What is the differnce between 865/875 boards?

[Petiot]

I posted this in the mobo section, but no responses.

I've been looking at some reviews at Toms Hardware at intel 800fsb boards and the MSI 865 PE Neo(Intel 865) rus faster than the MSI 875 NEO. So my question is this, why is the 875 boards more expensive then the 865 ones, and what is/are the main difference(s) between the two?

Thanks

ps. I've never built my own pc, but am getting ready to and want to make sure I get the right board.

 

[fredtam]

Just don't get the MSI board and you should be ok. I'll probably get corrected but here is the simplified answer. The 875 chipset is the highend chipset. The 865 is the "lowend". Originally the 875 was the only one to use PAT(performance acceleration technology) which made it slightly faster than the 865 chipset. Turns out PAT is a myth and the board manufacturers found a way to "enable" it on the 865. This made it as fast as the 875. For all practical purposes they are the same chipset. You will get great performance out of both.
The 865 chipsets are not "qualified" by intel to run at 875 speeds so you have to depend on motherboard makers quality control to insure you don't get an 865 that won't perform properly at 875 speeds. I went with the 875 (Abit IC7-G) and I'm very happy with it. Again don't get the MSI board. They only send the good ones to tech review sites.

 

[Budman]

Yes just dont get those MSi boards,unless you want a crapy buggy mobo.

Asus & Abit are much better choices.

 

[Burninator]

its as simple as this

 

[Regs]

a onboard RAID controller, and 2 extra USB ports.

So If you don't plan on using a serial hard drive like the raptor and putting a few of your hard drives on RAID, it's not woth the extra $$$ .


Don't get one from GigaByte either.

 

[fredtam]

Originally posted by: Regs
a onboard RAID controller, and 2 extra USB ports.

So If you don't plan on using a serial hard drive like the raptor and putting a few of your hard drives on RAID, it's not woth the extra $$$ .


Don't get one from GigaByte either.

The 865 supports 8 usb ports same as the 875. (The abit boards only supply six). Most 865 boards use the ICH5R so the onboard raid controller is there. Some have the additional SI chip for additional SATA/Raid capabilities.
Everything you said depends onthe board not the chipset. So you can spend less money on the 865 and still get the features you listed.

 

[Regs]

hmk.

 

[Petiot]

Which type of ram would be the best for the motherboard, 2700, 3200, etc.. and which brand(s) are the best.

 

[fredtam]

At least 3200. If you plan to overclock 3500+. I would recommend corsair or hyperX. If your on a budget try buffalo or crucial.

 

[Petiot]

how big of a power supply should i get if I plan on using the following and perhaps overclocking too.
p4 2.4-2.8 800fsb
radeon 9800 pro
1gb ram

 

[JackHawksmoor]

I don't know why no one else seems to buy Intel's own motherboards, but I love the suckers. They're usually cheaper than Asus, and they're always stable and trouble free. But then I don't overclock...

I think for any modern system you want at least a 300Watt power supply. Last system I put together was with an Antec Sonata case with a 380Watt power supply.

 

[MDE]

350W should be more than enough.

 

[Chaotic42]

Originally posted by: JackHawksmoor
I don't know why no one else seems to buy Intel's own motherboards, but I love the suckers. They're usually cheaper than Asus, and they're always stable and trouble free. But then I don't overclock...

I think for any modern system you want at least a 300Watt power supply. Last system I put together was with an Antec Sonata case with a 380Watt power supply.

Yep. If AMD made a 762 board I would have gotten it. Who knows their chip better than them?

 

[Dennis Travis]

Budman, have MSI boards gotten that bad of late? I know at one time they were first rate boards. The first one I had problems with was one of the 845 P4 boards. Was very picky about RAM and problems in the bios sort of solved by an update. I know the PIII era MSI's were good boards.

Just curious when they went down the tubes.

 

[Dennis Travis]

JackHawksmoor

Intel boards are first rate when it comes to a STABLE board. The only thing you usually loose is Overclocking. I run most of my rigs pretty stock so to me that makes little difference. I want a STABLE board. Intel fills that bill quite well. Asus is great and Abit now. Don't know what happened to MSI but they seem to have gone down hill the last year or so.