Best deal for basic systems - help me decide quickly

[mrzed]

We have $ that we have to spend by Friday here at work. We are getting systems for classroom use so they do not need to be powerful. We have quotes for systems with the following Motherboards:

Asus TUSL2. Pros: excellent rep for being dead stable and reliable.
MSI 6368L. Pros: $100 less expensive (once we add in a NIC on the TUSL2) Cons: I know nothing about this board other than the vendor sells many of them, and MSI has been one of the best Mobo manufacturers the last 2 years overall.

I am working on a budget, but leaning towards the more expensive system anyhow, just because it's a known quantity.

The MSI board uses the VIA PLE133 chipset if that helps.

Note: I don't have any time left to search around for alternatives, so I am only looking for advice reagarding these two boards.

 

[Buz2b]

<< Asus TUSL2. Pros: excellent rep for being dead stable and reliable >>

For what you are intending (classrooms), you have answered your own question. You need "dead stable and reliable" for something that would be used in that enviorment. MSI has some fine boards and I am not saying negatives about them, I just feel that under the circumstances you mention it is not worth it to skimp or take a chance. Go for the ASUS and never look back, IMHO.

 

[jcmkk]

What Buz said!

 

[mcveigh]

agreed!

 

[gerrick]

I know Ican't read. Here is a good altenative. if you want 100% stable then go with a boxed intel mobo and cpu combo. you can get a board and celeron for like $200 I bet. Add a $60 case, $10 FDD, $95 memory, and $80 HDD and you are done. Add 90 for OS and for a total of $520 or so you got it done. Board should have video, lan , and sound onboard.


mobo or mobo2
CPU

I would use an in-win S500 $60 or L545 $40

Crucial 256 PC133 7.5 $95

hdd

 

[Peter]

I recognize you're not looking for alternatives but if you think you can do with PLE133 chipset,
then you practically can't skip this one:

http://www.ecs.com.tw/products/p6vem2.htm

or

http://www.pcchips.com.tw/M787CLR.html

(same thing)

The one and only TRUE all-in-one board ... with VIA PLE133 chipset integrating graphics and sound, a non-
socketed (!) 667 MHz VIA C3 CPU, and LAN onboard, for little more $$$ than what other boards w/o CPU/fan/heatsink
combination are.
No compatibility headaches, minimal assembly work, low power (runs even in the cheapest of cases w/ 150W PSUs),
mature (read: old) chipset with little to no driver problems and good operating system support.

(Edit: This board goes for ?119 here in Germany, and I've seen US offerings for as low as $85.
Again, this is including the CPU, fan/heatsink, graphics, sound, LAN, and with some vendors even an AMR modem card.)

regards, Peter

 

[CoDerEd]

It's true to go with ASUS for stability.

But since you will not OC or do anything crazy w/ the mobo
You can go with VIA or SiS chipset mobo that has LAN
and sound and even vga, so you don't have to worry about
that small things.

Those two Peter gave is good also.

peace