Looking for a good nforce2 motherboard

[russr]

I am looking to buy an nforce2 motherboard to replace my epox 8k5a2+ motherboard. Mainly because the my kt333 board has no way to lock the agp/pci bus when overclocking.

anyway, i'd like some advice on what motherboard will allow me to:
1) change vcore, vdimm, cpu mutliplier, vagp and preferably vchipset (though vchipset not a must)
2) would like onboard 100mbps lan and would like good quality onboard audio
3) would like a 1/6 pci divisor and the ability to lock agp/pci bus so they do not change as fsb changes.

Any recommendations? I'd also like someone to explain to me what the following means:
nforce2 spp vs. nforce igp vs. nforce2 400 vs. nforce2 ultra 400.

Thanks

 

[Concillian]

You want nForce2 Ultra 400
igp = Integrated Graphics P(?) You don't want that.

ALL nForce2 Ultra 400 boards can lock AGP/PCI. There are 3 common options:
ASUS -- does not support vchipset, FSB tops out fairly low, typically 205-215 range
ABIT NF7-S version 2 (NOT NF7-S2, they are different) -- does not support vchipset, FSB tops out medium, 215-225 range
DFI LANParty II -- Hass all adjustment you'd ever want, FSB tops out highest, but typically not above 240-245 range.

All of those have the soundstorm APU.

Overall I don't know how much it's worth it to spend money on a new AXP motherboard now that A64s are getting so cheap. An A64 motherboard is around the same cost and an overclocked 2800+ will beat the piss out of an overclocked AXP, even with mediocre RAM speeds. I'd say just run what you can with a 166-170 FSB and buy an A64 when you can. I mean you're not limited in ultimate processor speed, only in FSB unless you have a locked multiplier.

I especially have to question people purchasing the DFI Lanparty Socket A board these days. That board is getting close to double the cost of other AXP boards and you're not squeezing THAT much more out of the AXP.

 

[russr]

Thanks for the informative post. Just a couple of questions...

1) Are you sure the Abit NF7-S v2.0 does not support vchipset? On the abit website it says, "The overclocking function includes CPU frequency, Vcore, multiplier, chipset & DDR voltage and AGP VDDQ voltage adjustment available to maximize your system performance".

2) Can you explain to me whether or not the Abit NF7-s has an ultra 400 chipset? Newegg's site and abit's site both say it has an nforce2 SPP chipset. I'm not sure what that means, but I thought nforce2 spp was the original nforce2 chipset.

3) What about motherboards like the Epox 8rda3+ and 8rda3i+ and the biostar and what not? They are also nforce2 ultra 400 boards with overclocking features. Are they not as good?

 

[osage]

NF7S and the DFI are good OC boards, another one to look at is the Shuttle AN35-Ultra

I've got a couple and they are very nice....I have a Asus A7N8X Dlx that I don't even use since getting the other AN35.

good board for CHEAP

 

[Concillian]

From a quick Google search, apparently SPP means NOT IGP, so a board can be SPP and an Ultra 400. Regardless, the ABIT definitely performs like an Ultra 400.

The shuttle does not have the Soundstorm APU for hardware 3d sound, if that matters.

And I am not positive on the NF7-S v2 not having vchipset. It may. I was going under the impression it didn't because people talk about volt modding it to get very high FSB speeds

As for the Epox boards, I don't know. I had an Epox KT266 board and I was thoroughly unimpressed with their BIOS options compared to previous Abit, and ASUS boards I had. I don't remember what it was specifically, just that I have since ignored Epox.

 

[MDE]

The NF7-S does have chipset voltage adjustment, I have one in my second system.

 

[russr]

MDE, what is your experience with Abit nf7-s?

Concillian, I have an epox kt333 that's pretty good. Anyway, the reason i asked is because the nf7-s and dfi infinity cost close to like $90-$100 bucks. I wanan spend maybe like $60 on the NF7-S 2.0 or a board like it but I can't do it brand new, so maybe in the FS/FT forums. If I can' find it, then I'll probably just get the NF7-S new.

 

[Concillian]

$60 is not going to get you soundstorm, but you'll get sound. You're pretty much choosing between budget nForce2 boards at $60, I don't think you'll find vchipset on anything in that range either. Feel lucky if you get multiplier and basic voltage adjustments (Vcore and vDIMM are pretty standard if a board has any overclocking capabilities at all) In your case the Shuttle seems like the right fit.

Don't expect too much over 200 FSB either from a $60 board. It'll overclock the CPU fine with multiplier adjustment, but the motherboard itself won't see much overclocking. You should have qualified your 'good overclocker' statement as CPU specific, because I interpreted it as FSB overclocking, as this is what the motherboard matters most for. CPU overclocking is pretty much the same on any board with vCore and multiplier adjustment.

 

[osage]

other than the sound on the AN35 which is Realtek ALC650 5.1,
it offers all the OC adjystments you would want.....some may not go as far as on the Abit/DFI but they are all there.
Vcore,vDIMM,AGP voltage multi.

it seems that the AN35 is often overlooked IMHO

 

[MDE]

Originally posted by: russr
MDE, what is your experience with Abit nf7-s?

I'm no expert, but I know a few things. If my mind fails I have the thing set up and the manual .

 

[Concillian]

Originally posted by: osage
other than the sound on the AN35 which is Realtek ALC650 5.1,

Find me a board that doesn't have a Realcrap codec on the analog output.

Seems like you can't find a board with a decent DAC these days. Even the Soundstorm boards available now process the DAC with a Realtek.

I hate that damn crab.

 

[xbassman]

I second the shuttle An35n-Ultra.

I have 2 of em and they overclock great.
Gotta 1800+ @ 2.3ghz (probably could go higher, but it's a "quiet system")

Also have an NF7-M v1.1 and a NF7-S v2.0. They got nothin on the Shuttle in my book..

 

[Toro 45]

I ordered the Shuttle an35 ultra on Saturday. I was looking for a budget priced overclocking board that I can OC the piss out of. Osage and Concillian covered the board pretty well but I would add, from what I've read the vdimm only goes to 2.7 max but the cpu voltage goes at least up to 2.0volts. I don't believe it has chipset voltage adjustments Also they put the socket right on the top edge of the board so it could get crowded by the psu on a medium to small atx case. One review said they could only hit around 216fsb while another one I think said higher, I'll see if I can find the links for those.

I'm sure there are better boards out there but for the price the shuttle is hard to beat. Mine should be here by Thursday or Friday to go with a Xp-M2400 for some 2.2-2.6ghZ lovin

 

[Toro 45]

Here is one of the reviews where they hit 233MHz FSB with a 1:1 ratio using TwinMOS PC3700 memory, then ruduced the mem ratio and got it up to 244fsb.

xbassman and osage, what kind of fsb have you guys been able to hit with the shuttle?

 

[xbassman]

I am running pc2700 on the Shuttle boards, so I am below 400 DDR.

As to socket location, it is in the same place on the NF7 series also. I have a Biostar Matx and it's same there too.

DaPunisher had some insane FSB speeds on a Shuttle. I can't remember how high though.

 

[russr]

Well I edited my post so that it reflects what I wanted it to say. I want to spend $60, but if I can't get soundstorm and some of the other nice features, then I'll have to buy an NF7-S 2.0 used from the FS/FT or just pay the $90 or whatever it goes for.

Every nforce2 board I've looked at has the nb chipset right below the socket. Doesn't that make it hard to install the heatsink? I've got the thermalright slk-900a which is rather big.

The shuttle board looks decent, but vdimm topping out at 2.7v sucks, I think the Epox 8rda3i would be better.

So anyway the top recommendations are the dfi infinity and the abit nf7-s

 

[xbassman]

Every nforce2 board I've looked at has the nb chipset right below the socket. Doesn't that make it hard to install the heatsink? I've got the thermalright slk-900a which is rather big.

The problem isn't the northbridge cause the side you clip with your screwdriver is near the power supply area.
Thermalright's website has compatability lists. I think a 900A will fit no prob on the NF7S v2 though.
the only compatability problems I can remember were capacitors being in the way. Some boards that use tall passive NB heatsinks have a little trouble though. You can fix that easily by trimming them back.

I have an 800U on my NF7-M and my son has an ALX-800 on his NF7-S v2.

Here's a link to an Nforce specific forum:
http://www.nforcershq.com/forum/index.php

 

[russr]

you can use either side for the screwdriver clip part. i'd have no room to work if i did it on the psu side as i cannot fit a screw driver in between the psu and the heatsink.

 

[xbassman]

Originally posted by: russr
you can use either side for the screwdriver clip part. i'd have no room to work if i did it on the psu side as i cannot fit a screw driver in between the psu and the heatsink.

Well I haven't seen an ambedextrious HS/F yet. Tried putting ther clip on backwards once, it netted me a +10C PC until flipped it around. (remember they have unequal sides and the pressure point needs to be centered over the CPU.)

 

[russr]

xbassman, you're absolutely right. I forgot because I had an older heatsink that let you switch the direction of the clip and was getting confused with that and the slk-900A.

So anyway, how the heck does one get the hsf on and off w/o removing the motherboard from the case? There's no freaking room between psu and top of mobo. I have a huge case too, the antec SX830 series.

It's gonna suck if I can't get this board cuz of the socket placement.

 

[xbassman]

well, This week I moved my son's components to a thermaltake case we got him for his birthday. (He picked it, I didn't) So this is the first time I have had to deal with the PSU issue. (I usually like to get them with a removable mobo tray)

I had his power supply installed but removed it before I installed the mobo because of wiring issues.

Here's a pic of the inside of my case (NF7-M) link

See where the ATX and AUX connectors plug in the mobo?
The way I have my wires routed is the only good way I know so they don't impede airflow to anything.
In my sons case with the PS is basically sitting on the ATX cable, So to change out his heatsink I would have to unbolt the power supply and move it aside.
On the other hand mine was a piece of cake. slide out mobo tray and 800U heatsink.

The Shuttle AN35N Ultra has the ATX power cable in a different location though. It is near the front top of the mobo, so you can swing it out from behind the 5 1/4 bays.

 

[Cdubneeddeal]

My vote is for the Abit NF7-s v2.0. Had one..own another one. Superb overclockers, stable, fast, lots of features..and don't forget the SATA and Soundstorm

 

[cirthix]

dfi infinity, its an amazing board, all that i know of do 260fsb stable. you just have to turn cpc off and do some bios research

 

[cirthix]

biostar m7ncg 400 is good too, but no mounting holes

 

[russr]

So it seems like to take the heatsink on and off with the nforce2boards since they all have the socket in the same place, one would need to remove the powersupply to have room to use the screwdriver to remove the clip/put it on.