Asus A8N-SLI Premium vs. DFI Lanparty nf4 SLI-DR

[FlyBono24]

Asus: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813131540
DFI: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813136151

Which of these is the best for everything (OC'ing, stability, heat, etc...)?

 

[Jaxidian]

OT but a comment about the DFI:

You can buy this for much cheaper than the SLI-D yet easily mod it to be the same thing. Just wanted to add that in case this cost savings makes a difference to what people would choose.

 

[The Pentium Guy]

DFI for sure. The ASUS has loads of problems I heard. DFI comes with lots of accessories too.

 

[Capt Caveman]

Originally posted by: The Pentium Guy
DFI for sure. The ASUS has loads of problems I heard. DFI comes with lots of accessories too.

Incorrect. You must be thinking of the Deluxe. I haven't had an issue yet with mine, the same with many others. Any issues have been user error. I've been able to overclock my X2 to 2.75ghz.

Both are excellent boards. If you plan on overclocking, the DFI will provide more tweaking options for more than likely a little bit of a higher oc. But will require more time to get stable b/c of the number of tweaks. The DFI also will provide a higher amount of voltage options, so if you get ram that requires high voltage(ie. Mushkin Redline), this is the board to get.

The Asus has the nf4 heatpipe so no noisy chipset fan, has 3 pci slots(which I needed), X2 supported out of the box and IMHO has a better laid out board. PCI-e x16 slots are further apart for better ventilation. DFI's chipset fan is covered over by the video card, providing possible ventilation issues and difficulty in using chipset water-cooling.

Neither board is perfect and based on your planned usage, one may be better than the other.

 

[Macro2]

The premium is $173 at ewiz.com

 

[imported_Kensai]

DFI hands down.

 

[Capt Caveman]

Originally posted by: Kensai
DFI hands down.

Why? The OP will probably find it helpful.

 

[mattburk]

Asus hands down. Just look at the difference in support in the manual alone. The dfi manual is useless. The asus is more stable overall. My dfi board is junk compared to my old asus.

 

[Bona Fide]

Look through the motherboard forum. Everyone's had problems with ASUS...DFI seems pretty rock-solid.

 

[Waylay00]

ASUS is higher quality overall. FRom the packaging, to the manual, to the board itslef, to the website, there is no question that the ASUS is better quality.

Unrelated to this topic, but keep in mind that not EVERYONE wants to overclock. If this is the case, there are much better boards than the DFI NF4 series. Even still, the SLI Premium is a very good overclocker.

Anyways, you will be more likely to experience problems with the DFI than with the ASUS.

 

[Capt Caveman]

Originally posted by: Bona Fide
Look through the motherboard forum. Everyone's had problems with ASUS...DFI seems pretty rock-solid.

Why do you keep on posting this here in other threads? You own neither board. Nor have you done your research. Check out ocforums, xtremesystems and etc and the only issues surrounding the A8N-SLI Premium are user inexperience problems or other Asus boards. If you scroll down the motherboard forum at his site, you'll see just as many or more threads about DFI board issues.

The DFI boards are very good boards, but also have their issues. Loud chipset fans, poor board layout, boards dying out or burning out ram when some folks use the 5v jumper for dimm voltage. And even though, odds are you are going to get a higher oc w/ a DFI board, it'll also take a novice to DFI boards a whole lot more time to get the board stable.

I haven't had an issue w/ my Asus board, so that's not everyone. You earlier started a thread how you were turned-off by the DFI board, one reason b/c of the color of the board.
Best motherboard for overclocking? Other than DFI...

 

[Dewey]

I see the Asus A8N-SLI Premium on newegg, but not on the Asus site. Is there a link to the product from Asus?

 

[Capt Caveman]

Originally posted by: Dewey
I see the Asus A8N-SLI Premium on newegg, but not on the Asus site. Is there a link to the product from Asus?

The Asus North American is very slow to update their website. However, you can find it on their global site:
Asus A8N-SLI Premium

 

[Merovingian]

Asus if you want a solid board and can afford a processor that doesn't need more than a 45% overclock. If you want to see how far you can push a cheap chip on water or vapo, than maybe you want the DFI board. DFI board supports silly things like ram voltages over 3v. Silly, ram has such a small impact on speed at such speeds it just a waste of energy. Problem with the asus is the issue of the 1T memory timings, it can't hit them. That is the only real problem in my opinion and the fact that some of the NB fans are noisy unless you get the premium. Asus is also prime for watercooling at danger den. =)

 

[solofly]

Originally posted by: Capt Caveman

Originally posted by: Dewey
I see the Asus A8N-SLI Premium on newegg, but not on the Asus site. Is there a link to the product from Asus?

The Asus North American is very slow to update their website. However, you can find it on their global site:
Asus A8N-SLI Premium

Here's the mobo on US site...

http://usa.asus.com/products/mb/socket939/a8nsli-p/overview.htm

 

[cartmann]

Na boa que eu acredito que a asus é melhor... tenho uma A8N-SLI e nunca tive problemas e também nunca vi placa igual! inigualável o desempenho du bixo!!! não é uma Premium, mas na boa, a premium além de nao ter o seletor de sli é super silenciosa!
pelo preço da DFI, e pelo que todos falam do suporte da DFI, nao pegue DFI... hehe, quando precisei a asus me ajudou, na boa! Mesmo aqui no Brasil!
Valeu!

I think Asus is better! I have one A8N-SLI and never had any problems and never see anything like that! superb performance! its not a premium, but think, Premium have selector for sli and are ultra silenced!
By the price of DFI, and for what all people say about the support of DFI, dont catch a DFI! When I needed, Asus helped me, really! here, in brazil!
bye!

 

[Waylay00]

Originally posted by: TheMerovingian
Asus if you want a solid board and can afford a processor that doesn't need more than a 45% overclock. If you want to see how far you can push a cheap chip on water or vapo, than maybe you want the DFI board. DFI board supports silly things like ram voltages over 3v. Silly, ram has such a small impact on speed at such speeds it just a waste of energy. Problem with the asus is the issue of the 1T memory timings, it can't hit them. That is the only real problem in my opinion and the fact that some of the NB fans are noisy unless you get the premium. Asus is also prime for watercooling at danger den. =)

The 1T issue was only for the Deluxe, not the Premium.

 

[Merovingian]

Then there is no reason whatsoever to use anything but asus when using a decent chip that doesn't require a 45%+ overclock.

 

[GuitarDaddy]

Originally posted by: TheMerovingian
Then there is no reason whatsoever to use anything but asus when using a decent chip that doesn't require a 45%+ overclock.

:thumbsup:

The only reason I see for picking the DFI over the Asus is if you are going to use phase change cooling. IMO thats the only safe way to utilize the insane voltages provided by the DFI, and even then don't expect it to live long

 

[furballi]

The CPU and video card have the most impact on system performance. Don't overclock to the bleeding edge if you want a very stable system. I like the Abit AN8 or Abit AX8 with newer chipset. Also check out the Epox EP-9NPA. DFI's layout stinks although I also have a problem with the power connectors on the Epox.

Currently own the AX8. I can run 275MHz FSB with Corsair VS @ DDR333 speed.

 

[Mocha]

 

[Mocha]

I went through the AN8-SLI vs DFI decision recently. There are plenty of bad news stories on the forums for both AN8-SLI deluxe and DFI boards. However the AN8-SLI Prem is in a different league and very few people who have actually used the AN8-SLI Premium have anything bad to say about it. It doesn't have the 1T or stability problems of the AN8-SLI Deluxe and there are plenty of reports of overclocking to 50%+

I went with the AN8-SLI Premium and have been running a 3000+ venice at 2.7Ghz in the board for over a week - it's rock solid and I am very happy with this choice.

 

[FlyBono24]

Thanks for the ones that are actually contributing.... some are just spewing crap that doesn't even have anything to do with either board, and stuff they've read about some completely different model...

BTW from everything I've seen and read, the 1T issue, the fan issue, and almost every other issue that affects the Deluxe board HAS BEEN FIXED for the Premium.

 

[FlyBono24]

Originally posted by: furballi
The CPU and video card have the most impact on system performance. Don't overclock to the bleeding edge if you want a very stable system. I like the Abit AN8 or Abit AX8 with newer chipset. Also check out the Epox EP-9NPA. DFI's layout stinks although I also have a problem with the power connectors on the Epox.

Currently own the AX8. I can run 275MHz FSB with Corsair VS @ DDR333 speed.

I'm not going to do some extreme OC... I want to use my computer for a while, I don't want to burn everything out in 2 months.

I'm getting an AMD 3700+ San Diego core... stock is 2.2, I'm going to around 2.6-2.7 GHz.

 

[Tip Top]

In response to the rose colored glasses in the begining of the thread -- I have a Premium and I have real 1T issues and a seriously unstable system at 1T, trying to run the system as specified (no overclocking ).

I am in no way convinced yet my problem is rooted in this board, as there are certainly other components that fit the bill or my problems!

Now, I have standard good name brand pc3200 memory.
Now whether the problem is the CPU (remember the memory controller is on the CPU, not the motherboard), the memory, or the motherboard's pathways communicating the signals, I have not determined that yet. I will report back after I get some of the parts checked out/substituted.

In short, I wish I had purchased a 350 celeron premade system, then I cannot feel bad as I am only out 350 and I am at least able to use the system. Well , I guess I could use this system at pc2700 1t, or pc3200 2t dual channel mode (but that is not what I paid for!). But I got to spend hours putting all this stuff back in boxes. So where is my computer going to be, well in the mail!

On a postive note, it really is nice not to have a little fan spinning at high speed on the chipset.