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mATX Intel G31 LGA775 2 DDR2-800 FSB1333
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By Tom Servo
This motherboard is based on the Intel G31 chipset paired along with the ICH7 southbridge. The problem is that both chips are manufactured using now-old process technology and run hot compared to newer chipsets. Both chips are heatsinked but are not fan cooled (probably for cost reasons). In operation in a warm room (ambient temp 30 deg C) both chips reach temperatures that are uncomfortable to touch. This is especially true for the southbridge chip, which is located near the PCI slots. The choosen heatsink for the southbridge chip seems to be inadequate to dissipate heat produced during operation - the heatsink fins don't really extend high enough to allow sufficient cooling. This is probably a design decision so the heatsink doesn't interfere with the PCIe x16 retention clip or PCI slots, but comes at the expense of cooling. The interesting thing here is that the E2180 Pentium Dual-Core CPU I'm using remains cool, but the chipset runs hot!
I have had one motherboard fail after a few months use, presumably due to overheating - I suspect the southbridge chip has partially unsoldered itself.
For my other motherboard (I bought 2 of these) I learnt from experience and added two cooling fans - one 40mm fan (glued onto the northbridge heatsink using silicone) and a 50mm fan glued to the bottom of the PC case to cool the southbridge. Although it's too early to tell, I believe this will definitely increase the lifespan of the motherboard.
If you live in a cool climate then this overheating issue may not be as pronounced, however I think it's something to be aware of in order to extend the life of your system. In any case I *strongly recommend* adding chipset cooling fans as I have done.
Aside from the above this motherboard has good features for an "ordinary" user. There are better (read:expensive) motherboards if you're a diehard gamer or overclocker, but if you need to build a cheap system for a family member or friend this is great for the price. (Yeah it's integrated video but there is a PCIe x16 slot so you can still add a graphics card, like a cheap Radeon R4350 for example).
By Hyrax
Pros: BIOS with a lot of options than I am used to. Has an option that slows down the processor to save energy and cool it down.
Con: Had an issue installing the heatsink of my Intel e7300 processor. Don't know if this is a motherboard or processor issue, but I think I was able to fix it.
Overall: Very reccomended board. Over 200 reviewed purchases from a competing site. I bought it because of the many great reviews and was not disappointed.
By Mackowitz (California)
I needed a motherboard that would allow for overclocking in the BIOS, had integrated video, and supported quad core processors. This board meets all those requirements. Currently running an Intel E2180 processor at 9x333 = 3.0ghz on this board with Linux 64 bit. Needed a slight bump up in the CPU voltage to be stable, but no complaints. For $76 Board + $57 for the CPU + $20 2GB Ram, I've got a 3.0ghz Dual Core for about $150. Great value there. Will probably get a second soon for an Intel Q6600 that is on the way.
One the con with this board, the latest BIOS doesn't have a lot of memory divider options. My processor is a 200mhz FSB, so when I overclock to FSB 333, the lowest setting I can run my RAM at is 444 mhz (DDR2 889). Not a problem if you have good RAM (or if not overclocking), but something to note if you plan to overclock. My Gigabyte P35-DS3L has many more memory divider options, making overclocking less difficult on that board (but that board also costs more, uses more power, and requires video card)
By G. Serra (Santo Domingo, Dom. Rep.)
Most gamers will only need one PCI-e slot, and no more than 4GB of ram, either no more than two hard drives, this motherboard is perfect, it is compatible with high-end CPU as well as PCI-e video cards and it won't eat space, however watch for ventilation, compact high-end PCs most be well ventilated.
It comes with built in VGA support, so you don't need a GPU to support graphics.
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