NF4 Ultra Board Bang4Buck Recommendations

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KaosFaction

Senior member
Jun 4, 2005
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What would be the best bang for buck motherboard utilizing simply an NF4 Ultra chipset.

Will be running an AMD 4400+, BFG 7800 GTX, single SATA HD, and Enermax 600watt SLi certified PSU.

I really want to pinch pennies on this, so just saying DFI does not help me. Goals are light OCing, but nothing necessary of like an ABIT Fatal1ty or anything. Mainly my goal is to save some cash so I can get a nicer monitor (21").

Thanks!
 
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slick230

Banned
Jan 31, 2003
2,776
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0
LOL, you're gonna put a 4400+ and a 7800GTX in there, and you're concerned about pinching pennies on the mobo?
 
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KaosFaction

Senior member
Jun 4, 2005
224
0
76
Originally posted by: slick230
LOL, you're gonna put a 4400+ and a 7800GTX in there, and you're concerned about pinching pennies on the mobo?
Click to expand...

I need the system to stay under $2G...
 
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the cobbler

Senior member
Mar 8, 2005
643
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0
Chaintech vnf4ultra all the way! It's cheap, fast, works well for me.
Click to expand...


Dittoes.



AMD 64 Winnie 3200@248x10=2.48
stock cooling 1.52v
1 GB Cosair VS 2,3,3,7 T1
OCZ PowerStream 420ADJ
Chaintech 6600GT 128mb 581/1061
Zalman VF700-Cu
XP Pro
 
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hans007

Lifer
Feb 1, 2000
20,212
18
81
asus a8n-e boards are pretty cheap on ebay, because of people who got it at the tech tour. usually cant go too wrong with asus. i've had a vnf4ultra. thats a good board too, they make that bfg nf4ultraboard same board in fact.
 
n yusef

n yusef

Platinum Member
Feb 20, 2005
2,158
1
0
Get a cheaper PSU than the 600W Enermax, so you can get a good mobo. With $1200 in just CPU/GPU, you can't justify saving $30 on the mobo too well. Get the MSI Neo4 Platinum or the DFI LANParty UT nF4 Ultra-D.
 
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imported_Bleh

Senior member
Sep 30, 2004
433
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0
^^^^What he said. Get like a OCZ 520 watt modstream and spend some more on your mobo and purchase a DFI Ultra-D or MSI Neo 4. Remember the motherboard is what everything connects to and you dont want to go cheap on it.
 
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LT4CAMSS

Member
Jan 7, 2004
122
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Since you're OCing, I would recommend the OCZ (520W) or Seasonic S12. I think the OCZ Modstreams look phat...but the reason for the recommendation of the latter is b/c I read a post here on the forums that the S12s get ~80% for energy efficiency vs. something like 67% for the OCZ PSU. I know someone with the 430 watt equivalent and they run fairly quiet, too (the S12). Now if only OCZ could do that (efficiency, quietness) with theirs cuz otherwise, they are better. The blue lights are dope...and they sleeve the damn cables and stuff. I can't stand unsleeved wires. It makes things look like a mess. Hope this helps.
 
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Bona Fide

Banned
Jun 21, 2005
1,901
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Yeah no need for the overkill Enermax PSU. Downgrade to the 520W OCZ Modstream. It's on sale for $90 at Newegg, vs. $180 or whatever for the Enermax. And get the MSI K8N Neo4 Platinum or the DFI Lanparty UT NF4 Ultra-D. :)
 
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ChicagoPCGuy

Senior member
Dec 11, 2004
361
0
0
Originally posted by: RobbyG
Epox 9NPA+ Ultra is a very solid board to consider.
Click to expand...



What he said. I use this board for standard builds. EPoX just released their x2 supporting BIOS as of yesterday.
 
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ChicagoPCGuy

Senior member
Dec 11, 2004
361
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0
Originally posted by: the cobbler
Do not buy a modular PSU.

They are all crap by their very design.

Buy an OCZ Powerstream.
Click to expand...



And what he said, too. The Enermax Noisetaker Series (485 Watt and better) that are ATX v2.0 compliant are the best. They have dual 12v rails, smart fans, ring core for EMI reduction, braided main/video card power cables, and are really nice units. You can get the one that is 485 Watts has Active PFC, too, just to splurge a little. The OCZ PowerStream 520 Watt PSU is the one to go with if you intend to OC, or just want a really high-wattage single 12v rail PSU. Neither of these PSU's are cheap--but then you do not want to build your new system on a questionable PSU!

Any of the modular PSU's have had somewhat spotty reviews from time to time. I can tell you the OCZ ModStream tends to undervolt the 12V rail.
 
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Mucker

Platinum Member
Apr 28, 2001
2,833
0
0
My $49 (Fry's deal) Antec NeoPower 480 "modular" is rock solid:

DFI nF4 Ultra-D
A64 Winchester 3500 @ 2.52 GHz
Zalman 7000 Cu
Mushkin BP-TCCD 1G
36 Gb Raptor
80 Gb Seagate SATA
Lite-on 832s
Rose will x800xl w/ATI Silencer 5.2
Audigy 2 ZS
Antec 3000b, front/Rear 120mm fans
80 and 90mm auxillary fans

This OCZ 520 is great for $79 AR:

http://www.monarchcomputer.com/Merchant...oduct_Code=100162&Category_Code=ps-500

I used it's little brother (450) on a similiar Ultra-D setup and it worked like a charm. Plenty of available juice...

For SLI certified, you certainly can't beat this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817103931

m :)
 
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the cobbler

Senior member
Mar 8, 2005
643
0
0
From PCPower&Cooling's "PSU Myths Exposed", a brief explanation of the sound logic in avoiding modular PSUs:

"2. DON'T LOSE POWER WITH MODULAR PLUGS
Due to their look, convenience, and cost savings for manufacturers, modular plugs have become a popular power supply feature. Unfortunately, there has been little or no discussion of the impact of this feature on overall performance and reliability. The fact is, modular plugs limit power by adding to electrical resistance. The voltage drop can be as much as would occur in 2 feet of standard wire. Worse yet, modular plugs utilize delicate pins that can easily loosen, corrode, and burn, creating the potential for a major system failure. That's why pros specify uninterrupted wire!"

...which is why the modular OCZs undervolt, for example. Very good idea on paper, very poor design, IMHO.
 
M

Mucker

Platinum Member
Apr 28, 2001
2,833
0
0
Nice propoganda Cobbler. Sounds like a marketing ploy from PCPC even though they make the best (and no modulars)....did they forget that the all power supplies are modular, as in, you plug all of your modules into those crappy connectors they masterly describe? (hard drives, mb's, etc...). I suppose you could hard wire all periphs ;)

It all boils down to your power draw needs. For SLI, go for the best. For any other, the OCZ Modstream 520 or Antec NeoPower modulars will work very well....

m :)
 
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the cobbler

Senior member
Mar 8, 2005
643
0
0
oh, please

Propaganda? I don't even own a PCP&P, nice try though. Their logic is sound, plain and simple.

if all PSUs are modular by your definition, did it occur to you that true modulars have two modular plugs in each power line instead of just one? so no, it's not really the same animal.

honestly from the little quip I quoted from PCP&C though, 'burning' maybe, 'failure' maybe, 'corrosion' I can't really see, unless you regularly hose down your PC's innards or live somewhere humid like, say, Panama. :0
 
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hans007

Lifer
Feb 1, 2000
20,212
18
81
Originally posted by: Mucker
Nice propoganda Cobbler. Sounds like a marketing ploy from PCPC even though they make the best (and no modulars)....did they forget that the all power supplies are modular, as in, you plug all of your modules into those crappy connectors they masterly describe? (hard drives, mb's, etc...). I suppose you could hard wire all periphs ;)

It all boils down to your power draw needs. For SLI, go for the best. For any other, the OCZ Modstream 520 or Antec NeoPower modulars will work very well....

m :)
Click to expand...

pc power and cooling is right though.

the "break" in the wire due to the modular plug causes electrical resistance and a loss of some power.

its like sticking an extension on a headphone cable, you usually lose some signal quality because of the loss same principle there
 
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