Looking for a new motherboard...

[Ichinisan]

After reading a few reviews, I understand that there are a couple of chipsets from NVIDIA that support the A64. I'm not sure which socket is newer. Is the older socket for 'FX' processors? I've already decided that I want an nForce3 with Gigabit LAN and IEEE1394 Firewire. This system will be used mostly for intensive LAN gaming and sharing.

I'll probably be using the NVIDIA SoundStorm, so I would prefer that my board not have integrated audio. I don't think that there are any boards that don't include audio, though.

It looks as if Asus is already selling the new chipset on a Socket940 board. Is this the best solution?

1. Which is the best AMD CPU?

2. Will the next high-end 64-bit CPU use the same socket? (Has it already been abandoned?)

Thanks

 

[SickBeast]

Socket 939 is the next big thing for AMD64.

If you must buy now, Socket 754 is the way to go. If you want the FX, you have to go for the 940, which isn't a terrible option, but the other two offer better value IMO.

For what you're looking for, honestly, just wait a bit for the S939 platform, it will be here within two weeks hopefully. It will have all the goodies you mentionned.

However, I am confused about your SoundStorm comments. The SoundStorm was only implemented in the nForce2 platform for the Athlon XP. The A64 boards don't have it at all AFAIK. Also, I have yet to hear of a motherboard without integrated audio. You can just disable it in the BIOS if you don't want it.

As far as which CPU is the "best", I personally would buy the 2800+ A64 and overclock the crap out of it on an nForce3 250 board.

The next high end CPU will use S939 AFAIK.

 

[Mik3y]

well, the highest performing socket 754 is currently the athlon 64 3400+ and the highest performing socket 940 cpu is the fx or the opterons. soon, socket 939 will come out and the fx will be switched to that socket, along with the soon-to-be new generation of the plain athlon 64's. socket 754 will be set for lower end systems, such as the athlon xp's. socket 939 will be mid-high range, and socket 940 will still be very high end.

 

[coolred]

As sickbeast stated, no soundstorm on the nForce 3 boards. And without integrated audio, sounstorm would do nothing. Soundstorm used the integrated audio.

 

[Ichinisan]

Originally posted by: coolred
As sickbeast stated, no soundstorm on the nForce 3 boards. And without integrated audio, sounstorm would do nothing. Soundstorm used the integrated audio.

NVIDIA also sells a stand-alone SoundStorm card that is not a riser-card or integrated expansion.

 

[coolred]

NVIDIA also sells a stand-alone SoundStorm card that is not a riser-card or integrated expansion.

Your gonna have to give me a link to that. That would be sweet, but I don't see how thats possible. Sounstorm is a certification, it runs off the onboard audio. I believe all it does is convert every peice of audio in the system into a dolby digital format.

While I could see nVidia start making thier own line of sound cards, which even seems plausable at this point. I don't see what this card you talk of would be. SO please give me a link so I can check it out. Cause not having soundstorm on the nForce 3 is a huge bummer

 

[Ichinisan]

Hmm, I believe my brother told me about it a long time ago, so I could be wrong. However, I recently read a post in Logitech's user-to-user forum from a user who said he was going to use his stand-alone PCI SoundStorm card with an NF3 board.

 

[coolred]

Well while I admit, I don't know a ton about everything nVidia has to offer. I would think a stand alone soundstorm PCI card would have been something I would have come across by now. I have a feeling you eithe rmisunderstood him, or he was confused. If you coudl find the link to the thread, that would help.

 

[First]

Originally posted by: Ichinisan
Hmm, I believe my brother told me about it a long time ago, so I could be wrong. However, I recently read a post in Logitech's user-to-user forum from a user who said he was going to use his stand-alone PCI SoundStorm card with an NF3 board.

NVIDIA has definitely thrown the idea around, and no doubt has prototypes, but I'm not aware of any PCI SoundStorm cards ever being available.

As far as which A64 board goes, I'd wait for S939 boards and processors to appear in quantity, if you can wait of course. Otherwise, S754 nF3 250 boards are excellent choices to go along with whatever speed A64 you'd like.

 

[coolred]

Thanks Evan for clearing that up.