The standard 845 Ultra can be found for approximately $110, while the 845 Ultra-AR is not much more expensive at around $123. The higher-end 845 Ultra-ARU can be a bit pricier, but is usually found at just above or below the $140 mark. These prices compare well against such products as the standard ASUS P4B266/C ($120) and ABIT BD7 ($115). In the higher-end RAID//USB 2.0 bracket, the 845 Ultra-ARU also holds it own well against the Gigabyte GA-8IRXP P4 TITAN ($160) and ABIT BD7-RAID. Overall, MSI offers a lot of motherboard value with the 845 Ultra, no matter the model you choose.
Conclusion
The MSI 845 Ultra is a product that seems to have it all. High-end performance, an excellent feature set, and incredible price-performance help make it a great pick for a wide range of buyers. Add in three distinct 845 Ultra models featuring USB 2.0 and/or ATA-133 RAID, and you have a viable motherboard for virtually any budget. The 845 Ultra is a winner and should definitely be put at the top of your Pentium 4/DDR shopping list.