March High-end Gaming PC Buyer's Guide - Page 3

AMD Motherboard: DFI LANPARTY UT nF4 SLI-DR Expert

Current Cost: $185
Months on list: 2
Price Change: -$15

The NVIDIA nForce4 SLI chipset is still one of the most powerful and feature rich platforms available for enthusiast systems, and we currently recommend it for both our AMD and Intel systems. The ATI CrossFire Xpress 3200 is certainly a worthy contender, but since we are recommending an NVIDIA graphics card as our primary selection, it does not make as much sense as the nForce4 SLI. The nForce4 SLI includes support for many of the latest technologies, including SATA 3.0 Gb/sec./NCQ, PCI Express, Gigabit LAN, dual-channel DDR, and NVIDIA Firewall, with the most impressive feature being the chipset's ability to utilize two PCI Express-based video cards in SLI format. With that in mind, our motherboard choice, for the second guide in a row, is the DFI LANPARTY UT nF4 SLI-DR Expert.

The DFI LANPARTY UT nF4 SLI-DR Expert is a refinement on existing nForce4 motherboards, and features a redesigned layout, 4-phase power for the CPU, and improved memory voltage section, as well as increased stability, overclockability and compatibility for various DDR modules. Unfortunately, the DFI LANPARTY UT nF4 SLI-DR Expert does not include the new nForce4 SLI X16 chipset (with dual x16 PCI Express slots) and instead utilizes the popular dual PCIe x8 slots, but this is not a huge deal. Even so, we did scout out the ASUS nForce4 SLI X16 motherboard, but it was priced a bit out of our range, but we'll be keeping an eye on it in the future.

Other than that, the DFI LANPARTY UT nF4 SLI-DR Expert motherboard has virtually the same feature set as LANPARTY UT nF4 SLI-DR, including support for dual-channel DDR, dual Gigabit Ethernet, 8-channel audio, and SATA 3.0 Gb/sec., as well as a wide range of peripheral ports. The DFI board's support for dual PCI Express video cards and improved overclockability, as well as an excellent feature list and a nice layout, puts it right at the top of any enthusiast nForce4 SLI motherboard list. Our current budget does not allow for two high-end PCIe video cards, but having the extra PCIe slot available is a nice touch, as it can provide a seamless and potentially lower-cost upgrade path in the future.

Intel Motherboard: ASUS P5N32-SLI Deluxe

Current Cost: $199
Months on list: 2
Price Change: -$11

The NVIDIA nForce4 SLI is also one of the highest performing, feature rich, and enthusiast-proven platforms for Pentium 4/D processors, so it's only natural we utilize it on the Intel side as well. AMD buyers have enjoyed the nForce4 SLI for some time, but although its presence on the Intel market is more recent, the chipset still provides an excellent performance base for our Pentium D processor. The features speak for themselves, and include support for single or dual PCI Express video cards, dual-channel DDR2, PCIe peripheral support, up to a 1066MHz FSB, dual core processor compatibility, SATA 3.0 Gb/sec./NCQ, and Intel EM64T, among others.

ASUS motherboards are a real favorite of the high-end gaming crowd, and this is mostly due to the companys design philosophy of combining high performance with exceptional quality. The ASUS P5N32-SLI Deluxe utilizes the nForce4 SLI X16 chipset, and offers dual PCIe x16 slots, an improvement compared to nForce4 SLI boards that include only dual x8 PCI Express slots. ASUS also incorporates a new fanless design with the P5N32-SLI Deluxe, and gives it a streamlined look that also lowers the ambient noise levels.

The remaining feature list is standard for high-end nForce4 chipsets, and includes SATA 3.0 Gb/sec./NCQ, dual Gigabit Ethernet, and 8-channel audio, and a host of peripheral ports. We're also lucky that the P5N32-SLI Deluxe has dropped below the $200 mark, as not only does it provide an exceptional value, but the $199 price tag is also a much easier fit in our budget.