Best ABIT AMD64 motherboard

danball1976 · January 2006

Take a look at the link below at a list of ABIT AMD 64 bit motherboards at NewEgg and tell me which one would be best to own.

I do want one with PCI-Express and SATA, and if possible RAID.

AMD Compatible Motherboards

I was thinking of somewhere between the AN8 Ultra, AN8-V, AN8 SLI, perhaps the Fatality AN8 SLI, AX8, KN8, KN8 Ultra, KN8 SLI, and UL8 (All socket 939)

Now, will I also have to buy a new PSU as well?

As for the KN8 SLI, what is a shadow card? And what is the point of the SLI bridge connector? Don't you need two video cards of the same type to do SLI, and doesn't this SLI bridge connector partially cover one of the PCI-Express 16x connectors?

My mind is on the KN8-Ultra, but what do you recommend?

Omega65 · January 2006

The KN8 and AN8 series are based on the NF4 chipset and it's basically take your pick.

The Abit AX8 is based on the obsolete VIA K8T890 PCIe chipset and IS NOT X2 Dual core compatible, but otherwise is a competent motherboard. The AX8 v2 IS X2 compatible but hasn't been released in the US. A new board based on the upcoming K8T900 (SLI/Crossfire capable) chipset will be released soon.

The UL8 is a value board based on ULi's chipset. It's a fast but basic motherboard. Nvidia just purchased ULi chipset business.

My advice - pick a version of the KN8 or AN8 and go with that. Once the VIA K8T900 mobo comes out it would be a VIAble 2nd choice. (pun intended)

muddocktor · January 2006

Personally, I would buy a NF4 chipset board from someone like Asus, DFI, EPoX or MSI before buying an Abit product. The Abit you remember from the NF7-S days has gone bye-bye, with a financially troubled Abit that has been turning out quite a few defective boards, with their RMA service also going down the toilet too, replacing them. Don't just take my word for it; go to the Abit-USA forums and read some of the posts and threads in the forums there and make your own mind up whether you want to take the chance of dealing with them now. I know that I don't until I see proof that they have turned around their poor RMA service back around at least.

GrayFox · January 2006

Definatly go for another brand abits curent lineup of products is below average.

Omega65 · January 2006

muddocktor wrote:

Personally, I would buy a NF4 chipset board from someone like Asus, DFI, EPoX or MSI before buying an Abit product. The Abit you remember from the NF7-S days has gone bye-bye, with a financially troubled Abit that has been turning out quite a few defective boards, with their RMA service also going down the toilet too, replacing them. Don't just take my word for it; go to the Abit-USA forums and read some of the posts and threads in the forums there and make your own mind up whether you want to take the chance of dealing with them now. I know that I don't until I see proof that they have turned around their poor RMA service back around at least.

Good points. There many stories being written about ABit's finacial troubles. I believe Abit has also contracted out much of it's mobo manufacturing to ECS also....

Armo · January 2006

Asus A8N SLI Deluxe, A8N32 SLI

madmat · January 2006

Funny, when I started reading this thread the first thought that popped into my head was "The best Abit AMD64 mobo would be made by ASUS" and it looks like I'm not alone in that opinion.

I built a PC on the A8N32-SLI Deluxe recently (for someone else sadly

) and it's a very nice mobo that has tons of features not just the dual true X16 PCI-E slots. If I ever have that kind of jack to spend on a PC for myself (He spent $5500) I'd go with an identical rig. It's just simply awesome.

csimon · January 2006

That new Xfire sapphire board sure is pretty. If you don't plan on going with 2 video cards you don't even have to worry about whether it is SLI or Xfire really. If you do go with rd480 or 580 make sure you get the Uli southbridge.

GrayFox · January 2006

Its called crossfire not Xfire.

Thrax · January 2006

That's remarkably nit-picky, and a total irrelevancy. The letter 'X' is short-hand for "Cross."

Moving on..

Omega65 · January 2006

madmat wrote:

Funny, when I started reading this thread the first thought that popped into my head was "The best Abit AMD64 mobo would be made by ASUS" and it looks like I'm not alone in that opinion.

I built a PC on the A8N32-SLI Deluxe recently (for someone else sadly ) and it's a very nice mobo that has tons of features not just the dual true X16 PCI-E slots. If I ever have that kind of jack to spend on a PC for myself (He spent $5500) I'd go with an identical rig. It's just simply awesome.

Specs please!

Thrax wrote:

That's remarkably nit-picky, and a total irrelevancy. The letter 'X' is short-hand for "Cross."

Moving on..

Not to be piling on, But well said.

csimon · January 2006

I've been admiring this board for a few days now ...I don't think it's very available yet though. http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Sapphire/PI-A9RD480

GrayFox wrote:

Its called crossfire not Xfire.

Sorry I keep confusing the Xpress with the Crossfire ...

Nightwolf · January 2006

I'm with everyone else. Go with ASUS or DFI!

madmat · January 2006

It's here, I don't really want to muck up his thread with someone else's PC...

danball1976 · January 2006

So it is Asus I should go with? What happened to ABIT in the past three years to become financially troubled? I last bought my ABIT KD7-RAID back in Feb 2003, and it is pretty much time for an upgrade. After all, I do have a copy of Windows XP 64 I need to use.

--EDIT--
Ok, the ASUS A8N-E motherboard, 4/5 rating based on 443 votes. Did I make a good choice?
ASUS A8N-E Socket 939 NVIDIA nForce4 Ultra ATX AMD Motherboard
It also seems that the ASUS has a better board design than ABIT.

Also, about power supplies, can I continue to use my 350W EG-365P(FC) Enermax (20 pin connector plus the 4 pin connector) or do I have to buy a new PSU such as these:
ENERMAX EG425P-VE SFMA 2.0 ATX12V 420W Power Supply
ENERMAX Whisper II EG565P-VE FMA(24P) ATX12V 535W Power Supply - Retail

Oh, and this is the processor I plan on going with:
AMD Athlon 64 3500+ Venice 1GHz FSB Socket 939 Processor Model ADA3500CGBOX

What is the difference between SATA 150 and SATA 3.0Gb/s?

madmat · January 2006

I'd get a minimum 500W AXT2 PSU with a 24pin mobo connector. This way you're forward compatible with future mobo and/or vid card upgrades you may do.

Abit has lost a lot of mobo engineers to DFI over the last couple of years so the Abit mobos out now are basically designed by the "second string" as it were...

danball1976 · January 2006

Oh, I see.

As for the PSU, I have decided to place the 535W Enermax PSU in my wish list.

Any idea of what is the best video card manufacturer of a PCI-Express 16x with a ATI Radeon chip a few steps above a ATI Radeon 9550? How about this ASUS video card?

(FYI - It'll be close to $700 to upgrade to 64bit computing! - If you click here you might be able to see what I chose)

GrayFox · January 2006

That X1300 is about 2.5X as fast as a radeon 9550

very good choice.

edit:For only a few bucks more you can get a much faster card
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814121549

muddocktor · January 2006

Which Antec psu are you talking about, Danball? I see 500 watt Antecs and 550 watt Antecs but no 535 watt units.

As for the vid card, that's pretty low end; you might want to spend a bit more and get a better vid card like a 6800GS, which will overclock very well too and give much better video performance even at stock speeds.

Mt_Goat · January 2006

muddocktor wrote:

Which Antec psu are you talking about, Danball? I see 500 watt Antecs and 550 watt Antecs but no 535 watt units.

As for the vid card, that's pretty low end; you might want to spend a bit more and get a better vid card like a 6800GS, which will overclock very well too and give much better video performance even at stock speeds.

danball1976 · January 2006

GrayFox wrote:

That X1300 is about 2.5X as fast as a radeon 9550 very good choice.

edit:For only a few bucks more you can get a much faster card
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814121549

That X1600 is actually slower than the X1300, but the X1600 has 12 pixel pipelines. Is that what makes it faster?

X1600PRO has the following specs:
Core clock - 500MHz
PixelPipelines 12
Memory Clock - 780MHz
Memory Size - 256MB
Memory Interface - 128-bit
Memory Type - GDDR2
RAMDAC - 400 MHz

X1300PRO has the following specs
Core clock - 600MHz
PixelPipelines - 4
Memory Clock - 800MHz
Memory Size - 256MB
Memory Interface - 128-bit
Memory Type - GDDR2
RAMDAC - 400 MHz

danball1976 · January 2006

I am getting this one
ENERMAX Whisper II EG565P-VE FMA(24P) 535W Power Supply

I am looking at these video cards:
MSI RX800-TD256E Radeon X800 256MB GDDR3 PCI Express x16 Video Card
POWERCOLOR R43CA-GD3D Radeon X800GT 256MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 Video Card
connect3D 3038 Radeon X800GTO 256MB 256-bit GDDR3 VIVO PCI Express x16 Video Card

Omega65 · January 2006

madmat wrote:

It's here, I don't really want to muck up his thread with someone else's PC...

Nice! You need to post that worklog Here

Mt_Goat · January 2006

danball1976 wrote:

I am getting this one
ENERMAX Whisper II EG565P-VE FMA(24P) 535W Power Supply

I am looking at these video cards:
MSI RX800-TD256E Radeon X800 256MB GDDR3 PCI Express x16 Video Card
POWERCOLOR R43CA-GD3D Radeon X800GT 256MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 Video Card
connect3D 3038 Radeon X800GTO 256MB 256-bit GDDR3 VIVO PCI Express x16 Video Card

Dan,
That PSU is fine and I have heard quite a few good things for it's price point.

The Powercolor card you listed is only 8 pipes and not such a good deal compared to the one above it. If you are willing to spent the price of the third card you listed, which isn't any better than several less expensive ones on the search list I would recomend spending just a few bucks more and going for an X800XL, that will spank the pants off anything listed so far!

Omega65 · January 2006

danball1976 wrote:

That X1600 is actually slower than the X1300, but the X1600 has 12 pixel pipelines. Is that what makes it faster?

X1600PRO has the following specs:
Core clock - 500MHz
PixelPipelines 12
Memory Clock - 780MHz
Memory Size - 256MB
Memory Interface - 128-bit
Memory Type - GDDR2
RAMDAC - 400 MHz

X1300PRO has the following specs
Core clock - 600MHz
PixelPipelines - 4
Memory Clock - 800MHz
Memory Size - 256MB
Memory Interface - 128-bit
Memory Type - GDDR2
RAMDAC - 400 MHz

YES! Look at #pipes first, then Clock speed. The X1600 will wipe the floor with the X1300. ATI's next lowend CPU chipset will integrate the X1300 (4 pipes). AVOID the X1300!

danball1976 · January 2006

Now, do I need registered RAM for that ASUS board I chose, or can I use the unregistered Corsair PC3200 that I currently have in my computer.

I've been thinking of just building a completely new computer, and letting my brother have this computer since all he uses is a Dell laptop

Any idea as to what would be a good computer case? I currently have the Lian-Li PC60+USB aluminum case, but what about the Chenming CMU-AL-602-SL-W?

Mt_Goat · January 2006

Regular DDR 3200 is good enough. Unless of course you want to do a little OC'ing, then some 4400 with good timings would be better. But no, you do not need ECC Reg memory.

madmat · January 2006

I'm a big fan of Lian Li cases...of course I'm a big anything.

I'd just reuse my case and save some cash that way.

Omega65 · January 2006

Only Socket 940 requires Registered DDR

danball1976 · January 2006

madmat wrote:

I'm a big fan of Lian Li cases...of course I'm a big anything.

I'd just reuse my case and save some cash that way.

Good idea. Save money by re-using my case and the memory. I have 1GB of the Corsair PC3200 DDRAM, would that be enough for Windows XP Pro 64bit?

madmat · January 2006

I dunno there, if you buy another gig that board will set it to 2T though.

If you decide to go 2gigs just get a 2 gig kit and sell the 1 gig kit to keep the 1T command rate...

Best ABIT AMD64 motherboard

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