Stable Quality NForce 4 Socket 939 Motherboards?

[webley]

As the Socket 939 NForce 4 Boards are getting scarce, does anyone know of a good really basic (non RAID, non-SLI) board that will just get the job done reliably with great stability and preferably a long life like this. Also a SATA or SATA 2 would be best. I have liked Epox or ASUS especially in the past but if there is a better more reliable quality motherboard out there please tell me about it.

Newegg is out of stock for all the models I was looking at but there must be something available. I really wish Geeks would get that MSI 939 simple board back in stock so I could get 1 as that sounds perfect if it's stable. Any other ideas and their sources? Thanks.

 

[conlan]

We've been running two for some time, both are very stable:

Asus A8N5X

MSI Neo 4-F





EDIT....fixed typo

 

[ScrapSilicon]

asus a8n-e ..pretty close to 24/7 and a bit over 2 yrs now ..

 

[secretanchitman]

just bought the asus a8n32-sli deluxe. cheap sli x16, good overclocking, damn nice board/features/accessories.

definitely get it.

 

[PhoenixOrion]

Why specifically Nforce 4?

Have you looked at ATI Express 3200 chipset boards?

 

[IEC]

I've been running an eVGA NF4 SLi mobo overclocked 20% rock solid stable for a loooong time. When I say stable, I mean it. I run F@H so any bad OC = lost work units

 

[MDE]

I'm running an Abit KN8 SLI and it's been great so far. Best of all, no chipset fan.

 

[F1shF4t]

DFI lanparty Ultra-D, its not basic but i dont think they are as expensive as they were when i bought mine.
One of the best socket 939 board for overclocking, have mine for over a year now without any problems
The board is stable up to 300HTT, probably even higher, i dont know the max cause my chip can't come anywhere close.

 

[webley]

Why specifically Nforce 4?

That's what I'm used to (and the hardware available) and I found that mixing ATI and NVidia in the past gave me more trouble than I expected; like a complete clean install one time, fun stuff.

I don't actually overclock anymore (for many, many years) as everything is fast enough that I really just want stability and longevity now, oh and quiet too.


Anyone heard good or bad about the Epox 9NPA3 SLI? I don't want SLI but I have had good stability in the past with Epox on a budget.
The only problem is, I just got that board and it was DOA for sure as I tested it with all working parts and nothing but a black screen showed up.. Might I need to update the Bios through the CD? I can't even get to the Bios so I'm thinking RMA now but is there an alternative (besides smashing it)?

This is my 2nd DOA board from Newegg in a row, the other was a quality ASUS A8N I believe! Is it just me or has quality gone downhill recently? So many builders are reporting DOAs that I wonder if productivity is going a bit too far and quality is suffering as a result.

Quality 1st manufacturers! If the product doesn't work than it doesn't matter how many boards you make in a day as your customers only remember your defective product that wasted their day and their money and time returning it. Then your company name goes in the trash bin of their minds and well, you know the rest.

 

[myocardia]

Whatever you do, stay away from Epox. Both Asus and DFI build the best motherboards around; everyone else is second to them.

 

[jwpeer]

I use a Biostar Tforce 4 SLI board (socket 939), and it's been stable for about 13 months now, I also recently built my friend a socket AM2 board with one of their boards as well, it's been stable for the past month and a half.

The price level on those is very good, and I've found the chipset fan to be very quiet (which is a big thing for me) and I like the way the board is laid out.

 

[Skitzer]

I have used an Abit KN8 Ultra for almost 2 years and have never had a problem with it. Stable as a rock! I don't care for many of Abits boards but this one is a keeper!

On the non nForce 4 front ...... My daughter has an ASRock 939 Dual SATA II which has been an excellent board. (Still using it) and my son is using an Abit AT8 32X with 2 X1800GTO's in crossfire and he has never had a problem with it.

We are all using Dual Core AMD's and G Skill ram.

 

[Binky]

Foxconn NF4K8MC-EKRS is dirt cheap and very stable. If you want to overclock, this isn't the board for you.

 

[Amaroque]

Originally posted by: ScrapSilicon
asus a8n-e ..pretty close to 24/7 and a bit over 2 yrs now ..

Been running two A8N-E boards since they came out with no problems whatsoever. I however replaced the stock chipset HS and fan combo with the Zalman chipset HS (no fan) before I even installed the boards. 1) The chipset fan is noisey. 2) Small fans have a short life. Anyway, they OC great with A64's, and X2's, and are very quiet.

I also have an A8N32-SLI Deluxe which is an awesome board. I didn't buy it for SLI, but all the other features is offers.

 

[kurt454]

Asus A5N8X

Like a rock.

 

[webley]

Whatever you do, stay away from Epox. Both Asus and DFI build the best motherboards around; everyone else is second to them.

I'm sure they are good and I've used Asus in the past but my 10+ Epox mainboards have been the best, most stable and easy to work with great performance boards I've ever dealt with and no DOA until the very last one and just before that an ASUS also was DOA. If you read many of the reviews on Newegg, most manufacturers seem to be having big problems with stability and functioning with some or many of their boards they are shipping apparently.

I'm trying to pin it down, if UPS is throwing the boards around too hard or the quality control at manufacture has been downgraded recently or what if anything is happening. Maybe I got unlucky but I've heard too many stories of builders receiving 2 sequential DOA quality mainboards from good retailers like Newegg and what are the chances of that if they are fully tested at the factory?

I just have this underlying perception that motherboard quality seemingly regardless of brand has gone downhill in the past year or two. By the way, I'm on all Epox perfect systems from 1-3 year old and also build for family and all builds are almost too reliable if there is such a thing.

Epox just has gotten a bad rap that is undeserved by my experience and many know this "secret" besides me. JMHO of course and facts about my experiences. Way back they did have some poor releases and I think that's where the negativity comes from. I have no relation to Epox for the record and things could change for the worse or have already. Quality control should be the #1 priority IMHO as almost nothing gives a person a negative experience so much as a DOA motherboard or 2!.

Kurt and all, I wish the Asus A5N8X was still available and I'd try that. I'll keep up the search. Thanks for all the help guys. Really 'preciate it!

Is that MSI Neo 4-F NF4 board (Retail) known to be quite reliable? I'll have to look into that some more as it did have some good reviews and that past CompGeeks deal left lots of new Anand owners who might have good or bad to say of it.

 

[firebyyrd]

ABIT AN8 Ultra, they're rare to find now, but it's a wonderful board, and very stable.
Best part is.. there is no motherboard fan, it uses a copper heatsink on it, which is very effective.

 

[NaOH]

Originally posted by: Spartan Niner
I've been running an eVGA NF4 SLi mobo overclocked 20% rock solid stable for a loooong time. When I say stable, I mean it. I run F@H so any bad OC = lost work units

I vouch for the same board. Running a 3800x2 at 2.4ghz and 2gb of ddr at 440mhz. I fold as well, but I started a team at my school

 

[webley]

Is it Asus A5N8X or A8N5X? I find the latter but the former is hardly Googleable with only 4 results. I'm just hoping it's the latter (A8N5X) you are referring to as whatever the name, it sounds like it has much enthusiasm behind it. Can an owner elaborate on what the part name is?

Is there such thing as the A5N8X or is it A8N5X? I would like to get an order in soon as it's the last part I need for my build, by tomorrow would be great if someone can anwswer what it's called. Anyone have a preferred ordering place besides Newegg (they only have open box). Thanks!

 

[conlan]

Originally posted by: webley
Is it Asus A5N8X or A8N5X? I find the latter but the former is hardly Googleable with only 4 results. I'm just hoping it's the latter (A8N5X) you are referring to as whatever the name, it sounds like it has much enthusiasm behind it. Can an owner elaborate on what the part name is?

Is there such thing as the A5N8X or is it A8N5X? I would like to get an order in soon as it's the last part I need for my build, by tomorrow would be great if someone can anwswer what it's called. Anyone have a preferred ordering place besides Newegg (they only have open box). Thanks!

It's A8N5X

I fixed the typo in my post, sorry for the confusion

 

[PingSpike]

I've got an epox board as well that I like. Its one that uses that ULI chipset that could be hacked to SLI. Didn't really but it for that though, I had an asrock 939dual before that and liked it a lot, the ULI chipset seems to get good harddrive performance as well so I just wanted the same board with some better bios options.

 

[webley]

Anyone know where to find an A8N5X board? I can't seem to locate one in stock..


Also is the MSI K8N NEO4-F a long lasting board for owners out there? I've read reviews of it lasting only 9 minths or 12 months etc. Does anyone have one that has been cooled well and lasted at least 2 or more years (preferably 3). I like the stability feedback but not the short lifspans I've read about. What do any owners think about longevity of the K8n N4-F?

Is a SATA boot drive (and no other drives) easy to setup with the MSI K8N?


I just need a stable 939 Nforce4 mainboard that will last. Even DFI reviews have failures at 1 year or so and many such feedbacks at Newegg like the MSI. It could just be that it's only a few 10s of short lasting boards out of tens of thousands being reported and the same for the MSI mentioned above.

 

[webley]

I got a A8N5X that is my 3rd DOA board! All parts are tested and the system won't boot. All parts on the boards have run warm but the CPUs have been cold. It's a good CPU and PS by the way that runs similar boards with ease. All the parts do. I think I may have just gotten VERY unlucky. Who gets 3 DOA mainboards though? I do this time. It was just my time I guess but 3 is sure a hassle especially when one company may not help me but just send me to the manufacturer as they are OOS I guess. Just do a credit for goodness sake, "we don't do credits. Under these circustances why not?? The next one will work! I'm thinking positive!

 

[caveman017]

Had a Abit KN8 and it was perfect, left it on for months at a time - no problems