Which is the better MoBo/CPU combo???

[videotape74]

I have the possiblity to get either of these MoBo/CPU for about the same price and I was wondering if someone could tell me which I should go with...

Socket A(462) AMD Athlon XP-M2800+ & PC Chips M863G (v5.1a) motherboard (http://www.pcchipsusa.com/prod-m863gv51a.asp)
or
Socket 939 AMD Sempron 3400+ & Asus A8N-LA motherboard (http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c00647121&lc=en&cc=us&dlc=&product=1843642)

[Richard_G]

If you want something that is already obsolete, and bottom of the range too, go for the PC Chips Socket A mobo. If you want something that is current and eminently upgradeable, go for the Asus.

Socket A has all but disappeared and you are unlikely to be able to buy a processor to upgrade as the mobo can only run at 333MHz FSB. The mobo/CPU combination is about the best you are going to get.

Tha Asus mobo will take a Sempron, Athlon 64 or Athlon 64 X2 so the combination offered is the slowest available. It will be faster, or at least as fast as, the first one as it stands but can be upgraded by simply fitting a better processor of which there are plenty to choose from. Go for the Asus every time.

[Ron B]

Socket A is dead, I know, I've got one. Matter of fact, I'm using it to make this post. I use it as an internet cruiser, nothing more. I will never upgrade this computer again. Kind of suprised that Socket A mobos are still for sale.

[redwudz]

Of the two you listed, I would go for the 939 and Asus motherboard. The 939 is at the end of it's life cycle and the Socket A (462) CPUs are obsolete at present.

If you have a few dollars more, I would consider a dual core AM2 CPU, along with DDR2 RAM and a PCI-E motherboard with on-board video. That should run circles around the Socket A CPUs and most 939 CPUs for performance.

[nonoitall]

Even if you can't afford a dual-core CPU (which are nicely priced at < $90 USD now), there are still some cheap Semprons available for the AM2 socket. (They overclock pretty well too, if you're into that.) AM2 should be around for quite some time, so if you could potentially want to upgrade in the future, it's what you want.

[RabidDog]

Yaeh the 939 is the way to go. AM2 has about another three months then they announce AM3 followed by a.n.other socket, all mapped out. I am gonna upgrade to a 939 single core(already bought), in the hope of getting a dual core faster CPU in about a year (2nd user).. along with 2gb of ram ddr400 plus an 1950xt Agp. All running Xp and linux for many years, I might even skip Vista completely and go for Horsehoe (vista+1)

[nonoitall]

AFAIK, they've already stopped releasing new CPUs for 939, so unless you have no intention of upgrading, AM2 is a better choice. AM3 socket CPUs are supposed to have two memory controllers built-in, so they will actually be backwards-compatible with AM2 socket motherboards (and their DDR2 memory). So, even when everything is AM3, the CPUs will still work with AM2 motherboards.