Looking for an AMD mobo

[josedawg]

I'm looking for an AMD motherboard with the following specs:

nForce2 chipset
PC2100/PC2700/PC3200 non-ECC memory support
333/400 FSB
AGP 8X (will settle for 4x, but most mobos come with 8x anyway)
4-5 PCI Slots
USB 2.0 2+ ports
2 SATA 150 + RAID 0 (RAID 1 optional) support
AND
2 UltraDMA 66/100/133 + IDE RAID 0/1 support

Integrated audio, and LAN is optional

Hopefully a mobo from one of the top players (Asus, Abit, MSI). NO ECS! Sorry, I hate ECS with a passion and will no longer work with their sub-par motherboards. This motherboard must be overclocker friendly

I've looked for a mobo with these features (Asus A7N8X Deluxe, Abit NF7-S) but they don't come with IDE RAID 0/1 support. I would really like it to be featured onboard, so I dont need another card filling up a PCI slot.

Thanks

 

[DahDee]

I *think* this Albatron KX18D Pro II has the specs you're looking for:

Albatron product page: http://www.albatron.com.tw/english/it/mb/specification.asp?pro_id=69

$107 shipped at Newegg: http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproduct.asp?DEPA=1&submit=Go&description=N82E16813170112

Review: http://www.cluboverclocker.com/reviews/motherboards/albatron/KX18PRo2/

Review 2: http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=1457

Review3: http://www.technoyard.com/hardware/motherboards/KX18DProII/page_1.html

 

[Vette73]

I like the Abit NF7-S

There were/are some issues running the SATA ports in raid, but I am not sure if that has been fixed like some had says it has by a Bios and Driver update

 

[Corporate Thug]

NF7-s

 

[josedawg]

I see you guys didnt notice when I said its NEEDS both IDE AND SATA RAID 0/1 Support. While I will not disagree with you that the NF7-S is a good motherboard, it doesn't have what I need.
Someone pointed me out the Gigabyte 7N400 Pro2, which looks like a great motherboard. Very feature rich. It has all the goodies anyone would want.

Has anyone tried overclocking on this motherboard? I wanna know how overclocker friendly it is.

 

[DahDee]

I noticed exactly what you said, josedawg, just didn't realize the Albatron had SATA RAID but not IDE RAID. I have the Albatron and like it, not using RAID so not that familiar with it. Just trying to help, no need to get huffy.

P.S. -- That Gigabyte board was the other finalist in my own AMD mobo derby; I went with the Albatron because I wanted the Soundstorm audio (MCP-T) chip.

 

[Chunkee]

check out the SOLTEK line, stable and great features!

 

[lordtyranus2]

This might work

http://www.msicomputer.com/product/...il.asp?model=K7N2_Delta-ILSR&search_text=K7N2


I'm not sure if its RAID for both, the description is worded poorly. But I can't see why both need RAID.

 

[josedawg]

Originally posted by: DahDee
I noticed exactly what you said, josedawg, just didn't realize the Albatron had SATA RAID but not IDE RAID. I have the Albatron and like it, not using RAID so not that familiar with it. Just trying to help, no need to get huffy.

P.S. -- That Gigabyte board was the other finalist in my own AMD mobo derby; I went with the Albatron because I wanted the Soundstorm audio (MCP-T) chip.

DahDee, the comment wasnt directed at you, but at Marlin and shady. I stated in the first post that I already looked at the Asus and Abit boards (I have friends who have both) and I know how good they are. I dont need anyone to reinstate that fact. I'm glad you actually took the time to read my post DahDee and help look for other motherboards, although they didnt have what I wanted, at least you helped instead of stating the obvious.

 

[SexyLady]

You could try looking at MSI i run the MSI-6570-ILSR-K7N2-Delta, this has serial ATA and raid 0/1, its good quality and has the features you looking for, its also suited to AMD IT will suit all of your requirements as far as i can tell.

 

[josedawg]

The MSI K7N2-Delta doesn't not sport IDE RAID.

 

[SexyLady]

Sorry will try to read more carefully next time, guess i shouldnt have been surfhin the web in study lol

 

[BigEdMuustaffa]

One of the reviews says the fan on the nforce2 chipset on the Albatron board is a bit loud. Anyone have this board say anything about the noise level of this fan? I am getting a Sonata case and hope it's not too too loud....

 

[madcow235]

May i ask why you need both SATA and ATA133 raid?

 

[BigEdMuustaffa]

Originally posted by: josedawg
I see you guys didnt notice when I said its NEEDS both IDE AND SATA RAID 0/1 Support. While I will not disagree with you that the NF7-S is a good motherboard, it doesn't have what I need.
Someone pointed me out the Gigabyte 7N400 Pro2, which looks like a great motherboard. Very feature rich. It has all the goodies anyone would want.

Has anyone tried overclocking on this motherboard? I wanna know how overclocker friendly it is.

You might be better off just buying a cheap RAID card and sticking it in one of the pci slots on the Albatron mb....they have 6.....

 

[josedawg]

Originally posted by: SexyLady
Sorry will try to read more carefully next time, guess i shouldnt have been surfhin the web in study lol

NP, welcome to Anandtech Forums.

 

[josedawg]

Originally posted by: madcow235
May i ask why you need both SATA and ATA133 raid?

Because I AM EVIL! Well, no. I need IDE RAID to do RAID 1 on my Maxtor 160gb drives (my back up drive with important info). I need SATA RAID because later down the line I will upgrade to either dual 36.7 (rev. 2) or 74gb Raptor drives OR RAID 0 Seagate 7200.7 120gb+ SATA drives for more data storage. And the regular non-RAID IDE channels will be used for my 80gb WD Caviar, DVD-ROM, and CD-RW (maybe DVD+/- RW in the future).

 

[josedawg]

This motherboard was currently pointed out to me Gigabyte GA-7N400PRO2 which newegg is carrying for $118 w/free shipping. Very feature rich, nForce2 Ultra chipset, Gigabit LAN, 4 USB 2.0, 2 IEEE1394, IDE RAID, SATA RAID, onboard audio (not soundstorm, but oh well).

Anyone have this board and have tried their hand at overclocking with it?

 

[BigEdMuustaffa]

Some of the later reviews of this Gigabyte board at Newegg aren't too favorable...

 

[josedawg]

You can't blame Gigabyte for people not smart enough to read the manual and know that there's a DIP switch for the FSB settings. I like to consider myself as knowledgable, and I have never had to call a motherboard's Tech Support. God help me if I ever did!

 

[SexyLady]

Originally posted by: josedawg

Originally posted by: SexyLady
Sorry will try to read more carefully next time, guess i shouldnt have been surfhin the web in study lol

NP, welcome to Anandtech Forums.

Cheers for the Welcome!!, and i hope u find a board that has all your requirements!! I wish you luck with that

 

[Montrey]

Epox 8RDA3+ has all the features you listed.

nForce2
I'm using PC2100, I hear of some rich people using PC4000, don't know if there is a limit
3 slots, put in 2 sticks for dual channel DDR (there's not much difference between SC and DC if you use an athlon)
FSB is clockable from 100-250 (200-500 DDR), I've heard of people hitting 220 stock and higher with some better cooling
8x AGP
5 PCI slots
4 USB 2.0 ports
HD support as you listed (too lazy to c/p)
people complain about the onboard audio (cuz they didn't go with the soundstorm on this board) but the c-media ac97 really isn't too shabby, getting myself an audigy 2 is pretty low on my list of priorities
dual onboard LAN

plus now that they come with this nice shiny active NB cooler, the thing is just plain beautiful
110 shipped from NewEgg, and a nice free hat

 

[BigEdMuustaffa]

Is there big difference between active(fan) cooling and passive cooling on a mb chipset? I noticed Albatron is active, and some reviewers say rather loud, and ASUS is passive.....any thoughts, preferences? thanks

 

[DAPUNISHER]

Originally posted by: BigEdMuustaffa
Is there big difference between active(fan) cooling and passive cooling on a mb chipset? I noticed Albatron is active, and some reviewers say rather loud, and ASUS is passive.....any thoughts, preferences? thanks

The nF2 chipset runs hotter than most and when trying to squeeze as much FSB performance as possible from it, your NB&SB cooling solution becomes crucial to success/stability. Many mod old CPU coolers to use on the NB and some even actively cool the SB, I just use a Vantec Iceberg kit for my chipset cooling, passive+3M thermal tape SB, active+shin-etsu NB.

 

[Chunkee]

the soltek has both raid setups