Need Avice for AM2 Motherboard under $100

[tronsr71]

Hey everybody, I am in the market for an inexpensive AM2 motherboard and need some advice on picking a good board. I will be running a mix of operating systems on this setup, but mostly Windows 2003.

This will be my 4th system build. Here are some parameters im interested in with preferential order:

Spend less than 100 dollars
Great stability and great driver support
nForce 4 or 5 series
minimum of 4 SATA II connectors
Standard ATX (not micro)

Overclocking potential is NOT necessary, but a bonus
SLI is also NOT necessary

Here are two boards I found from the Egg from Abit and MSI respectively. Please let me know your opinions.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813127010
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813130050

Thanks in advance - Jeff

 

[Heidfirst]

Originally posted by: tronsr71

Standard ATX (not micro)

what do you have against mATX?
If somebody asked me whether I would rather have a KN9 or an nF-M2 nView I would go with the nF-M2 ...

 

[Zap]

I would choose the Abit because of the potentially better chipset cooler, plus the MSI has the motherboard power connector in a lousy place IMO.

Heidfirst, do you have experience with that Abit mATX board? That's the one which is supposedly a great overclocker, right? Most people just keep pointing to a handful of links showing how high HTT it can go, but I want to see some thumbs-up from people using it day to day as well. I'm considering buying one now since it's $90 at Newegg and this week using Paypal, free shipping.

 

[tomt4535]

Linkage

This DFI board Rocks for AM2. Stable, Overclocks well, and has 2 physical x16 slots so a mod to SLI is fairly simple. Ive used the board before, and I liked it very much.