P4 board

[Mercutio]

I need a recommendation for a P4 board.
Let me re-phrase that The BEST P4 board.

This is something I'm doing for my Amy. I absolutely need it to be perfect.
Host CPU will probably be in the 2800 - 3200 range. I haven't decided yet.

Anyone have an opinion on the matter?

 

[CougTek]

You haven't given up yet, haven't you?

Try not to spend too much on the whole system.

Asus and Abit i875P-based mainboards are both excellent. There are competitive chipsets from both SiS (655TX) and VIA (PT880) for the price, but in term of absolute quality, I don't think any of the alternatives match Intel's chipsets yet.

Don't touch the Presscott processor unless you are willing to risk yourself with the promising new IGP 9100 Pro chipset from ATI (still no tangible mainboard based on it tough).

I don't think you'll need many additional functionalities like more than 4 USB ports and IEEE 1394 ports. Ditto for gagabit Ethernet and RAID (any). Keep it simple. IMO, an Abit IC7 would be just fine. Even the IS7-E2 (based on the i865PE chipset) would be since Abit has a BIOS that enables a PAT-like feature on their i865PE boards. Asus' i865PE boards do that too BTW, but they cost more for no other apparent reason than brand name.

If you've completly lost your mind, there's always the DFI LANParty PRO875B, but only if...

Oh and a Hitachi 400GB SATA drive, a 74GB Raptor and a Radeon 9800XT graphic card are, needless to say, over the top for her box ;-)

 

[CougTek]

I should, for the sake of your wallet, forget to mention this but...

If you're looking for utter stability over features that she won't need anyway, well don't forget to take a glimpse over at SuperMicro. I didn't even know there was such a thing as an E7210 chipset from Intel before I visited their site a few minutes ago. It sounds VERY server-ish AND expensive, but hey, you asked for the best so...

(thinking about Merc shoveling green paper out of his window)

 

[Mercutio]

Oh, this is even worse.
It's a present for Amy, and she's going to basically give it to her girlfriend (wife?). Stated purpose is to do video capture and editing with Premier.


I'll be standing over here with Sancho. We're sizing up windmills this evening.

 

[CougTek]

I must have missed something but, who is this Sancho?

Windmills? Whatever.

 

[LunarMist]

Sancho Panza is a character from Don Quixote.

 

[Mercutio]

To each his Dulcinea, whom he alone can name.

 

[mubs]

Oh, what is one to do with you, Mercutio?

 

[timwhit]

Why are you doing this Merc? I don't get it.

 

[Mercutio]

Because I want her to be happy.

 

[sechs]

If she's bad he can't see it
She can do no wrong
Turn his back on his best friend
If he put her down

...

If she plays him for a fool
He's the last one to know

 

[Mercutio]

Can we get back on the important subject?

It's just really important that I do this right.

The dual gigabit etc is WAY overkill. She told me today they pay for multiple Comcast Cable internet installs because they don't know how to network their PCs, so I want to put something down that will be as close to trouble free as possible.

Neither the Shuttle nor Biostar board I've used in recent memory will make the cut. Shoot, I'm not even completely sure what chips works with what board. Intel=alphabet soup.

 

[Fushigi]

As Coug said, i865 & i875 chipsets seem to be the way to go based on pretty much everything I've read. Beyond that I can't really make a recommendation as I don't buy Intel for myself.

I won't question the sanity of what you're doing. I would caution you, though, to not expect anything in return.

 

[Bozo]

I've been using the Intel D865PERL motherboard for a while now. For reliability and stability you cant beat it. Price is reasonable too.

Bozo :mrgrn:

 

[time]

I'm concerned you're even doing this. Can't you just give her advice on something and leave it at that?

Okay, maybe you can't, but I'm still worried.

Anyway, why use a P4 when an Athlon 64 is around the same price and will probably be more useful down the track?

 

[Handruin]

I know this won't change your mind, but I suggest doing as time mentioned. Only give advice, not build that machine for her. You mentioned her name for a reason. You could have simply asked for P4 mother board advice.

 

[Mercutio]

It's supremely important to me. Invoking her name should say that much.

If it was ANYONE else, I'd just do a tiny amount of search and say "this one looks good", and away I'd go. But this is like building a computer for your mom (no freudian interpretation there, please). You don't want your mom to have any trouble, so you take the time and try to make sure everything is perfect. I certainly don't want her to think that I did anything but my best work for her.

Anyway, the P4-based config is very marginally more expensive, less than 5% price difference in most cases. I specced an Athlon64 as well, but I don't think she'll take it.

 

[mubs]

It's supremely important to me. Invoking her name should say that much.

We understand as much, Merc. We just don't want you to get hurt...

 

[BooST]

I'm going to have to hurt you next week, but the Gigabyte GA8KNXP That I'm running is horriffically stable, everything runs super smooth. Only complaint is the fan on the NB. Feature packed ***Expensive*** board.

 

[sechs]

It's supremely important to me. Invoking her name should say that much.

We understand as much, Merc. We just don't want you to get hurt...

This is to say, it shouldn't be as important as it is.

To my knowledge, a computer, no matter how perfect, has yet to bring any woman back to a man.

I would also suggest going with an AMD chip. Intel is for wussy-boys.

 

[Mercutio]

I'm under no such delusions. I just want to do the right thing for someone I care very much about. She didn't have to ask me.

 

[mubs]

I think enough has been said; we should stick to the point and leave Merc alone otherwise.

For various reasons, I have not built the new system I was planning to. My favorite canididate for mobo was the GA-K8NNXP.

There was a news item in The Inquirer today that AMD is transitioning the A64 to 939 pin, and that there will be a pretty impressive jump in performance with the non-Registered dual channel RAM as a consequence. The present 754 socket mobos will be used for a "Son of Duron" that will be announced at the time the 939-pin A64 CPUs are announced.

I've recently submitted too many news items , so I've refrained from submitting this one.

 

[Explorer]

Supermicro P4SCT+II

• 1. Intel® Pentium® 4 Support up to 3.4 GHz, Celeron® up to 2.8 GHz
  2. Intel® 875P Chipset
  3. Up to 4GB DDR 400/333/266 SDRAM
  4. 1 x Intel® 82547GI CSA, 1 x Intel® 82541 Gigabit Ethernet Controller
  5. Intel® 6300ESB Serial ATA Controller
  6. Marvell® Serial ATA Controller
  7. 3 x 64-bit 66MHz PCI-X (3.3V), 2 x 32-bit 33MHz PCI (5V) slots

• 
  8. ATI RageXL 8MB PCI Graphic Controller (embedded)
  9. 1 x AGP Pro 8x 1.5V

http://www.supermicro.com/products/motherboard/P4/875/P4SCT+II.cfm