Board on a budget...

[BobbyDrake]

I am working on a limited budget, and that means, no ASUS or ABIT board. I am looking at purchasing the ECS K7VTA3. Does anybody recomend this board? I have read a couple of reviews on it, and they seem positive. I obvioulsy want a Socket A board with DDR, and possible on board sound (don't need to buy a sound card right away, I am on a budget ya know). Can anybody reccomend another fairly cheap quality board? Thanks in advance.

BobbyDrake

 

[Daovonnaex]

Never again will I recommend an ECS board. It's like Russian roulette. Sometimes you win, sometimes the board dies. The iWill XP-333 is a great value. About $100, onboard 5.1 sound (C-Media, about as bad as an SB Live!), RAID, decent performance, solid, and good overclockability.

 

[Peter]

Oh well, here goes Daovonnaex again ... ECS haven't skyrocketed to the #1 spot in the mainboard manufacturers race
for making nothing but crap, you know.

 

[Daovonnaex]

<< Oh well, here goes Daovonnaex again ... ECS haven't skyrocketed to the #1 spot in the mainboard manufacturers race
for making nothing but crap, you know. >>

Worst experience of my life with ECS. Well, worst computing experience. I thought that ECS was #6, after Asus, MSI, Intel, Gigabyte, and Abit. If they are no. 1, they're there due to extremely low prices. You get what you pay for.

 

[Jerboy]

<<

<< Oh well, here goes Daovonnaex again ... ECS haven't skyrocketed to the #1 spot in the mainboard manufacturers race
for making nothing but crap, you know. >>

Worst experience of my life with ECS. Well, worst computing experience. >>



I second that.



<< I thought that ECS was #6, after Asus, MSI, Intel, Gigabyte, and Abit. If they are no. 1, they're there due to extremely low prices. You get what you pay for. >>




Why do you think Eastman Kodak is going out of CD-R business? They make excellent quality, highly consistent quality without a question. When you ask for quality, it is going to cost more and since typical consumers, especially those in America don't fancy much about the quality and are always most enthusiastic about how much performance/quantity they can get for the money.

I believe in quality and I don't jump for something just because it gives me the most quantity to the dollar.

I adhere strictly to genuine Pepsi Cola® and Coca-Cola® and don't consume grocery store brand pop. I don't use el-cheapo CD-R's. I'm paying for safe storage of data, not greatest storage size at compromise of reliability.

 

[Acanthus]

I HAVE NEVER OWNED AN ECS MOTHERBOARD THAT WASNT CRAP!!!

I hate ecs and i recommend their products to only my worst enemies.
I have owned Celeron, P3, P4, Athlon/Duron mobos, all of them had issues, and all of them had crappy drivers.

I even gave them a 2nd chance last month with a friends computer i was building, Duron1ghz rig. Ran like crap, USB drivers didnt work at all, checked the webiste, no drivers, had to go to vias site to get the 4 in 1s, they didnt detect the controller, i literally smashed the motherboard in the driveway i was so frustrated, got an Iwill KK266+, runs great. Same hardware. Go figure.

 

[Jerboy]

<< I HAVE NEVER OWNED AN ECS MOTHERBOARD THAT WASNT CRAP!!!

I hate ecs and i recommend their products to only my worst enemies.
I have owned Celeron, P3, P4, Athlon/Duron mobos, all of them had issues, and all of them had crappy drivers.

I even gave them a 2nd chance last month with a friends computer i was building, Duron1ghz rig. Ran like crap, USB drivers didnt work at all, checked the webiste, no drivers, had to go to vias site to get the 4 in 1s, they didnt detect the controller, i literally smashed the motherboard in the driveway i was so frustrated, got an Iwill KK266+, runs great. Same hardware. Go figure. >>




I KNOW how to properly care for K7S5A

 

[Athlon4all]

I personally would not recommend ECS boards either really until I get a K7S5A and see for myself what the hoolah is about. Anyway, a cheap but stable Sock A board is EPoX 8KHAL for like $80. There is also the 8KHA+ with ocing options for $100 and Shuttle AK31A for $80. All great boards and the latter 2 can oc (8KHA+ may be the best ocing board avialable.).

 

[o1die]

Check newegg's refurbished section. They come with a 30 day warranty and many have free shipping. Some have the driver cd and some don't, but you can download the 4 in 1 drivers off via's website.

 

[Alex]

budget?

get an nforce board...

 

[Tom]

I've been using an ECS K7S5A for 7 months and I've never had any trouble with it all. If you need the lowest priced board with built-in sound, and even a built-in nic, $53 is hard to beat. I think it's nice board.

If you're sure you want a KT266a board, the Shuttle AK31a has several features the ECS board you mentioned doesn't have. I also have an Ak31a and it has been almost as reliable as the K7S5A. It benchmarks a tiny bit better than the K7S5A but frankly the K7S5A boots up faster and feels a little bit faster to me.

 

[TNOguy]

Pretty funny Jerboy

TNOguy

 

[BUTTUGLY]

Get a $76 Shuttle AK31v3.1. I've built 3 systems with the AK31 series and am waiting for my 4th to be delivered.

 

[AGodspeed]

I've heard great things about the Shuttle AK31A motherboards. They use the KT266A chipset, and come with AC97 onboard sound, 4 DIMM slots, and 6 PCI slots. I'd definitely get this board if I were you. Unless of course you don't trust VIA that is....

 

[AA0]

ECS is not worth getting, some idiots that have been barely running the sis ecs boards will say how good they are, but they haven't been using them long enough to know that they die on you. Some have had them die and still praise them, its just not worth it.

Asus is my number one board, get one and you will be happy with your computer. Epox is another good one, a lot cheaper. If you want stability FIC is nice, and they usually have a good feature set with a decent price.

 

[Jerboy]

<< I am working on a limited budget, and that means, no ASUS or ABIT board. I am looking at purchasing the ECS K7VTA3. Does anybody recomend this board? I have read a couple of reviews on it, and they seem positive. I obvioulsy want a Socket A board with DDR, and possible on board sound (don't need to buy a sound card right away, I am on a budget ya know). Can anybody reccomend another fairly cheap quality board? Thanks in advance.

BobbyDrake >>




Dude get a Dell


If you insist on building one yourself, I'd avoid ECS. Epox 8KHA+(spelling?) is supposed to be a great board. Get an ATI Xpert 98 8MB AGP videocard and 256MB DDR PC 2100 from Mushkin or Crucial and you're all set. ATI Xpert98 is perfect for on budget system. My main rig is by no mean a budget system, but I use ATI Xpert98 8MB, because I don't see a reason to upgrade for my use. Xpert 98=$20, GeForce3 TI200=$130. $110 savings on videocard is enough to get yourself a nice HDD or a notch higher level motherboard.

 

[AA0]

well if you want a budget comp for gaming, don't take a xpert98, I wouldn't take that ever, just not enough memory. Xpert 2000 should have 32 megs, and its very cheap. Good 2d, no gaming though.

 

[BobbyDrake]

Thanks for the replies. And actually Jerboy, I already have a dell. I am going to be canablizing this computer for some of my parts for my new one. Basically all I need for the new one is Mobo, CPU, and RAM. I already ordered a case, and will be taking my HD, drives, modem, and NIC from this computer.

 

[KouklatheCat]

The Epox 8kHA+ has onboard sound and it has been very fast and stable for me. I think it is somewhere around 85-100 bucks.

 

[BobbyDrake]

What is the difference between teh EPOX EP-8KHA and the EPOX EP-8KHA+, other than about 20 bucks?

 

[Athlon4all]

<< What is the difference between teh EPOX EP-8KHA and the EPOX EP-8KHA+, other than about 20 bucks? >>

Are you reffering to the 8KHAL? Here's the lowdown on the 3 8KHA series boards:

8KHA: VIA KT266 chipset. Very poor performer. Great oc'er board otherwise but shoud be avoided
8KHAL: VIA KT266A chipset. Great performer, no overclocking options. Basically an OEM 8KHA+. If ocing doesn't matter, get this.
8KHA+: VIA KT266A. Great performer, maybe the best overclocking board avialable.Great board!

 

[Jace]

I've had good luck with this board, it's only $89, but doesn't support DDR

MSI 6340M v5.0

 

[Jerboy]

<< Thanks for the replies. And actually Jerboy, I already have a dell. I am going to be canablizing this computer for some of my parts for my new one. Basically all I need for the new one is Mobo, CPU, and RAM. I already ordered a case, and will be taking my HD, drives, modem, and NIC from this computer. >>




what about video card?

 

[oldfoof]

Yeah m the EPOX 8KHA+ is 266A , chipset compaird to the 266 chipset. The Board rocks.... Nice and Stable!!!! MOfin Fast!

 

[hoihtah]

damm... i love how people trash ecs... just cause they don't know how to configure it correctly.

i don't want to go into that whole argument though..

as for a mobo recommendation...
you need to specify how much you're willing to spend.

if you are really tight on budget...
and have a decent psu...
ecs k7s5a is a good choice.

if you can spare a bit more...
i'd say go with epox 8kha+.

i have both mobos...
they are both great.
but if i had to choose one over the other... hands down epox.

i got a refurb one from newegg...
a great deal.

a great o/cier.
onboard sound and 2+2 usb port.