Mainboard Recommendations
Here are some rules that you should follow when trying to decide which mainboard is best for your next Socket-7 microprocessor:
- Do not consider buying a mainboard that does not support both dual voltage CPUs and a 75MHz or greater bus speed. Without a 75MHz bus you will not be able to utilize a Cyrix/IBM 6x86 PR200+ or Cyrix/IBM 6x86MX PR233. A 6x86MX PR233 that utilizes a 66MHz bus is not scheduled for release until much later this year. You can also obtain additional performance from a CPU for free by simply utilizing the faster bus speeds that these mainboards offer. For example, a AMD K6 166 performing at 2x83MHz is substantially faster than a AMD K6 166 performing at 2.5x66MHz.
- Look for mainboards that offer true asynchronous mode at bus speeds above 75 MHz. Asynchronous mode means that the PCI bus is running at 33 MHz and the AGP bus is running at 66MHz instead of 1/2 the system clock. This results in a more stable system because you aren't overclocking your PCI or AGP peripherals. A lot of PCI cards don't like being overclocked and will misbehave at 75MHz and 83MHz system frequencies.
- As bus speeds continue to increase, memory speed is much more important and significantly impacts overall performance. Although SDRAM has dropped significantly in price, I am still preferential to 50ns EDO over 10ns SDRAM. I wouldn't consider buying 60ns EDO or anything slower than 10ns SDRAM. Be aware that getting EDO memory to run properly at high bus speeds can be quite an ordeal. You may have to spend many hours "tweaking" the system BIOS before your system is stable. The benefit of SDRAM is that it is faster and you don't have to mess around with BIOS settings to get your system running stable assuming that you can get it to run at all. Many motherboards that support SDRAM are very picky about which SDRAM they will accept. Currently a standard for SDRAM memory does not exist. At least with EDO you are guaranteed that your memory will function in your mainboard.
- Avoid buying cheap memory. All memory is not the same and cheap memory will rear its ugly head as you crank up the bus speed. Memory is one item where you truly get what you pay for. I personally only buy EDO memory from Micron. Micron is one of the finest memory manufacturers in the world. You can buy from them factory direct through Crucial Technologies at very attractive prices.
- Avoid mainboards based on the Intel HX and Intel VX chipsets. These chipsets are dated and on their way to retirement. Intel is replacing them both with the TX chipset. In addition, recently released chipsets from ALi, SiS, and Via are faster and offer the latest technological advancements.
- Stay away from mainboards based on the VXPro, VXTwo, HXPro, and TXPro chipsets. These chipsets are mostly found on cheap generic motherboards. Do yourself a favor a buy from a reputable motherboard manufacturer that has a presence on the Internet. I would be willing to bet that one day you will want to upgrade your bios. Good luck finding a freebie upgrade for your no-name mainboard.
- If you are really squeezed for cash, pick up a Gigabyte GA586S2 or AOpen AP58. These are quality boards that are rock solid stable and offer solid performance. They can be purchased retail for approximately $90.00. I can't tell you how many horror stories that I have received from readers through the Satisfaction Survey who skimped on their mainboard and bought from Alton, Amptron, Houston Technologies, Hsing Tech, Jaton, and PC Chips. Learn from their mistakes and don't buy anything from these manufacturers.
- ATX boards rule! It was painful having to spring an extra $90 for the In-Win ATX case, but it was worth every penny of it. I will from this day forward preach the beauty of ATX form factor design. For those of you who don't know, the ATX form factor is a mainboard specification developed by Intel that addresses shortcomings in the Baby AT design. The ATX form factor is essentially a Baby-AT mainboard rotated 90 degrees within the chassis enclosure and a new mounting configuration for the power supply. In this way, the processor is relocated away from the expansion slots, allowing them all to hold full length add-in cards. ATX also defines a double height aperture to the rear of the chassis which can be used to host a wide range of on-board I/O. You can read more about the ATX specification here
- All of the boards that I recommend are listed on either the AMD or Cyrix 6x86/6x86MX motherboard compatibility list. Don't buy a mainboard that is not on this list! I think that I should say it again. Don't buy a mainboard that is not on this list!
My picks for performance in no particular order:
| Manufacturer | Model | MAX Bus Speed | Memory Support | Chipset | Form Factor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M Technology | Mustang R581A | 100MHz | FPM/EDO, SDRAM | SiS 5591 | AT |
My pick for those of you on a shoestring budget.
| Manufacturer | Model | MAX Bus Speed | Memory Support | Chipset | Form Factor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gigabyte | GA586SG | 83MHz | FPM/EDO, SDRAM | SiS 5591 | AT |
| AOpen | AP58 | 83MHz | FPM/EDO, SDRAM | SiS 5582 | AT |
My pick for a 64-voice soundcard:
I am also going to throw in my recommendation for a 64-voice soundcard. There is a new sound card from Guillemot named MaxiSound. The MaxiSound delivers 64-voices produced by hardware, not 32 voices from hardware and 32 from software like the AWE64 cards. As a result, it is a more attractive to Cyrix users because of the Pentium requirement for the AWE64. Check out the following MaxiSound review from Gamecenter.com. I think that you will be impressed. All of the feedback that I have received about this card has been very positive. This soundcard is awesome!