Price Guides July 2004: CPU and Motherboards

AMD NVIDIA Motherboards

Motherboards still haven't changed much since the first nForce2 chipsets rolled out, but NVIDIA did do something nice for those of us not making the plunge into 64-bit computing. The new nForce boards for Socket A will be basically the same, but will also have onboard gigabit LAN as well as NVIDIA's new hardware firewall built right in. These new features in addition to the already standard Dual DDR, abnormally high sound quality and top performance will be just what the doctor ordered to breathe new life into socket A systems.

Until we see the goods from NVIDIA, there are still the same choices that we've had in the past. The Abit NF7-S still provides top-end overclocking and stability while staying in the sub-$100 market. If you have a little more to spend and enjoy boards that come with tons of accessories, the DFI nForce2 LanParty Ultra is what you're looking for. It's definitely pricier than the NF7-S, but depending on your situation, it may be well worth the cash.

As for systems using Athlon 64's, right now may not be the best time to buy a new motherboard. With PCI Express finally showing enough face to be taken seriously, you can rest assured that it won't be very long until you can get this technology in your own home or office. While PCI Express itself doesn't do much for the average user, the possibilities are there for expansion. The added bandwidth of the PCIe bus is more than enough for activities such as real-time video encoding of multiple streams, which is something to consider if you are into video editing or just want to build a really high-end DVR box of your own.

In any case, Chaintech's VNF3-250 is an amazing board for a very reasonable price. Fully loaded with accessories such as plenty of audio inputs and outputs, firewire, SATA, and lots more, you can't go wrong if Socket 754 is your cup of tea.

If you want to upgrade, the MSI K8N Neo Platinum gives you additions like onboard diagnostic LED's, onboard gigabit LAN, PCI lock, and NVIDIA's hardware firewall solution.