October 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: $82
Months on list: 3
Price Change: -$6

The choice of the Athlon XP 2500+ gave us some added leeway in upgrading system components, and the motherboard was one area we gave serious thought. We could move to a slightly higher-end model, complete with features such as Serial ATA and Gigabit LAN, but these are features that really aren't associated with a value system, and in the case of SATA, something we wouldn't even use off the bat. Plus, the MSI K7N2 Delta-L is such an incredible deal and provides all the performance and features we could ask for.

The MSI K7N2 Delta-L features the latest NVIDIA nForce2 Ultra 400 revision, which supports 400 MHz AMD processors. This may not be required off the bat with our 333 MHz Athlon XP 2500+, but for those looking to overclock higher, the newer revision is certainly required. The MSI K7N2 Delta-L's support for the 400 MHz front-side bus ensures a wider upgrade path, ensuring that a potential Athlon XP 300+ or 3200+ upgrade will be a smooth transition. MSI always provides an excellent combination of low cost and features, and the MSI K7N2 Delta-L is yet another value winner, and virtually a perfect match for our system configuration and budget.

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 those with a slightly lower budget.

Pentium 4 Motherboard: ABIT IS7-E (i865PE)

Current Cost: $92
Months on list: 3
Price Change: -$3

It took a bit of work to slide a sub-$100, high-performance motherboard into the value guide, but once it happened, we're not letting go. The i865PE is the natural choice, but the majority of these either exceed our price range, or don't have the features or performance we require. The ABIT IS7-E motherboard is an exception, and one of the i865PE boards that takes a truly budget-oriented design route. You won't find any high-end features such as RAID or Firewire, but the performance is accounted for, and ABIT has even tossed on a couple of onboard features. The IS7-E is often referred to as the "best Intel performance option under $100" and we'd agree with that sentiment.

The ABIT IS7-E includes all the basic functions a value buyer can expect, including dual-channel 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 motherboard is a superb deal for our Value Guide, and offers a ton of upgrade options later on.