8RDA3+ vs. 8RGA+

Which one? 8RDA3+ vs 8RGA+ vs 8RDA+

I need help from you OC pros...

If the 8rda+ is discountinued then perhaps I should think about getting either the 8rga+ ($103) or the 8rda3+ ($110).

Can anyone suggest one board over the other?

(Or should I try to find an 8rda+ somewhere before they run out of stock?)

I have both the 8RDA3 and the 8RGA+ boards.. the RGA+ is nice for the Geforce4mx video basically thrown in for just a few bucks, the 8rda3+ should have a better chance of overclocking the FSB, I've gotten mine to 215 so far at 1.8vdd, seems a bit more stable than my RGA+'s.. I have NOT yet tried the rga+ with a separate video card to see if it helps.. Both have vdd adjustable to 2.0 so you really can't go wrong vs the standard 8rda

8rda3+ is guaranteed 400fsb

Is the 8rGa+ the same as the 8rDa+ except it has a GeForce4MX onboard?

Another way to ask the question is: If I get the 8rGa+, will I be able to use all the great tricks and troubleshooting information discribed for the 8rDa+ in these forums?

Yes indeed, the boards work almost exactly the same. THe RGA+ has a vdd adjustment in bios that the rda does not not have. The real choice seems to be between the 8RGA+ and the 8RDA3+, the difference being the 8RDA3+ has a few extra features like SATA, firewire the yes as mentioned before truely supports 400fsb.
All 3 of my rga boards are able to hit 215-220fsb. The 8RDA3+ also sports active northbridge cooling which helps it higher fsb right out of the box.
Just remove the thick thermal tape and use some silver based adhesive like artic silver to get better heat transfer from your northbridge. Ramsinks on your mosfets will also help, ther are MANY threads on these subjects to be found in the forums.

Hugh,

If I replace my mobo with an 8RGA+ is it possible to NOT re-install WinXP? Do you have any experience doing this?

Not a problem , just make sure you have the NEW epox driver cd and you have already updated XP to all the new current updates, pretty easy..

I assume I need to un-install the drivers for my L7VTA (and all other hardware?), close XP, swap boards, then rebood and add the new drivers when new hardware is detected. Is that right?

That is the best way to do it, just in case always back up your data.

Win XP MIGHT!!! make you re activate or register since it will detect a change in your hardware

I don't have that problem since I have a volume -non activated licensed version

200*8 on 8rga+ running stable

I have the 8RGA+ with a 2500 Barton OC'd 2.0GHz on air and it rocks but if the 8RDA3+ had been out I'd have bought that one with the 400 FSB. I think you'll be very happy wth the 3+ and I'd go that way.

I got a refurbished 8RDA from newegg for $51. and it came in the box looking like brand new and no fingerprints on anything and nothing had been opened. Why in the world they sold it for a refurb, who knows ? ? Hooked that baby up and it took off like a scalded dog, worked perfect with my 2100 B core OC'd 2.1GHz.

As a matter of interest, I notice little difference between the 2100 and 2500 UNTIL I start running heavy graphics then the 2500's 512 cache kicks in and I notice a big difference.

depends what you need it for...if you want the video get the 8rga+ if not then go with the 8rda3+. It has a better NB cooler, and a heatsink on the SB i believe as well as dual lan and some other nice stuff....7$ is getting you alot of very useful features.

Either way both boards will o/c like a champ. Heck my old 8rda+ rev 1.1 can hit over 235 mhz fsb after the vdd mod.

WOW! Your pup looks a lot like ours that passed away last Feburary at the ripe old age of 17 years and 17 days. If mankind only had the same unconditional love in their hearts as Dogs what a wonderful, peacful place this world would be. . . .

Rogers on the on-board video and goodies I'll probably never use. About a month after I bought the 8RGA+ they came out with the 8RDA3+ or I would have bought it. Thanks to Wall Street advertising, I too am a victim of the "I gotta' have the latest and greatest" syndrome.

Here's a tip for ya'll regarding the passive HS on the 8RGA+ N'bridge: I took it off and found to my dismay there was a square, pink pad covering only maybe 60-70% of the HS and that ain't good. I removed the pink goo with a Q tip and some GOOF OFF and replaced it with Arctic Silver and remounted it then took a small 40mm fan (I think 40mm) and mounted it over the HS with twist ties. (Funky, but it works for me.) I had two small fans and the first one was quite loud because of the blades being so close to the HS and they buffeted starving for air. Second one worked fine and quiet and here's the numbers off the fan. EFB05 12MA Delta Electronics.

Gotta' jump in the shower and get ready for work so will close.
Ya'll have a great day and be kind one to another. OldBird

the boards are almost exactly the same....

if i was to get one, i would take the 8rda3+ which is just an updated version of the 8rda+..... i really don't need a mx400 onboard vid card... what a waste of money for me... besides, the 8rda3+ has sata, 2 onboard ethernet ports, firewire, etc.... VERY nice board!!!

do the 8rga+ and 8rda3+ have the soundstorm quality audio that the 8rda+ has? i think those two boards both have the MCP southbridge while the 8rda+ has the MCP-T southbridge which supports soundstorm. can someone clarify this?

both have "soundstorm" audio

The 8RGA and + Do NOT have soundstorm audio, its good 6 channel, but not soundstorm

i'm also quite sure that the 8rga and + don't have it as i have read a while ago, but what about the 8rda3+?

Anytime you have questions about what a MB has or doesn't have simply go to the maufuacturers website and look.
http://web.epox.com/html/motherboard.asp?product=EP-8RDA3plus&lang=1

Yes, the 8RDA3+ has the six channel sound Onboard Audio: Sound C-Media CMI9739 6-channel full duplex. I didn't bother to look but am told the 8RDA+ does have the fancy 6 channel same as the 3+. I have the 8RDA and it does not have six chanel but I don't care because I don't hook up the audio on the box anyway.

Got one of them bad boy surround sound set ups in the living room and if I want to listen to Rock n' Roll I crank that puppy up and let Led Zepplin put cracks in the drywall. JAM ON IT !
OldBird (OldHippie)

Do the 8RDA+and 8RGA+ have "Soundstorm" audio?

Yes! This is perhaps the most common audio related question I get. "Soundstorm" is actually a certification, like "THX" and "Dolby" are. Because the Epox Nforce2 boards don't come with spdif connectors, they don't meet Soundstorm requirements, and thus Epox doesn't advertise the feature by name. The boards do have the Soundstorm quality audio, but you can't get the official "Soundstorm" certification unless you buy a matching spdif bracket that Epox has for sale.

How good is this Soundstorm audio?

The sound quality is well above that of many sound cards, and is said to be between the quality of an Audigy and a Turtle Beach Santa Cruz. The only card that clearly beats it is the Audigy 2, which happens to cost as much as the 8RDA+! Soundstorm truly is a complete sound solution.