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Thanks for the AMD S754 or S939 mobo suggestions...

D

deadken

Diamond Member
I wish that I had enough money to support my family and my hobbies without worry. But... I don't. That being said, I own 3 S754 rigs and one Socket A rig which all run 24-7-365 (running F@H). I recently bought an inenspensive S754 NF4 motherboard with PCI-e and I can't get it to run both of my OCZ 1gb sticks or memory. It will run one no problems, but I can't put anything in the other slot (I had tried 1 OCZ and one 512 stick of Patriot memory). I am using a XP-120 HS/Fan and it goes over the memory slots, which means that if I want to swap memory, I need to remove the motherboard and then the HS/Fan and THEN I can get at the memory (believe me, I have tried angles and everything, there just isn't enough room to get a stick out or in with the HS installed).

I am ready to RMA the motherboard but I need a suggestion on what to get. I was considering an Abit NV8 because I am fond of Abit products. I will mention that I dislike the Abits layout with the floppy connector all the way on the bottom of the motherboard and it looks like a Molex needs to be plugged in there too (I have seen the Molex plugs on other boards and I guess it is common now (but why way on the bottom?)).

Unfortunately, I don't know if it is worth me spending about $70 to get this motherboard (including shipping) when S939s have become so much more affordable now. Don't get me wrong, I am not running any 64-bit O/S's at the moment, and I can't see needing to for another year or so. I don't want to upgrade to S939 for no reason (I just don't have a lot of money to spend). In contrast to what I have just stated, I do have an ATI X1900 XTX Video card and that's why I went with this PCI-e mobo. Of course, I am not going back to AGP.

Any suggestions? I have been looking through the F/Sale section to see if I can find a S939 combo that fits my needs and budget (I would scrape up $125-$135 for a A3000+ (Venice maybe?) with a basic NF4 PCI-e board). But I missed out on one recently (it went quickly) and haven't seen another yet...
 
Thanks for some nice suggestions... I think that I would spend the extra $10 and get a 3200+ CPU that's offers 200 mhz more clock speed (for non-overclockers) and an 11X multiplier (for overclockers).

Anyone care to make any other suggestions...
 
Thanks anyway, but I will stay away from ECS and a Non NF4 chipset. It seems that a $76 3200+ S939 CPU coupled with a $60+ motherboard will have to do. I just am looking at what boards are the 'best'.

BTW: Peter, for that price (about $96), I would get a S754 3400+ CPU and a 'free' Biostar NF3 motherboard. Newegg still has them as a 'combo' for $99.
 
That combo price isn't that great of a deal. It doesn't come with a heatsink, which can add an extra $20 to the price. I recommend an ecs 760gs socket 754 motherboard (about $35 after rebate at newegg) with sempron 2800 or 3000 cpu.
 
Originally posted by: o1die
That combo price isn't that great of a deal. It doesn't come with a heatsink, which can add an extra $20 to the price. I recommend an ecs 760gs socket 754 motherboard (about $35 after rebate at newegg) with sempron 2800 or 3000 cpu.
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Thanks, but the ECS 760GX-M isn't worth anything to me. The combo you suggested is very low budget and you get what you pay for. The 3400+ is an Athlon not a Sempron and even if the bigger cache didn't make a big difference (it only helps in certain applications) the clock speed certainly would. An actual clock speed of 2400mhz (3400+) on an Athlon vs. a 1600mhz (2600+) or 1800mhz (2800+) on a Sempron would be devastating in most everything you run (perhaps not a big deal for surfing the web or running Quicken, etc...). Add to that, the Biostar motherboard has the NF3 chipset and would allow some nice overclocks with the 12X multiplier of the 3400+. I sincerely you would be able to get significant gains from a SiS 760 chipset motherboard. I have (2) of those Fry's ECS/Sempron combos and both ran at 9x250Mhz with only a %3.4 increase in VCore! That is a %25 gain in CPU speed with a small increase in VCore. A Coolermaster Copper core HS with 80mm fan can be had for $11 SHIPPED. Better then a Stock AMD HS for sure!

Anyway... Enough for getting this thread way off topic. The original question was about a PCI-e motherboard that was either S754 or S939. So far the First Reply really made the best suggestions (except I'd rather spend the $10 for the 3200+ (11x multiplier).
 
Originally posted by: Zap
Originally posted by: Peter
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ShowImage...o+ATX+Motherboard%2FCPU+Set+%2D+Retail
Click to expand...

WTF is a socket 754 Athlon XP mobile? Is it one of those special ECS offerings, like those Duron 1200+ on motherboard that was actually a Duron 900?
Click to expand...

Nope, these are leftovers of a pre-Sempron production run of mobile processors for HP. HP wanted them "Athlon XP" branded for whatever reason ... what they are is exactly what later appeared as Sempron - small L2 cache, original 32-bit "mobile" core K8 processors.
 
Originally posted by: o1die
That combo price isn't that great of a deal. It doesn't come with a heatsink, which can add an extra $20 to the price. I recommend an ecs 760gs socket 754 motherboard (about $35 after rebate at newegg) with sempron 2800 or 3000 cpu.
Click to expand...

... and besides, that is an AGP board. Even besideser, Biostar is also a member of the PC-Chips/ECS conglomerate. Just compare the Biostar NF3 board with ECS's ...

Going with the SiS chipset over the NF4 gets you one major thing: Quietness. The NF4 chipset requires a fan, the SiS chipset is nowhere near needing one, even if you do choose to use the (primitive) integrated graphics. Performance difference is next to non-existant, and SiS have integrated ethernet that actually works.
 
Again... I'd like to try and keep the focus on a PCI-e motherboard as the title states.

But... I'd take the NF4 with proven drivers and performance over a SiS based chipset, but that is just me. I'd have to guess that you don't overclock for you to say that the 'performance difference is next to non-existant'. Without a lock AGP/PCI bus you aren't gonna go far. As I have said, there are MANY of us that used an ECS NF3 motherboard and a Sempron 3100+ to go %25 above stock speeds. Some people were stable with only a %1.7 increase in VCore and others needed a %3.4 increase in VCore. The performance of a 2.25ghz 256mb cache Sempron would certainly be significant over what you are suggesting.

If the NB fan bothers you so much, just get a ZALMAN NB heatsink. Big, passive and a whopping $6 (I can't find the link to where I paid $4 for them (I bought 4 at the time, S+H was cheap too!)).

So does anyone have a suggestion for a NF4 based PCI-e motherboard? Please, lets get back on topic... No AGP, No SiS, etc.... I don't care if it is a s754 or a s939. I do like the two motherboards that 'customcoms' suggested since they both use the NF4 Ultra NB. I have heard a couple of people say that it is better then the standarf NF4 chipset. Any feelings on that?
 
Thank you for the input. I am leaning towards the Epox. I just don't want to take chances with the 'Open Box' DFI (typically, I don't have luck for those things).

You are right! I confused the 3500+(11x) with the 3200+(10x). The 3500+ is 'only' another $15 over the 3200+ which is 'only' $10 over the 3000+. So, the 3000+ is $66, the 3200+ is $76, the 3500+ is $91. The more I think about it, with the memory controller on the CPU now, I don't think that there is such a performance hit just using lower multipliers, higher FSB's and memory dividers.

Any suggestions on the CPU? Do the 3000+'s typically hit the same OverClocks as the 3200+/3500+'s?
 
Originally posted by: deadken
Thank you for the input. I am leaning towards the Epox. I just don't want to take chances with the 'Open Box' DFI (typically, I don't have luck for those things).

You are right! I confused the 3500+(11x) with the 3200+(10x). The 3500+ is 'only' another $15 over the 3200+ which is 'only' $10 over the 3000+. So, the 3000+ is $66, the 3200+ is $76, the 3500+ is $91. The more I think about it, with the memory controller on the CPU now, I don't think that there is such a performance hit just using lower multipliers, higher FSB's and memory dividers.

Any suggestions on the CPU? Do the 3000+'s typically hit the same OverClocks as the 3200+/3500+'s?
Click to expand...

It really depends on the board, your RAM and how high you plan to OC, but usually a 3200+ is the best for OC'ing.

To reach 2.4 with a 3000+ you only need a 267 HTT, but you need 300 HTT if you plan to reach 2.7 which some board will not do. The higher you have to run your HTT, the more limits you put on your RAM settings also.

I specifically went with an Opty 146 vice a 144 just to get the 10x multiplier and I'm glad I did. And ther difference was more like $30 for me, but well worth it.
 
Well put. I forgot that I have read about the NF4 chipsets having some 'issues' with getting the FSB (HTT) above 289. Which is ironic since the guy had moved up from a NF3 that would run 300 without any problems.

So, I will spring for the 'extra' $10. I really can't see paying another $15 ($25 from the 3000+) for the 3500+ even though I am amazed at CPU prices now. I am not saying that a 3500+ isn't worth $91, just that I am that tight with cash right now (as I mentioned earlier, I recently got a X1900 XTX).
 
Good choice. The 3200+ will reach just about the same max as a 3500+. The 3200+ has always been the sweet spot for OC'ing in the A64 line.
 
If you're going for pci-e, Fry's has the ecs kt890-a with pci-e or agp support with the 3500 retail boxed for $99.99. You'd only pay about $15 extra for the board over the price of the 3500 alone. It's not a great board, but almost free.
 
Originally posted by: o1die
If you're going for pci-e, Fry's has the ecs kt890-a with pci-e or agp support with the 3500 retail boxed for $99.99. You'd only pay about $15 extra for the board over the price of the 3500 alone. It's not a great board, but almost free.
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Thanks, but that must be a B+M special only. I had checked Outpost.com earlier today. If I was gonna pay $91 for the CPU from Newegg, I'd certainly pay $100 and have a 'spare' board lying around (if I lived near a Fry's that is)!

 
Wow, I somehow I hadn't seen this Epox 8PNA when I looked for a S754 NF4 board. I wouldn't ever use the SLI, and I don't need a ton of PCI slots, but the price is nice. It doesn't have the NF4 Ultra chipset, but I don't think any s754 board does.

Now the question is whether to spend about $155 on a S939 Epox NF4 Ultra and a 3200+ CPU, or to spend about $80 on a S754 NF4 Epox and re-use my A3000+ CPU (NewCastle). If my CPU was a Paris, I'd have no problem keeping my S754.

I will have to see how much money is left after todays back-to-school shopping with the Wife and kids. Then I will order by the end of the day. Any feedback between now and say 8pm is greatly appreciated. I am wondering if my s754 @ 2.4ghz will 'bottleneck' my X1900 XTX compared to a s939 @ 2.6-2.7? I know that I might get a few more FPS, but would it be a HUGE Improvement? To be honest, even running my s754 CPU @ 2.1ghz my FPS in BF2 with most settings maxed (I hate dynamic lighting and shadows) @ 1600x1200 w/6xAA my FPS doesn't drop below 48 (I love ATI Tray Tools). I can't forsee needing much more then this.
 
Thanks for the help guys. I ended up buying the Epox S754 NF4 SLI board that 'Stumps' mentioned near the bottom of the first page. I just don't have the money to throw at a new combo. My s754 CPU does alright by me and I should be able to get back to 2.4Ghz which might limit my X1900 XTX in some new games, but I will worry about that when I stop playing BF2 (with the Point of Existance Mod out, I will probably be playing for a while longer).

I thank all that helped me decide. When I get the credit for the P.O.S. Albatron I am sending back this board will cost me $13 (add a few bucks for shipping the Albatron back). I only wish that I never bought the Albatron. I can't wait to get back to 2GB's of memory!

I did end up splurging a $23 more bucks for an Accelero X2 for my X1900 XTX. I figure that I want that card to last for about 2 years and I don't like how hot ATI Tray Tools shows it getting.
 
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