Showing posts with label motherboards. Show all posts
Showing posts with label motherboards. Show all posts

Friday, February 18, 2011

Intel Now Shipping Fixed 6-series Chipsets

According to DigiTimes Intel has begun shipping revised 6-series (Sandy Bridge) chipsets to first-tier notebook and motherboard manufactures. The new B3 stepping chipsets will replace the previously released defective units in the marketplace.

Late last month Intel announced they found a flaw in their new 6-Series 'Sandy Bridge' motherboards that resulted in degradation of some of the Serial ATA ports on those boards. Intel immediately halted shipments of the affected chipset and manufactures began a recall.

Originally the Cougar Point revision wasn't slated to hit OEMs until the end of the month. However pressures from manufacturers and a strong push towards AMD may have driven the company to bring a solution sooner than expected.

Wednesday, February 02, 2011

A Complete Sandy Bridge Recall List

Figuring that many of our readers might have questions or concerns over the potential recall of their motherboards, desktops or laptops I thought I'd try to post a complete list of details as we know them.

First and foremost, as the chipset flaw is said to only potentially affect a couple of SATA ports on most boards most motherboard manufactures are offering a voluntary recall. This means if you are already running a Sandy Bridge setup and are happy with it, or are willing to take the gamble you DO NOT have to return it. They are also offering you the option to wait until new the new boards are out sometime around April before you have to make any returns. There might be a few exceptions but here's a list of details from each manuf.

Motherboard Recalls:

ASUS
ASUS will provide total warranty services this includes the hassle-free return and/or replacement of all affected ASUS products. For all customers who already own any ASUS product affected by the design error identified by Intel, simply visit this page for detailed warranty and service hotline information.

ASUS notebook and desktop products are covered by a warranty service that addresses the design error, with both swap and sales return offered as options to customers.

For motherboards, ASUS is offering you the option of returning any possibly affected motherboard for a swap or sales return. All warranties for affected motherboards will be reset to give you enough time to carry out any exchanges.

Gigabyte
GIGABYTE will provide a replacement motherboard with the new 6 series chipset onboard at the end of April in order to reduce any inconvenience to customers who are affected by this issue.

GIGABYTE recommends that all customers who purchased GIGABYTE 6 series motherboards contact their local dealer (retail store where you purchased the motherboard) at the end of April for a motherboard exchange. GIGABYTE will provide an equivalent new motherboard replacement.

MSI
As mentioned in our previous post MSI plans a full replacement of any affected product. The MSI product you revieve will have similar or better specs than the one you are currently using. These new MSI products will become available in April and you can keep your current board until then. This way you will miss your product only for a very short period of time. MSI will release details about their return procedure before the end of February.

If you are not confident about your current MSI based 6 series product MSI offers you the possibility to return the product to your point of purchase which will credit you.
ECS
Upon availability of the new B3 Stepping of the Intel 6 Series Express Chipsets, ECS USA will replace customer’s product with a brand-new one. New motherboards are expected in April. ECS USA will keep its customers updated on this schedule.

Replacement for products currently in the market that are affected: P67H2-A(1.1), P67H2-A2(1.0), P67H2-A3(1.0), H67H2-M(1.1), H67H2-M3(1.0)
Work closely with its distributors and reseller channel on the return and replacement of current inventory
For end users in the U.S. (48 contiguous states), ECS USA offers the following:
o Customers who wish to keep the product or have any issue returning the product at the point of purchase, ECS USA will absorb the cost of the product exchange 100% by offering a product swap. If a customer has one of the above products, please communicate with ECS USA via one of the following methods to arrange a replacement once they become available: 1. Via e-mail (preferred method): elite@ecsusa.com 2. Via voice-mail: 510-771-0208. This is a voicemail, only.

Desktops and Laptops

Toshiba
Toshiba is offering a full recall of all affected models. At this time, Toshiba requests you return the product to the place of purchase for a full refund. You should back up your data and remove any confidential, proprietary or personal information before returning the product. Below is a complete list of affected models.


For more details please see the Toshiba recall page

HP/Compaq
HP said customers can return their PC and either "choose a comparable product" or receive a full refund. We are waiting on further details as to which models were affected and where to return them however its safe to assume you need to return them to the retailer you purchased your product from.

HP said only a small number of consumer desktops and laptops were affected, along with one commercial desktop PC model sold to small-business customers in the Europe-Middle East-Africa market.

Dell
Dell has confirmed that only four Dell products on the market were affected: XPS 8300, the Vostro 460, the Alienware M17x R.3 and the Alienware Aurora R.3.

"We're committed to addressing this with customers who have already purchased one of the four products," the company said in a statement, however no further details were given.
Update: A Dell representative posted the following post on the Direct2Dell blog
For customers impacted by this issue, Dell offers a couple of solutions.  Customers experiencing issues will be supported under the warranty and service terms.  Once we have new chipsets from Intel in early April, we will provide a motherboard replacement that corrects the design issue at no cost to our customers.  Replacements will be provided at the customers’ location and convenience via authorized Dell service providers.  Affected customers may also take advantage of the applicable return policy, which may vary by region. 

Samsung
Samsung will allow refunds or exchanges for six computer models sold in South Korea and one in the U.S., no details on which models are affected or the return procedures was given

Several other companies as well as system builders like Cyberpower were also affected by the chipset flaw. Many of these companies have delayed shipping products, canceled orders or are contacting customers directly to resolve the issue. I suggest anyone with questions or concerns contact either the retailer they made their purchase from or contact the manufacturers directly.

Most retailers are offering full replacement or refunds of not only the boards but also the cpus and most the other components purchased with the boards.

MSI Responds To Sandy Bridge Chipset Issue, Offers Recall And Temp Fix

Update: MSI is now taking customer registrations for possible replacement of their boards. For more information visit the MSI Support Page.

Following the reports of a chipset flaw that affects Intel's new 6-series 'Sandy Bridge' motherboards Intel has said it will not officially recall any boards and they are leaving the issue of recalls up to each manufacturer, distributor and retailers.

Details from most manufactures on potential recalls is still fairly sparse however MSI has stepped forward and provided their costumers the the details of their recall efforts as well as a temporary fix.

Products in the market
As of the 31st of January MSI informed all our distributors, retails and reseller to stop directly the sales of Intel 6 series based products of MSI and to hold any products pending shipments to customers. No need to worry in the case that you purchased an Intel 6 series based product form MSI after the 31st of January because we will take care for you.

We started the procedure to collect all the current stock in the market. Retailers and reseller can return their Intel 6 series MSI products they have in stock to their point of purchase (distributor) which can return the goods to the MSI distribution centers. If retailers, resellers or MSI distributors have any questions about the procedure they can contact their local MSI sales representative.

Affected models
At this moment there are only a limit models in the market based on the Intel 6 series chipset. You can identify them based on the model name in the list below.

MSI Mainboards
Intel© P67
Intel© H67
P67A-GD65 H67MA-ED55
P67A-GD55 H67MA-E45
P67A-GD53 H67MS-E43
P67A-C45 H67MS-E33
P67A-C43
P67S-C43

MSI Notebooks
Intel© PM67
GT680R


How to get serviced
We want  you to have a MSI product which you can trust and rely on. This is why we have 2 choices for your purchased Intel 6 series based MSI products;

1.    Product swap
If you are confident and willing to wait we can swap your current Intel 6 series based product in a brand new MSI product which is based on the new B3 stepping of the Intel 6 series which solves the current SATA2 port issues. If you have an MSI 6 series mainboard you can – for the short term - connect your storage devices to the safe white SATA3 ports on your mainboard, for more detailed instructions please click here.

This MSI product you get swapped will have similar or better specs. These new MSI products will become available in April and this way you will miss your product only for a very short period of time. You can identify the new products by a clear sticker on the color box. We will release details about this procedure before the end of February.

2.    Product return
If you are not confident about your current MSI based 6 series product MSI offers you the possibility to return the product to your point of purchase which will credit you. Please make sure to back-up your personal data.

Hotline information
If you have any questions about the Intel 6 series chipset issue or if you are not sure which alternative SATA ports to use on your mainboard, or you want to know how to return your product you can always contact the MSI Hotlines in your region. Our people are ready to support you with your questions because your satisfaction is very important for us.
For customers that bought their products via Newegg, the company is reportedly letting customers make returns with no questions asked. They are also waiving the standard 15% restocking fee on all products associated with the order. So that means if you want you can return the motherboard, cpu and anything else and buy a new Core i5/i7 or AMD setup.

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

ASRock Motherboards Get Core Unlocking Feature UCC (Unlock CPU Core)

ASRock joins ASUS as the second top level motherboard manufacturer to add a simplified way of unlocking disable AMD CPU cores.

ASRock motherboards will feature what the company is calling UCC (Unlock CPU Core) a bios option that simplifies AMD CPU activation. Just a simple switch of the BIOS option ‘UCC’, and with a little luck you can unlock you CPU's disabled cores to enjoy an instant performance boost. Additionally, some CPU can even increase L3 cache size up to 6MB.

The company has gone a step further than ASUS by not only adding the feature on AMD 8xx series motherboards, they have implemented the UCC feature on entry Nvidia N68 series motherboards as well.

Please be noted that UCC feature is supported with AM2+ / AM3 CPU only, also, not every AM2+ / AM3 CPU can support this function because some CPU's hidden core may be malfunctioned.

Thursday, March 04, 2010

Asus M4A89GTD PRO Unlocks Disabled Phenom II CPU Cores

Earlier this week ASUS introduced two new AMD 890GX based motherboards the M4A89GTD PRO and the M4A89GTD PRO/USB3, two boards that in and of themselves are seemingly two more great additions to the ASUS line-up. These particular boards however offers a slight advantage over some of the other boards on the market. They come with the ability to "unlock," or enable processor cores that were originally disabled by AMD.



Core unlocking is nothing new, in fact we reported early last year that with the right motherboard you could Turn Your Phenom II X3 Core Into A Quad Core. AMD however pressured motherboard manufactures to block the feature by adding a new microcode in the companies motherboard BIOS updates. With the new updated bios gone was the ability to make your lower prices CPU run like its much more expensive counter part.

The ASUS M4A89GTD PRO and M4A89GTD PRO/USB3 are the first boards to officially offer a "Core Unlocker" switch on the motherboard, turning select processors into triple or quad core CPU. ASUS's Core Unlocker simplifies the activation of a latent AMD CPUs. User can toggle the switch, turn on the disabled cores and enjoy an instant performance boost by simply unlocking the extra cores, without performing complicated BIOS changes. Asus has said, "Not all processors are supported nor will all supported processors operate correctly with unlocked cores." Asus did not say which processors the Core Unlocker feature would support.

ASUS M4A89GTD-PRO Reviews

Tuesday, March 02, 2010

AMD's New 890 GX Series Chipset

AMD alongside several of the companies motherboard partners today announced the release of the new AMD 890GX Chipset featuring ATI Radeon HD 4290 on-board Graphics.

The new 890GX platform not only includes superior graphics but will also feature support for ATI CrossFireX, the SATA 3.0 6Gbps hard drive interface, USB 3.0, Gigabit Ethernet, HyperTransport 3.0 technology, and PCI Express Generation 2.0.

Among the first companies to announce boards based on the new chipset are Gigabyte, MSI and ECS.






 AMD 890GX Chipset Reviews:
 @ Techgage
 @ Neoseeker
 @ PCPer
 @ HotHardware
 @ HardwareHeaven
 @ Hardware Canucks
 @ Tweaktown
 @ OCC
 @ Hardware Secrets
 @ TechwareLabs

More details from AMD

Wednesday, September 09, 2009

MSI Releases The Xtreme Speed Mainboard Series

World-renown mainboard and graphics card manufacturer, MSI has just released its Xtreme Speed mainboard series, providing maximum performance with the P55 chipset and support for Intel's Lynnfield Core i7 and Core i5 processors. Additionally, the Xtreme Speed mainboard series integrates three high-power features - OC Genie, SuperPipe, and DrMOS – to provide a one-of-a-kind experience. The OC Genie automatically finds the best BIOS settings to overclock your system and boosts performance with the push of a button. SuperPipe's heat-pipe is made with strictly selected materials for the most effective cooling. The DrMOS power supply's outstanding module design offers enhanced power-saving and stability. In addition, this series equips other unique features such as APS, Direct OC, and V-Kit to let users break through barriers and reach the most extreme speeds.

OC Genie: Auto OC to boost performance in 1 sec
Generally speaking, the major considerations when customers purchase mainboards are the overclocking ability and performance. However, traditional overclocking methods are too complicated for the general public to master. With over 20 years of R&D experience, MSI has released OC Genie technology to make overclocking more accessible; simply by pressing the OC Genie button, the OC Genie automatic overclocking chip detects and sets performance-optimized CPU, RAM, and chipset settings within one second, for easy performance expansion that gets the most out of every part.

SuperPipe: Advanced 8mm Copper Heat-Pipe, An Outstanding Cooling Experience
As the CPUs' thermal design power (TDP) value approaches 150W, efficient cooling technology for mainboards becomes critical as it determines the board's overclocking ability and stability. As such, MSI introduces the SuperPipe cooling design. The 8mm full copper heat-pipe is 60% thicker than traditional pipes, and is also the thickest heat-pipe in the market. According to tests, the MSI mainboards with SuperPipe run 50℃ cooler than those without, proving that MSI's SuperPipe offers the most effective chipset cooling in the market.

DrMOS: 400% faster phase switching, 90% better power efficiency
To provide customers with superior products, MSI has been equipping DrMOS since the introduction of its P45 mainboards. DrMOS technology combines a Driver IC、a Top MOSFET and a Bottom MOSFET into one chip. The shorter distance between every component provides 4 times faster phase switching speed and over 90% better power efficiency. The design not only decreases the working temperature, but also increases the stability of the power supply – especially in high frequencies. For the best stability, DrMOS is essential for professional overclockers and power users. Having become a mainboard manufacturer renown for its performance and overclocking capabilities, MSI's implementation of DrMOS into its high-end mainboards proves that DrMOS is leading the industry in power supply design!

Other unique technologies provide better performance and more convenience
The above advantages aside, the Xtreme Speed mainboard series contains many other easy-to-use features.

V-Kit
V-Check Points combines with V-Switch's V-Kit to provide power measurement pins and on/off switch. Users can measure the CPU and RAM voltages with a multimeter, while the V-Switch feature provides the maximum system voltage within a definite range in one switch. The feature can help save advanced overclockers valuable time by eliminating the need for manual circuit modification. These combined features can be indispensable during overclocking competitions.

APS (Active Phase Switching)
APS (Active Phase Switching) can dynamically detect and shift the number of PWM Phases During heavy loading, all phases will be turned on to offer maximum performance; but in light/middle loading, the unused phases will be turned off for more than 93% power saving. Combined with DrMOS power design, it can reach the best energy use efficiency!

Winki 2.0
Winki 2.0 is a free Linux-based O/S which is based on the Linux core. With an ultra-fast booting speed and a multi-language interface, the built-in Winki 2.0 provides an easy-to-use internet environment that includes the most popular functions such as internet surfing, web mail, instant messaging, picture browsing, and more. It's the most practical way to be online in the shortest time.

Direct OC
Direct OC is attractive function for ultimate overclockers - by pressing the +/- buttons, users can instantly adjust the CPU frequency on-the-fly. Its pure hardware design allows Direct OC to work in any situation without restriction, and, when coupled with OC Genie technology, offers a noticeable performance increase.

True Blu-ray Audio
Audio sampling without Blu-ray protection support downgrades sound quality to the CD 16bit/48KHz level. However, MSI's True Blu-ray Audio provides high definition, 7.1 channels of quality 24bit/192KHz audio sampling to satisfy a home theater enthusiast's needs!

Power eSATA
Power eSATA improves the traditional eSATA standard with a new power supply feature. This feature allows cuitumers to directly use low-power eSATA devices without having to plug-in an extra power cord. Similar to USB, this feature makes eSATA even more convenient without sacrificing any of its high-performance advantages.

USB Safeguard
USB Safeguard can prevent mainboards and USB devices from being damaged by short-circuit and ESD (Electro-Static Discharge) with Anti-ESD chips built-into the mainboards. Additionally, the safeguard can protect against such dangers multiple times, and greatly improves product lifespan.

Easy Button 2
Overclockers and power users often need to turn on/off or reset their PC without any chassis installed. Easy Button 2 equips power, reset and clear CMOS touch-sensitive keys directly on the mainboards, so users have immediate access to these functions immediately.

MSI's Xtreme Speed mainboards easily meet customers' demands for easy overclocking, effective cooling, and power-saving. Additionally, these boards offer a slew of practical functions putting MSI's Xtreme Speed mainboards in a class of their own.

Source: MSI Global

Saturday, August 29, 2009

ASUS Announces 'Absolute Pitch Series' Motherboards For Audiophiles

ASUS Absolute Pitch Series Motherboards Offer a Rich Sound Experience with Exclusive Audio Enhancements

ASUS today announced the launch of a series of specially-developed motherboards that lets theater-sound aficionados and audiophiles build their dream home-theater PC. The ASUS Absolute Pitch Series features three audio technologies for different forms of aural enjoyment. The DTS Surround Sensation UltraPC delivers theater-like sound on modest equipment for an affordable, full-range sound, ENVY HD delivers a comprehensive 10 channels of audio output for a professional audio experience, and BD 192/24 delivers high-fidelity Blu-ray decoding for a dynamic sound output similar to a live entertainment experience.



Theater-like Sound with DTS Surround Sensation UltraPC

To deliver an awe-inspiring audio experience to amateur enthusiasts, ASUS partnered theater sound experts DTS to offer the exclusive DTS Surround Sensation UltraPC technology. This feature raises the bar in surround sound delivery, even on existing 2.1 speaker systems, with voice clarification that boosts barely-audible speech to enhanced clarity; bass enhancement that provides dynamic lows to recreated sound landscapes; and soundstage expansion technology for an extremely powerful virtual surround sound output.

Exceptional 10-channel Sound Reproduction and Professional Interface with ENVY HD

Audiophiles seeking a first-class audio experience and a professional user interface can turn to the critically acclaimed ENVY HD. ASUS has perfected the technology, previously available only on professional sound cards, for the PC platform—delivering a comprehensive 10 channels of audio output. Additionally, enhanced with a professional-looking interface, ENVY HD delivers a plush user experience to aspiring studio enthusiasts with its comprehensive controls and an intuitive graphical user interface.

Next-generation HD Entertainment with True Blu-ray Decoding for PCs

Users looking for the best standard in home-theater entertainment can enjoy real, high-fidelity output with the BD192/24. This feature supports the decoding of Blu-ray Discs on the PC platform for an overwhelmingly dynamic sound that resembles live performances. With a 192kHz sampling rate and 24-bit sound output, BD192/24 gives users a comprehensive sonic experience with all highs and lows—previously available only in a cinematic environment.

The Best Audio Enhancements Available with the M4A785G HTPC Motherboard

Embedded with all the Absolute Pitch performance tools, the new ASUS M4A785G HTPC motherboard ushers in a new generation in sound delivery. PC users and DIY enthusiasts can experience virtual surround sound without extra investments in equipment, 10-channel audio output with a professional GUI, and high-fidelity entertainment. Additionally, the M4A785G HTPC is equipped with Home Theater Gate—an intuitive software suite—for users to easily access the media applications. A remote control can be used to manage the audio settings and output from a distance of up to 10 feet away from the monitor or TV. To achieve exceptional sound delivery, only superior components are used in the M4A785G HTPC. They include independent power connectors for a purer sound and significantly lower electronic noise, and gold-plated RCA audio connectors that maximize conductivity and signal transmission while enhancing durability. Embedded with all these key features, the M4A785G HTPC is the best motherboard choice for DIY sound enthusiasts when building a home-theater PC.

Specifications
Model M4A785G HTPC/RC M4A785G HTPC
CPU AMD® Socket AM2+/AM2
Supports AM3 Phenom™ II
Chipset AMD 785G/ SB710
System Bus Up to 5200MT/s; HyperTransport™ 3.0
Memory Dual-channel, DDR2 1200(O.C.)/1066/800/667, Max. 16GB
Graphics - Hybrid CrossFireX™, Full HD 1080p, and DirectX 10.1 support
- HDMI/DVI/RGB output at back panel
- Maximum shared memory of 512MB
Audio ASUS Absolute Pitch Hi-Fi:
- 10-channel High Definition Audio
- Lossless Blu-ray 192kHz/ 24-bit audio
- DTS Surround Sensation UltraPC
- 2-ch Gold-plated RCA output at back I/O
- Optical S/PDIF out port at back I/O
Storage - 1x PATA controller up to 2 devices
- 5x SATA ports with RAID 0, 1, and 10
- 1x external SATA
Expansion Slots - 1 x PCIe 2.0 x16
- 2 x PCIe x1
- 1 x PCI
Accessories Includes a remote control Does not include a remote control

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

ASUS Announces New AMD 785G Based Motherboards

Designed-enhanced ASUS Motherboards with New-generation Chipset Deliver Stunning Performance

ASUS M4A785D Series Motherboards with Built-in GPU NOS Deliver First-ever Intelligent GPU Overclocking

ASUS today announced the launch of the ASUS M4A785D Series motherboards with the new AMD 785G chipset for enhanced graphics performance through new features such as DX10.1 and UVD 2.0 support, dynamic contrast, and high-quality video scaling. Additionally, the M4A785D Series supports up to 16GB of DDR2 memory, CrossFireX, and high-definition, 8-channel audio output. Developed under ASUS' rigorous "Xtreme Design" methods, the ASUS M4A785D draws on 20 years of design excellence to deliver the best in motherboard performance, safety, and reliability.

Overclocked Graphics Performance with GPU NOS
Once You Know, You Newegg

With the ASUS GPU NOS, users can enhance graphics performance in a simple and technologically-advanced way. As the world's first automatic GPU overclocking tool, the GPU NOS intelligently detects real-time graphics load and automatically boosts performance to handle the most demanding graphics jobs. The GPU NOS also provides advanced overclocking options with its intuitive user interface. Users can easily change overclocking parameters by choosing their preferred voltage and frequency settings from an onscreen display.

Optimized Power and Cooler Operation with Xtreme Phase

ASUS Xtreme Phase power design delivers ultimate performance and power efficiency. With two extra power phases built for the memory controller, Xtreme Phase helps lower the overall system temperature during overclocking. The operating lifespan of components is also extended with better cooling. Xtreme Phase was designed to work proficiently with the latest AM3 CPU. It can also be seamlessly upgraded to meet future requirements.

True Real-time Boost with TurboV and Turbo Key

Equipped with the first-ever real-time overclocking tool—TurboV—the M4A785D Series lets users increase system performance without rebooting their system. TurboV and Turbo Key are easy to use and satisfy both novice and advanced users. By simply choosing the displayed profiles from TurboV's user-friendly graphical user interface and pushing the physical Turbo Key, users can experience an instant overclocking boost—without stopping ongoing work or gaming.

Specifications
Model M4A785TD-M EVO M4A785D-M PRO M4A785TD-V EVO
CPU AM3 AM3/AM2+/AM2 AM3
Chipset AMD785G/SB710 AMD 785G/SB710 AMD785G/SB710
System Bus 5200MTps 5200MTps 5200 MTps
Memory DDR3 1800 (O.C.) DDR2 1200 (O.C.) DDR3 1800 (O.C.)
LAN Gb Gb Gb
PCIe x 16 1 1 2
Audio 8-CH 8-CH 8-CH
SATA 5 5 5
ESATA 1 1 1
USB2.0/1.1 12 12 12


Source: ASUS Press Release

Monday, August 10, 2009

AMD's New 785G Chipset Reviewed

Late last week AMD introduced their newest motherboard chipset featuring integrated graphics, the new AMD 785G. The newest offering meant for mainstream and budget minded builds will feature Radeon HD 4200 Graphics with Driectx 10.1, UVD 2.0 and full 1080p HD playback. These new boards will be ideal for a HTPC or the casual user. For more details checkout the AMD 785G Chipset Overview and the reviews listed below.

AMD 785G Chipset Reviews:

Wednesday, July 08, 2009

BIOSTAR Introduces New G41 Chipset Motherboards

BIOSTAR, a professional manufacturer of motherboards introducing Intel G41 chipset mother boards – “T41 HD”, “G41D3G”, “G41 DVI”, “G41-M7”.

The Intel G41 Express Chipset, with the next-generation Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X4500 (Intel GMA X4500), includes built-in support for smooth high-definition video playback without the need for add-in video cards or decoders. Intel GMA X4500 comes with Intel Clear Video Technology, a combination of video processing hardware and software technologies designed to enhance the visual experience.

In addition to video, the Intel G41 Express Chipset delivers optimized 3D graphics performance and support for Microsoft DirectX 10, Shader Model 4.0 and OpenGL 2.0. These graphics enhancements deliver the performance and compatibility you need for entertaining, everyday game play for the most popular game titles. The Intel G41 Express Chipset includes support for the latest PC operating systems, including Windows 7.

In addition, BIOSTAR T41 HD provides a “FREE” DVI to HDMI adapter for HD video experience; this bundling set can also be ordered on other models.

For more product information, please visit BIOSTAR website http://www.biostar.com.tw

Source: BIOSTAR

Tuesday, July 07, 2009

MSI Unveils New G41 HTPC Ready Motherboards

With hi-definition audio and visuals becoming ever more common, Home Theater PC (HTPC), offering improved audio support and hi-def multimedia playback, provide more upgradeability and compatibility for the coming future. In light of this trend, more and more people are seeking to build their own HTPC.

Global mainboard and graphic producer, MSI, has integrated Intel's current multimedia platform - the Intel G41 chipset - into its new series of mainboards to meet this growing demand.

The Intel G41 chipset sets a new standard for visual enhancement technology with DirectX 10 support, playback-enhancing decoders, integrated HDMI and DVI, cutting-edge multimedia equipment, and Intel's own Clear Video technology. This new series not only meets all the demands for creating an HTPC with competitive pricing, but also get next generation operating system--windows 7 certification. According to these reason, MSI’s G41 series mainboards will be Intel’s best choice for hi-def computing.

Support for HD movies and independent visual improving technology
The Intel G41 chipset's integrated Intel GMA X4500 GPU, compared to its G31 predecessor, not only improves 3D performance, but also supports Direct X 10, OpenGL 2.0 and other graphical standards for total gaming support. Additionally, the G41 chipset also supports faster hardware decoding, which decreases the loading on the CPU, and can run all current forms of HD movies. The Intel G41 also equips Intel Clear Video technology which improves the playback quality and level of detail for a better home theater experience.

DVI and HDMI output provide total digital visual support
The Intel G41 chipset, in addition to the standard D-Sub and DVI-D video ports, also supports the dual video & audio output, HDMI. When connecting to another audio visual display product, HDMI brings forth rich images and sound in one connection for even simpler setup and use. Posts-wise, no other platform can match the G41's connectivity.

Take on the latest games with DX10 support
Another key feature of the G41 chipset is its total DirectX 10 support. All one needs is to install Windows Vista or Windows 7 OS to enjoy the most life-like gaming visuals around - a must for today's HTPC.

A multitude of MSI-only technology
Aside from the above benefits, MSI's G41 series of motherboards also build upon years of research and development MSI put in to ensure its products are a cut above the rest. APS intelligent power management, USB safeguard protection and M-Flash BIOS recovery are just some of the ways this series ensures a new level of convenience for customers.

Of course, every different product, due to market placement and demands, will have specification differences. Currently the strongest boards - G41TM-E63/ G41TM-E43 - are the G41 series flagship products, and include all of the above mentioned technology with embedded D-Sub, DVI and HDMI ports. Additionally, these boards feature a completely solid capacitor design which enhances the product's life span and stability.

MSI's Easy OC Switch technology is also included to allow the user to easily overclock via the BIOS-located 'Switch' - no complex understanding about ‘how to overclock’ required. With so many convenient features, the MSI G41 series of mainboards clearly stands out from the pack.

MSI's G41 series model specs:

Source: MSI

Monday, February 09, 2009

Upcoming AM3 Motherboards

phenom II logoToday AMD announced the release of their new AM3 based Phenom II CPUs. The new chips will feature DDR3 controllers with full DDR3 memory capability. However to utilize DDR3 consumers will have to purchase a new socket AM3 motherboard. Several motherboard manufactures have been working on their new AM3 boards to match the release of the new chips.

Listed below are the some of the expected boards as well as current AM2+ boards that will support AM3 Phenom II CPUs. Release dates for newer boards have yet to be published.

ASRock:
First reveled back in Dec ASRock is said to be releasing the AM3 based M3A790GXH/128M, however there is nothing listed on the ASRock site at this time. Here is the ASRock AM2+/AM3 Phenom II CPU support list.

ASUS:
ASUS currently has two boards listed in the M4 series that when released will support AM3 CPUs and DDR3 RAM. M4A79T Deluxe and the M4A78T-E. Here is a full list of ASUS boards supporting Phenom II AM3 CPUs

*Update - The is now on-sale at eWiz.com. Newegg now has the ASUS M4A79T DELUXE listed at $199.99


BioStar:
Today announced the TA790GX A3+, this is thew companies first and currently their only AM3/DDR3 based board.


GoDaddy.com Hosting & Servers


DFI:
DFI does not currently list any socket AM3 motherboards. Here is their current list of AM2+/AM3 Compatible Motherboards

ECS:
ECS currently only lists one board with AM3 and DDR3 support, the A790GXM-AD3. Here is a full list of ECS AM2+ boards that currently support Phenom II CPUs

Foxconn:
Foxconn does not currently list any socket AM3 motherboards. Here is the full list of Foxconn AM2+ AM3 ready motherboards.

Gigabyte:
Gigabyte currently offers two boards supporting both socket AM3 Phenom II's and DDR3. The GA-MA790XT-UD4P and the GA-MA790FXT-UD5P. Here is a list of all of the current Gigabyte boards that through a bios update will support AM3 Phenom II chips.

*Update - Gigabyte's AM3 boards are now showing at retailers. Newegg has the
GIGABYTE GA-MA790XT-UD4P AM3 for sale at $139.99 and the GIGABYTE GA-MA790FXT-UD5P AM3 for $179.99

Jetway:
Currently Jetway does not list any socket AM3 motherboards, here is the list of AM2+ Jetway AM3 compatible motherboards

MSI:
Last month MSI unveiled two new AMD AM3 motherboard the 790FX-GD70 and 790GX-G65.. These are currently the only two socket AM3 boards listed in the MSI site. Here is a full list of MSI Am2+ boards that support Phenom II CPUs.

Zotac:
I have yet to find anything on the Zotac site listing Phenom II or AM3 CPU support

We are currently working on expanding the list to include all of the manufactures so please check back. For a full list of AM2+ boards that are AM3 compatible checkout our previous motherboard list or there is a full list of compatible AM2+ motherboards on AMD's Web site.

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Will An Asus & Gigabyte Overstock Mean Lower Motherboard Prices?

According to DigiTimes Asustek and Gigabyte suffer an overstock of 4-series-based motherboards which are rapidly depreciating in value as Intel moves ahead with its next-generation chipset series.

DigiTimes sources say shipments of 4-series products have been low due to declining market demand and competition from low-cost PCs, leaving the two motherboard manufacturers holding inventory equivalent to around NT$10 billion (US$300+ million) in value.

once you know, you newegg
Motherboard makers are hoping Intel will delay its two new processors slated for '09 the entry level and performance mainstream market minded Lynnfield and Havendale series as well as delaying a switch over to the 5-series chipsets to allow them time to clear inventories.

According to the report Intel is still planning to follow its original schedule and will drop prices and production bringing the 4-series products into the entry-level market by the second quarter. Meaning there will be no relief or leeway for the companies to move their overstocks. This could mean that in an attempt at moving their overstocked inventories we'll see price cuts on many popular 4-series motherboards from several of the top manufactures.

Monday, November 24, 2008

AM3 Phenom II CPU Compatible Motherboard List


Update: Click here for our updated list of Phenom II AM3 compatible motherboards

as well as a list of currently known socket AM3 boards.


Several motherboard manufactures have listed their existing motherboards that will support the upcoming AM3 socket Phenom II 45nm desktop processors by AMD. Here is a list of the current boards that have been announced by their respective manufactures. *Note these boards should also support the current AM2+ Phenom II 940 and 920 however you should check with each manufacture to be sure. In most cases you will need to update your bios*

Biostar Phenom II Compatible Motherboards:



MSI Phenom II Compatible Motherboards:




ASUS Phenom II Compatible Motherboards:



Gigabyte Phenom II Compatible Motherboards:


DFI AM3 Compatible Motherboards

The DFI LANParty “Phenom II” ready motherboards are listed below:

  • UT 790FX-M2R
  • DK790FX-M2RS
  • DK 790FXB-M2RS
  • DK 790FXB-M2RSH
  • DK 790GX-M2RS
  • JR 790GX-M2RS


ECS Phenom II Compatible Motherboards
  • A790GXM-A (V1.0)
  • A780GM-A Ultra (V1.0)
  • A780VM-M2 (V1.0)
  • A780VM-M3 (V1.0)
  • A780GM-A (V1.0)& (V1.1)
  • A780GM-M (V1.0)
  • A780GM-M3 (V1.0)
  • GF8100VM-M3 (V1.0)
  • GF8100VM-M5 (V1.0)
  • NFORCE9M-A (V1.0)
  • GF8200A (V1.0)


Jetway AM3/Phenom II Compatible Motherboards

Friday, November 14, 2008

ASRock Demos Instant Boot

Motherboard manufacturer ASRock has put out a video showing its new Instant Boot feature that can boot a computer from a full shutdown to Windows XP or Vista 10 times faster than standard PCs -- in other words, about 3 to 4 seconds.

Thanks to this new BIOS feature which can be downloaded and installed on nine of ASRock’s current boards, when the operating system is shut down it goes through a process of rebooting and then hibernates / goes into suspend mode until the user presses the power button again.



Instant Boot will only work on computers that have only one user account and no password protection. Pretty obviously if you have a need for more than one user account there would still be a need for user input to decide which account to boot to.

Thursday, October 23, 2008

NVIDIA Announces Licensing Of SLI For New Intel Bloomfield Platform Motherboards

NVIDIA has announced that several of the major mother manufactures such as ASUS, EVGA, MSI, Gigabyte, and DFI have all licensed NVIDIA SLI technology for their new lines of boards designed around the Intel X58 chipset. Adding SLI to these boards (and adoption by major OEMs such as Dell) means that consumers will be able to use the power of Single, Dual, or even Triple SLI configurations.

New motherboards and PCs designed for SLI technology and Bloomfield processors are currently in final production and are being readied for time-to-market introduction based on Intel processor launch schedules. The motherboards and PC systems coming to market will feature a variety of graphics connectivity options, including more advanced bandwidth configurations using the NVIDIA nForce 200 SLI processor, as well as those designed to run SLI technology natively through a licensing and certification program.

“ASUS is bringing many motherboards into production with support for NVIDIA SLI technology, and a motherboard worthy of mention is the new ASUS Rampage II Extreme which is based on Intel’s upcoming X58 chipset,” said Joe Hsieh, General Manager at ASUS Motherboard Business Unit. “This state-of-the-art motherboard is specifically designed to serve as the nucleus of the most demanding PC configurations available on the market today, and will be a boon to extreme overclockers and hardcore gamers. We are expecting gamers to take full advantage of the graphics capability that 3-way SLI provides to build a screaming-fast gaming machine. I’m sure our customers can hardly wait to start gaming!”

“EVGA is continuing its tradition of bringing true enthusiast platforms to the market following the success with NVIDIA nForce-based SLI motherboards supporting Intel CPUs,” said Joe Darwin, Director of Technical Marketing at EVGA. “By licensing NVIDIA SLI technology, the EVGA X58 motherboard will deliver the ultimate 2-way and 3-way SLI platform to, once again, meet the enthusiast’s demand.”

“We are excited to be offering a variety of different SLI-certified motherboards for our enthusiast customers,” said Jason Lee, Global DPS Marketing Manager of MSI. “Our new Eclipse product lineup, which includes the Eclipse SLI and Eclipse+ motherboards featuring exclusive DrMOS extension, three x16 PCI Express slots, and the nForce 200 processor will prove to be popular with those enthusiasts who want to run 3-way SLI with full bandwidth allocated for graphics performance.”

“When NVIDIA enabled SLI for the Bloomfield CPU, we knew we would have a hit. Our customers have been asking for this since we started talking about X58. The 3-way SLI performance delivered by 3 GeForce GTX 280s will be amazing on Bloomfield,” said Tony Liao, Director of Marketing at GIGABYTE.”

“Our new DFI LanParty UT X58-T3eH8 has many overclocker-friendly features, including server level PWM, Debug LED, and a switchable BIOS, making it a must-have platform for hardcore gamers,” said Max Chang, Sales Director at DFI. “When coupled with NVIDIA GeForce GPUs running in 3-way SLI operation, end users will enjoy the fastest gaming experience.”

X58-based motherboards certified for NVIDIA SLI technology are on display at the Intel Developer Forum being held on October 20, 2008 and October 21, 2008 in Taipei, Taiwan.

Source: NVIDIA

Monday, September 29, 2008

Mini-ITX.com Reviews 5 Atom Mini-ITX Boards

The launch of the new low cost, low power Atom CPUs sparked a new interest in small form factor boards and builds like the Mini-ITX platform. The folks over at Mini-ITC.com review 5 very versatile boards that have the potential of being great builds for you Atom users.


5 Atom Mini-ITX Boards Reviewed
  1. Introduction
  2. Intel D945GCLF - The Original
  3. Gigabyte GA-GC230D - Overclockable
  4. Jetway JNC91 - Versatile
  5. MSI-9830 - Fanless
  6. Intel D945GCLF2 - Dual Core Atom
  7. Benchmarks and Power Consumption
  8. Video Playback
  9. Final Thoughts


From the looks of the reviews the Atom based Mini-ITX boards are off to a very promising start. I can't wait to see how some of the ITX builders out there put these boards to use.