Another Tom's review.. This time the Springdale chipset

[orion7144]

Here

Our comparative test of various boards using the 865PE and 875P chipsets shows that, despite Intel's much touted PAT technology, the Canterwood chipset does not reach the top of the heap in performance tests. The actual $16 price difference between the two chipsets adds up to $40, plus the price of a motherboard. Consumers should therefore choose the cheaper 865PE board - ECC memory detection is hardly a convincing sales feature.

 

[wicktron]

Tom, Schmom

 

[butch84]

i refuse to read the dribble that tom puts out these days. his site has really gone down the tubes. im not trying to thread crap, but anands reviews are SO much better. hardocp and others are better as well, although toms can be read for comedic value at times . .

butch

 

[Goi]

I disagree, Tom's Hardware still has some decent articles, and he does often offer some insight into various issues that other sites don't. For example, he recently uncovered the truth behind MSI's motherboard performing some shady overclocking techniques when benchmarks are run.

The thing I don't like about THG is that its often quite self congratulatory, and Tom himself doesn't do much reviews.

 

[thermite88]

Originally posted by: Goi
I disagree, Tom's Hardware still has some decent articles, and he does often offer some insight into various issues that other sites don't. For example, he recently uncovered the truth behind MSI's motherboard performing some shady overclocking techniques when benchmarks are run.

The thing I don't like about THG is that its often quite self congratulatory, and Tom himself doesn't do much reviews.

I think that you are absolutely right. Many readers who are less technically oriented found Tom's site confusing because he talked about the reasons behind the benchmark numbers and don't want to stop with the numbers. However, Tom called the MSI OC scheme smart, not shady.

 

[butch84]

okay, maybe some of the articles he writes himself are okay, but a great majority of the reviews on his site are shallow and come to no conclusions. i find the editorials to be particularly bad.

just my opinion,
butch

 

[Goi]

Originally posted by: thermite88

Originally posted by: Goi
I disagree, Tom's Hardware still has some decent articles, and he does often offer some insight into various issues that other sites don't. For example, he recently uncovered the truth behind MSI's motherboard performing some shady overclocking techniques when benchmarks are run.

The thing I don't like about THG is that its often quite self congratulatory, and Tom himself doesn't do much reviews.

I think that you are absolutely right. Many readers who are less technically oriented found Tom's site confusing because he talked about the reasons behind the benchmark numbers and don't want to stop with the numbers. However, Tom called the MSI OC scheme smart, not shady.

Hmmn, I don't remember the review calling it "smart". I only remember that kudos was given to the programmer of the software that revealed the true clockspeed of the board. I don't think that programmer worked for MSI. MSI's practice wasn't commented on other than being called "interesting". I personally would call it shady though, since its undocumented, and required an online review to reveal it. Besides, I would like to have the FSB exactly the speed I set it at, and not some other value. Also, its not known when exactly the automatic overclocking kicks in. Does it happen when there's 100% CPU load? 99%? 90? 50%? As long as its non standard and non-controllable, I don't like the idea of it, especially when it may well lead to instability problems.

 

[adhoc]

MSI will be annoucing this feature upon the next BIOS release for the 865PE boards, according to here.

 

[Goi]

Well, I can't imagine why they would want to implement such a feature though, other than to get a higher benchmark score.

 

[thermite88]

Originally posted by: Goi

Originally posted by: thermite88

Originally posted by: Goi
I disagree, Tom's Hardware still has some decent articles, and he does often offer some insight into various issues that other sites don't. For example, he recently uncovered the truth behind MSI's motherboard performing some shady overclocking techniques when benchmarks are run.

The thing I don't like about THG is that its often quite self congratulatory, and Tom himself doesn't do much reviews.

I think that you are absolutely right. Many readers who are less technically oriented found Tom's site confusing because he talked about the reasons behind the benchmark numbers and don't want to stop with the numbers. However, Tom called the MSI OC scheme smart, not shady.

Hmmn, I don't remember the review calling it "smart". I only remember that kudos was given to the programmer of the software that revealed the true clockspeed of the board. I don't think that programmer worked for MSI. MSI's practice wasn't commented on other than being called "interesting". I personally would call it shady though, since its undocumented, and required an online review to reveal it. Besides, I would like to have the FSB exactly the speed I set it at, and not some other value. Also, its not known when exactly the automatic overclocking kicks in. Does it happen when there's 100% CPU load? 99%? 90? 50%? As long as its non standard and non-controllable, I don't like the idea of it, especially when it may well lead to instability problems.

The Tom's Hardware

The only way to achieve this is through special logic circuitry for overclocking the 3-GHz processor to beyond 3.2 GHz. Each time a benchmark was finished, the FSB switched immediately back to 200 MHz and the CPU continued running at 3 GHz. Smart work!

 

[Budman]

Originally posted by: adhoc
MSI will be annoucing this feature upon the next BIOS release for the 865PE boards, according to here.

Not all 865pe's .

NOTE: the feature is not available on all 865 boards, only available on the high end board 865PE Neo2-FIS2R

 

[peter7921]

Originally posted by: Budman

Originally posted by: adhoc
MSI will be annoucing this feature upon the next BIOS release for the 865PE boards, according to here.

Not all 865pe's .

NOTE: the feature is not available on all 865 boards, only available on the high end board 865PE Neo2-FIS2R

Does anyone know why they aren't implementing it on there 875 board?

 

[Goi]

Originally posted by: thermite88

Originally posted by: Goi

Originally posted by: thermite88

Originally posted by: Goi
I disagree, Tom's Hardware still has some decent articles, and he does often offer some insight into various issues that other sites don't. For example, he recently uncovered the truth behind MSI's motherboard performing some shady overclocking techniques when benchmarks are run.

The thing I don't like about THG is that its often quite self congratulatory, and Tom himself doesn't do much reviews.

I think that you are absolutely right. Many readers who are less technically oriented found Tom's site confusing because he talked about the reasons behind the benchmark numbers and don't want to stop with the numbers. However, Tom called the MSI OC scheme smart, not shady.

Hmmn, I don't remember the review calling it "smart". I only remember that kudos was given to the programmer of the software that revealed the true clockspeed of the board. I don't think that programmer worked for MSI. MSI's practice wasn't commented on other than being called "interesting". I personally would call it shady though, since its undocumented, and required an online review to reveal it. Besides, I would like to have the FSB exactly the speed I set it at, and not some other value. Also, its not known when exactly the automatic overclocking kicks in. Does it happen when there's 100% CPU load? 99%? 90? 50%? As long as its non standard and non-controllable, I don't like the idea of it, especially when it may well lead to instability problems.

The Tom's Hardware

The only way to achieve this is through special logic circuitry for overclocking the 3-GHz processor to beyond 3.2 GHz. Each time a benchmark was finished, the FSB switched immediately back to 200 MHz and the CPU continued running at 3 GHz. Smart work!

I stand corrected then. I must've missed that portion. However, notice that THG later refers to this as "ingenious trickery", which I personally find very apt. 🙂

 

[Richdog]

THG is a good site, and as for reviews produces some of the most comprehensive and detailed around. Ive used it way longer than I have anandtech, although dont get me wrong anandtech is good too.😀

 

[Goi]

Yeah, THG was around way before AT was. In fact, THG was the first comprehensive computer hardware site I visited, so to me, its the "original", one of the pioneers. Of course, AT came along soon after that, they're both good. I have to admit that Tom's attitude isn't as good though, he can be pretty pompous.