Athlon XP system, recommended motherboards

[willardhaven]

I'm looking for all price ranges, I'm not sure what to look for.

I don't understand the FSB speed business, and whether or not it varies between P4 and Athlon XP boards... any info would help.

Thanks : )

[Moxio]

I think you should shell out a few more bucks for a 64, rather than an XP.

[daphatty]

I just bought a Shuttle AN35N Ultra for ~$80 a few months ago. It's a very solid and stable peice of hardware. It will support up to an Athlon XP 3000+ and 3 GB of RAM.

http://us.shuttle.com/specs.asp?pro_id=280

[willardhaven]

^ that does look nice... but the FSB, I do not understand.

Let me change the question then, what should I look for in a motherboard of any sort?

[daphatty]

I think you should shell out a few more bucks for a 64, rather than an XP.

Understatement of the year. You'd easily have to spend an extra $150 at the absolute minimum for the board and CPU. Wait a year on the 64 chips. There aren't any consumer level software packages made for 64bit processors so you won't really see the benefits of the chip for at least 12 months. By which time, your system will be obsolete.

[Ericnmel99]

go to www.newegg.com and check the reviews for each mobo in the price range you want to spend. See what people say about them. That will give you a good idea which are good or which will match what your looking for.

[daphatty]

^ that does look nice... but the FSB, I do not understand.

Let me change the question then, what should I look for in a motherboard of any sort?

That depends on your needs. The general rule is, "Faster is better." But speed comes at a price so that's where individual preference comes into play. You have to balance what are you willing to spend vs. what sort of performance you expect to get for that money.

[daphatty]

go to www.newegg.com and check the reviews for each mobo in the price range you want to spend. See what people say about them. That will give you a good idea which are good or which will match what your looking for.

Agreed. Newegg is the best source for computer equipment online. My second favorite is www.googlegear.com

[Moxio]

I think you should shell out a few more bucks for a 64, rather than an XP.

Understatement of the year. You'd easily have to spend an extra $150 at the absolute minimum for the board and CPU. Wait a year on the 64 chips. There aren't any consumer level software packages made for 64bit processors so you won't really see the benefits of the chip for at least 12 months. By which time, your system will be obsolete.

Hm... I suppose that's true. But would those 64-bit required programs really need enough juice that, say, a 2800+ couldn't handle?

Sorry, I don't know too much about PCs, and I'm curious to know.

[bignick]

ASUS mother boards rule. like a previous poster saud, go to www.newegg.com

[goldengraham]

I myself have a SOYO Dragon motherboard, I think it may be this one

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=13-139-145&depa=0

That's a really good price on a very good MOBO... even has a MIR to take it down to $44 now.

[Sheik Rattle Enroll]

The ASUS A7N8X Deluxe is an excellent motherboard, and DFI makes a pretty mean nforce 2 board too.

[willardhaven]

I'm trying to figure out what the heck FSB does for a machine, I've built PCs before, but honestly I never checked that in the specs.

[Sheik Rattle Enroll]

I think you should shell out a few more bucks for a 64, rather than an XP.

Understatement of the year. You'd easily have to spend an extra $150 at the absolute minimum for the board and CPU. Wait a year on the 64 chips. There aren't any consumer level software packages made for 64bit processors so you won't really see the benefits of the chip for at least 12 months. By which time, your system will be obsolete.

Hm... I suppose that's true. But would those 64-bit required programs really need enough juice that, say, a 2800+ couldn't handle?

Sorry, I don't know too much about PCs, and I'm curious to know.

A 64 bit processor doesn't intrinsically have more "juice" than a 32 bit processor, the bits are just instruction length. A 64 bit processor can address more memory and do more in a single instruction, but the instructions also take longer.

The problem with 64 bit processors is there 64 bit windows isn't even out yet, and once that's out you still need 64 bit applications to take full advantage. Also, the athlon 64 platform isn't totally solidified. Do you get socket 754 or 939? The only real advantage an athlon 64 has over an xp right now is the on-die memory controller which increases memory bandwidth pretty signifigantly.

[daphatty]

Hm... I suppose that's true. But would those 64-bit required programs really need enough juice that, say, a 2800+ couldn't handle?

Sorry, I don't know too much about PCs, and I'm curious to know.

This is where some of the confusion lies. Mhz aren't a consideration when you are talking about the difference between 32bit processors and 64bit processors. They are completely different and as such, software has to be written specifically for those processors. Your current version of windows won't work on a true 64bit CPU unless that CPU is capable of emulating a 32bit processor. Athlon 64's currently have this capability but the Intels do not (at least not yet).

[Sheik Rattle Enroll]

I'm trying to figure out what the heck FSB does for a machine, I've built PCs before, but honestly I never checked that in the specs.

Front Side Bus is the speed at which the processor interfaces with other components, epecially memory.

[daphatty]

FSB is the speed at which data travels across the motherboard from the CPU to the Bridge (One of the chips on the MB that regulate the flow of traffic.)

EDIT: Damnit Sheik! That's Twice! :P

[bignick]

I thought the athlon 64 wasnt a true 64bit processor.

[spidey]

Abit NF7-S

No other choice to make. :wink: