Help needed on differences between GA-7DX and GA-7DX+

[hsp]

All,

I recently bought a GigaByte GA-7DX motherboard. When I tried using it at home I found that the CPU temperature always shot up to near 70 degrees! After aome debug, we found that the problem was with the motherboard. I took the motherboard back to my supplier and he has now given a GA-7DX+(plus) motherboard.

I wanted to know if the GA-7DX+ is really better than the GA-7DX. What is the difference between GA-7DX+ and GA-7DX?

Based on the specifications, the GA-7DX+ does not have the on board creative sound card that the GA-7DX has. Is this correct? How good is the sound card on the GA-7DX+? What are the other differences between GA-7DX+ and GA-7DX?

Should I install new chipset drivers for the GA-7DX+?

Are there any stability problems with GA-7DX+? Are there any other known problems with GA-7DX+?

In general - should I go in for this exchange offer (GA-7DX+ for GA-7DX).

Any light on this will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Prashanth

 

[smp]

Get him to give you a GA-7DXR
I'm not sure what the difference is, but I'm sure they would have the specs on the site no? (as you've mentioned)
I hope i don't have the wrong board in mind, but this is the AMD761 based mobo right?

 

[hsp]

Thanks for the response!

I'm only an home user and I don't really need the GA-7DXR. However, I noticed something interesting.

The specifications of the GA-7DX+ on its website clearly shows that the GA-7DX+ does not have a creative sound card, but does have a Audio Codec 97 (the creative sound card CT5880 is available on the GA-7DX).

But on my motherboard, the text "CT5880" is printed on the PCB! But there is no chip! What does this mean? My supplier says that the GA-7DX+ does have a creative sound card. Now I'm confused.

Also, what is the difference between AC97 and a creative sound card? Does the AC97 give a audio quality as good as the creative sound card?

Thanks,
Prashanth

 

[Shide1]

The 7DX+ is actually a newer mobo than the 7DX. You could call it a new revision, but it actually is designed differently if you look at it closely. It may not have creative sound, but I would take the 7DX+. Also, the 7DX+ resembles the 7DXR+ which is the newest Gigabyte amd761 mobo and is still made today.

 

[smp]

The 7DXR was also better in benchmarks than the 7DX .. by a significant difference (we're talking motherboard benchmark significant differences here)

oh yeah .. when you have onboard sound you don't really call it a soundcard
I'de get the plus if it's more like the 7DXR

 

[hsp]

Thanks for the response. I will go in for the GA-7DX+.

I'm facing another problem here. Please help.

The reason I changed my first motherboard was because the CPU temperature (AMD Athlon 1.1 GHz) soared to 70 degrees or more after just 30 minutes of use. Infact, the CPU temperature just after booting up was 50 degrees! When we took the MB back to my supplier, he did some debug on the MB and decided that the problem was with the MB. Here is what my supplier did:

1. Changed the heat sink
2. Changed the processor
3. Changed the VGA card and replaced it with a AGP card.
4. Changed the SMPS power supply.

In all the cases above, the CPU temperature at boot up was 50 degrees and it kept increasing.

Now after I got my new MB, the GA-7DX+, the problem still remains! I do not understand what the problem might me.

Then only thing remaining is my Case. Could the problem be with the case? If not what else could the problem be?

Thanks,
Prashanth

 

[hsp]

All,

another interesting observation.

I removed the motherboard from the case and this time the temperature at boot up was 36 degrees!

Does this give any more information regarding my problem?

Thanks,
Prashanth