What is the best micro ATX Socket A board? [Archive]

J-Pak

11-17-2004, 10:19 AM

I am about to build a mATX system in the Antec Aria case for LANs and I need a really good Socket A mATX board. I'm going to be using my mobile 2400+ in it (so it needs to support mobile procs) and something that has decent overclocking features (I'm running it at 2.5 GHz now, I'm hoping for 2.3 with a Zalman cooler)

The only features I need are:
onboard LAN
good overclocker
support for mobile barton chip

thats it :)

Thanks

MightyOne

11-17-2004, 03:21 PM

I believe there are really only three choices for you: ASUS A7N8X-VM/400, Epox EP-8RGM3i and Shuttle MN31N. Those are the only decent µATX-boards with nForce 2 IGP out there.

I know one guy who has the ASUS and has had abysmal results with it, though. Total CPU clockspeed wasn't really the problem, but the board could barely do stock FSB of 200MHz ...

So search for OC results of those three boards, as I don't know whether that ASUS was just a dud or if all of those clock that bad.

reject

11-17-2004, 08:45 PM

WiCkED has the epox and his mobile is at 2.5ghz i think. only prob with that case is cooling. i thik he could get higher if the case wasnt so cramped

Squid_Spit

11-17-2004, 09:55 PM

yeah that and you may want to take a look at this board http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProductDesc.asp?description=13-152-024&depa=1

J-Pak

11-18-2004, 01:25 AM

I believe there are really only three choices for you: ASUS A7N8X-VM/400, Epox EP-8RGM3i and Shuttle MN31N. Those are the only decent µATX-boards with nForce 2 IGP out there.

I know one guy who has the ASUS and has had abysmal results with it, though. Total CPU clockspeed wasn't really the problem, but the board could barely do stock FSB of 200MHz ...

So search for OC results of those three boards, as I don't know whether that ASUS was just a dud or if all of those clock that bad.

I don't actually need IGP. I'm going to use my 9800XT that I have right now in it

MightyOne

11-18-2004, 02:59 AM

You might not need integratd graphics, but most of these boards have it anyway ...

If you've got enough space in that case(not using all three PCI slots), I'd suggest using an Arctic VGA Silencer to get the hot air from the 9800XT out of the case.

J-Pak

11-18-2004, 11:50 AM

yeah that and you may want to take a look at this board http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProductDesc.asp?description=13-152-024&depa=1

Wow fantastic. That fits the bill perfectly, and looks like according to reviews mobiles work and they overclock

You might not need integratd graphics, but most of these boards have it anyway ...

If you've got enough space in that case(not using all three PCI slots), I'd suggest using an Arctic VGA Silencer to get the hot air from the 9800XT out of the case.

I'll consider that. I'm trying to spend as little as possible since I'm moving my AXP system to mATX and trying to save as much as possible for nforce4 and SLI for my main computer