August 2003 Value Gaming PC Buyer's Guide - Page 3

Motherboards

When selecting a motherboard for our Value Gaming System, the main goal is to get the best overall value, while also receiving the most future-proof and high-performance hardware possible. Naturally, these goals are often at odds with each other, and the sticker price is usually the main stumbling block. To find that right mix, we need to ensure that the motherboard is affordable, and has a nice mix of performance, overclocking and features to boot. Whether you're buying a low-cost gaming system or an ultra high-end powerhouse, the motherboard is still one of the most important components, as it provides the backbone for your entire computer and determines your potential upgrade path.

Athlon XP Motherboard: MSI K7N2 Delta-L (nForce2 Ultra 400)

Current Cost: $88
Months on list: 2
Price Change: -$7

The NVIDIA nForce2 remains the best option for AMD performance systems, especially now that it has been upgraded to the nForce2 Ultra 400 revision, supporting 400 MHz AMD processors. Last month we moved to the latest nForce2 model from MSI, the MSI K7N2 Delta-L. It is quite similar to the original MSI K7N2-L nForce2 motherboard, other than the presence of the nForce2 Ultra 400 chipset. The MSI K7N2 Delta-L doesn't bring any real performance gains to the table, but its support for the 400 MHz front-side bus ensures a wider upgrade path. MSI always provides an excellent combination of low cost and features, and the MSI K7N2 Delta-L is another value winner.

The MSI K7N2 Delta-L can handle 200/266/333/400 MHz AMD processors, and features dual-DDR266/333/400 memory support, AGP 8X, ATA133, USB 2.0, 6-channel audio and integrated LAN. MSI has also included a ton of overclocking options on the MSI K7N2 Delta-L, including full FSB selections, DDR memory speed ratios, CPU, DDR and AGP voltage options, and even AGP bus locking. These are options that rival more expensive motherboards, and the MSI K7N2 Delta-L offers a ton of high-end features for value buyers.

Pentium 4 Motherboard: ABIT IS7-E (i865PE)

Current Cost: $95
Months on list: 2
Price Change: $0

The availability of the i865PE is a godsend to the mainstream performance user, and its high-end performance and features make these motherboards a popular choice. Unfortunately, the price of most are beyond our reach, and it can be a tough to fit them in our budget. Last month ABIT came to our rescue with the IS7-E motherboard, which takes a truly budget-oriented design route. You won't find any high-end features such as RAID or Firewire, but the performance is all there, as ABIT has even tossed on a couple of onboard features. The IS7-E may not be any less expensive than last month, but with a sub-$100 price tag, it's a welcome addition to our value gaming PC, and a serious upgrade over competitive i845PE motherboards.

The ABIT IS7-E includes all the basic functions a value buyer can expect, including support for DDR266/333/400 and support for up to an 800 MHz front-side bus. It also features Parallel and Serial ATA support (no RAID), 8xUSB 2.0 ports, integrated 10/100 LAN, and 6-channel audio. ABIT has also included their famed SoftMenu overclocking BIOS, with CPU frequency settings, along with CPU, memory and AGP voltage selections. This is a superb deal for our Value Guide, and offers a ton of upgrade options later on.