The "Best to buy" is so subjective. In all the reviews I've read, the i850 chipset based systems are still the performance leaders. They are also the most expensive.
In terms of performance, SiS645 chipset is the next best. The problem is it's new and I'm having trouble finding any boards that are available right now.
In terms of what MoBo brand to buy ... that's a can 'o worms. My personal favorite is Asus. You're right that Abit makes good boards, too. Most of the bigger board makers have good products, it's really just a matter of finding a board with all of the features that you want.
Good luck!
In terms of performance, SiS645 chipset is the next best. The problem is it's new and I'm having trouble finding any boards that are available right now.
In terms of what MoBo brand to buy ... that's a can 'o worms. My personal favorite is Asus. You're right that Abit makes good boards, too. Most of the bigger board makers have good products, it's really just a matter of finding a board with all of the features that you want.
Good luck!