[Barnstormer]

So I am going to finally upgrade my MB, and I have read a bunch of posts about all the different options, but was wondering what the current opinion was going to be for the best way to go. I am leaning towards a NF7 but I know there are lots of choices.
I want good overclocking ability and stability. I am going to run the 1700 pally I have in it for the moment, upgrading the cpu later.
Please dont just give your reccomendation- I would like to know WHY you think somthing.
Thanks in advance!
Brian

[L337 M33P]

Ideally this should be posted in the MOTHERBOARDS AMD section, but anyway

For lots of shiny features, SATA, Voice POST reporter, blah blah go with the ASUS A7N8X Deluxe. Make sure you get revision 2 though - other revisions have trouble getting to 200mhz FSB. I would go with Asus as it's going to be my next board

The more common option is the NF7-S because it is cheaper, has nearly the same amount of stuff as the Asus and is probably more reliable with the evil BIOS corruption issue. Also the northbridge seems to overclock better as they offer Vdd increases with that board

remember to beef up with cooling if you are going to OC that Pally - they are notorious for space-heating, especially one like mine

Another alternative is the Epox 8RDA+ board - most of the extreme overclocks in the CPU database are with this board, but i am not too familiar with it.

[don256us]

I personally am looking to the Asus A7N8X-Deluxe ver 2.0. It has all of the toys, is getting kick-butt reviews, etc.

If you go for the Abit, make sure you get that in ver 1.2. Abit ver 1.0 did not have mounting holes for a HSF. Ver 1.1 has holes but it also has electronics in the way of the holes. Ver 1.2 seems to have fixed that.

Asus ver 1.04 and higher will make the 200 fsb with a bios upgrade but it is still not the same as ver 2.0 which supports 200 right out of the box.

Both the Asus and Abit are well liked. The Asus is about $40 more. Either one that you decied, get it from a retailer that will garuntee the version.

[c627627]

Cheap $44 T-Brted B can really boost your system. Consider getting one now.

$44 factory unlocked T-Bred B easily hits 3000+ and more with basic Thermalright cooling.

Mobos?
http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=10384

http://www.overclockers.com/tips00427/


Cheapest guaranteed T-Bred B? $49 free shipping
http://www.gameve.com/store/gameve_v...?idproduct=267

[v8vega350]

i say the nf7 2.0 series it has a vcore of 2.3v with out having to mod it im not sure abuot the asus but i think its only 1.85v without mods. it has a 5bit fid so all the multipliers are unlocked but you probley wont need over 12.5 if you have good ram that will run @ 200 or more. i am not sure about the asus having a 5bit fid or not can an owner tell me? i have herd a few times the nf7's going to 250 fsb on ave. about 230. but as for the bios curruption problems i have had mine for a few months now and i have never had any problems with it. and i have herd of the asus boards just dieing after a period of time. and if it wont post after a save i just turn off my psu and it goes back to 11x100 settings but it saves the settings so i can just fix the one i messed up on. my .02

[Molester]

asus multies unlocked, up to like 17x(can we get some LN2), as for vcore, yeah, up to 1.85, and have 2 asus a7n8x 2.0's in the house, neither have "just died", plus, love the dual lan, no router needed for both of us to have internet(my computer always stays on, 24/7/365

[c627627]

No matter how many times I post this, I have never seen anone comment on this $75 Soltek beating Asus nForce2:
http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=10384

[Molester]

umm, because of dual lan, integrated soundstorm dolby 5.1 sound, 6 channel audio, firewire, 6 usb 2.0, unlocked multi., unlocked fsb(can change 1mhz at a time), sata, etc.....

[c627627]

That's what I mean. So all those things cannot be found on the Soltek...?

[Molester]

well, upon quick scan, soltek has 2 dimm slots, asus has 3 dimm slots, hahaha, other than that, don't know, i'll keep digging though

[sHape oF gReY]

I would go with an Abit NF7-S from personal experiance. Me and my brother are running exactly same rigs except he's running a Asus A7N8X-Deluxe ver 2.0 and im running an NF7-S, and in the time we had them mine has been more stable.

This however may just be a luck of the draw... or maybe not. Read what everyone else is writing and make your own conclusion .... thats what seperates us from the monkies... atleast the dumb ones

[Gautam]

as for vcore, yeah, up to 1.85

This can be a problem in higher level overclocking. You'd be hard pressed to cross 2.45ghz or so with any processor with that low amount of voltage. The Soltek maxes out here, also. I really couln't care less about soundstorm, no matter what anyone says, I still prefer my SB Live! Value. As for all the other stuff you mentioned, the $99 Soltek SL-75FRN2-RL has everything, for considerably cheaper than all other competitors. The only difference, I'm told, btw between Soundstorm certified boards, and those that aren't, is a SPDIF connector. My vote still goes to any one of the Abit NF7 series. They just can't be beat, allowing voltage adjustment for the northbridge, also, which often becomes important. Molester, are you sure that your board allows the full range, i.e. 5-12.5x, also?