Need a very good AMD motherboard

I am going to build a system for my stepson, who INSISTS on a AMD system. I tried to talk him into an Intel cpu, but he is a AMD guy and will not even listen to the facts about the current Intel vs AMD chips.

So, since I have not really done any research on AMD boards for a couple of years, I really have no clue about which are the better boards.

I am thinking about either one of these as the CPU I want to use. Not really sure since I really do not want to spend a ton of money on this build.

AMD Athlon 64 X2 6000+ Windsor 3.0GHz 2 x 1MB L2

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103773


Or the

AMD Athlon 64 X2 6400+ Windsor 3.2GHz 2 x 1MB L2 Cache Socket AM2

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103191


As for which mother board to use, please give me some choices and why you picked them. And if you have a comment about either of those CPU's, I would like to hear them.

Thanks!


EDIT: The motherboard should have IEE 1394, USB , onboard audio and a lan. No onboard video needed, or wanted. AM2+ would be a nice option as well.

I paid $229 in August for the 6000+ X2 and a week later that dropped $50 so seeing the 6400+ X2 for $209 is a good price. You won't see a great difference with the .2ghz difference between those two models however. So far the 6000+ X2 has done a great job here as I would expect from an AMD cpu. Sorry no Intel fan here either!

For boards avoid anything with a VIA or SIS chipset. You won't be seeing Intel chipsets on an AMD board either. For makes Asus, Gigabyte, MSI seem to hold the lead in spefications and features while others like Abit and DFI still make decent boards. The Asus M2N-E offers 3 bot 2 pci slots and 6 sata ports over other models seeing only 2 pci slots and 4 sata ports and even SLI or Crossfire capability. It depends on the type of build as well.

paratwa said:

I am going to build a system for my stepson, who INSISTS on a AMD system. I tried to talk him into an Intel cpu, but he is a AMD guy and will not even listen to the facts about the current Intel vs AMD chips.

So, since I have not really done any research on AMD boards for a couple of years, I really have no clue about which are the better boards.

I am thinking about either one of these as the CPU I want to use. Not really sure since I really do not want to spend a ton of money on this build.

AMD Athlon 64 X2 6000+ Windsor 3.0GHz 2 x 1MB L2

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103773


Or the

AMD Athlon 64 X2 6400+ Windsor 3.2GHz 2 x 1MB L2 Cache Socket AM2

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103191


As for which mother board to use, please give me some choices and why you picked them. And if you have a comment about either of those CPU's, I would like to hear them.

Thanks!


EDIT: The motherboard should have IEE 1394, USB , onboard audio and a lan. No onboard video needed, or wanted. AM2+ would be a nice option as well.

Click to expand...

Depends on what you want to spend
Good deal for 89 bucks
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128014
or
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131013
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813136020
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813127236

If you want to spend alittle more
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131011
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813127003
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131593

For AM2+ boards, you will have to wait alittle longer for more models to come out.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128070

If you want a SLI, get a 590 chipset (same as the 680i). Mine has 6 Sata ports, with 2 PCI slots. I think AM2+ is overpriced at the moment, and currently any socket AM2+ cpu's such as the X4s are 100% compatable on AM2.

I suddenly like PC eye alot better

This is the one i have: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813186098&Tpk=foxconn+590, I love it and it took me a while researching on comparing the different 590 boards. This has some realy nice, detailed bios options.

You didn't say anything about a budget?

The 5200/5600/6000/6400 are the same chips, but if hes not overclocking i suppose the price on the 6400 would be worth it?

I could honestly tell a different between 2.8ghz to 3ghz and 3ghz to 3.2- and a little from 3.2 to 3.3..

SLI is not needed at all, neither is wifi.

But my stepson does need IEE 1394 for transferring video from a video camera. His live in girlfriend of 8 years is a graphics artist ( a very good one) and while she has her own system, he helps out with editing videos and such.


Are there any current AM2 boards that will be able to be upgraded to the AM2+ specs by bio's upgrades? Remember, I don't deal with AMD at all, so I am kind of lost when it comes to them. I know that most of the new board coming out will have PCI-E 2 built into them. Are there any coming out in the next month that will have it?

I would like to keep the price for the motherboard under $150, but I would go up a little bit for a good board. And it has to be compatible with Nvida GPU's


Just as an example of my stepsons girlfriends work, here is just one of her many works, she has even been published on the cover of some Goth books and other places. I know this is not the place, but I am a bit proud of her work.

Well like I mentioned before you can go for a good AM2 model with the nForce shipset and avoid SIS and VIA models. There are a few ATI.AMD chipset desgns as well. But for NVidia video cards as suspected you will want the nForce chipset over others regardless of make or model. The new boards coming out usually see a much higher $329,99 price tag at newegg in general. That's what is seen on PCI-E 2.0 boards presently out.

Unfortunately all of the boards that are true am2+ boards are crossfire boards. I hope someone comes out with an nvidia chip soon.


Quad core crossfire? Damn!

Specifications:
* AMD 790FX chipset based
* Supports AMD Socket AM2+/AM2 Phenom, Athlon and Sempron processors
* 2 PCI-E x16 slots for full x16 speed CrossFire support
* 2 extra PCI-E x16 slot design for Quad VGA with x8 x8 x8 x8 speed.

Agreed. AM2+ and PCI-e 2.0 are both exceptionally expensive technologies at the moment. I doubt that we'll even be needing PCI-e 2.0 for a long time. not even an OC'd 8800 Ultra uses the full bandwidth of normal PCI-e. AM2+, if I am not mistaken, is going to be used for the new Phenom processors arriving...soon? Eventually? In any case, I really doubt that it's worth adding money to the budget for such a tech. Much easier to just upgrade later, *if* you end up needing it.

Since this system is going to be for my stepson, I want this to be as future proof as I can, that way I do not have to buy him a new system for another 5 years or so. Am3 will be coming out in a year or so, so I know it's only a matter of time until AM2+ will be outdated. But still, only the best for my "kid".


Edit: I stole this from another forum.

Socket AM2+ will have some differences however that will be used in AM2+ chips, there are two main features in Socket AM2+ not in Socket AM2:

HyperTransport 3.0 operating at up to 2 GHz
Split power planes: one for the CPU cores, and the other for the Integrated Memory controller (IMC). This will improve power savings especially with integrated graphics if CPU cores in sleep mode but the IMC still active.
AMD confirmed that AM2 processors will work in AM2+ motherboards and AM2+ processors will work on AM2 motherboards. However, due to the lack of support of HyperTransport 3.0 and separated power planes in Socket AM2 motherboards, AM2+ chips will be limited to the specifications of Socket AM2 (HyperTransport 2.0 at the speed of 1 GHz, one power plane for both Cores and IMC). AM2 chips will not benefit from faster HyperTransport and separated power planes on AM2+ motherboards as they do not support them, AM2+ motherboard then fall back to compatibility mode using AM2 specifications.

According to confirmations from AMD, Socket AM2+ will have a compatibility path with Socket AM3, AM3 processors will work in AM2+ motherboards; however, AM2+ processors will not be compatible with AM3 motherboards.

I'll tell you another little secret about pcs and hardwares. Any new system or build loses 80% of it's retail value within 2yrs. time. There's no such thing as a "future proof" system since the hardwares are outdated in 6 months. The best advice is to simply use quality hardwares to see a system last for a few years while knowing "something new" is always right around the corner.

PC eye said:

I'll tell you another little secret about pcs and hardwares. Any new system or build loses 80% of it's retail value within 2yrs. time. There's no such thing as a "future proof" system since the hardwares are outdated in 6 months. The best advice is to simply use quality hardwares to see a system last for a few years while knowing "something new" is always right around the corner.

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Oh man I am so aware of that, Seems like I no more get parts for a new system and something else is out thats better and faster.

But I have never bought the latest thing out, I always bought a step or 2 down the ladder. Mainly because I could never afford the latest and greatest. But also because 6 months after it's release it is always half the cost.

But I just want it to last him as long as possible. Buying an existing AM2 board would be just stupid right now. What with the new ones coming out very soon.

From some research on this, MSI is coming out in the next month or so with a sub $100 true AM2+ board, at least that's the rumor.

As soon as I put an old Socket case together the 754s were out. When going to replace the 2004 build this year with plans for a far better system in mind I had a little mishap with a 3rd party cpu cooler forcing a fast replacement with the 939 in 2006.

When deciding on a dual core powered build AMD never came out with a quad core line of cpus. So I simply had to go with what was the best in a certain price range nearly $1,200 at this point stilll looking at adding one or two WD GP 1tb drives to the build now in use.

I held off going for a pair of 750gb satas when seeing the first information on the GP line in a WD announcement page. Vista is now using more drive space then XP while dual OSing here just for Windows itself and now had to buy a new tuner card since the one just bought prior to Vista's release wouldn't run as far as software was concerned. It goes to show that you have to expect one more thing will come up later.

paratwa said:

Oh man I am so aware of that, Seems like I no more get parts for a new system and something else is out thats better and faster.

But I have never bought the latest thing out, I always bought a step or 2 down the ladder. Mainly because I could never afford the latest and greatest. But also because 6 months after it's release it is always half the cost.

But I just want it to last him as long as possible. Buying an existing AM2 board would be just stupid right now. What with the new ones coming out very soon.
From some research on this, MSI is coming out in the next month or so with a sub $100 true AM2+ board, at least that's the rumor.

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Do you think your average user will ever take benefit of a AM2+ board? i plan on getting a X4 for my board, and so far the AM2+ boards havn't showed me much of anything i would ever use. Or even if there would be a noticable difference in speed?

But it does suck, the moment you would buy a AM2+ board, the AM3 will be released... then if you got AM3, AM4 would be out lol

IF its true, i wonder what the chipset will be on the MSI AM2+?

I wouldn't be surprised to see those come with more then one chipset like nForce and VIA since those generally sell the most. But don't forget AMD bought out ATI there and then there's SIS for "S"omething "I"'m not "S"ure" of.

paratwa said:

Unfortunately all of the boards that are true am2+ boards are crossfire boards. I hope someone comes out with an nvidia chip soon.


Quad core crossfire? Damn!

Specifications:
* AMD 790FX chipset based
* Supports AMD Socket AM2+/AM2 Phenom, Athlon and Sempron processors
* 2 PCI-E x16 slots for full x16 speed CrossFire support
* 2 extra PCI-E x16 slot design for Quad VGA with x8 x8 x8 x8 speed.

Click to expand...

Nvidia chipset will be the MCP72- AMD/ATI is the 790- SIS will be the 757,772 and 775 and VIA will use the KT960. The Gigabyte AM2+ board thats out now is 269.00 not 329.00 like said above.

The $329.99 price tag was in regards to PCI-E 2.0 models not AM2+ boards in particular. The only boards now seeing over $300 for the moment is one Asus Socket (1207FX)Dual L model. The Biostar TF560 A2+ is seen for only $79.99 at http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813138081

That biostar MB you posted is not really a true AM2+ board, since it does not support the new Hypertransport 3.0 standard, otherwise it will run the new AM2+ chips, just not at the new standards. Nor does it have the new pci_e 2.0.

That's the way newegg catagorised that board. The best place to actually be looking is at Asus directly in order to select an Asus model, Gigabyte for Gigabyte, etc. and then finding the vendor that carries it in stock and at a the best price.

The Asus boards seen with PCI-E 2.0 just happens to be an Intel model seen for over $300 at http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131218

The Gigabyte model for $269.99 mentioned before isn't HT 3.0 either. You may end somewhere besides newegg at this time looking for an AMD model that does.

PC eye said:

The $329.99 price tag was in regards to PCI-E 2.0 models not AM2+ boards in particular. The only boards now seeing over $300 for the moment is one Asus Socket (1207FX)Dual L model. The Biostar TF560 A2+ is seen for only $79.99 at http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813138081

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You cant just say 329 bucks is what they cost in gereral, Gigabyte has 2 more models under there 269 price range and the Biostar is just a AM2 board with a bios update to reconize a Phenom. And Asus has AM2+ boards to, not just socket 1207 with Hypertransport 3.0 and PCIe 2.0
http://usa.asus.com/products.aspx?l1=3&l2=149&l3=591&l4=0&model=1930&modelmenu=2

PC eye said:

The Gigabyte model for $269.99 mentioned before isn't HT 3.0 either. You may end somewhere besides newegg at this time looking for an AMD model that does.

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What are you talking about, the Gigabyte does have Hypertransport 3.0 plus PCIe 2.0 its a true AM2+ board. All true AM2+ boards will have Hypertransport 3.0 You need to stop making statements when you have no idea what your talking about!

The GA-MA790FX-DQ6 is GIGABYTE's next generation, high performance platform based on the new AMD 790FX Chipset and support for the new AMD Phenom™ quad-core processors, with the latest AM2+ platform support, integrated DDR2 1066 memory controller, HyperTransport™ 3.0 technology links and 128-bit Floating Point Units.

i just bought an fx 74 a couple of weeks ago from a guy on ebay. he had it listed as buy it now for 220, but i offered him 200 and he took it! it still retails for 300+ on most websites!