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    Buying brand new boards?

    So its come time again to upgrade a few computers, and I've got no idea what brands to stay away from. Last time I went with Epox boards, and before that Abit boards, and everything ends up with bad caps in the end. Are bad caps still the problem they were years back, or are things finally starting to clear up? Are there any safe-bet brands to buy? Does Abit still stick to only good japanese caps? How is Asus now?

    #2
    Re: Buying brand new boards?

    The problem hasn't totally gone away, but Abit are okay, so are intel-brand boards but they're stinkin' expensive. Asus uses known crap OST and Ltec, along with a few Chemi-con.
    The great capacitor showdown!

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      #3
      Re: Buying brand new boards?

      The enthusiast abit boards are ok, the cheaper budget models still have teapo's randomly. Gigabytes enthusiasts boards are looking good, but use OST on cheaper models.

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        #4
        Re: Buying brand new boards?

        Ouch, it seems like its going to be hard to get something that isn't going to fall apart in a year. What defines "enthusiast boards"? A bunch of stuff most people don't need like RAID and status LEDs, or just anything except the ones with SiS chipsets and integrated video?
        I try to stick with Via chipsets in the past, and now nForce boards. Definately don't need integrated video, but don't nee RAID or anything fancy either.

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          #5
          Re: Buying brand new boards?

          You'll be pretty safe with Abit AX8 if you need neither integrated video nor RAID. The AX8 is a ~$100(?) board with Via k8t890 chipset and 8237 southbridge. Full ATX and Socket 939. But if you want Nforce 4 then go with the AN8 v2.0, which has a heatpipe chipset cooler and actively cooled FETs. It's about $120 and has RAID but no video.
          Last edited by Chris1992; 08-06-2005, 01:42 PM.
          The great capacitor showdown!

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            #6
            Re: Buying brand new boards?

            Also loving the DFI Ultra-D about $129, but its a great board.

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              #7
              Re: Buying brand new boards?

              Originally posted by Chris1992
              heatpipe chipset cooler and actively cooled FETs.
              I want to avoid as many fans as possible in my next system. I'm sick of these things sounding like vacuum cleaners

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                #8
                Re: Buying brand new boards?

                Did I say actively cooled? Yeah, the AN8 has those but the AN8 Ultra, which I think I was talking about has heatpipe chipset cooler and big heatsinks on FETS. However, people say that the FET fans on AN8 are actually pretty quiet.
                The great capacitor showdown!

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                  #9
                  Re: Buying brand new boards?

                  Speaking of heatsinking,
                  My board has, had, chipset sinks clamped to the board with little tiny crockee hoops
                  soldered down.
                  When the chip got hot, one lifted and then the caps burst and then the video sub died and then poof, no post, board is gone.
                  How can solder (melts when hot) hold down the heat sinks?
                  Jim

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                    #10
                    Re: Buying brand new boards?

                    because heat sinks should NOT, under any circumstances, get that hot.

                    More likely the caps burst, the VRM fets shorted, 5/12v got dumped to the chip, THEN the chip got so hot as to melt the solder.

                    --Randy

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                      #11
                      Re: Buying brand new boards?

                      Yes, true, true.
                      Replaced this board and new one has the VRM section heat sinked.
                      The dead board gets added to my collection.
                      Jim

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