Options on a new MB

[fallensight]

As my MSI nforce4 board seems to be dead after about a year(wont post, no warning/diag beeps either). I'm in the market for a new board. I would prefer something with a passive NB cooling solution, the fans on NBs are just too unreliable and death prone. I've been looking at the Asus A8N SLI premium SLI and wondering if there are big cons on it(though being an asus the name is a good one) or if there are other good options?

I do use my machine as primarily a game and music machine, and currently have a 7900GT, I dont really mess with OCing so overclockability is not something to make an impact in the pick.

 

[Witchfire]

I'd recommend the ASUS A8R32-MVP. It's cooling solution is completely passive, with no heatpipes involved. The new northbridge only makes around 7 watts of heat, so nothing more exotic than that is needed. I have nothing but good things to say about mine, although the price is a little on the spendy side. That'd be the only possible negative in my book.

 

[Heidfirst]

Abit also do a no. of nF4 & ATi chipset boards with passive cooling.

 

[mikeford]

have you pulled everything off the MSI and tested it bare on a boxtop type setup? No relief from MSI, warranty etc.?

 

[fallensight]

ive ripped it all the way down, the MB doesnt even give the Bios beep alarms for missing parts like vid card or mem. The stock fan died and was replaced with an aftermarket, which voids the warrenty, and the user help forums were absolutly no help.

 

[fallensight]

I want to stay with an SLI board if im going to go a higher cost one(which is where the passive cooling is), as my vid card is a 7900GT, and that would give me a possible upgrade path move in the future. And Abit's financial troubles make me hesitant to buy from them, I dont want a board with a manufacturer that may or maynot be around a year or two down the road.

 

[Heidfirst]

Originally posted by: fallensight
And Abit's financial troubles make me hesitant to buy from them, I dont want a board with a manufacturer that may or maynot be around a year or two down the road.

You obviously missed the fact that they merged with USI a month or 2 ago.
This gives them massive financial backing as well as access to more manufacturing capacity & markets that they weren't in before.
Expect them to be around for a long time ...

 

[you2]

Who is USI ?

 

[Heidfirst]

http://www.usi.com.tw/

" USI is a design, manufacturing and service (DMS) firm that focuses on enterprises. USI's clientele include the world's largest personal computer, LCD mainboard, and storage solution brands. USI is a part of the ASE Group, which is the world's largest provider of independent semiconductor manufacturing services in assembly and testing. USI has an original market capitalization of NT$7.6B, with 2005 revenues topping NT$52.2B, and over 10,000 employees worldwide. USI's product offerings include:
Computing: Desktops, laptops, servers, and storage-related products
Communications: Wi-fi, Bluetooth, Wi-fi ADSL, and UWB
Consumer: Multimedia centers, digital media converters, Internet radio, and home network storage devices
Car Electronics: Auto parts, Telematics, EPS, Flat Panel Device Control Boards, SHD, Point-of-Sale devices"