Out of four motherboards...

I have done research over the past four days and have coincedentally narrowed my search for a new motherboard down to these four boards. Some things i'd like:

XP2100+ support (will upgrade when need be)
PC2700 DDR support
8x support (i intend to upgrade my video card someday soon...)
ATX design
Good speed without OCing

If anything, just give your personal opinion of which one, no reasons why is needed.

Also, is there any difference between the Gigabyte 7vax and 7vaxp than the RAID controllers?

Thanks in advance!

Brian

If you don't need RAID, get the Epox - it's cheaper. At standard speeds, the Asus is fastest because the FSB is pumped up a notch from the factory.

Either the a7n8x or 8Rda+ depending upon your specific onboard needs and what not

--Jakk:t

Actually, i have the Epox at $122, Asus at $115, Gigabyte 7vaxp at $110, and 7vax at $89. All prices are from NewEgg. Is there somewhere cheaper that you're thinking of?

Are we talkign about the a7n8x here or the a7n8x deluxe?

The a7n8x Deluxe is more expensive than the 8rda+ with only a few extra features, while the vanilla a7n8x has less features than even 8rda+ and as such is marginally cheaper

--Jakk:t

This one:

http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproduc...131-435&DEPA=1

Thats the plain a7n8x methinks

--Jakk:t

Also, a review says that the ping times on the onboard ethernet of the Asus board are slow. I play a lot of warcraft 3. Can anyone else confirm slow ping times?

And the vote has changed! 4-3 Epox... coincedince, that's the one i choose!

Good choice. :t

Haha Jakk i just realized what you meant when you said the Vanilla motherboard... I saw you say that in a different thread and found out what you meant there...

Innovative way of saying plain!

:t

What? They don't make flavored motherboards yet? :p

I have the ASUS A7N8X Deluxe, and I'm happy. Worth the extra money over the basic model because the extra features are yummy. My favorite of them is the onboard sound - good enough to rival an Audigy2 (Firing Squad rated it equal) when used with digital 5.1 speakers. Also got SATA RAID (useless for now due to no SATA drives), USB 2.0, Firewire, and two LAN adapters. The basic has USB 2.0 but none of the rest. Oh yeah, it has onboard sound too, but just the garden variety RealTek, not the Dolby Digital SoundStorm.

My vote goes for EPoX... I've used/owned and still own a couple asus boards, as well as others by ECS, MSI and SOYO and I like the EPoX in my main workstation better then all of 'em....

Quote:

---

Innovative way of saying plain!

---

I aint an english lit and language student for nuthin ;):x

--Jakk:t

I got a A7n8x and am absolutely over the moon, solved a host od instability and usb problems I have been having and I can scan and print properly for the first time in six months, overclocks a dream.

All I can say is that I won't ever buy a cheapish mobo again, go for the best you can afford. This board is real quality, but the others don't look too bad either.

Ordered the 8RDA+ abot an hour ago as an incentive to do this blinkin history coursework :(

COME TO PAPPA!!!

wait till friday and then i can sit and gawp at it until i cn afford the RAM for it and my half term holiday to do the upgrade in :rolleyes: :x

--Jakk:t

LOL :p Epox = GAWD (god)

My vote is for EPoX. I have the 8RDA+ and I love it! I can't say enough good things about this mobo. It's fast, stable, and the onboard audio is amazing, in my opinion ;)

-jeanna

Does the 8rda+'s audio support EAX and whatnot or not? If nto i'll keep my Sblaster PC512 in there

--Jakk:t

Yes, it supports EAX.
http://www.nvidia.com/view.asp?IO=feature_soundstorm

I might donate the PCI512 to my sis then

--Jakk:t

Whoa where'd those 7vaxp votes come from? I thought they werent even contending...

Epox 8RDA+

Overclocking wizard;)

Just got mine today - its boot-iful :o

--Jakk:t