Anyone used either of these boards?

[Bugman]

Hello Everyone.

In my quest for a board to build a relatively cheap, stable platform for an office workstation, I have come across two boards that Im curious about.

The first is the MSI KT6 Delta-LSR (or MS-6590). I havent ever used an MSI board, so I dont know much about the company or the quality of their stuff. Has anyone used this board? Can you say good or bad things about it?

The other is an Epox EP-8kra2+. I have used several Epox boards before and I like them as far as features and documentation. Has anyone used this board in any of their setups?

Any and all comments are greatly appreciated!!

~Bug

[amd_man2005]

This is something that a very simple Google search would handle...

MSI board reviews
EPoX board reviews

[Bugman]

Hey there.

Yeah, I figured google could handle it, but there were two things that made me ask such questions here first.

1. I would rather hear from somone first hand about using a board, only if I have any issues or whatnot.

2. I have a rather slow dialup connection, and its easier to just load one page than many.

Thanks very much for the links!

~Bug

[Beefy]

He was after some people's suggestions and opinions. Not something I'd go to google for on this one. Reviews rarely say 'Get this board not that one'.

Anyways, I hate to say it, but I'd forget both those boards, and look for something with the nForce2 chipset. The KT600 wasn't the greatest success, and isn't really worth getting, unless you've got a specific reason to do so.

[Bugman]

Hello there, and thanks Beefy for the input.

The only reason that I was looking at those boards was based on a review from Toms Hardware, but also because it has the features that I am looking for in a board. (Basically I would like firewire as well as USB 2.0, and SATA, along with onboard LAN) I am sure that there are several boards out there that offer this, but these are the first I have run across after reading the reviews.

The nForce 2 has several variations tho, right? I know the Ultra has the dual channel memory thing, but the FSB limits the system anyway. So is the 400 SPP anything to look into?

Sorry I'm so dense on this topic, I got out of the loop for too long while the whole college thing was happening...

~Bug

[Beefy]

Most nForce2 boards have those options as standard. Not sure on your budget, but a lot of people recommend the <a href="http://www.asus.com/products/mb/socketa/a7n8x-d/overview.htm">ASUS A7N8X Deluxe</a>. It's got the features you want, and it's very popular / reliable.

[Bugman]

Ill definitely look into the board and see how much it is goign to set me back.

Thanks for all your help!

~Bug

[FLaCo]

You also have brands like Epox and Abit..both are good and one might be cheaper than the other.

[Bugman]

I did look at the Asus board, and I am also seriously considering the Epox EP-8RAD3I or EP8RAD3+. The price is anywhere from 30 to 50 bucks cheaper, so that is weighing heavily on my mind...

Any thoughts?

~Bug

[Black Rain]

Don't buy the Asus- the Abit NF7 and Epox 8RDA are better- the Asus AN78X only has 2 phase power, the Abit and Epox both have 3 phase power. I have used both a Abit NF7-S and a Epox 8RDA3, and they both worked fine, but I would probably got the Abit- active cooling on the northbridge....

[amd_man2005]

Don't buy the Asus- the Abit NF7 and Epox 8RDA are better- the Asus AN78X only has 2 phase power, the Abit and Epox both have 3 phase power. I have used both a Abit NF7-S and a Epox 8RDA3, and they both worked fine, but I would probably got the Abit- active cooling on the northbridge....

Just in case someone doesnt understand this, that basicly means more stable voltages, which is especially good for overclocking.

[Soulburner]

Not always.

Even though the ASUS Intel boards use 2 phase power, they STILL overclock better than some other boards with 3 and 4 phase power.

It does not guarantee stable voltages. A lot of times its just a marketing gimmick.

[Bugman]

Thanks for all the input everyone.

Im not looking to overclock the board at all, it just needs to run at whatever the processor speed is that I decide on (probably a 2500+). Its for an office machine for a guy that doesnt really know the difference between anything, and I want it to run without too much problem. So, if he ever says he wants it to go faster, I can OC the thing, but for now Ill just leave it where it should be.

Thanks again!

~Bug