How are Intel motherboards?

[ShadowFold]

I was thinking of using stock intel boards(like this one (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813121336)) for HTPC or Internet builds. Thanks :toast:

[hat]

it's the chipset not the board that matters in most cases

[Dr. Spankenstein]

I've found them to be EXTREMELY solid and stable. Not great clockers, but for your application I think it would be perfect.

[DanishDevil]

I agree with spanky. They're definitely not for OCing, but they're not crap that's gonna die on ya.

[Mussels]

yeah intel made boards are stable abovve all else. performance is often lower due to a few things, the only concern i would have is ram.

If you use ram that requires custom timings (say the ram is 5-5-5-15 but SPD says 5-7-7-21, you're screwed for setting the timings manually in most cases) or ram that needs above stock voltage (1.8v for DDR2)

Just got for plain old boring hardware and you will have no problems whatsoever.

[ShadowFold]

Think DDR2-800 Kingston Value RAM would work? I know my pair pretty much works with every board ive ever had.

[DanishDevil]

I don't see why not.

[eidairaman1]

they are good motherboards but they cost alot more.

[Mussels]

on the ram: its not that it wouldnt work, but those mobos tend to stick to whatever the SPD values say. So if you throw high performance ram in there (particularly ram that needs extra voltage) you wont get the full speed.

Check your ram in CPU-Z - whatever is on the SPD tab, is what your ram will run at.

[Paulieg]

Think DDR2-800 Kingston Value RAM would work? I know my pair pretty much works with every board ive ever had.

yeah, the Kingston Value RAM will work. :)

[ShadowFold]

What about 5-5-5-5-18? Thats the timing on the set I was gonna use.

[Mussels]

What about 5-5-5-5-18? Thats the timing on the set I was gonna use.

if thats what the rams timing is on the SPD, yeah. if you had to manually change to that on another system, then no - it will stick with defaults.

[DanishDevil]

5-5-5-5-18 might be tough, but 5-5-5-18 should be fine ;)

[Mussels]

5-5-5-5-18 might be tough, but 5-5-5-18 should be fine ;)

ummmm? typos?

[DanishDevil]

What about 5-5-5-5-18? Thats the timing on the set I was gonna use.

He wants to run:
5
5
5
5
18

Unless he's referring to the two timings that are usually grouped, I was pointing out his oopsie.

[MKmods]

seems like you could get a good mobo for a lot less $$.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813138097

or this
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813121304R

[ShadowFold]

I only trust a few brands and there arent any ones that I would get besides Foxconn and now Intel for the G3X series.

[Paulieg]

seems like you could get a good mobo for a lot less $$.

This is very true. Shadow, why an Intel board?

[Mussels]

oh right there was a bonus 5 in there. didnt see that.

Biostar have been getting a good reputation lately to be honest, so i'd at least consider it.

[ShadowFold]

Its not for me, kinda. Its for me and my mom. Im gonna use it as storage/server and my mom can use it when she wants. I want to go with a G3X board cause I dont think the 95X ones support the E2200 out of the box cause they are kinda old.

[Mussels]

Its not for me, kinda. Its for me and my mom. Im gonna use it as storage/server and my mom can use it when she wants.

yeah reliable is a must there.

Just so that you're aware, i had a storage system like that for a while - unless your mum is tech savvy, things could go bad. i had people deleting/cutting/over-writing all sorts of data, one day i lost 400GB because someone 'got confused' and formatted that instead of their 4GB flash drive.

Just a friendly warning from someone who went that route.

[ShadowFold]

yeah reliable is a must there.

Just so that you're aware, i had a storage system like that for a while - unless your mum is tech savvy, things could go bad. i had people deleting/cutting/over-writing all sorts of data, one day i lost 400GB because someone 'got confused' and formatted that instead of their 4GB flash drive.

Just a friendly warning from someone who went that route.

She knows enough to not delete my stuff. She just goes on the internet anyway and her HP is reallly slow.

[Paulieg]

I see you're using a DFI p35 board. Why not pick up a Blood Iron for $15 more than the Intel?

[ShadowFold]

Im reusing my old micro ATX case otherwise I would do that.

[ShadowFold]

Heres pretty much what I was gonna get.

DVD (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827151153)
Card (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814260074)(gonna be hooked up to a HDTV)
PSU (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371005)
RAM (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820211288)(for me, it gets my old Kingston)
Board (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813121336)
Gonna use my old Western Dig. and E2200.

[Mussels]

you might wanna swap the fan on the 2400XT or go a passive model to begin with - these low end cards arent temp controlled, and a small heatsink like that is gunna have a noisy fan attached.

[Paulieg]

Im reusing my old micro ATX case otherwise I would do that.

Oh, I see..so you're limited to Micro boards. Makes more sense now.

[Paulieg]

you might wanna swap the fan on the 2400XT or go a passive model to begin with - these low end cards arent temp controlled, and a small heatsink like that is gunna have a noisy fan attached.

Yeah, here's a nice passive 2400XT, and cheaper than the one you picked out.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125076

[ShadowFold]

The palit has a HDMI port so I dont have to use an adapter.

[Mussels]

in that case, look for a cheap 3rd party cooler.

Something like a zalman VF700 or VF900 (whatever fits) should be able to run without the fan plugged in, giving you that nice silent media PC feel :P

[btarunr]

For businesses and HTPC builds, Intel boards are super-durable and least troublesome. They're prettly plain-jane but do the job they're supposed to. The PC in my Dad's study uses a D845WN (which dates back to 2002~03) and it worked without a hitch all these years.