Asus A8S-X SiS Socket 939 ATX Motherboard / AMD Athlon64 3200+ OEM / 1024MB DDR PC3200 / 160GB Hard Drive / CPU Fan / ATX Mid-Tower Case / 350-Watt Power Supply at TigerDirect.com
Best Entry Socket 939 Motherboard
The ASUS A8S-X offers the best value for a AMD based motherboard. In addition
to support the latest Athlon X2 process, A8S-X provides PCI Express architecture
designed for the latest VGA cards and is equipped with robust Intel Gigabit
LAN suitable for a reliable, high-performance networking environment. This motherboard
supports AMD 939-pin Athlon 64 FX/ /Athlon 64 X2/Athlon 64 processors with 1MB/512KB
L2 cache which is based on 64-bit architecture. It features 2000 MT/s HyperTransport
Bus, dual-channel un-buffered DDR400 memory support and AMD Cool 'n' Quiet!
Technology.
This Bundle Includes
Ultra
Wizard Black ATX Mid-Tower Case with Front USB and Firewire Ports In the red-hot gaming market, Ultra’s Wizard will quickly become the
best-selling case of all time! That’s because the designers at Ultra understand
that nothing captivates the gamer more than a dynamite combination of
dazzling looks and incredible performance. When it comes to performance
– no case can match the Wizard’s versatility, expandability, durability
and airflow technology.
Asus
A8S-X SiS Socket 939 ATX Motherboard The ASUS A8S-X offers the best value for a AMD based motherboard.
In addition to support the latest Athlon X2 process, A8S-X provides PCI
Express architecture designed for the lastest VGA cards and is equiped
with robust Intel Gigabit LAN suitable for reliable and performance networking
environment.
- Chipset: SIS 756/965L
- Front Side Bus: 1000MHz
- Processor Interface: Socket 939
AMD
Athlon 64 3200+ Socket 939 OEM Processor
AMD64 technology is AMD’s approach to 64-bit computing which doubles the
number of processor registers and increases the addressable memory space
well beyond 4GB for increased performance and new, cinematic-computing
experiences. Processors with AMD64 technology offer leadingedge performance
on today’s software applications while enabling a seamless migration to
future 64-bit computing.
Ultra X-Wind CPU Cooler
As computer processors become more and more powerful, they typically generate
more heat. Accordingly, air cooling solutions for processors tend to be
large, heavy and loud. Ultra's X-Wind CPU coolers offer a balance of performance
and price without being excessively loud or cumbersome.
Ultra1024MB PC3200 DDR 400MHz Memory
High-performance computing requires high-performance memory. For those
who have been waiting for faster access times—crucial for high-level graphics
programs—Ultra DDR memory maximizes system operation, and lets you get
the most from your applications.
Hitachi 160GB SATA-300 Hard Drive
The Hitachi Deskstar 7K160 extends on the companies reliability and performance
leadership. Hitachi’s standardized features in desktop and low duty cycle
server solutions enable faster transfer rates, scalable performance and
quicker boot up times.
lNEC ND3550A 16X DVD Burner
This high-performance drive by NEC features a 16XCAV speed for DVD-R writing,
6XZCLV for DVD-R-DL (Double Layer) writing, 6XZCLV for DVD-RW writing,
48X CAV for CD-R writing and 24XZCLV for CD-RW writing.
Ultra
V-Series 350-Watt ATX Power Supply
This new Ultra V series power supply offers more connectivity choices
than the typical power supply, with options for 20/24 pin motherboards,
SATA and PCI Express connections.
- Supports
AMD and Intel Motherboards
- Low Acoustic Noise
- In-Rush Current Protection
Socket
This motherboard features a Socket 939 design.
The Zero Insertion Force (ZIF) style socket makes it easy to install and
upgrade your processor.
Chipset
The A8S-X motherboard is based on the SIS 756 Northbridge chipset and
the SIS 965L Southbridge chipset. It supports AMD Athlon 64, Athlon 64
FX and Athlon 64 X2 Processors, with Hyper-Transport Technology and 1000MHz
Front Side Bus support.
Memory
Expansion
The A8S-X provides 4 DIMM sockets using Dual Channel 184-pin DDR with a
total capacity of up to 4GB. You can install DDR 400MHz Memory.
PCI
Express Support
The A8S-X fully supports PCI Express, the latest I/O interconnect technology
that speeds up the PCI bus. PCI Express features point-to-point serial interconnections
between devices and allows higher clockspeeds by carrying data in packets.
This high-speed interface is software compatible with existing PCI specifications.
IDE
The A8S-X includes built in IDE facilities that support Ultra DMA 33/66/100/133.
Audio
The A8S-X comes with a AD1986A audio codec which supports high quality 6-channel
audio.
Serial
ATA RAID Support
The A8S-X supports the Serial ATA technology through the Serial ATA interfaces.
Doubles bus bandwidth which provides blazingly high disk performance, up
to 1.5Gb/s, with RAID 0 or RAID 1 solutions
Customer Reviews and Rating
Customer Rating:
4.8
Customer Reviews:
4
Have an opinion on this product that you would like to share? If so, please take a few moments to write your rating and review.
Value
4.8
Features
4.8
Quality
4.8
Performance
4.8
Sort By:
Reviewer:
Don on
Sep 21, 2006 Customer Rating:
5.0
Value
5.0
Features
5.0
Quality
5.0
Performance
5.0
This is an excellent buy! I got the same kit only with a mach speed motherboard and I am very happy. The only point I would warn you on is that you will have trouble with the Fan if they include an Ultra X-wind CPU fan, this model does not fit a socket 939 CPU properly, it mounts on but does not fully cover the chip, causing the edges to get very hot, it is a poor design and I would recommend substituting it with a higher model fan. Other then that, this kit is well worth the money.
Reviewer:
miquito on
Sep 20, 2006 Customer Rating:
5.0
Value
5.0
Features
5.0
Quality
5.0
Performance
5.0
Great system everything installed easy and everything worked fine. Tigerdirect got it to me a day early. Setup the RAID that come on the ASUS board, easy as well. Awsome system would get one for anyone.
Reviewer:
Peter on
Sep 15, 2006 Customer Rating:
5.0
Value
5.0
Features
5.0
Quality
5.0
Performance
5.0
I ordered this on the weekend and it was delivered by Thursday, a lot sooner than I expected. It was my first time putting together a computer from scratch and I did it with very little difficulty. There was a slight problem with the the processor speed but updating the mobo BIOS fixed that and now it runs great. It's definitely a great entry level kit if you plan on upgrading later. But like the other guy said, make sure you get a video card with it or you'll be in for a surprise when you start putting it together.
Reviewer:
nemo on
Sep 07, 2006 Customer Rating:
4.0
Value
4.0
Features
4.0
Quality
4.0
Performance
4.0
Well I got this system fast enough, got it assembled but what I didn't notice until I went to hook up the monitor is that the motherboard does not have a VGA out port. You need to buy a PCIe video card to use the system. I also notice the CPU fan is huge!! hope it cools well. will let you know after I run out and buy video card
Assembling Barebones Computer Kits & Computer Cases
Remember when assembling one of our money-saving Barebone Computer Kits, or
installing your existing computer components into a new computer case, you
may have to modify the case to fit your components - This Is Normal!
Cases are designed to hold and accommodate a wide variety of motherboards,
interface cards, connectors, and other components. Because of this,
the case manufacturer designs their cases with easily removable panels to
allow these components to properly fit in the case. All you need to do
is punch them out with a screw driver or fold them over with a pair of
pliers to snap out the metal piece for your exact components. In this
way, you save the cost of assembling your computer, and have the
satisfaction of building your own workstation.
PLEASE NOTE:
Carefully read all documentation BEFORE you start to assemble your Barebones
Kit or add components to a Computer Case. Some components need to be
assembled in a specific order. Also place the components in the case
temporarily to confirm any modifications (punch outs) that need to be made
to fit that component.
Important Info About Barebones
Computer Kits
Our money-saving Barebone Computer Kits gives you the opportunity to build
or upgrade your perfect computer at an affordable cost, by installing key
components yourself. Most components included in our Barebones Kits,
including power supplies, are not pre-assembled (mounted and connected in
the case). With Barebones Kits, where we include a case and a separate power
supply, the case specifications may not indicate the presence of an attached
power supply (simply because it is a separate component). This is also
because you must install the included power supply yourself.
Know Your BIOS! With today's rapid pace of
design advancement, new product updates come fast and furious. This is
especially true of board-level products, like Motherboards, Video Cards, GPU
Processor Cards, and other main edge connector products. The good news is
that manufacturers have designed in the ability to easily update your
product BIOS, which is sometimes important for full compatibility. So before
installing or combining components, it is always a good idea to check your
product's current BIOS revision against the manufacturer's website, to
determine if an update is needed, or advisable. The manufacturer's
documentation will guide you through this process if it is necessary.
However, remember that most products are designed to be plug-n-play out of
the box!
But
What Is BIOS?
Most electronic devices,
from computers to MP3 players have software embedded in their hardware.
These are programs that tell the device how it will function - from basic to
advanced functions - so that it knows how to start, and perform the most
simple and complex tasks it was designed for. We call this software the BIOS
(sometimes also called Firmware). In computer jargon, BIOS stands for "Basic
Input/Output System", but in reality, there is very little "basic" about it.
In your computer's motherboard for example, it tells your computer how to:
start up; communicate with hardware components, such as hard drives and
video; how to move data in and out of memory; and even talk to your USB
connected devices. Without your BIOS, your device is JOOL (just out of
luck!).
Keep in mind that changing a PC's BIOS
settings incorrectly can cause the PC to malfunction. If this happens, a
BIOS reset is usually available, and will need to be performed to return the
BIOS to the default "factory settings." This is usually activated by a
jumper on the motherboard. [Warning: always read
your motherboard or system manual thoroughly, before upgrading your BIOS, or
making BIOS setting changes!] Though normally, most incorrect
settings should have no negative affect on your PC, but please follow each
step explicitly since some can.
Remember: It is recommended that you reboot
after each individual BIOS setting change to ensure that your system
functions normally. If you make numerous changes before rebooting, and your
system will no longer boot, you won't know which change is responsible for
the failure.
Updating Your BIOS
Before you consider updating your BIOS, be sure you need to - not every
update will be needed or even benefit you. Also be sure you are up to
the technical challenges you will face. Changing the version of BIOS
stored in your computer or motherboard is not the kind of activity
recommended for novice users. To perform this successfully, you need
to be comfortable and familiar with your BIOS settings, and be able to
download and apply the BIOS Update without issue. For this reason, it
is best to let professional computer technicians do this work for you, if or
when it is needed. However, if you know what you are doing, it is a
fairly easy task.
Before Updating BIOS, consider the
following:
The reasons for updating your BIOS -
frequently, updating is unnecessary
Identifying your BIOS chip - if
replacing is the approach required
Replacing your BIOS chip - this requires
significant care, and can void your warranty
Locating your latest BIOS version -
required for any update
Flashing your BIOS - make sure you have
a UPS!
Live update - great for minor or quick
updates - again a UPS is vital - a partial update can make your system
inoperative
Configuring your new BIOS settings -
read the manual! twice for good measure!
Heat Sinks - Many Shapes & Sizes!
A heat sink (or heatsink) is an object that absorbs and dissipates heat from
another object using thermal contact (either direct or radiant). Heat sinks
are used in a wide range of applications wherever efficient heat dissipation
is required; including for CPUs, Memory, Video Cards, and more.
Heat Sink Shapes Change!
Many products come with a Heat Sink, and some with a combination Heat Sink
and Fan. Keep in mind though, that manufacturers are constantly
improving the design of their cooling components, thus the shape and design
of the heat sink or heat sink & fan can change on any product at any time.
PLEASE NOTE:
Cooling Components Can Change At Any Time, And Do Not
Affect The Performance Or Specifications Of The Product.
How Do Heat Sinks Work?
Heat sinks function by transferring high temperature thermal energy (heat)
from one object (such as a CPU chip) to a second object (such as the Heat
Sink), which has a lower temperature, with a much greater heat capacity.
This rapid transfer of heat quickly balances the temperature of both
devices, lowering the temperature of the first. This is what makes a
heat sink a cooling device. Since room temperature is usually cooler than
the hot device, the Heat Sink helps cool the device, lowering its temp to
closer to room temperature.
The most common design of a heat sink is a metal device with many fins or
vanes. The high thermal conductivity of the metal combined with the large
surface area of the fins does the work to rapidly transfer heat to the
surrounding, cooler, air. This cools the heat sink and whatever it is in
contact with. Some Heat Sinks use the metal alone for cooling, some
use fluids (just like you car radiator) and a thermal interface material
(such as thermal gel) to ensure maximum heat transfer to the heat sink.
Adding a fan dramatically improves air flow, and improves the heat transfer
even more.
Remember The
Thermal Paste!
Remember that when you are adding a Heat Sink, you MUST USE
thermally conductive Gel or Paste, to form a good thermal contact between
the Heat Sink and the Device. Failing to use this will result in
reduced cooling, and possible failure and damage to the device!
Stay Grounded
Static Electricity is generally harmless to humans, but a harmless static shock can harm your PC, or even kill components. Remember, to always ground yourself before touch the sensitive components of your PC. You can do this by touching a metal door frame, a bathroom faucet, or the screw to a ground light switch. But the best way is to use a proper ground strap when working on the inside of your computer. Here are some great tips to keep the electricity from shocking your system into submission.
. Click Here To Learn More
»
Even The Best Hard Drives Die.
Do You Back Up?
Businesses of all sizes
are witnessing an explosion in the volume of data they hold. Whether it is
the result of the Internet, email, or increasingly heavy and media-rich
application software, there is a massive growth in the volume of data all
around. Conservative estimates place data growth at approximately 80% per
year. Data is increasingly being recognized as one of the real assets of a
company, and losing this data would cause severe damage to any organization.
Data loss can be very costly, particularly for
organizations in the small and medium business (SMB) market where the
difference between survival and closure can rest on the ability to recover
from a disaster. At the very least, critical data loss will have a financial
impact on companies of all sizes:
Data type
Time to re-create 20 MB
Cost
Sales and marketing
19 days
$17,000
Accounting
21 days
$19,000
Engineering
42 days
$98,000
The financial impact on a company is a combination
of loss of business, low productivity, legal action, and the cost of
re-creating data. A study showed that the cost of re-creating just 20 MB of
data can be extensive!
Your best solution, is an external drive as a
backup. You can have multiple drives, and it is much easier restore
from a portable external drive, as opposed to CDs or DVDs.
Why Do I Have
Less Drive Space?
Your hard drive may show less space than the published specifications due to
a number of reasons.
The way size is calculated and
displayed.
Any "Partitions" on the disk will
change the total in a specific partition.
Hidden files and folders decrease
available space.
Compression increases the apparent
size, but not the physical size.
Drives larger than the OS or Drivers
natively supports.
First, the definition of a megabytes
(or gigabytes) is a unit of data storage capacity measured in 1,048,576
bytes (or 1024KB). The larger the numbers, the more apparent the size
difference will be when listing the size as megabytes (or gigabytes) versus
bytes. Actually, both numbers are correct. The noticeable difference is due
to the 1024KB definition of a megabyte. This is why a 95.3GB hard drive can
also be listed as having 102 billion bytes of total space. Just think
of it as "round off" In the screen shot at right: The first number is the total number of bytes,
the second number is based on the number of megabytes or gigabytes.
Second, some computers have a
non-DOS hard drive partition that is used for features such as Save to Disk,
Hibernation, or Recovery. This partition is not normally reported by the
operating system, although it can be viewed using a disk partition utility.
This is very common on desktops and laptops. NOTE: Partition information will be created or
formatted automatically during initial system setup and a system recovery.
Third, by default, all system files
are hidden and cannot be seen. This may adversely affect the reporting of
available hard drive space. You can set your Folder Options so you view
system and hidden files and folders, but do be careful as changes to system
files can adversely affect your system.
Fourth, if you turn on Compression
for a drive, it will increase reported free space and used space, but since
compression is based upon the actual contents, this number is not fixed, but
will change as files are added or changed.
Fifth, older operating systems did
not support some of today's larger drives, so the total space reported may
be much smaller than the drive specifications.
It is also worth noting that bad sectors
are corrected by your operating system and can change the total drive space,
free space, or used space as well.
So as long as a drive is reporting a value
approximately close to the specification value, you can be comfortable that
you received the right drive and that you are getting to correct data
storage. Of course, tuning of your drive's partitions and options can
yield optimal values, but this is not something for the average user to
explore.
Got Enough
Memory? Bet You'll Need More!
Windows Vista and today's software
applications make much greater demands on your system's memory. Adding
peripherals, like webcams, USB hard drives, and complex Internet pages, all
take memory. Watching DVD movies, or watching videos on the web, or
playing PC based games demand increased memory. So take full
advantage of your system's potential, your operating system's enhancement
and entertainment capabilities, and your software's productivity by expanding
your system memory!
The best time to
add more memory is when you buy your system! Get the memory that's
right for your computer, whether laptop, desktop, or All-In-One.
Click Here for our Memory Upgrade Options. »
Shared
Memory? Or Where Did My Memory Go?
Your computer uses memory to run your
Operating System, applications, peripherals, and to generate and display
graphics on your computer monitor. Video memory is a form of RAM, and is
either built into your motherboard; or on a graphics card (video card).
Depending on the motherboard's configuration, and that of the video card (if
separate or built-in to the motherboard), your computer may have to draw on
its own RAM memory to meet its video memory needs. This creates shared
memory, where your computer’s RAM will be shared between its own Processor
(CPU) and its graphics chip.
The result is that some systems will have
shared memory, some will not. If you have 2GB (for example) of system
memory installed, you may notice that your system reports significantly less
memory. This is because your system is using shared memory for your
video.
What can you do about this?
You can actually configure this shared memory through your computer’s BIOS
settings. However, this is a setting best left alone, since it is
typically optimized for display performance, and making changes may impact
display resolutions, and other video capabilities.
The simplest solution is usually to either:
increase your system memory; or to upgrade the video hardware. By
upgrading to a new video card with built-in video memory, then turning off
shared memory, you will free your system to use it's maximum potential
memory, and provide your system with much more robust video features.
How Much
Memory Do You Really Have?
When you look at the specifications for a computer, it will display the
installed memory, and typically the maximum memory that can be installed.
However, while these are real values, they represent a potential useable
memory depending upon the installed operating system, and other factors. The actual useable memory may be different
(lower) from these values.
The reason is simply that a computer may have a limitation in the operating
system (such as Windows 32 bit versions), or configured to use shared memory,
which reduces the amount of RAM that is available to the CPU by using
some of it for other purposes, such as for video memory. In some
cases, you can control the maximum useable memory through system settings,
by upgrading from a 32 bit to a 64 bit version of Windows XP or Vista, or by upgrading to a video card that has internal onboard video memory.
But always
remember, that the amount of memory that your system reports, is not always
the amount of actual installed memory. For example, if you have 4GB
installed, 32 bit versions of Windows will typically report 3.2GB due to a
limitation of Windows itself. Also note that different Windows
programs report available and maximum memory differently, which can be
confusing. If you find that you need more
memory, we suggest expanding your system memory, since this is the most
effective performance increase, and the one that is easiest to perform .
Advanced PC Build-It-Yourself Guide
Not too long ago one had to be eligible for the Genius IQ Club (Mensa)
in order to build a computer. That is no longer the case. Today’s computer
manufacturers have made it much easier for the enterprising do-it-yourselfer
to create a great system.
Click Here To Learn More »
PC Building Tools Checklist
You're eager to get started on your system building or maintenance project,
but before you do it's good to get your tools in order. Here's a handy
checklist of tools you should have before you get started.
Click Here To Learn More »
Got Tools?
Do you need the perfect tools to build and maintain your PC?
Take a look at our selection of PC building, maintenance, networking, and
other tools and complete toolkits!
Click Here For Tools »
Limited Warranty: A full text version of the limited warranty
may be obtained by mailing a self addressed, stamped envelope to the
address below and requesting the warranty for item number:
A455-2129 A
TigerDirect.com
Warranty Information
7795 W. Flagler St. Suite 35
Miami, FL. 33144
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(
4 reviews)
Best Entry Socket 939 Motherboard 
Fan Type:
4.0
Know Your BIOS!
Why Do I Have
Less Drive Space?
