NForce Chipset

Here's the ASUS card based on the nForce (420) chipset -> ASUS A7N266-E



Here's the MSI version -> MSI K7N420 PRO

Here is the stats on the MSI, its about $160 US wholesale.

MB - K7 Socket-A nVidia DDR ATX MB, CNR, 5 PCI, 1 4xAGP, 3 DIMM(DDR) to 1.5gb, nforce 420D chipset, integrated video (GeForce-MX class), audio on board, ATA/100, 266MHz FSB, LAN on board MSI Model: K7N420 PRO

Considering you would not have to buy a video card or lan card to start, it looks like a very attractive board. Any more thoughts ??

I'll just toss in, do not look to the Audio part on the Nforce as a good reason to buy it. Or at least, do not confuse an AC-3 encoder to be something that will make a game sound better than it would an any other soundcard

You do understand that the nForce motherboard chipset is an "integrated" GeForce2 graphics processor, built into the standard north bridge. It is equivalent to a GeForce2 MX 400. The MCP, media communications processor, is equivalent to the south bridge, but can add networking, modem, audio, etc.

Regardless, this is still an integraded motherboard, which you may disable by adding another vid-card. If you use an external video card in the AGP slot, you will lose any speed advantage from the nForce's advertised features: twinbank memory controller & the dynamic adaptive speculative pre-processor (that work like the prefetch features on Palomino and Morgan core AMD processors) etc. etc.

Personally I do not like integraded vid & sound motherboards.
nVidia seems to be target marketing high-end boards, priced around $150

Originally posted by 3DSThomas
I'll just toss in, do not look to the Audio part on the Nforce as a good reason to buy it. Or at least, do not confuse an AC-3 encoder to be something that will make a game sound better than it would an any other soundcard

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Thank you 3DSThomas, yes I know that the onboard sound isn't the greatest....thats why I always do use a traditional sound card. Thanks for the info.

Originally posted by uncleel
You do understand that the nForce motherboard chipset is an "integrated" GeForce2 graphics processor, built into the standard north bridge. It is equivalent to a GeForce2 MX 400. The MCP, media communications processor, is equivalent to the south bridge, but can add networking, modem, audio, etc.

Personally I do not like integraded vid & sound motherboards.
nVidia seems to be target marketing high-end boards, priced around $150

Click to expand...

And thanks to you uncleel, yes I understand that, if I where to get a board like this it would be just for a back up system, for doing internet stuff and basic stuff. I wouldn't use it for hard core gaming.

And I also agree with you, I am not a big fan of integraded boards either. Just a thought for a simple system to do the not so taxing things my current rig does. Thanks for the info

Originally posted by boeingfixer
Hey all,
Anyone out there have an NForce chipset motherboard. I have been considering building one for just the basic stuff and keep my big rig for gaming.

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If the second rig is for "basic" stuff then I don't see why you need to buy an nForce board at $150. You can get something based on another chipset (KT266, KT266a(best), SIS, AMD760) with integrated sound and networking for cheaper. Unless you are really after the integrated graphics I would be tempted by one of these. With Geforce2MX cards coming as cheap as $55 now the options are open. The nForce stuff performs a bit better than putting a geforce2Mx in the system as Uncleel says but if you bought a board without the video onboard you could put a very basic video card in that costs almost nothing. What exactly do you mean by "basic" stuff? Defining this will give us a better idea of whether or not this is a good board for your "basic" uses....

Originally posted by boeingfixer
back up system, for doing internet stuff and basic stuff. I wouldn't use it for hard core gaming.

Click to expand...

i really don't think you need a $150 board for these stuff. some cheap (but stable) board will do fine, i think. and because you're not doing any games on it, if i were you, i'd get some *crummy TNT2 M64 or sth, then get a mid-range sound card for the pleasure of music while surfing the net or doing the "basic stuffs" (typing reports? accounts?). get some 512mb sdram and i think it'll do fine as a secondary system that doesn't run games.

(*edited by mod)

Thanks Ai Hate, and the others,

I did some checking in to prices and you are right, I can get a mobo and video for the same price or cheaper than an Nforce board. It was an idea, but thanks for setting me straight.