Which motherboard chipset do you like better?

[Lothar]

Would you guys go for an Nvidia Nforce4 based chipset or an ATI Crossfire based chipset?

I see there will be Nforce 5 and ATI RD580 coming out with the new AM2 boards, but I'm looking at current tech for my next upgrade.

So what are the differences between chipsets? Features, stability, etc.

[Tech-Daddy]

bandwidth seems to bee eeeked out on the ATi chipset, both allows for dual graphics, albeit in their own particular falvor (SLI on the NVidia side, and Crossfire on ATI). I remember reading that the ATI boards consume less power, resulting in less power loss which was resulting in more efficient operation and higher overclocks.

Depends on what you want to do.

If you want dual graphic cards, obviously you wil need to chose a side. But if single PCI-e is your thing, (which makes both board viable for anyones hardware) then I would angle to the RD580 myself.

Isn't the 580 out on socket939? or am I stuffing lit crack pipes in my pockets again?

[madmat]

Well, the nForce 4 is a more mature platform and is currently the performance darling. There's also the small matter of what graphics chipset you plan to go with as well. You can do Crossfire on the nForce 4 but you can't do SLI on the ATI chipset (nor any other except an nVidia chipset) so if you're ever considering SLI that factoid will limit your choices.

[Lothar]

I didn't want to add my personal biases to the initial post, I wanted to see what others thought. That being said, I have always been a fan of nvidia. I'm due for an upgrade this summer, and I'm just trying to do some initial research.

I'm very into htpcs as well as computers in general, and it seems that pretty much everyone on one of the main htpc sites I visit use the nforce4 chipset. I'm not looking to build an HTPC with this new system, I just have that as my basis. I don't really know much about the ATI chipset, thus my question. :) So anything else you can think of about either chipset is welcome.

My current system is a P4 2GHz, 512MB RAM, MSI SIS645? based mobo, Geforce4 MX440 video card, onboard audio. Needless to say, this will be a big upgrade for me. :D

[madmat]

Yeah I guess it will. Are you going Intel or AMD (since both chipsets exist for both platforms)? Single or dualcore? I can tell you from personal experience playing with Vince's rig that compared to mine (P4 2.4C at 3200 with 2 gigs of ram) that his X2 4800+ was like day and night.

XP loaded on his PC in 15 minutes from booting off the CD (quick format obviously) to being in the OS installing drivers. That's pretty much exactly half the time mine takes to load XP from booting from the XP disk to loading drivers too. It's just amazing the speed difference.

[PUTALE]

at current chipset, I think nvidia has the better ones, but that may all change in the future. Nvidia not only has good chipset for amd but also for intel.

[Lothar]

I'm planning on dual core all the way, but I'm not sure if it'll be AMD or Intel yet. My initial feeling is to go with AMD, especially if I'm going with current tech. If I do AMD, it'll be an Opteron setup (Socket 939). But on the other hand, the new Intel Cedar Mills sound nice...

[Cool Barn]

My ten cents worth:

If you're going AMD - Nforce4.

If you're going Intel - stick with an Intel chipset. Benchmarking apps might tell you that the Nforce4 or Radeon Xpress chipsets are marginally faster, but you will more than make up for it with the stability of an Intel chipset.

[DarkSynergy]

I am in favor of the NF4 but then again, I am running it. I have worked with ATi, Intel and nVidia chipsets, as well as VIA and I think they all have their place. To me it comes down to what CPU you want to use and the budget you have to spend.

My last motherboard was a Asus A8V Deluxe with the VIA K8T800Pro chipset and it was a killer motherboard. Didn't everclock worth a shit but it was 130% stable and that meant a lot to me.

[Uc-ker]

If you're going Intel - stick with an Intel chipset. Benchmarking apps might tell you that the Nforce4 or Radeon Xpress chipsets are marginally faster, but you will more than make up for it with the stability of an Intel chipset.

Intel does make very stable chipsets and have for a long time. Nvidia chipsets are notibly faster and designed for higher performance, but sacrifices stability in its place. I heard of some motherboard manufacturers that refuse to use Nvidia chipsets because of all the stability problems.

The best way to decide is based on how you are using your computer. If it is for business use, especially business servers, then go with an Intel chipset. If you building a computer for home use, such as entertainment, then always go with the Nvidia chipset.

[izzie]

Intel does make very stable chipsets and have for a long time. Nvidia chipsets are notibly faster and designed for higher performance, but sacrifices stability in its place. I heard of some motherboard manufacturers that refuse to use Nvidia chipsets because of all the stability problems.

The best way to decide is based on how you are using your computer. If it is for business use, especially business servers, then go with an Intel chipset. If you building a computer for home use, such as entertainment, then always go with the Nvidia chipset.


On my job they got nothing but Intel computers. No complaints.

[anibalX]

i like nforce4 chipsets... It works better with SLI and has much possibilities of overclocking.. really nice... And the second i'd prefer is radeon xpress

[living_joke]

I would go with Nforce 4 too when you upgrade. Intel is a bit behind in the times when you compare them to Nvidia chipsets. You also will get a lot more horsepower out of an AMD processor and be able to overclock it better then an Intel processor. Intel you have to deal with a lot more heat too, when you overclock it. Go with AMD and Nforce 4 for upgrading.

[werty316]

If you like nVidia cards get a nForce board else get a Xpress 3200 board. Theoretically the Xpress 3200 should be faster since both PCI-E slots are true 16X slots.

[liqnit]

NF4 - i think it is the best MB CHIPSET CURRENTLY
i dont really know about ATI chipset

[Ben]

Go with an NF4. Hell even ATI's own cards run faster in an NF4 chipset than their own.

[supramax]

Go with an NF4. Hell even ATI's own cards run faster in an NF4 chipset than their own.

Says a lot in Nvidia's favor when their chips not only run their own cards fast but run the competitions cards faster.

Personally I believe Nvidia makes the BOTH the best motherboard chipsets and best graphic cards.

[MaRm]

Says a lot in Nvidia's favor when their chips not only run their own cards fast but run the competitions cards faster.

Personally I believe Nvidia makes the BOTH the best motherboard chipsets and best graphic cards.

I agree. Nvidia could behave like Microsoft and make their products purposedly incompatible with their competition, but instead they practice fair play. They keep their products compatible with their competition.

[Cool Barn]

I agree. Nvidia could behave like Microsoft and make their products purposedly incompatible with their competition, but instead they practice fair play. They keep their products compatible with their competition.
Haha, that made me laugh. As if Nvidia ensure compatibility with their chipsets out of the goodness of their heart. Their decisions, just like Microsoft's and every other company in the world, are based on money and profit, not being fair and nice.

If Nvidia could get away with acting like Microsoft they would. However Nvidia have competition and can't yet afford to act like a monopoly because it would ultimately cost them sales and market-share.

Anyway sorry for the off-topic rant, let's get back onto chipsets shall we :D

[fullpicture]

I also think the NF4 is the best available. I would not touch the ATI chipset with a ten foot stick. Only reason ATI came out with a chipset was to try to copy Nvidia.

[werty316]

ATI's chipset is still early so it better to wait for them to get the bugs out but then again the 3200 seems stable but I am not sure.

[gliffy]

ATI's chipset is still early so it better to wait for them to get the bugs out but then again the 3200 seems stable but I am not sure.

Buying a buggy motherboard is a bad idea. Motherboard is like the heart of your computer, and you don't want to waste time and trouble with dealing with a buggy board.

[zachig]

I mostly like the nForce4 chipset and this is also the one I have on my nForce4 eVGA 133-K8-NF41-AX motherboard...:)

[Lothar]

There was a comment earlier (I don't remember by who) that said the ATI 3200 chipset used 16x PCIe for both graphics slots. I just wanted to point out that the Nforce4 SLI32 (SLI16?) chipset has the same capability.

It seems like if you want to run dual Nvidia GPUs you need an Nvidia mobo. If you want to run dual ATI GPUs you need an ATI mobo. Otherwise, either will run both cards, and I like the features in the Nvidia chipset myself.

[werty316]

There was a comment earlier (I don't remember by who) that said the ATI 3200 chipset used 16x PCIe for both graphics slots. I just wanted to point out that the Nforce4 SLI32 (SLI16?) chipset has the same capability.

It seems like if you want to run dual Nvidia GPUs you need an Nvidia mobo. If you want to run dual ATI GPUs you need an ATI mobo. Otherwise, either will run both cards, and I like the features in the Nvidia chipset myself.

True but the major feature of the Crossfire 3200 is it is suppose to have the use of two true 16x PCIE slots.

[Lothar]

From all the benchmarks I've seen to date, there hasn't been an advantage of using 2 16x slots over 2 8x slots. Current GPUs just don't use all the bandwidth. That's not to say that it won't happen, and when it does dual 16x slots will definately have the advantage, but it's not there today.

[Jakal]

Only in high end graphic usage will you see an increase by using the dual 16x board. It's not even by that much. Before purchasing my DFI, I looked into the A8N32-Sli. Performance wise the DFI was at the top, but graphically the Asus won out. The margin wasn't big either; we're talking 10-20 fps, max. Even then, that was at the low end of the graphics level 640*480. If I remember correctly.

Really, the best thing would be a good solid board. If you're not going for the uber oc then get a decent board. A Gigabyte, Abit, Asus, something that's already proven itself. A chip in one mb will perform differently than in another.