Is it common that board manufacturers downgrading with revisions like Gigabyte?!

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ssamhouu

Junior Member
Dec 30, 2014
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I heard that Gigabyte downgrade their boards with revisions of its original motherboards. It's easy to spot since they have Rev 1.1 or Rev 2.0 or Rev 3.0, but with a same EAN code shops can't tell the difference. Does this also happen with other brands? I'm worried that my next purchase, I end up buying a down grade version if I don't buy the first batch...

http://www.overclock3d.net/articles/cpu_mainboard/gigabyte_in_ebenezer_mode/1
http://us.hardware.info/reviews/583...sions-present-markedly-different-test-results
http://tu.pcpop.com/pic-1066133.htm#1
 
Burpo

Burpo

Diamond Member
Sep 10, 2013
4,223
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Others don't do that.. If you're worried, don't buy Gigabyte..
 
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SilentRunning

Golden Member
Aug 8, 2001
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Don't kid yourself. Shops can tell what revision they have. Every box lists the revision of the board on the same label that has the EAN code. I checked Gigabyte's website for the GA-B85M-D2V and the specs show the downgrading from dual bios to single bios along with photos for each revision. So it is not like they are hiding anything. Budget boards are always a compromise of price and features.

As others have said, if you don't like what Gigabyte is doing talk with your wallet and take you business elsewhere.
 
Maximilian

Maximilian

Lifer
Feb 8, 2004
12,604
15
81
SilentRunning said:
Don't kid yourself. Shops can tell what revision they have. Every box lists the revision of the board on the same label that has the EAN code. I checked Gigabyte's website for the GA-B85M-D2V and the specs show the downgrading from dual bios to single bios along with photos for each revision. So it is not like they are hiding anything. Budget boards are always a compromise of price and features.

As others have said, if you don't like what Gigabyte is doing talk with your wallet and take you business elsewhere.
Click to expand...

Really?? I didnt even know they made single bios mobos, I thought their thing was dual bios on everything...

Kind of a poor showing from gigabyte.
 
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lukart

Member
Oct 27, 2014
172
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They come out with revisions of its original motherboards with denominations like Rev 1.1 or Rev 2.0 or Rev 3.0. However, different revisions are selling with the same EAN code, so the distributors/shops/online etailers/customers cannot tell the difference by checking at the code. This was found on B85 and H81 models...
 
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l1amrob

Member
Nov 8, 2014
25
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lukart said:
They come out with revisions of its original motherboards with denominations like Rev 1.1 or Rev 2.0 or Rev 3.0. However, different revisions are selling with the same EAN code, so the distributors/shops/online etailers/customers cannot tell the difference by checking at the code. This was found on B85 and H81 models...
Click to expand...

Right now, from the news release by China media, it shows Gigabyte also have another revision issue on Z97 and H61 mbs! :thumbsdown:

http://tu.pcpop.com/pic-1066133.htm#1
 
redzo

redzo

Senior member
Nov 21, 2007
547
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I believe this has been discussed before.

I suspect all motherboard manufacturers of doing that, the difference being that we do not know about it.

Those are cheap motherboards. Profit comes from high volume sales. 1 cap less or cheaper part per 200 000 units: that's a lot of savings. It makes economical sense.

Now, if we move to psu's it becomes more frightening. If we go further to smartphones, laptops, car parts, ... so many possibilities to reduce manufacturing costs without consumer awareness: every cost reduction employee 's dreamland.
 
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ssamhouu

Junior Member
Dec 30, 2014
14
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redzo said:
I believe this has been discussed before.

I suspect all motherboard manufacturers of doing that, the difference being that we do not know about it.

Those are cheap motherboards. Profit comes from high volume sales. 1 cap less or cheaper part per 200 000 units: that's a lot of savings. It makes economical sense.

Now, if we move to psu's it becomes more frightening. If we go further to smartphones, laptops, car parts, ... so many possibilities to reduce manufacturing costs without consumer awareness: every cost reduction employee 's dreamland.
Click to expand...

Really!?! Can you name others that have been suspected in the past?
 
redzo

redzo

Senior member
Nov 21, 2007
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B

bononos

Diamond Member
Aug 21, 2011
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I would think that being transparent means giving the different version with a substantially different vrm design a different EAN/UPC, not just giving it a different version with the same specs, which could mislead customers into thinking that the changes are very minor.

The Gigabyte B85M-HD3 in the OP's links has no difference in the specs on the official site btwn v1.x, v2. But the number of phases are different. Reviewers should probably start removing the vrm heatsinks to find out the component markings.
 
redzo

redzo

Senior member
Nov 21, 2007
547
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You can find "naked" reviews of some products:
http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/Gigabyte-H81M-S2PH-Motherboard/1893/5

Nobody documents revision changes of the product. You'll find only manufactures admitting the existence of different revs.

But there's no assurance that your purchased sample will be identical to the reviewed one. Online sellers don't specify revision numbers. I think that most of them do not keep track of revisions. Purchasing a specific revision from an online seller is almost impossible. Either way, you are at the mercy of the manufacturer. Probably the cheapest motherboard models are the most effected products. I believe that expensive/premium products suffer less to no changes since they are manufactured in lower volumes and their already high prices/profit may have payed for themselves.

Example:
This is my motherboard. http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=4481&kw=GA-Z87X-UD3H1.x#ov Mine belongs to the first batch of this model and it features that infamous intel 8 series pch usb 3.0 power state bug. I'm sure that other later revisions with a fixed chipset stepping exist out there. It seems that gigabyte didn't bother to list a different revision this time around: only 1.x got listed(generic .x)
 
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soccerballtux

Lifer
Dec 30, 2004
12,553
2
76
gigabyte is a really good quality brand. I wouldn't worry about it honestly. just based on my previous experiences with them.
 
DrMrLordX

DrMrLordX

Lifer
Apr 27, 2000
22,543
12,411
136
Some of their boards have improved with revisions. I'm pretty sure the GA-990FXa-UD3 Rev 4 is the best revision of that particular board. Granted, that board has been around for awhile and does not speak to what Gigabyte is doing now with Z97 boards.
 
VirtualLarry

VirtualLarry

No Lifer
Aug 25, 2001
56,570
10,202
126
My Gigabyte P35 boards had a few revisions as well. I own a couple of GA-P35-DS3R v1.0 boards. They had parallel and serial ports on the ATX I/O bracket. I'm not sure what changes 1.1 had, but 2.0 had eight USB2.0 ports along the back side, instead of the parallel and serial ports. I think that perhaps the model name had changed to "EP35-DS3R" too, "E" for "Energy Saving". They added phase-control for the VRMs, which I didn't really care for, so I'm glad I ended up with the 1.0 model, even if it did have serial and parallel ports.
 
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lukart

Member
Oct 27, 2014
172
8
46
redzo said:
As I was saying, as I was suspecting.
By the way, what do you think those rev numbers actually mean?

ASRock X99 Extreme4 rev 1.02
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813157543

ASUS Z97-A rev 1.03
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813132118

revision numbers are located in the middle of the board, near the board's marketing name. Use newegg's zoom function!

Everybody does it, it's just that gigabyte is transparent about it.
Click to expand...

The question here is more about the overall quality changes over the different revs. From my understanding many or I would say most of the brands have different rev as stated before to improve or fix any issues / bugs. But apparently Gigabyte when on the cost saving path, which no customer would ultimately want...
 
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Flokiam

Junior Member
Dec 9, 2014
5
0
0
I wonder if they use the cost saving to actually lower their prices or to get more margins. D:
 
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SilentRunning

Golden Member
Aug 8, 2001
1,493
0
76
lukart said:
The question here is more about the overall quality changes over the different revs. From my understanding many or I would say most of the brands have different rev as stated before to improve or fix any issues / bugs. But apparently Gigabyte when on the cost saving path, which no customer would ultimately want...
Click to expand...

Check out the power phases on Asrock's budget board revision.

http://www.asrock.com/mb/Intel/B85M-HDS/

http://www.asrock.com/mb/Intel/B85M-HDS R2.0/
 
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SilentRunning

Golden Member
Aug 8, 2001
1,493
0
76
Cerb said:
Both look about the same, to me, just with slight layout changes. Are we supposed to be able to tell the MOSFET models from the pics?
Click to expand...

Hint, look between the processor socket and the I/O (LT741) They from 4 to 3 just like the gigabyte board in the OP.
 
DrMrLordX

DrMrLordX

Lifer
Apr 27, 2000
22,543
12,411
136
I see what you are talking about. The pair off to the side, near the two caps, is gone in the revised board.
 
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Flokiam

Junior Member
Dec 9, 2014
5
0
0
Well, check out visual comparison for Gigabyte:

image.jpg
 
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soccerballtux

Lifer
Dec 30, 2004
12,553
2
76
that might be a double-sized BIOS chip. IE, boots from second half, write to first half, if it checks out then update the second half.
 
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