which nforce2 mobo ?

[MarChaosTheory]

At the moment, i'm leaning towards the EPOX 8RDA+. I don't need RAID and i have a R9000, so i don't really need onboard video, and have a 60GB seagate. Do you think that this board is the go?

im going to hook it up with a XP 2100+

thanks

 

[TrollMan]

The MSI K7N2-L also looks pretty smart - the only difference between the two being if (n)either or both have NVidia's excellent 5.1 APU...

 

[Wesley Fink]

The Epox 8RDA+/FIC AU11 twins use the MCP-T southbridbe and DO include the excellent SoundStorm audio on-board and Firewire. The MSI uses the MCP(2) southbridge which does not have SoundStorm or Firewire capabilities.

In addition, the Epox/FIC have BIOS adjustments to 250FSB in 1MHz increments compared to the usual lack of adjustments or OC performance on the MSI. Epox/FIC also FULLY unlock t'bred multipliers allowing up or down adjustment - unlike Asus or most others that only partly work. For example, I run my FIC AU-11 with the 1/29 Epox BIOS at 205x11.5 with the great Thouroughbred "B" 2100+. The ability to get 3100+ performance from a $95 chip on air is reason enought to buy the Epox/FIC.

 

[KidChaos]

The Epox 8RDA+/FIC AU11 twins use the MCP-T southbridbe and DO include the excellent SoundStorm audio on-board and Firewire.

Soundstorm is not a physical object. It's a set of requirements. 8RDA+ does not meet all of soundstorm's hardware requirements. But, it does have the nvidia APU.

 

[TrollMan]

So which has the best audio then? Looked at Microdirect today and Epox is listed as 6-channel sound, MSI listed as 5.1?

On these forums the Epox does sound a pretty solid board for the most part and seems to work with most GFX cards...

 

[KidChaos]

Originally posted by: TrollMan
So which has the best audio then? Looked at Microdirect today and Epox is listed as 6-channel sound, MSI listed as 5.1?

Epox 8RDA+ has better Audio than the MSI K7N2-L, because it has the nVidia APU.

On these forums the Epox does sound a pretty solid board for the most part and seems to work with most GFX cards...

All nforce2 boards support the same stable of Graphics cards, AGP 2.0 (2x or 4x) and AGP 3.0 (4x or 8x).

The Abit NF7-S is the most impressive in my opinion. Only $126. Serial ATA (RAID), Firewire, PATA-SATA converter, official support for Barton processor with latest BIOS. Meets all soundstorm requirements. Great tech support. Very good overclocking features (8RDA+ a little better though because of higher voltages). Very stable.

 

[TrollMan]

Thanks! Looks like I may go that way too in a couple of weeks then, with fingers crossed I don't mix up the CPU and case fan headers (Murphy's Law, y'know ). Just seen the review on PCStats and it's very well laid out for cooling too!

 

[arynn]

As far as I know all of the nForce2 boards use the nVidia APU except for one of the Chaintech boards. Many of them don't have the extra features of soundstorm - the dolby digital encoding is one of them (I forget about the other extra features). I have a MSI K7N2G-L with 6 channel sound - as far as I know, it is using the nVidia APU. If you look the nForce2 motherboard round up that Evan did about a month ago or so, he states that 5 of the 6 boards use the nVidia APU. So unless you need the extra features of soundstorm and/or firewire or plan on using them during the life of your computer, it is not important to get the boards that use the MCP-T. Although, if the Epox 8RDA+ does use the MCP-T it certainly is a good option.

 

[KidChaos]

Originally posted by: arynn
As far as I know all of the nForce2 boards use the nVidia APU except for one of the Chaintech boards.

Only the "-T" boards have the nVidia APU.

I have a MSI K7N2G-L with 6 channel sound - as far as I know, it is using the nVidia APU.

This board does not have the nVidia APU because it uses the MCP2 Southbridge. But, it's a great board nonetheless. Congrats on your aquisition!

 

[SpideyCU]

That's not quite true. There are many, many boards that don't use the nVidia APU. The 8RDA (non-plus version) just has old-school 2-channel onboard sound. There are many other cheap nForce2 boards that don't use the nVidia APU, I just don't feel like going to look all of them up at the moment.

So unless you need the extra features of soundstorm and/or firewire or plan on using them during the life of your computer, it is not important to get the boards that use the MCP-T.

It's a matter of personal preference. Considering that the 8RDA+ is only about $10 more most places than the 8RDA, if you think you might use any of its features, it's certainly not a bad investment. Unless you already have all those parts individually, you'd spend more than that on the Firewire card alone, not to mention an Audigy or something similar.

Soundstorm is not a physical object. It's a set of requirements. 8RDA+ does not meet all of soundstorm's hardware requirements. But, it does have the nvidia APU.

Indeed. The only requirement from Soundstorm that the 8RDA+ doesn't meet is the required SPDIF output, which you can purchase separately. Everything else is there.

 

[nick1985]

huh, no one recommended the asus a7n8x, well i will!