW]

Both boards are getting good reviews, but I would like to hear some "real world" experiences. Well, Epox or Asus? Thanks guys and gals, Kent

 

[Clevor]

A 4PEA+ with Corsair XMS3500 eats up every other 845 motherboard out there. VDIMM goes to 3.2, where I've done as high as DDR484, 2-2-2-5 (CPU limited). It's not the best overclocker as it gives away maybe 3-5 mhz to the BD7-II/BE7-II/BH7, but the latter is the best I've seen.

The great 3DMark scores it gets is due to 2000+ bandwidth at those extreme DDR settings. I've recently retested two GB boards, an 8INXP and P48GX and was really disappointed with the unbuffered memory scores: barely 2000. And I was running 181-184 fsb, at 2-2-2-5/2-2-2-6!!! No wonder I actually got better 3DMark2001 scores with the 4PEA+, with ram at 2-2-2-5. Buffered on the GB boards was 4500, but it seems to me that is window dressing.

If you get a 4PEA+, you need to get a board made on or after 11-19-02, as those will have both the 3:4 and 4:5 DDR ratios in the BIOS.

 

[Clevor]

BTW, rumors were the P48GX was one of the best overclocking GB boards but using the same CPU, I hit 184, 2-2-2-6 on the 8INXP and 181, 2-2-2-6 on the Asus board. The Asus was able to run a pair of Samsung PC2700 CTLs at 2-2-2-5, though, whereas the Gig ran them at 2-3-2-5, max VDIMM for both boards.

 

[KentW]

Thanks Clevor! I think if I order one now, since it's an older board, it should be made after the 11/19/02 date.