Ok, here's the deal.

I had a problem with my computer recently (you can view the thread here).

Basically, I need to upgrade my vid card (Radeon 9800 Pro), which I've been planning on doing for a while anyway. At first I wasn't sure if I was ready for PCI-E, so I decided to find an AGP version of a normally-PCI-E card. I looked around and noticed how much more expensive they are than their respective PCI-E versions.

So then I decided to start looking around to see if it would be cheaper (or close to the same price) to upgrade to a new motherboard and just get a PCI-E video card. I started looking around and realized that I know nothing about motherboards. I'm looking primarily for one that will allow me to keep my present processor (Intel 2.6 GHz) and have a PCI-E x16 on it as well. I don't want to break the bank, of course, so I'm looking for a good mix between price and performance. Any help in either telling me what I need to know in order to select the right one, or simply recommending a good board, is readily welcomed.

(I am assuming a Socket 478 as that is all that I can find for an Intel 2.6 GHz CPU.)

Your main limitation is the combination of an Intel Socket 478 with the desire for PCI_E.

Most boards that support PCI_E are using the Intel Socket 775. The main difference is the chipset which supports PCI_E: the Intel 915 chipset.

There are very few motherboards that use the older 478 Socket and at the same time use the newer Intel 915 chipset thus supporting PCI_E.

Here are a couple examples:




http://www.asus.com/products3.aspx?l...=Intel%20915PL

http://www.asus.com/products3.aspx?l...e=Intel%20915P





And just for what it's worth I really like ASUS boards.



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I really rate Gigabyte motherboards. They aren't cheap but they are certainly good and, despite their Taiwanese web site being absolutely awful, their printed documentation is excellent. They are easy to fit and are quite tolerant of you using the wrong settings!

I've only fitted an Intel motherboard once and found it to be the most straightforward and stable board I've ever used. But it was VERY expensive!

Dabs has an MSI board that has the Intel 915 chipset - it's got a high-end price tag though: http://www.dabs.com/ProductView.aspx...1&v=2#infoarea. Unfortunately, Dabs don't tell you what slots come on any of their motherboards so you have to try to work it out from the very small picture.

For that price, you could probably just about cover the cost of going to Insight for an Intel D925 board (socket 775) AND a new socket 775 Celeron processor: http://uk.insight.com/apps/productpr...3Atext%26AM%3D

The ones that Jephree found represent a much better deal - just £46.95 + VAT: http://www.casetech.co.uk/ASUS-P4GPL...B-p-18150.html