Asus A8N32-SLi Deluxe vs DFI LanParty NF4 SLI-DR

[Tobeman]

I currently have an Asus A8N-SLi Premium, and I still havent used it (got a mate thats interested in buying). Im a complete newbie to overclocking, the most I've done is my graphics card at OS level. I've yet to buy a processor, but will probably go for a Opteron 165-175, due to the great things I've been hearing about them. I currently have 2gb OCZ PC3200 Platinum 2-3-2-5 mem, Tagan 580w PSU and an Asus EN7800GTX Top Edition (dual slot) in a Akasa Eclipse 62 case with 2x 120mm Akasa case fans.

Overclocking seems like 'fun', and I really want to try and get the most I can from the hardware I've got, out of the Asus A8N32-SLi Deluxe and DFI LanParty NF4 SLI-DR, what do you guys suggest?

I hear Asus renames options in the BIOS which is really going to through me if I use a guide to overclock, but I do like the spacing between pci-express lanes to allow for 2 of my graphics cards if I so wished. I went for the Premium because of the passive heatsink previously also, and as far as I'm aware the northbridge has a fan, which doesn't bother me as long as its not horrendously noisy.

Gimme your feedback I think its about time I got this build complete, I started purchasing bits in August

[Hans Voralberg]

IMO no one got near to the level of fun u get through ocing on DFI board just yet. Apart from the spacing problem i would go for the DFI. Also you could get a DFI Sli-DR EXPERT from http://www.bytesatwork.be/, it's 231 euro inl shipping -> ~160 quids. I contacted them and they more than happy to ship to UK.

[Tobeman]

What do you get on the expert board over the.. er.. newbie?

[Hans Voralberg]

The spacing, it's two slot between the cards with the expert

[nvening]

Ill buy the asus if someomne wants to buy my dfi ultra-d ?

[Tobeman]

My current Asus nvening? £95 is currently being offered for it

The spacing, it's two slot between the cards with the expert

any idea when its due to hit the UK?

[Hans Voralberg]

DFI said mid December, but last month they told me mid November, so i dont have a freaking idea when. AFAIK only the Benelux and US have this board atm, which is weird IMO

[Tobeman]

Bah humbug Well, currently winning an auction on a well known auction site for a CABYE 0540 FPAW

[nvening]

(i think he means ebay)

[Tobeman]

Huh? Apologies for my stupidity

[Clstrphbc_donut]

As I've owned both boards, I'd reccomend the Asus. The DFI, being an overclockers board, is very twitchy and takes a while to get running stable whereas the Asus is solid.

Also, the DFI is very picky with RAM and PSU. I could only get 2.67GHz from the DFI and for that i had to use memory dividers. With the Asus, I'm at 2.7GHz with NO memory dividers.

Another smaller point is if you use USB ports on the front of the case, you cant use them on the DFI because as far as i could see, there weren't any USB connections, only those connected to the board that go through the I/O plate.

What did I like about the DFI board? Hmm....well the UV reactive slots wheres nice, as was the extra's you get.....UV reactive SATA, IDE cables, cable tidying kit.......