Poll: Which is the most stable nForce 2 board so far?

[Ilmater]

Also, does anyone know which board has the most aggresive available memory settings.

 

[Ilmater]

Originally posted by: Dulanic
After 2 Epox MBs slowly died over time on me (My current one is dying) Im gonna have to go Asus.... just got one and instaled it, very happy.

Has anyone else experienced problems like this?

 

[Electric Amish]

I'm about to install (2) EP-8RDA motherboards this weekend. We'll see how it goes.

amish

 

[Ilmater]

Please let me know how that goes Amish.

 

[Ilmater]

Isn't anyone actually going to say something? Or are you just going to vote?

 

[mechBgon]

Do you want someone to hold your hand...? Buy one already! Oooooo! 8RDA+ for $104.50 at Mwave!

 

[Insane3D]

Fixed Link

 

[lastig21]

I got the 8RDA+ because it fitted my needs better than the other boards. It has some amazing overclocking features, and wasn't overloaded with things that I didn't need. I might have gone with the ASUS if they were more comparable in price.

I haven't had a problem with my EPOX though. Been running very stable.

 

[splice]

The Leadtek K7NCR18D - Pro is a very stable board (all RAM slots filled). I've yet to have a crash or boot problem...unlike my old Epox 8KHA+

 

[Ilmater]

Originally posted by: mechBgon
Do you want someone to hold your hand...? Buy one already! Oooooo! 8RDA+ for $104.50 at Mwave!

YES, in fact, I DO!

I'm trying to decide which to buy. I'm actually considering waiting until more nForce2 boards come out to get one. I'd really like to see one with a slightly better-looking PCB. Right now, the two front-runners are Asus and Epox, and they have the most generic-looking PCBs in the world.

BTW, to everyone recommending the Epox 8RDA+, isn't the placement of the DIMM slots with respect to the AGP slot pretty terrible? Not to mention the absolutely ATROCIOUS placement of the ATX connector.

 

[Insane3D]

BTW, to everyone recommending the Epox 8RDA+, isn't the placement of the DIMM slots with respect to the AGP slot pretty terrible?

Well, it is only a problem with GF4 cards...any ATI cards or others are not so long that they get in the way. I personally don't think it's a big deal because if you have a GF4, it only takes a couple of extra seconds to pop out the card to switch memory.

Not to mention the absolutely ATROCIOUS placement of the ATX connector.

You may think it is in a bad place, but it makes the most sense for clean power delivery throughout the board. There is a reason why the Epox has excellent voltage delievery, and it translates directly into higher o/c levels than other boards. Having the ATX connector right next to the power delivery components makes for a short path from the PSU to the board instead of having the ATX connector on the other side of the board trying to pull all that juice through all those little board traces. I think people really underestimate how important clean, steady current is to having a stable system...overclocked or not. IIRC, AMD actually suggested that the ATX connector be where it is for that very reason.


I'm always confused when people make such a big issue of this. If you take a minute or two to run your ATX lead from the PSU away from the CPU area with one or maybe two zip ties, it's a non-issue. Personally, I would rather have to spend a couple of extra minutes routing the wire from my PSU, than have the ATX connector in a another location that undermines the current delivery system....

 

[mechBgon]

I have an 8RDA+ on the way to take the place of my A7N266-VM in my office rig, and since it will be running at stock speed, I expect the report will be very boring: it works flawlessly, just like the A7N266-VM did, but faster. I'll definitely be snarling in protest if the Adaptec SCSIBench and ATTO bencheeze aren't as good as on the A7N266-VM, but at this point I'm guessing the SCSI card and PCI bus are the bottleneck. I'll keep ya posted.

So anyway, I've put my money where my mouth is (got $9 left to get me to the 31st! )

Oh, and as for the PCB appearance... "

"

The ATX cable: on my Antec case, there's a perfectly-sized gap for the ATX cable behind the two 80mm exhaust-fan cages to bring the cable up the rear wall, even into one of the crossbeam channels if I want to get fancy.

 

[RanDum72]

I'm always confused when people make such a big issue of this. If you take a minute or two to run your ATX lead from the PSU away from the CPU area with one or maybe two zip ties, it's a non-issue. Personally, I would rather have to spend a couple of extra minutes routing the wire from my PSU, than have the ATX connector in a another location that undermines the current delivery system....

OK, here we go again. Where is the absolute proof that placing the ATX header near the socket would provide 'better current delivery'? I can name a few dozen other motherboard brands that has the ATX header just like the Epox boards and they don't OC nearly half as good. OC'ing capability is more of having the right parts and an extremely well-tuned BIOS, not ATX placement. For example, of two KT266A boards that I had before, the Abit KR7A and the Epox 8KHA+, the Epox OC's higher but if you bench them at the same FSB frequencies, the Abit always scores higher. Thats because its chipset/memory timings are more agressive than the Epox. However, these memory timings also work in favor of Epox at higher FSB's. They seem to throttle down a bit on the timings even though the BIOS says otherwise. Check Evan's nforce2 shootout. At 266FSB/266DDR the Epox scores midpack in games even though its actual FSB at 266 is actually higher than the rest.

So theoretically, the ATX placement may be a good idea but IMO, doesn't really factor in on OC ability. Intel boards have provided the cleanest voltages of any motherboard and they always had the ATX header right where it should be, out of the way of the sockets. Why should anybody bother with zip ties and stuff tidying up the ATX wires when some boards hide it automatically?

 

[CraigRT]

A7N8X I'd say....

but I'm gonna try out the new Soltek when its released!

 

[Insane3D]

So theoretically, the ATX placement may be a good idea but IMO, doesn't really factor in on OC ability. Intel boards have provided the cleanest voltages of any motherboard and they always had the ATX header right where it should be, out of the way of the sockets. Why should anybody bother with zip ties and stuff tidying up the ATX wires when some boards hide it automatically?

Well, that's not a good comparison. Most P4 boards have a auxilary 12V connector for supplying juice to the CPU, and guess where it is usually located? Yep, you got it, right on top of the board's MOSFET's.

I also think you misunderstood my post a bit. I was not implying the Asus did not have good power delivery because of their ATX header placement, I just meant that the optimal place to locate the ATX connector is as close as possible to the rest of the power delivery components.

I also disagree that "Intel boards have the cleanest power delivery". Do you have any proof of that? The power delivery efficiency has little to nothing to do with the chipset manufacturer, and it boils down to the quality of components used on the board itself.. The only thing I would buy is a steadier +12V rail on P4 boards since Intel uses a second header to suppliment the +12v rail coming from the ATX connector.

Where is the absolute proof that placing the ATX header near the socket would provide 'better current delivery'?

I can't give you "absolute proof", but it simply a matter of physics. It is a fact the longer distance a electrical current has to travel, the more degradation will occur to the current. It's common sense, well at least to me anyway, that having the ATX connector right on top of where the power is going makes more sense than having it on the other side of the board and forcing all that current to travel through those little traces in the board for a little extra conveinance for lazy people.

Looks like we will just have to agree to disagree my friend, we can't keep rehashing this over and over..

 

[aircooled]

I just ordered an epox for a friends build. My first nForce2 board. I'll let you know how it goes...

 

[RanDum72]

also disagree that "Intel boards have the cleanest power delivery". Do you have any proof of that? The power delivery efficiency has little to nothing to do with the chipset manufacturer, and it boils down to the quality of components used on the board itself

Of all the boards that I've used and with different power supplies from Enermax, Sparkle, Antec. only Intel boards reads EXACTLY (OK, maybe +/-0.1) 12.0v, 5.0v, 3.3, 1.5v (CPU) 2.5v (DIMM). That with an 850E and some 845-based boards that I've tested. Even older Intel BX boards have pretty exacting voltage (and they don't have aux 12v connections either). You are right, it doesn't matter who makes the chipset but the manufacturer of the board itself (who, in this case happens to manufacture the chipset too). And guess where Intel places the ATX header? The distance of the traces in the mobo is not a factor (we are talking about just maybe a couple of inches here) as there are capacitors, MOSFETS, resistors and chokes along the way. These are the components that determine quality power delivery.

And how dare you call people 'lazy'. Just because they want their setup to look prettier doesn't mean they're lazy. They just have good taste, thats all.

 

[Insane3D]

only Intel boards reads EXACTLY (OK, maybe +/-0.1) 12.0v, 5.0v, 3.3, 1.5v (CPU) 2.5v (DIMM). That with an 850E and some 845-based boards that I've tested. Even older Intel BX boards have pretty exacting voltage (and they don't have aux 12v connections either).

Well...here are the readings off the 8K5A2+ I'm using right now...that's a *gasp* Via board...

Vagp - 1.503
+5v - 4.991
+3.3v - 3.301
+12v - 12.103
VDimm - 2.559
Vcore - 1.759


Enermax 431W
8K5A2+
1600+ AGOIA @ 1.75ghz, 166mhz FSB

Those readings are while I'm crunching Seti, listening to some streaming Trance, and typing this post...

Seems pretty decent to me....



<-- Setting aside time next week to do another extensive ATX cable re-routing project....

 

[RanDum72]

Well...here are the readings off the 8K5A2+ I'm using right now...that's a *gasp* Via board...

Well, my friend, that's just one board. If my memory serves me right, other Epox boards had problems with some PSU's (gasp, wasn't that my Epox 8KHA+ and my Enermax?). You look at the manufacturer from a broad spectrum of their boards from past to present and then see who has a rock solid reputation for delivering quality juice.

 

[Dulanic]

I'm gonna have to agree with RanDum... after having a 8K3A both have my 5V at about 4.6 or my 3.3V at about 3V... then Installing my Asus A7N8X and it has 5.01 and 3.29... that ATX placement didnt seem to help one darn bit. Sorry I'm a bit freakin bitter after having the same problem with 2 EPoX boards... their GREAT boards until both of mine starting dying on me... started crashing... would have to lower CPU speed over time... my 8K7A used to handle 1.4Ghz on a older 1.2Ghz CPU I had... by the time I got rid of it it wouldnt run stable over 700Mhz. My A7N8X will run my 1600+ STABLE at 1.9Ghz with 1.8Vcore... My 8K3A wouldnt top 1.75Ghz without becomming unstable... EVERY component is the same except the MB. Well actually thats wrong... it was 1.85Ghz for about a week then became unstable... took it down to 1.75 and it ran fine for about 6 months. And this isn't a PSU issue... I switched PSUs between the 2 EPoX boards... went from a Enermax 330W to a Enermax 400W.

 

[Mem]

but I'm gonna try out the new Soltek when its released!

I fancy trying their Hammer nForce board but that`s a little while off yet.

Well, my friend, that's just one board. If my memory serves me right, other Epox boards had problems with some PSU's (gasp, wasn't that my Epox 8KHA+ and my Enermax?).

No problems with the Epox 8KHA+ board and Enermax PSU,I should know I`m using one at the moment,plus my friend has the same combo as well,also remember the 8KHA+ uses a 3 phase power supply unlike the earlier Epox models.

My vote for nForce2 board would be Epox 8RDA+ for 1st place,with Asus in second.As for the the Soltek model when it`s released,I`ll be very interested to see how well it does,they do seem to be making some very fine boards for the price.

 

[compudog]

I have the A7N8X Deluxe and have had 0 problems with it. From all that I have read, I am recommending the Epox first and then the Asus. I'm not saying the Asus board has been a problem, it's just that so much good has been said about the Epox that it gets my vote. My next build will be an Epox nForce board.

 

[RanDum72]

No problems with the Epox 8KHA+ board and Enermax PSU,I should know I`m using one at the moment,plus my friend has the same combo as well,also remember the 8KHA+ uses a 3 phase power supply unlike the earlier Epox models.

Well, good for you. I had some uneven readings with an Enermax 350w and Epox 8KHA+ before. 12v rails would fluctuate from 11.3 to 12.5v. 5v rails were low at around 4.7v. The same PSU had no problems with an Abit KR7A (same config) and readings were pretty much spot-on. A bad sample? Probably, but individual mobo's is not a good enough gauge. One has to look into the history of the manufacturer and their products to determine their track record.

 

[Insane3D]

One has to look into the history of the manufacturer and their products to determine their track record.

Translation : I'm living in the past...


Reputation only goes so far...*cough* IBM HD's *cough*..

 

[Slogun]

I'm going to have to unsubscribe from this thead, this is geting tedious.