Showing posts with label gigabyte. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gigabyte. Show all posts

12/25/2011

ASUS M4A785-M - AM3 - AMD785G - DDR2 - HDMI - uATX Motherboard Review

ASUS M4A785-M - AM3 - AMD785G - DDR2 - HDMI - uATX Motherboard
Average Reviews:

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I used this MB for my first build. I am really happy with it. It was cheap and the build quality feels great. I read somewhere that ASUS uses high quality Japanese electronic parts to build its boards. I use it on my home PC which is a mix of internet browsing, emailing and gaming platform.

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Product Description:
ASUS M4A785-M features GPU NOS, ASUS Anti-surge, DirectX 10.1 Support, Turbo Key, ASUS EPU and ASUS Express Gate

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12/14/2011

GIGABYTE GA-D525TUD Intel Atom D525@ 1.8GHz 1M L2 cache BGA559 Intel NM10 Mini ITX Motherboard/CPU Combo Review

GIGABYTE GA-D525TUD Intel Atom D525@ 1.8GHz 1M L2 cache BGA559 Intel NM10 Mini ITX Motherboard/CPU Combo
Average Reviews:

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I bought this more as an experiment to see if the new Atom dual-core motherboard with the GMA3150 IGP could handle everyday tasks as a nettop like surfing the net, watching Youtube videos, checking email and running productivity software. I really want to start scaling back the power requirements of the PCs in our house, especially given their usage as either nettops or file servers. The kids will be needing new PCs soon for homework and something "green" is my preference as long as it's powerful enough and this board seems to fit the bill. I also wanted to use some of the parts I had lying around like the HDD and ODD. With that, I am very happy with what I was able to build for under $200. It's definitely faster -- much faster -- than the Dell 9300 laptop it's going to replace as the family PC.The lowest WEI value was 2.0 for Gaming/Business graphics. That is a non-issue since that is not what this is going to be used for.

This is a very good value for a processor, motherboard and IGP combination. It's also very efficient which is going to help with the electricity bill and carbon footprint of the household. Surprisingly, it's very responsive and I have no trouble doing the tasks I expected to be able to do like surf the 'net, play music, upload/view photos and use OpenOffice under Windows 7 Home Premium.

However, for maybe $30 more upfront I could have purchased a more powerful CPU/ITX motherboard combination like an E3300/DG41AN that would have performed much better. Of course, the power draw would have been a lot higher. You definitely pay a premium for newer more efficient technology. The CPU is also not passively cooled and the little fan is definitely audible, especially in the cheap case I put it in. If it had been passively cooled or the CPU fan had been silent I would have given it 5 stars easily.So far it's done everything I've asked it to knowing though I am not going to be watching HD video on this.The upcoming Intel D525MW board looks to be passively cooled but it's not available yet.That one is worth watching and might be a better nettop board for a silent build.I can see using this one with the 4 SATA ports in a home server/NAS build instead.It looks like it would be perfect for that, especially with Gigabyte's "UD" construction.

Build:
Athenatech A1089HG.150 case
Kingston 2GB 240-Pin DDR 1066 KVR1066D3/2GR RAM
Western Digital 400GB WD4000AAKS HDD
Lite-On IDE DVD/CD burner
Rosewill RNX-N250PC 802.11 b/g/n PCI wireless adapter
Windows 7 Home Premium

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Product Description:
Gigabyte GA-M68MT-D3 NVIDIA MCP61/MCP68 Chipset Driver 15.56 for Vista Matherboard

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11/14/2011

Gigabyte LGA1366 SATA3 ATI CrossFireX ATX Motherboard GA-X58A-UD3R Review

Gigabyte LGA1366 SATA3 ATI CrossFireX ATX Motherboard GA-X58A-UD3R
Average Reviews:

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I picked up one of these for my latest system build, and I'm pleased to say that it booted up perfectly the first time and has been running rock-solid ever since.

Here is the hardware that I'm using with it:
1) Core I7 920 CPU
2) 12GB Corsair DDR3 1600 memory (9-9-9-24)
3) Seasonic M12II 620w PSU
4) Radeon 5770 1GB (running 2 screens @ 2560x1600 & 1200x1600)
5) Intel X25M-G2 160GB SSD

I am a C programmer and I tend to use my system heavily.A typical work load would be running Windows 7 x64 with 2 copies of Visual Studio + VMware Workstation 7 with up to 4 or 5 VMs running simultaneously, and all the other source control and debug utilities that I am using at any given time.This system breezes through that like butter.

The main issue I typically have is that I keep my PC locked in an enclosed cabinet with only one 92mm intake fan and a 120mm exhaust fan vented into the garage - both are running at low speeds to keep it quiet.Because of that, my hardware needs to run solid at fairly high temps.In this system, the CPU temps have gotten as high as 160F and I haven't seen any instability at all.

I used to only buy Asus motherboards until a few years ago when their quality started to drop off.Now I only buy these Gigabyte 'durable' boards and they have all been true to their name for the kind of stress I run them under.This board hasn't had any problems at all going in or out of standby (S3) either.

Personally, I don't overclock anything anymore (I got sick of burned up hardware when I blew up my P90 system 15 years ago); but this motherboard is extremely flexible if you are inclined to do that.

Overall, I highly recommend this board if you are looking for a solid entry in the socket 1366 space.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Gigabyte LGA1366 SATA3 ATI CrossFireX ATX Motherboard GA-X58A-UD3R

Product Description:
Gigabyte GA-X58A-UD3R LGA1366/ Intel X58/ 6DDR3-2200/ SATA3/ USB3.0/ 2-Way/3-Way ATI CrossFireX?/NVIDIA SLI/ GbE/ Raid/ eSATA/1394 ATX Motherboard

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5/13/2011

Intel Core i7/i5 LGA1156 4DDR3-2200 CrossFireX/GBE/Raid/SATA3/USB3.0/7.1-CH ATX Motherboard GA-P55A-UD3 Review

Intel Core i7/i5 LGA1156 4DDR3-2200 CrossFireX/GBE/Raid/SATA3/USB3.0/7.1-CH ATX Motherboard GA-P55A-UD3
Average Reviews:

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I've been using this motherboard in a new computer w/ i5-750 and ATI 5750 that I built. I haven't had any stability issues (haven't delved into overclocking) and it worked automagically with Windows 7 and Ubuntu 9.10. There's plenty of room for expansion and the price is right. I don't have any USB3 peripherals so couldn't try it out (it's supported in Linux). If I was building another machine I wouldn't think twice about using this board again.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Intel Core i7/i5 LGA1156 4DDR3-2200 CrossFireX/GBE/Raid/SATA3/USB3.0/7.1-CH ATX Motherboard GA-P55A-UD3

Product Description:
Gigabyte MB-P55A-U3 Intel Core i7/i5/LGA1156/4DDR3-2200/CrossFireX/GbE/Raid/SATA3/USB3.0/7.1-CH ATX Motherboard

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4/08/2011

Intel Core i3 Processor i3-530 2.93GHz 4MB LGA1156 CPU BX80616I3530 Review

Intel Core i3 Processor i3-530 2.93GHz 4MB LGA1156 CPU BX80616I3530
Average Reviews:

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I bought this in a combo with a Biostar TH55B HD to upgrade a household server running 24/7. Goal was to achieve fastest speed with least energy use and stress on components (longest life). I set all voltages to their lowest in the Biostar's BIOS: CPU -.08V (~1.092 max. in CPU-Z, ~.082 min. EIST), VTT 1.15, PLL 1.8, PCH 1.1, IGD "Spec" i.e. lowest. To my surprise, reached a stable overclock of 3.608 GHz (22 x 164), which has passed every test I've thrown at it and has been running for a week now. (Posted a screen shot of one test above.) Temps are no issue with stock cooler--no surprise there. At idle, my Kill-a-Watt readings for the system with integrated graphics enabled, 1.5V DRAM, Corsair 80+ 400W PS and 1 HD spinning (not including monitor) is an amazing 39W. With 3 HDs spinning and 100% CPU (IntelBurnTest) the highest reading I've seen is 86W. Of course, if you're 3-D gaming with the GPU overclocked under the same circumstances the draw would be greater. But, with four threads (HT) at 3.6 GHz on tap, idling at 39W, this is incredible power per watt for 24/7 running, not to mention per dollar.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Intel Core i3 Processor i3-530 2.93GHz 4MB LGA1156 CPU BX80616I3530

Product Description:
The Intel Core i3-530 Processor brings solid performance, Intel HD Graphics, and innovative technologies to your desktop computer. With two cores running at 2.93 GHz, the Core i3-530 won't have any problems handling your everyday applications. And thanks to the processor's built-in graphics , you won't have to spend extra money on an external video card in order to get a stunning HD visual experience.
Intel Core i3-530
features:

    Two 2.93 GHz cores for better multitasking and multithreaded performance.
    Integrated Intel HD Graphics.
    4 MB of Intel Smart Cache.
    Made on a 32nm process for better energy efficiency.


The Intel Core i3-530 processor includes built-in HD graphics.
Multiple Cores for Speedy, Multi-Threaded Performance
The Intel Core i3-530 contains two processors, or execution cores, on one integrated circuit. Combined with four threads, the Core i3-530 can simultaneously work on multiple tasks. This design produces faster and more efficient results, so your computer won't slow down--no matter how many applications you have open.
Hyper-Threading for Better Efficiency
The Intel Core i3-530 Processor features Intel Hyper-Threading Technology to deliver more efficient use of resources and better performance on multithreaded software. You'll be able to run demanding desktop applications, such as music and movie creation applications, while running background applications, such as virus protection software, and still maintain system responsiveness.
Large Smart Cache for Better Media Performance
Intel Smart Cache provides performance-maximized storage for frequently accessed data. The Intel Core i3-530 has a generous 4 MB of Intel Smart Cache kept close to the processor, so there's always data feeding in. The result is better overall functionality for everyday applications and markedly improved performance for rich media titles and games.
Intel HD Graphics Built-in
With the Core i3-530, Intel HD Graphics is built right into the CPU, so you won't have to spend money on an external graphics card in order to get stunning results. Intel HD Graphics provides sharp images, rich color, and lifelike audio and video. Intel HD Graphics support multiple monitors, premium video such as Blu-ray Disc playback and mainstream gaming as well as a full Windows 7 experience.The Core i3-530 has a graphics core that runs at 733 MHz, and to maximize viewing power.
The Intel Core i3-530 is made on a 32nm manufacturing process for better energy efficiency. It uses the LGA1156 socket and is backed by a three-year limited warranty.

Intel Core i3 Processor Comparison Intel Core i3-560 Processor Intel Core i3-550 Processor Intel Core i3-540 Processor Intel Core i3-530 Processor Number of Processing Cores 2 2 2 2 Number of Simultaneous Threads 4 (With Intel HT Technology) 4 (With Intel HT Technology) 4 (With Intel HT Technology) 4 (With Intel HT Technology) Clock Speed 3.33 GHz 3.20 GHz 3.06 GHz 2.93 GHz Intel Smart Cache 4 MB 4 MB 4 MB 4 MB Embedded Options Available No No Yes No Max Memory Size 16 GB 16 GB 16 GB 16 GB Memory Types DDR3-1066/1333 DDR3-1066/1333 DDR3-1066/1333 DDR3-1066/1333 Integrated Intel HD Graphics Yes Yes Yes Yes Graphics Base Frequency 733 MHz 733 MHz 733 MHz 733 MHz Dual Display Capable Yes Yes Yes Yes


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