ECS K7S5A mobo

[xynder]

I have some questions regarding this motherboard. I can have either this one or the Asus K7V333... I'm only getting PC2100 DDR RAM (not enough difference in performance to warrant the upgrade to PC2700), so do I really need the Asus? It's about 90 bucks more for the Asus...

I mean, if the Asus is like WAY better, I'll go with that. But if not, I'll go with the ECS. Here's it's specs:

CPU:
· AMD Athlon/Duron (K7) processors;
· Full series of Athlon/Duron CPU including the future Athlon processors.

Chipset:
· SiS 735 System Chipset;
· Super I/O and LPC - ITE8705F;
· System Hardware Monitor -- Built-in ITE8705;
· LAN -- MAC integrated in SiS735 & PHY on Board;
· AC97 Audio Codec Compliant with AC97 2.1 specification.

Memory:
· 2 DDR DIMM Sockets and 2 DIMM sockets support (can not be used simultaneously);
· Two 184-pin 2.5V DDR SDRAM (DDR266/DDR200) or two 168-pin 3.3V SDRAM
(PC133/PC100);
· 1GB Maximum (DDR or SDRAM).

Onboard Audio:
· AC97 Audio Codec Avance ALC100.

System BIOS:
· AMI 2MB Flash EEPROM;
· Supports Plug and Play 1.0A, AMP 1.2, Multi Boot, DMI;
· Support for ACPI revision 1.0 specification.

Integrated I/O Functions, Ports, Headers:
· Supports Plug and Play function;
· PS/2 keyboard and PS/2 mouse connectors;
· Dual USB ports and LAN connectors;
· One EPP/ECP mode parallel port;
· Two 16550 high-speed serial I/O ports;
· Audio ports (Line-in, Line-out, Mic-in, CD-in, and game port);
· Dual PCI IDE interfaces -- support four IDE devices (PIO mode 4, DMA Mode 2, Ultra
DMA 33/66/100);
· Supports 360K~2.88MB, 3 Mode FDDs or LS120;
· ATX Power Supply Connector;
· IrDA cable header;
· Extra USB header;
· Two CD-in headers;
· Front panel MIC/Line-out header;
· Green, HDD, Power indicator LED headers;
· CPU and case fan headers;
· Modem Ring Wake Up header.

RTC & Battery:
· SiS 735 included 256 bytes of CMOS SRAM;
· With CMOS hardware clear jumper.

Expansion Slots:
· 5 PCI slots;
· 1 4X AGP slot;
· 1 AMR slot.

Form Factor:
· ATX (304mm x 244mm), 4 Layers.

 

[osage]

if money is an issue, and when is it not...the K7S5A is a good performing board.
I got my first one cause it offered good performance and it was CHEAP. I got the other 2 cause I like the board. no upgrade plans at the moment.

 

[Buz2b]

I am a big fan of both ASUS MB's and the K7S5A. I think you are in a "win-win" situation. It just depends on what you want to spend. I am not directly familiar with the ASUS board you are referring to but I am very familiar with the ECS board. Personally I use the ASUS A7M266 MB on my system. Works just fine for me and never had a lick of trouble with it. I have built quite a few K7S5A's also and really like that one too. However, you should know that it does have a "rep" for being a bit picky with PS's and RAM. Good quality stuff is highly recommended.
As far as the difference in performance between the two, I'm not sure. The ECS board is one of the fastest in it's "generation" of board technology. As fast as the new ones are coming out it is hard to determine just exactly what is faster and by how much. Yes, the ASUS board will be faster. What you need to determine is if that speed and possibly (but no guarantee) better upgrade path is worth the money or not. Tough call.

 

[Hendrik]

I'd say go with the ECS. I have two systems based on it, and I've been extremely happy with both of them. They're very, very stable in all applications, they get every job done quickly, and they feel faster than much more expensive boards (for one thing, they boot up into Windows XP so quickly you'll be shocked).

In addition, they're obviously terrific value. (Remember that they include an onboard ethernet card.)

 

[bowie71]

GO with ECS, my new mobo, MSI 745 Ultra seems not as poweful as my K7S5A.. I'm thinking about goin' back to my ECS. The memory bandwith of my MSI is still 10-15 point under K7S5A performance, in the same setting. ...

 

[dbal]

Don't tell me the ECS specs...Just take a look at how many people are complaining every single day in this forum about sth causing trouble in this mobo! The highest RMA average by far.... And sth else-NEVER be cheap on your system's most valuable part even if u are planning in short or long term. Can u give the money the ASUS needs? Go get it!

 

[Peter]

dbal, not THAT again. Do you even have an idea how many K7S5A are out there? Given that vast
number, the people who come here with problems are comparatively few. And after all, most of their
problems are easily fixed, and very rarely actual mainboard problems. Go read, go figure.

Regarding the RMA rate, I bet you don't know, just badmouth something you don't like for whatever
reason.

regards, Peter

 

[bambam]

I just received my ECS K7S5A 1000 mhz Duron bundle ( one of the hot deals threads ) . I wondered if it was really necessary to use a 300 watt ("AMD Approved ) PS for this combo . - Thanks

 

[Buz2b]

<< I wondered if it was really necessary to use a 300 watt ("AMD Approved ) PS for this combo . - Thanks >>

That would depend upon whether it is approved for the cpu and whether you "need" the power for multiple components. You can use a 250 watt PS, as long as it is AMD approved for your 1 GHz Duron CPU and you don't overload your system with tons of IDE and PCI components. However, I would question the wisdom in that. There is very little difference between a 250 and 300 watt PS as far as cost goes. The more "headroom" you create for yourself and future upgrades the better. Using a 250 now might mean that if you got a T-Bird or above later, you might need to get a better PS also. If you already have a PS that is not necessarily AMD approved, you can always just try it and see how it works. But, if it won't boot or you start having problems that are difficult to pinpoint, chances are good that you will need a better PS. It's worth a shot to try though.

 

[Zedfu]

i own a k7s5a and never had a single problem with it....although it's a fast board for its class, stable and cheap, my only complain is its limitation in overclocking...if you don't plan on overclocking, this is the board to get..

 

[dbal]

<< just badmouth something you don't like for whatever reason. >>



I don't like seeing people posting over and over for a certain mobo-and IMHO in technology YOU ALWAYS GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR.-

 

[Buz2b]

<< I don't like seeing people posting over and over for a certain mobo >>

That's easy to solve; don't read them. No one is forcing you to do so. And for sure they are not forcing you to post in their threads either.


<< YOU ALWAYS GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR >>

No doubt but you can find "bargins" like this board from time to time that can and do outperform most of their "generation". Only when the 266A's and NForce came along was the ECS board finally overtaken. If you don't like performance and bargins, that is your business.

 

[dbal]

No one is forcing me to answer in their threads the way u mean it....But they are forcing all of us to help them when their new bargain-called mobo acts bloody strange....

 

[scubasteve2001]

<< I don't like seeing people posting over and over for a certain mobo-and IMHO in technology YOU ALWAYS GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR.- >>




1) The fact that they post for it over and over goes to show that its a good mobo.

2) If you always get what you pay for, then I guess I should run out to Best Buy and buy a Compaq computer for $2000 then, huh?

 

[Shack70]

I have the K7S5A and I am very pleased with it. Get the updated OC bios from OCworkbench and OC it too!

BTW, the only problem I've had is if you run Linux, the LAN and Audio dont work right, so you will need to get cards for that. If Windows is your thing, then your all set!

 

[jhook]

I have no problem with my K7SA5 Mobo. I built 3 systems with this board so far and I did no get any complaints as of yet. But I agree with Buz2b you do need a good PS on it.

 

[adlep]

Hmm to simplify forget ASUS, go ECS...
but make sure to flash the bios to the latest revision, just in case and get the newest drivers fro SiS Agp brige, integrated lan & sound
ECS K5S5A is a winner....

 

[Athlex]

Here's another vote for the K7S5A- I love mine (although I don't use the onboard sound/LAN). I won't repeat what everyone has mentioned above, but here are a couple of considerations:
IDE performance is better with the VIA-based motherboards, but the K7S5A doesn't require extra IDE drivers
Power LED connector is only 2 pins wide (unlike most boards/cases which are 3 pins wide)

If you want the best of both worlds (good value and Asus' reputation), Asus finally released the A7S333 which uses the SIS 745. Pricewatch has it for <$65 now... Haven't seen too much "real world" info on it yet, but it looks like a promising board.
FWIW-

/Atx

 

[Buz2b]

<< they are forcing all of us to help them when their new bargain-called mobo acts bloody strange.... >>

You know, I've been meaning to talk to Anand about that. I HATE it when all these people on the forum grab me and MAKE me help them. I mean they absolutely FORCE me to do it. I have absolutely no control over my own life and MUST comply. I don't think it is fair. I am thinking about starting a CLASS ACTION lawsuit against all those people that FORCE ME to help them on forums like this. I mean, I don't even want to go to these forums but they FORCE me to do that too. It's just unfair I tell you!!

Get off it and ignore the K7S5A threads if it really bothers you. Some of us do come here to help others and to be helped. If you are doing otherwise then maybe you should reconsider what you are doing with your spare time. At the very least you should stop going to any hardware and software forums because that is 99% of what they are about. xynder never held a gun to your head when he posted this topic and he certainly didn't advertise it hoping to have someone "trash" his choice of MB's.

 

[boboTmonkey]

In the manual of my ECS K7S5A, and it says it only supports up to 1.4 GHz Athlon. I bought it a while ago, and never had a chance to install it, but now I want to upgrade to an Athlon XP 1800+ or so (1.53 GHz). Will this motherboard support that? Do I need to upgrade the bios first or what?

 

[Athlex]

Manual probably says that because that was the fastest CPU at the time of printing. The K7S5A supports all current XP CPUs and will probably also work fine with Tbreds with a bios update. Couldn't hurt to check your board before you install the new CPU.
Link to BIOS versions at OCWorkbench

Edit: added link

 

[boboTmonkey]

cool, thanks Athlex!

 

[Peter]

boboTmonkey, that depends on the hardware revision of the mainboard. The very early ones
(revision 1.0) don't run Athlon-XP, while everything that came after these (v1.1 and up) do.

The latter usually have an "XP" sticker next to the CPU socket to get the point across

One last thing, when upgrading CPU, mind the power. Your PSU must be able to feed the beast.

regards, Peter

 

[dbal]

<< You know, I've been meaning to talk to Anand about that. I HATE it when all these people on the forum grab me and MAKE me help them. I mean they absolutely FORCE me to do it. I have absolutely no control over my own life and MUST comply. I don't think it is fair. I am thinking about starting a CLASS ACTION lawsuit against all those people that FORCE ME to help them on forums like this. I mean, I don't even want to go to these forums but they FORCE me to do that too. It's just unfair I tell you!!

Get off it and ignore the K7S5A threads if it really bothers you. Some of us do come here to help others and to be helped. If you are doing otherwise then maybe you should reconsider what you are doing with your spare time. At the very least you should stop going to any hardware and software forums because that is 99% of what they are about. xynder never held a gun to your head when he posted this topic and he certainly didn't advertise it hoping to have someone "trash" his choice of MB's. >>



So, u want a flame war about it, ah? I won't go for it just copy paste my last answer in case u understand it and stop distorting it in public....-
"No one is forcing me to answer in their threads the way u mean it....But they are forcing all of us to help them when their new bargain-called mobo acts bloody strange.... "

 

[Buz2b]

<< stop distorting it in public....- >>

Didn't because I didn't have to; you said it all quite plainly for myself and others to see. Don't worry, I'm quite done with you anyway and I said what I had to say already.