Motherboard for Barton 3200+

[Kill-Switch]

Does anyone know which motherboards support the new Barton 3200+? So far most motherboards only list up to 3000+ but none so far mention the 3200+ ... is it going to be something as simple as a bios update to support this or is there going to have to be another revision of the motherboards?

I have been considering the Abit NF7 - S for my new sysytem but as it stands it appears to only support up to XP 3000+ and I really want to get he 3200+

[Drake]

There's a new nForce2 chipset revision that allows 400MHz FSB, I believe.

[Ruantic]

All of the latest Rev NF2 boards do from, Abit, Asus, Epox, not sure about any of the others, but i would only consider these 3 anyway...

[Kill-Switch]

Originally posted by Ruantic
All of the latest Rev NF2 boards do from, Abit, Asus, Epox, not sure about any of the others, but i would only consider these 3 anyway...

So would the Abit NF7 - S suport it? I think last month they released revision 2 of this board ... or is there a new one coming out?

[Ruantic]

yes the Abit NF7-S 2.0 officially supports 200 fsb.

[Kill-Switch]

Woohoo :)

Thanks guys that's one less worry for me when I come to building my new system. I think the only problem now is choosing either an ATI 9800 Pro 256meg or an Nvidia GeForceFX 5900 Ultra 256meg.

[Drake]

Radeon 9800 Pro (http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=613701&perpage=20&pagenumber=1) :D

Truthfully, I see at most a 25 FPS lead in a few games, and shoddy IQ compared to ATI. Perhaps if the GFFX was $100 cheaper I'd go for it, but scince it's competition offers more for the same price the 9800 Pro seems to be the way to go.

What are you trying to do with the system? Even with a 400MHz FSB any i875/800MHz FSB platform demolishes AMD at the moment.

[Kill-Switch]

I'm building a gaming rig (which will be folding inbetween :D ) ... I have to stick with AMD, for now, as I'm building the new system into my current watercooled case which uses an AMD waterblock.

[Mr Gung-Fu]

I recomend the new EPOX 8RDA3+ if you are gonne be overclocking - you got water cooling so id assume so.

Its the new revision 2 board from epox and it has the best overclocking features of any board (including a bios vdd chipset voltage setting which goes up to 2v whereas the new abit one only goes to 1.7v).

It has the SATA, 2 NICs, etc that were mising from the origional 8rda+.

Ive got a faulty asus a7n8x delux so am trying to exchange it for the 8rda3+.

[Ruantic]

recomend the new EPOX 8RDA3+ if you are gonne be overclocking - you got water cooling so id assume so.

Unfortunately, epox in there wisdom decided not to put the Soundstorm technology on the board, OC results are being reported as only marginally better if at all....

I would stick with the Abit, as Soundstorm is an asset i appreciate.

[Mr Gung-Fu]

In my opinion soundstorm is a bit w*nk so i dont think thats a problem. The epox does have sound of the same spec as all the other boards. Not heard it personally but not read it was good in reviews.

Ive heard the OC result are better. i recon having a higher range of voltages across the board will definately yield better OCing with the right cooling.

[Kill-Switch]

Well I have an Audigy soundcard so I won't be using any onboard solution. I do a little overclocking, but I've never messed too much with core voltages (last time I did the system wouldn't boot up on anything other than default voltage :( )

I'll take a look at the board you mentioned though. What I'm looking for is a board similar to the Abit, with dual-channel memory support (I'll be using Corsair TwinX XMS 3200LL). I'm also going to try out the new SATA Hard Drives so it must support them. Basically the Abit seems like the best solution right now.

[Drake]

Originally posted by Mr Gung-Fu
In my opinion soundstorm is a bit w*nk so i dont think thats a problem. The epox does have sound of the same spec as all the other boards. Not heard it personally but not read it was good in reviews.Nay, the Epox board uses a C-Media sound subsystem, which is what I have with one more channel. It sucks. Soundstorm beats out pretty much everything save M-Audio Revolution or Audigy 2.

[Ruantic]

Originally posted by Mr Gung-Fu
In my opinion soundstorm is a bit w*nk so i dont think thats a problem. The epox does have sound of the same spec as all the other boards. Not heard it personally but not read it was good in reviews.

Ive heard the OC result are better. i recon having a higher range of voltages across the board will definately yield better OCing with the right cooling.


Well, we are all certainly entitled to our opinions, But if you cannot tell the quality difference between AC97 audio, and Soundstorm by ear ( I certainly can) just take a peek at the specs. I have 4 other motherboards here and AC97 simply SUCKS in comparison to the Soundstorm, the output of the AC97 is very impure and noisy, I guess not everyone is as fussy about sound as i am though. It takes a 100+ dollar add on card to beat the Soundstorm, and I'm not just talking about to my ears (Spectrum Analyzers do not lie).

Yes the new Epox does have the same specs as other AC97 based on board sound, however not all of them...

Higher voltage is a benefit, but unless Epox has redesigned there regulation circuit on the board it still will need mods, and from what I've seen Epox is using the same regulation on the board as the 8rda+. Most of the NF2 boards suffer more from limitation of the Crush18 chipset rather than voltage.

My Abit board is certainly better than average and makes it to 255 fsb before the memory gives up, and thats at 1.7 on the VDD, and then you see stories of another NF7-S that can't do over 210 with 2.0+ VDD. Increased voltage isn't always the answer, and the limiting factor will still end up being the chipset.

Deciding between the Epox and Abit boards can be tough, either one is a very respectable performer, OC ability lies more with luck of the draw then it does board design. If you have an Audigy, or other High performance sound card then the loss of Soundstorm isn't an issue.

[Mr Gung-Fu]

Ive been reading up on the ABIT rev2 board and am now VERY keen on it.

Think i read a duff review of the rev1.2 from an epox lover or summit.

The rev2 does definately seem the best board. And the reviews ive read do say the same thing about the voltages (the 1st review i read said vcore max 1.85, vdimm 2.7 whereas they are actually 2.3 and 2.9 respectively).

I am now an abit supporter and will be getting one of the rev2 boards instead :D

Sorry for doubting your opinion :worship: hehe.

Kill-Switch: got for the abit, i was wrong before

[Kill-Switch]

Abit it is then :) Thanks guys for your views and opinions.

[Ruantic]

2.9 respectively


mine actually does 3.1 at the 2.9 setting, seems most of them overvolt the mem:)