Motherboard Choice 1

[LHLTech]

Hi,

I'm about to build myself a new PC and have narrowed my choice of motherboard down to two.

Abit NF7-S nForce2 (Socket A) Motherboard
and
Abit AT7-MAX2 (Socket A) Motherboard v2.0

I'm a fan of Abit - have used them before so I'm happy to stick with them.

I've read reviews of both, and all say they are excellent boards. I've written down my requirements for a new board, and each meets and generally far exceeds my requirements.

Both boards are available from

http://www.overclockers.co.uk

- the NF7-S at £105 and the AT7-MAX2 at £130

I just can't decide which to buy... is the AT7-MAX2 worth the extra £25?

So, I guess my question is really for any of you out there with experience of either to post your thoughts, pros and cons as you've found these boards in every day life.

More details at

http://www.abit.com.tw/abitweb/webj...p?pPRODUCT_TYPE=MotherBoard&pMODEL_NAME=NF7-S

and

http://www.abit.com.tw/abitweb/webj...PRODUCT_TYPE=MotherBoard&pMODEL_NAME=AT7-MAX2

Many thanks for your time LHLTech

IBM Certified
Advanced Technical Expert

 

[Kocky]

Take a look at :

http://www.hexus.net/review.php?review=464&page=10

Good review.

I recently bought the ASUS A7V8X. This is really an incredible mobo. Super fast and stable.
In my opinion the best socketA board out there.
It has the VIA KT-400 chipset onboard.
Price is around €129.

Bye

 

[CitrixEngineer]

Abit make great stable and overclockable boards and if you're happy with them, stick with them. ASUS are renowned for the speed of their boards, and are also a good choice.

The NF7-S is cheaper because it has no ATA100/133 RAID controller - so if that's important to you, you may wish to wait for a newer (more expensive) revision, or purchase an add-on Promise controller.

Note this board also has no Firewire ports, unlike the MAX. There are two headers on the mainboard but no I/O interface. You would need to purchase these separately, if you wanted to use the Firewire facility. ABit sell a front panel called Media XP which provides this, USB 2 and memory card support.

The advantage is in the NForce chipset with Dual DDR 400 Memory support and the overclocking features. If having the highest benchmark speed is important to you, then there's little contest. Be aware, though, that this is the first of what may be a long line of NForce based boards, and new technology is rarely without its "issues". Most manufacturers get it right by version 3, as the popular myth has it.

The ASUS equivalent to the NF7 is the A7N8X, which got reviewed on tomshardware.com recently, in a comparision match between NForce and KT400 boards. The NForce had it by a fairly large whisker, but a whisker nonetheless.

My choice is the MAX.


CitrixEngineer@yahoo.co.uk

 

[smaxted]

I have to agree with Kocky the Asus boards are the best. The ASUS A7V8X is an amazing board..its been the best I have ever own. The abit KD7 is also I good board...I know a couple of people who have it and it isn't that expensive. Scotty Mac a.k.a smaxted

"Another day, another problem"

 

[paparazi]

Nforce 2 chipset motherboards are quicker at the moment than KT400 chipset equipt equivellents, thats a fact (coming from someone who just brought a gigabyte GA-7VAXP KT400)
If that were the only issue then the NF7 would be my choice but as has been said the AT7Max 2 has fire wire and raid and undoughted support of Via 4in1's regular improving updates and Via have been in the game a lot longer.
KT400a may well redress the performance ballance and will be along anytime soon.
Ask yourself do you need raid and firewire?
Can you wait for KT400a?
If no to both then Nforce 2 NF7
Martin
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