Which of these M/Bs and Video cards?

I'm trying to decide on what M/B and video card to use in the system I'm planning. I need some advice from anyone familiar with these parts. Here's what I plan on using : CPU - Athlon XP 2400 RAM - 512MB NON-ECC PC2700 TU-150 Middle Tower Case - ATX 12V 400W OS - Windows XP Now for the M/B I'm undecided, they are all within about $30.00 of each other, so cost isn't an issue. Here are my choices : ABIT KD7 ASUS A7V8X/A/L EPOX 8K9A2 GIGABITE 7VAXP MSI KT4 ULTRA-SR Same for the video cards, they are within about $40.00 of each other: ATI RADEON 9500PRO 128 DDR GAINWARE 128MB TI-480400DDR 8XAGP AOPEN 128MB 8xAGPG4 TI4200 VIVO So which of the above listed M/Bs and video cards would be best for gaming? Also which M/B is the most user friendly on initial setup? Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

"Tom"

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> > Now for the M/B I'm undecided, they are all within about $30.00 of > each other, so cost isn't an issue. > Here are my choices : > > ABIT KD7 > ASUS A7V8X/A/L > EPOX 8K9A2 > GIGABITE 7VAXP > MSI KT4 ULTRA-SR

Without looking at any of those cards specs...you really should only be considering the Nforce2 boards. THe Asus A7nxxx and abit also has a similar part...from what I understand they are the absolute quickest board available for an AMD cpu. dave henrie > > Same for the video cards, they are within about $40.00 of each other: > > ATI RADEON 9500PRO 128 DDR > GAINWARE 128MB TI-480400DDR 8XAGP > AOPEN 128MB 8xAGPG4 TI4200 VIVO Here they are fairly close in performance with the pro slightly faster. The one advantage of the 9500pro is that it already is dx9 capable. The other two will work with dx9, but they won't be able to use all the features.

You will find a pretty good review of Nforce2 boards here. http://www.anandtech.com/mb/showdoc.html?i=1759&p=10 The ATI 9x00 series are power hogs and while a 400W power supply should work, you might want to look at 450. Don Merpaw Precision Racing www.precision-racing.com "Dave Henrie" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...

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> "Tom" > > > > Now for the M/B I'm undecided, they are all within about $30.00 of > > each other, so cost isn't an issue. > > Here are my choices : > > > > ABIT KD7 > > ASUS A7V8X/A/L > > EPOX 8K9A2 > > GIGABITE 7VAXP > > MSI KT4 ULTRA-SR > > Without looking at any of those cards specs...you really should only be > considering the Nforce2 boards. THe Asus A7nxxx and abit also has a > similar part...from what I understand they are the absolute quickest board > available for an AMD cpu. > dave henrie > > > > > > Same for the video cards, they are within about $40.00 of each other: > > > > ATI RADEON 9500PRO 128 DDR > > GAINWARE 128MB TI-480400DDR 8XAGP > > AOPEN 128MB 8xAGPG4 TI4200 VIVO > > Here they are fairly close in performance with the pro slightly faster. > The one advantage of the 9500pro is that it already is dx9 capable. The > other two will work with dx9, but they won't be able to use all the > features. > > >

BS! I've got a 250W supply running my AMD 1.3GHz, Adaptec SCSI card, SCSI HD, CD-RW, dual lan, Audigy, WinTV, with the 9700 Pro...never seen even a hint of a problem! "Don Merpaw" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:s%KW9.20856$[email hidden]...

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> You will find a pretty good review of Nforce2 boards here. > > http://www.anandtech.com/mb/showdoc.html?i=1759&p=10 > > The ATI 9x00 series are power hogs and while a 400W power supply should > work, you might want to look at 450. > > Don Merpaw > Precision Racing > www.precision-racing.com > > > "Dave Henrie" <[email hidden]> wrote in message > news:[email hidden]... > > "Tom" > > > > > > Now for the M/B I'm undecided, they are all within about $30.00 of > > > each other, so cost isn't an issue. > > > Here are my choices : > > > > > > ABIT KD7 > > > ASUS A7V8X/A/L > > > EPOX 8K9A2 > > > GIGABITE 7VAXP > > > MSI KT4 ULTRA-SR > > > > Without looking at any of those cards specs...you really should only

be > > considering the Nforce2 boards. THe Asus A7nxxx and abit also has a > > similar part...from what I understand they are the absolute quickestboard

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> > available for an AMD cpu. > > dave henrie > > > > > > > > > > Same for the video cards, they are within about $40.00 of each other: > > > > > > ATI RADEON 9500PRO 128 DDR > > > GAINWARE 128MB TI-480400DDR 8XAGP > > > AOPEN 128MB 8xAGPG4 TI4200 VIVO > > > > Here they are fairly close in performance with the pro slightly

faster.

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> > The one advantage of the 9500pro is that it already is dx9 capable. The > > other two will work with dx9, but they won't be able to use all the > > features. > > > > > > > >

In article <FgIW9.1373$[email hidden]>, "Tom" <[email hidden]> wrote:

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>I'm trying to decide on what M/B and video card to use in the system I'm >planning. >I need some advice from anyone familiar with these parts. >Here's what I plan on using : > >CPU - Athlon XP 2400 >RAM - 512MB NON-ECC PC2700 >TU-150 Middle Tower Case - ATX 12V 400W >OS - Windows XP

look into Nivida nForce2 mobo's and use 2x256 or 2x512mb ram. i'm thinking about the Asus A7N8X next month and XP 2100+.

If you're not having problems then that's great for you. The ATI forums are scattered with comments about people having problems of which upgraded power supplies fixed. I myself own a 9700 and was experiencing numerous CTDs with a 300W system and an upgrade cured it. In my case the power supply was running 2 HDDs, 1 CDRW drive, 1 DVD drive and two internal case fans as well as supplying the power to the video card. Since the system the original poster is looking at has not already been purchased, the recommendation was thrown out as a suggestion only. Since obviously not everyone has problems the final decision will be up to hin. No reason for anyone to take offense. Don Merpaw Precision Racing www.precision-racing.com "Michael Basden" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:doLW9.395477$[email hidden]...

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> BS! I've got a 250W supply running my AMD 1.3GHz, Adaptec SCSI card, SCSI > HD, CD-RW, dual lan, Audigy, WinTV, with the 9700 Pro...never seen even a > hint of a problem! > > > "Don Merpaw" <[email hidden]> wrote in message > news:s%KW9.20856$[email hidden]... > > You will find a pretty good review of Nforce2 boards here. > > > > http://www.anandtech.com/mb/showdoc.html?i=1759&p=10 > > > > The ATI 9x00 series are power hogs and while a 400W power supply should > > work, you might want to look at 450. > > > > Don Merpaw > > Precision Racing > > www.precision-racing.com > > > > > > "Dave Henrie" <[email hidden]> wrote in message > > news:[email hidden]... > > > "Tom" > > > > > > > > Now for the M/B I'm undecided, they are all within about $30.00 of > > > > each other, so cost isn't an issue. > > > > Here are my choices : > > > > > > > > ABIT KD7 > > > > ASUS A7V8X/A/L > > > > EPOX 8K9A2 > > > > GIGABITE 7VAXP > > > > MSI KT4 ULTRA-SR > > > > > > Without looking at any of those cards specs...you really should only > be > > > considering the Nforce2 boards. THe Asus A7nxxx and abit also has a > > > similar part...from what I understand they are the absolute quickest > board > > > available for an AMD cpu. > > > dave henrie > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Same for the video cards, they are within about $40.00 of each

other:

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> > > > > > > > ATI RADEON 9500PRO 128 DDR > > > > GAINWARE 128MB TI-480400DDR 8XAGP > > > > AOPEN 128MB 8xAGPG4 TI4200 VIVO > > > > > > Here they are fairly close in performance with the pro slightly > faster. > > > The one advantage of the 9500pro is that it already is dx9 capable.

The

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> > > other two will work with dx9, but they won't be able to use all the > > > features. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >

Unfortunately, the wattage figures are often pretty dodgy on cheap power supplies. Often a good quality 250W PSU will prove more reliable and provide better current flow in a system than an el cheapo 350W PSU. It seems that the wattage figures are almost as dodgy as those on those crappy 'mini-stereos' you find in appliance stores.

All depends on the quality. After my recent power supply failure which took out my mobo and vid card with it I recommend the following as a must read... http://www6.tomshardware.com/howto/20021021/index.html Steve. "Michael Basden" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:doLW9.395477$[email hidden]...

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> BS! I've got a 250W supply running my AMD 1.3GHz, Adaptec SCSI card, SCSI > HD, CD-RW, dual lan, Audigy, WinTV, with the 9700 Pro...never seen even a > hint of a problem! > > > "Don Merpaw" <[email hidden]> wrote in message > news:s%KW9.20856$[email hidden]... > > You will find a pretty good review of Nforce2 boards here. > > > > http://www.anandtech.com/mb/showdoc.html?i=1759&p=10 > > > > The ATI 9x00 series are power hogs and while a 400W power supply should > > work, you might want to look at 450. > > > > Don Merpaw > > Precision Racing > > www.precision-racing.com > > > > > > "Dave Henrie" <[email hidden]> wrote in message > > news:[email hidden]... > > > "Tom" > > > > > > > > Now for the M/B I'm undecided, they are all within about $30.00 of > > > > each other, so cost isn't an issue. > > > > Here are my choices : > > > > > > > > ABIT KD7 > > > > ASUS A7V8X/A/L > > > > EPOX 8K9A2 > > > > GIGABITE 7VAXP > > > > MSI KT4 ULTRA-SR > > > > > > Without looking at any of those cards specs...you really should only > be > > > considering the Nforce2 boards. THe Asus A7nxxx and abit also has a > > > similar part...from what I understand they are the absolute quickest > board > > > available for an AMD cpu. > > > dave henrie > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Same for the video cards, they are within about $40.00 of each

other:

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> > > > > > > > ATI RADEON 9500PRO 128 DDR > > > > GAINWARE 128MB TI-480400DDR 8XAGP > > > > AOPEN 128MB 8xAGPG4 TI4200 VIVO > > > > > > Here they are fairly close in performance with the pro slightly > faster. > > > The one advantage of the 9500pro is that it already is dx9 capable.

The

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> > > other two will work with dx9, but they won't be able to use all the > > > features. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >

Complete agreement. The rule-of-thumb for Athlons since they existed was "No less than a 300 watt supply". There are a lot of good reasons for this. With the CPU's now even faster and the Video Cards even more power hungry, it's not uncommon to hear 400+ supplies being recommended these days. Personally, I'd never run anything smaller than a 433 any more. Larry "Don Merpaw" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:XaXW9.33977$[email hidden]... > If you're not having problems then that's great for you. The ATI forumsare > scattered with comments about people having problems of which upgradedpower > supplies fixed. I myself own a 9700 and was experiencing numerous CTDs > with a 300W system and an upgrade cured it. In my case the power supplywas > running 2 HDDs, 1 CDRW drive, 1 DVD drive and two internal case fans aswell

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> as supplying the power to the video card. > > Since the system the original poster is looking at has not already been > purchased, the recommendation was thrown out as a suggestion only. Since > obviously not everyone has problems the final decision will be up to hin. > No reason for anyone to take offense. > > Don Merpaw > Precision Racing > www.precision-racing.com > > "Michael Basden" <[email hidden]> wrote in message > news:doLW9.395477$[email hidden]... > > BS! I've got a 250W supply running my AMD 1.3GHz, Adaptec SCSI card,

SCSI > > HD, CD-RW, dual lan, Audigy, WinTV, with the 9700 Pro...never seen evena

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> > hint of a problem! > > > > > > "Don Merpaw" <[email hidden]> wrote in message > > news:s%KW9.20856$[email hidden]... > > > You will find a pretty good review of Nforce2 boards here. > > > > > > http://www.anandtech.com/mb/showdoc.html?i=1759&p=10 > > > > > > The ATI 9x00 series are power hogs and while a 400W power supply

should

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> > > work, you might want to look at 450. > > > > > > Don Merpaw > > > Precision Racing > > > www.precision-racing.com > > > > > > > > > "Dave Henrie" <[email hidden]> wrote in message > > > news:[email hidden]... > > > > "Tom" > > > > > > > > > > Now for the M/B I'm undecided, they are all within about $30.00 of > > > > > each other, so cost isn't an issue. > > > > > Here are my choices : > > > > > > > > > > ABIT KD7 > > > > > ASUS A7V8X/A/L > > > > > EPOX 8K9A2 > > > > > GIGABITE 7VAXP > > > > > MSI KT4 ULTRA-SR > > > > > > > > Without looking at any of those cards specs...you really should

only

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> > be > > > > considering the Nforce2 boards. THe Asus A7nxxx and abit also has a > > > > similar part...from what I understand they are the absolute quickest > > board > > > > available for an AMD cpu. > > > > dave henrie > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Same for the video cards, they are within about $40.00 of each > other: > > > > > > > > > > ATI RADEON 9500PRO 128 DDR > > > > > GAINWARE 128MB TI-480400DDR 8XAGP > > > > > AOPEN 128MB 8xAGPG4 TI4200 VIVO > > > > > > > > Here they are fairly close in performance with the pro slightly > > faster. > > > > The one advantage of the 9500pro is that it already is dx9 capable. > The > > > > other two will work with dx9, but they won't be able to use all the > > > > features. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >