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*Update* 6-way nForce2 Roundup Online

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1. Any IGP boards? Please?

2. As other's have said, please spend plenty of time on the sound. Many people seem very confused about which boards use the APU and just use the codec for output and which use their own. But don't only talk about the interfaces. Please spend some time actually testing the sound on each board. In my experience, it's the real weak link on the original nForce boards, causing more lockups, BSODs, and BkSODs than any other component.
 
I really want to see the performance of the onboard LAN, esp. the 3com integrated on the A7N8X Deluxe. I am considering buying that board to replace my Abit KX7-333, if my new Hard Drive doesn't fix my PC's problem. It's got a couple of problems and I have replaced/test every component except Motherboard (IDE Controller) and the Hard Drive. But please test the 3com for CPU usage and netowork speed. I hope it is comparable to the 3com 905 series of NICs.
 
Regalk, do you have the Deluxe version? If you do, when you are using the 3com NIC, does it strain your CPU at all? My Realtek RTL8139
uses a heafty amount of my Xp1800+ when transferring lareg files.
 
Kido, I can recall a review (on Anandtech or Tomshardware I think) where they tested the integrated NICs. The 3com one seems to be of class, not really aweful but then again nothing good. But the nVidia thing is on par with Intel NICs... almost no CPU usage, very fast... But yes, I'd like to see if the several boards perform different (and how).

Oh, and don't forget to test the service Evan 🙂
 
Originally posted by: Kido1986
Regalk, do you have the Deluxe version? If you do, when you are using the 3com NIC, does it strain your CPU at all? My Realtek RTL8139
uses a heafty amount of my Xp1800+ when transferring large files.
Click to expand...

I am looking at the utilization as I reply <0.5% so far. Yea I have the Dlx version and using the 3Com since I like that better than Nvidia's. I will try downloading a big file in a second and get back to you on this.
Update: Currently downloading UT2003 demo and again as I reply to this post it is now around 2% cpu utilization.

 
Originally posted by: kadajawi
watch this:
http://www.anandtech.com/chipsets/showdoc.html?i=1719&p=10
According to Anand the integrated 3com NIC plainly "sucks".
Click to expand...

And if you had bothered to read the followup article, you would have seen that "The performance we saw was a result of the A02 rev of the nForce2 MCP-T, while the bug is fixed in A03. The performance of the 3Com MAC is virtually identical to the NVIDIA MAC in the bandwidth tests, although CPU utilization is still higher." The higher CPU utilization is mostly attributed to features lacking on the NVIDIA MAC.
 
ooops, ok, overseen that one 🙂 But still CPU utilisation is a bit higher. But it would be interesting to see how the final version performs now...
 
Originally posted by: BeaverTooth
On top of everything else mentioned here, I would like to add my two cents and see if we can get a confirmation on whether or not the nForce2 chipset supports a 1/6th PCI divider for 200MHz FSB operation. If it does then that may go along way to easing some compatibility woes about Barton people are having right now.
Click to expand...

You are living in the past, man... Nforce2 doesn't need a clock divider...it can lock the AGP/PCI buses...you can bet your sorry noobie ass that Barton will be supported by Nforce2...

I'm not sure KT400/333 will support it since these shady chipets aren't capable of 1/6th divider...Hence Via is coming out with a KT400a(freakin' loosers)...
 
Originally posted by: OverclockTHIS
You are living in the past, man... Nforce2 doesn't need a clock divider...it can lock the AGP/PCI buses...you can bet your sorry noobie ass that Barton will be supported by Nforce2...

I'm not sure KT400/333 will support it since these shady chipets aren't capable of 1/6th divider...Hence Via is coming out with a KT400a(freakin' loosers)...
Click to expand...
Dear OverclockTHIS, there might be certain social groups where your know-it-all attitude would make you popular, but this forum is NOT one of them. Be nice.
 
I too am looking at an nforce2 as the basis of the next system I build.

I see there will be support for the 400 MHz Athlon Bartons -- but does anyone know if the next AMD chips - the Hammers - will be supported by these motherboards ?
 
Originally posted by: Omer
I too am looking at an nforce2 as the basis of the next system I build.

I see there will be support for the 400 MHz Athlon Bartons -- but does anyone know if the next AMD chips - the Hammers - will be supported by these motherboards ?
Click to expand...

No...Hammer is a completely new technology...nForce2 won't support it...but Nvidia has a Crush K8 chipset ready for the Hammer processors though...
 
I would like to know if nVidia's own reference drivers for nForce2 chipset will work with each motherboard.
I thought I remember reading that they wouldn't work on the Asus board.

Sign me up for one of those left over boards! 😀
Thanks.
 
I agree with EglsFly. I think this has to do with the implementation of the "SoundStorm" audio. Some of the boards won't work with standard Nvida drivers because of "non standard" implementation of the audio subsystem. Rumor has it that the ASUS and the Chaintech boards won't work with standard drivers and you must get drivers/application software from the manufacture for the audio to work.

If possible please review the audio portion of the mainboards to check for SoundStorm capability. I believe it is one of the key features offered by the Nforce line and a major reason for buying an integrated chipset (don't need to buy a sound card).

Thanks,
RB
 
Dont forget regular IDE Raid also, would like to know the options on these new MBs RAID 0, or 1 or 0+1

Thanks! Can't Wait!
 
One thing nobody else mentioned here that I'm VERY interested in is the capability of each motherboard to be equipped with various hsf combos. I plan on purchasing one of the NF2 mobos, but only the one that will comfortably hold an Alpha PAL-8045 HSF.

Please give us some info regarding the space around the sockets for various HSF models, ok? 🙂 Thanks, that's the one thing reviews I've seen have been lacking. Sure, they try the SLK-800, but what about the alpha??? Do all the mobos in the roundup have holes for large HSF or waterblock installation? What fits on what mobo, what doesn't (in a nutshell! 🙂)

Thanks, and hopefully this will reach you in time for some analysis to be included in the roundup 🙂

Sincerely,

Methusela
 
i agree with methusela, i hardly see mention about what HSFs work on mobos anymore.... the thermaltake volcanoes are what im looking for really, maybe a slight measurement as to what can comfortably fit around the socket without bending that capacitors can be done? this would probably take up about all of 1 paragraph, so possibly 😀
 
Oh yea.... Who wouldnt want a nForce2 0+1 IDE Raid 😀 The Heatsink compatablity is a good idea. A heatsink should NEVER EVER touch any capacitors near the CPU Socket. Could you also tell us how hot the North,SouthBridge get?
 
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