Jumping in the AMD side of the pool....

RADARADA Apple Valley, CA Member
edited September 2005 in Hardware
Some of you know I recently finished a build on a P4 3.0 system in March(My Latest Creation), but I got "an offer I couldn't refuse" to sell that system. I'll be using my 8600 lappy exclusively starting this Friday.

So I'm getting ready to start a new build, and want to get my feet wet on an AMD SLI system (new job = more $$$ = faster machine :thumbsup: ). I'm almost a n00b when it comes to AMD, so some advice would be appreciated.

My first question is who makes the best AMD boards? I am VERY fond of Asus mobos, I've had nothing but good luck with all the P4 boards I ever used. Asus has top notch customer support.

The board I'm currently doing research on is the Asus A8N SLI Premium. Anyone use it? Like? Hate?


Thanks Guys!

R
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Comments

  • jradminjradmin North Kackalaki
    edited September 2005
    Since they fixed the probs on the Deluxe board, they are turning out to be pretty nice. My monster build as the A8N SLI Deluxe and I'm loving every bit of it. It is so easy to OC using the jumperless options in the bios that its really sad. They also make the onbaord AI Booster that does OCing right from the OS. Although you cant fine tune your OC as much or OC your ram, its a nice little tool to bump up your CPU and voltages strait from windows.
  • JChretienJChretien Vancouver, BC, Canada
    edited September 2005
    I've used that board for a build, its not a great overclocker, but its very stable and has soooo many things onboard. I was able to get my friend's Venice core 3200+ to 2.5ghz (250x10). One problem with it though, is that the Nforce4 network adaptor doesnt work properly with the newest nforce drivers... you have install the previous ones (probably from the CD) and then install everything else from the newest Nforce4 driver pack. Another thing that bothered me was the Heatpipe NB cooling. I question its efficiency because it feel quite hot, even as i had 96cfm 120mm sitting on a Thermalright XP-120 blowing air over the heatsink on the heatpipe. But i have to say its quieter than the screamer on the A8N-Sli Dlx. Apart from the driver thing, its nice as long as you're not overly into overclocking
  • Sledgehammer70Sledgehammer70 California Icrontian
    edited September 2005
    I am the biggest AMD fan out there. I have a nice arsenal of AMD systems and tons of back ground with them. I don't know what you’re looking to spend or what type of SLI system your are looking to build but let me throw you my 2 cents :)

    I have been building AMD systems since the start of the Duron. Not that long...but long enough.

    My current top 3 tower have the following
    AMD Athlon 64 FX 55 “Currently building”
    AMD Athlon 64 4000+ “Main tower”
    AMD Athlon 64 3200+ “Back-up tower”

    I have 7 miscellaneous towers with the following
    AMD Duron 1600+ "These are in the attic"
    AMD Semp 1800+ "These are in the attic"
    Athlon XP 1700+
    Athlon XP 1900+
    Athlon XP 2400+
    Athlon XP 2800+
    Athlon XP 3000+ 3 systems total

    I have had no issues with any one of them and they all run like champs.

    I to am a huge ASUS fan and Have used there boards form day one, ASUS and AMD seem to marry quit nicely.
    I am using or have used the following ASUS boards.
    A7N8X-X
    A7N8X-E Deluxe
    A8N-SLI Deluxe
    K8N-E Deluxe
    K8N4-E Deluxe
    A7V880
    I am also using one of those free EVGA That I got with my 7800GT 

    And a few others, and have only had an issue with my A7N8X-X, with over heating issues, I sent it to RMA and got a brand new board with no issues.

    If I could go back I would get the Premium Board in SLI, as it has a few features I wish my deluxe had, like a fan less chipset.

    What processor are you looking to get? For cooling solutions I recommend Artic Cool or Zalman. I bought the new CNPS9500 LED which is an awesome cooler….

    If you are looking to get some Graphics cards…check out my Graphics cards I’m selling I have a few that you might be interested in. If you’re not planning on going 7800’s..
    http://www.short-media.com/forum/showthread.php?t=37205
    But if you have any questions feel free to ask, as that is what I do repair and build computers…
  • RADARADA Apple Valley, CA Member
    edited September 2005
    Thanks Hammer, I'll be bending your ear for advice I'm sure.

    I plan to go ALL OUT on this machine.

    The little woman just got herself a new SUV, so I have an open check book for this build! ;D
  • edcentricedcentric near Milwaukee, Wisconsin Icrontian
    edited September 2005
    Do you want to overclock? I mean seriously. You need to look at the DFI with VX memory if so.
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited September 2005
    DFI LanParty NF4 UT series > Asus. Period.
  • RADARADA Apple Valley, CA Member
    edited September 2005
    Thrax wrote:
    DFI LanParty NF4 UT series > Asus. Period.

    Hmm, have to do some research, I don't know a lot about them... I prefer reliability and stability over all the "Ooooo, Ahhhhh" stuff. Plus the BIOS/Windows enabled SLI on the Asus is very nice, but I'm open to learning about DFI.
  • Sledgehammer70Sledgehammer70 California Icrontian
    edited September 2005
    With the DFI boards I have seen they are nice, kind of troublesome in some areas, but they are by far the best OC Mobo's for the 939 series. If your not going to be the guy who is shooting for the the best 3DMark scores I would stay with an ASUS board...but yet the higest 3Dmark score is on a Asus premium board I might add :) so DFI isn't all that and a bag of chips....
  • jradminjradmin North Kackalaki
    edited September 2005
    Sledgehammer70 wrote:
    With the DFI boards I have seen they are nice, kind of troublesome in some areas, but they are by far the best OC Mobo's for the 939 series. If your not going to be the guy who is shooting for the the best 3DMark scores I would stay with an ASUS board...but yet the higest 3Dmark score is on a Asus premium board I might add :) so DFI isn't all that and a bag of chips....

    Thats something I dont understand either. If DFI is supposed to be the cream de'la cream, then when in the latest issue of PC Modder magazine did the A8N SLI deluxe get a higher OC then the DFI board?
  • RADARADA Apple Valley, CA Member
    edited September 2005
    Speed is important, but doesn't mean anything if the machine isn't stable.
  • Sledgehammer70Sledgehammer70 California Icrontian
    edited September 2005
    TBH I don't Like DFI products... they seem to do things there own way most times most things are not standard...even when they first introduced SLI...eww very fustrating.
  • ArmoArmo Mr. Nice Guy Is Dead,Only Aqua Remains Member
    edited September 2005
    another vote for the A8N Delux. amazing board, my raid runs great, my video card however is another story, ;D

    my DC proc folds faster than like 4 of my old P4's combined.
  • edcentricedcentric near Milwaukee, Wisconsin Icrontian
    edited September 2005
    The way to get huge OC on the DFI mobo is to use memory that loves volts, and crank it way up.
    Look at the numbers that anandtech was running. 318fsb at 2.5-4-3 using TCCD memory and 324fsb at 2-2-2 with both VX and RedLine. (all with 3.6-3.8V)
    Did the guys at PCM really max out the memory? If not then there is your answer.

    If you don't want to go volage crazy, but still OC look at this gem, http://anandtech.com/mb/showdoc.aspx?i=2506
    This is a very clean SLI implimentation also. No paddle, switches or jumpers.
  • Sledgehammer70Sledgehammer70 California Icrontian
    edited September 2005
    Ya the EVGA board is the same, but you loose those 2 cool PCI1 slots....they do come in handy
  • RADARADA Apple Valley, CA Member
    edited September 2005
    Here's my wish list so far. Have to wait till Friday (after the P4 system is sold) to start buying parts....

    Comments?
  • Sledgehammer70Sledgehammer70 California Icrontian
    edited September 2005
    I would change to the EVGA ACS2 7800GTX


    eVGA 256-P2-N529-AX Geforce 7800GTX 256MB GDDR3 PCI Express x16 Video Card - Retail
    http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.asp?Manufactory=1402&PropertyCodeValue=679%3A16838&PropertyCodeValue=0&PropertyCodeValue=0&PropertyCodeValue=0&PropertyCodeValue=0&PropertyCodeValue=0&PropertyCodeValue=0&PropertyCodeValue=0&PropertyCodeValue=0&PropertyCodeValue=0&PropertyCodeValue=0&PropertyCodeValue=0&PropertyCodeValue=0&PropertyCodeValue=0&description=&MinPrice=&MaxPrice=&SubCategory=48&Submit=Property

    the card has a much higher clock and runs fasr faster and cooler than the BFG card. That is my opinion....

    what type of ram will you be running this baby at?
  • RADARADA Apple Valley, CA Member
    edited September 2005
    Hammer,

    My P4 system's BFG 6800 OC has been FLAWLESS for the last 7 1/2 months. I tend to stay w/ the brands that are good to me, as you probably do, but I'll do my research on eVGA, thanks for the tip.

    Still researching RAM......
  • Sledgehammer70Sledgehammer70 California Icrontian
    edited September 2005
    BFG makes awesome cards, I own 3 of them... But I found EVGA to be the much better this time around. my 7800GT and my 7800GTX are both EVGA and they are freaking awesome....
  • lemonlimelemonlime Canada Member
    edited September 2005
    I have both a DFI NF3 250GB, and a DFI NF4 Ultra-D, and they are both rock solid boards. I have had no stability issues whatsoever. If you like to tweak and tune, they are about as good as it gets.

    I think they get a bad stability reputation simply because a majority of DFI owners are overclockers.
  • RADARADA Apple Valley, CA Member
    edited September 2005
    OK Hammer,

    You sold me (well the lifetime warranty on the cards sold me)

    eVGA 256-P2-N529-AX Geforce 7800GTX 256MB GDDR3 PCI Express x16 Video Card

    X2 = $1160 for video cards, OUCH! :eek:
  • Sledgehammer70Sledgehammer70 California Icrontian
    edited September 2005
    well for what scores your going to post! it will be well worth it :)
  • jradminjradmin North Kackalaki
    edited September 2005
    Trust me, I have a dual 7800GTX rig and its worth the money in my opinion. My cards are MSI brand, and I have em OC'd to 550/1300 and their staying at around 48C in an air cooled system playing BF2 with everything set to high.

    Infact, all my games are set to high now :) I think my brain is blocking out what things used to look like when I could only go to medium. Playing games at extreme/high graphics is like looking into another world. I remember when I bought my 6800GT when they first came out, blury spots turned into flowers...it was that same feeling all over again.
  • RADARADA Apple Valley, CA Member
    edited September 2005
    HOLY CRAP!!! :eek::eek::eek:

    To see whether it is more cost effective to buy or build, I just priced out an Alienware machine w/ specs as similar as I could get them... ..I stopped after the price went above $6800.00!!!! :wtf:

    Guess building is still cheaper....

    BTW - Dell XPS w/ similar specs - $5000+
  • RADARADA Apple Valley, CA Member
    edited September 2005
    OK guys,

    Who makes the best RAM for an AMD board, or should I just stay with OCZ or Corsair? (Used them both before)
  • JChretienJChretien Vancouver, BC, Canada
    edited September 2005
    wow PCP&C turbo cool 850? hahah overkill? or not? i always thought 510w was more than enough... either make sure the 850 fits in that case... its pretty big.
  • Sledgehammer70Sledgehammer70 California Icrontian
    edited September 2005
    It is always cheaper to build a very high-end system yourself.... My new FX-55 system that I am building I figured would save me about $2000.00. Now to me that is another system:)
  • RADARADA Apple Valley, CA Member
    edited September 2005
    JChretien wrote:
    wow PCP&C turbo cool 850? hahah overkill? or not? i always thought 510w was more than enough... either make sure the 850 fits in that case... its pretty big.

    J,

    Saw the 850 in last months issue of Maximum PC, on their Dream Machine, Didn't realize the DM 2005 was a total dual "everything" machine.. Upon closer inspection, it appears the Turbo Cool 510 will suffice*..


    *Means I have more to cover the cost of those "break-the-bank" video cards! LOL
  • Sledgehammer70Sledgehammer70 California Icrontian
    edited September 2005
    Ya with the fight for lower power consuming products high power PSU’s will become less attractive, and it will tend to focus more on continual power output rather than wattage, Which you should be concerned with now. The 510 is a great product and stands true. But if you decide to go a different brand, do your research. THG just did a nice break down of like 19 PSU's, you will be surprised which ones failed.
  • rykoryko new york
    edited September 2005
    Sledgehammer70 wrote:
    Ya the EVGA board is the same, but you loose those 2 cool PCI1 slots....they do come in handy

    not really...any pcie x1 device can fit and function in any >pcie x1 slot. it's all compatible so that any pcie device (1x/2x/4x/8x/16x) will work in any pcie 16x slot.

    i think you could even throw a 4x pcie device into a smaller (2x/1x) slot and it will still work, although (obviosly) at a lower speed.

    we really haven't seen the proliferation of smaller than pcie x16 devices anyway, except for some gigabit nics and some professional grade hdd controllers.....so no real worries yet! :)
  • Sledgehammer70Sledgehammer70 California Icrontian
    edited September 2005
    but you still loose 2 slots in that layout! on the ASUS baords there is 4 slots and a extra at the bottom on top of the 1 PCI-E slots.
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