Motherboard makers need some balls

[touchmyichi]

I've noticed recently with the dual socket 939/754 Jetway and the ASrock PCI X and AGP combo that only these low motherboard tiers are willing to try anything new. The new ULI 1695 chipset is a great preformer and is just begging for a Asus/MSI/Abit/DFI/Epox build. People would LOVE the idea of being able to currently keep their 6800 GT AGP and wait for the upgrade later. I understand that there's some fear that these new technologies will have issues + complaining customers...but come on! It annoys me that a lot of these companies pride themselves on a so called "innovation."

Oh well until then there's ASrock.

 

[BTA]

Most people who are looking at these motherboards are budget limited consumers. Therefore the "cheaper" manufactuers are providing these sorts of products. Plus since asrock is basically Asus anyway...they're still making their money.

It would be nice to see some more options with the new ULi chipset though, indeed.

 

[touchmyichi]

I guess that idea kind of makes sense, after all the people with the money would just jump straight to PCI X. But it's still weird that a company like Abit or DFI wouldn't jump on the opportunity to use the ULI after it was getting such high overclocks, I mean honestly this chipset has some serious potential.

 

[ChiPCGuy]

Agreed, it would be a huge crime if a Tier1 or Tier2 did not pickup the ULi M1695 and leverage it to it's full potential. This is one serious contender of a chipset, and from what I can discern at the moment, far less quirky than any VIA chipset and even the nForce series to an extent.

 

[Pabster]

Originally posted by: ChiPCGuy
Agreed, it would be a huge crime if a Tier1 or Tier2 did not pickup the ULi M1695 and leverage it to it's full potential. This is one serious contender of a chipset, and from what I can discern at the moment, far less quirky than any VIA chipset and even the nForce series to an extent.

Now that wouldn't take much

 

[ChiPCGuy]

Originally posted by: Pabster

Originally posted by: ChiPCGuy
Agreed, it would be a huge crime if a Tier1 or Tier2 did not pickup the ULi M1695 and leverage it to it's full potential. This is one serious contender of a chipset, and from what I can discern at the moment, far less quirky than any VIA chipset and even the nForce series to an extent.

Now that wouldn't take much

LOL!

 

[orangat]

I concur that top tier mb manufacturers need to get their asses in gear and start churning out ULi and SiS motherboards. Those chipsets seem pretty decent and reliable.

 

[vailr]

Originally posted by: orangat
I concur that top tier mb manufacturers need to get their asses in gear and start churning out ULi and SiS motherboards. Those chipsets seem pretty decent and reliable.

I agree: Abit or DFI should offer a ULi 1695-based, overclocking-friendly motherboard.

 

[Zap]

I only see an Asrock board on Newegg with the ULi 1695. It probably has minor overclocking but they haven't been known for more than that.

I do see some ULi 1689 boards such as the Gigabyte GA-K8U. Their web site claims overclocking features. I almost got one, but ended up with a Chaintech VNF3 board for $55 shiped.

The major companies do make some innovations. Asus/Abit were among the first that had PAT-like abilities with 865PE chipset, and among the first to hit higher than 10% FSB clocks on the newer Intel 9XX series chipsets. Gigabyte spearheaded a redundant BIOS. MSI... what did MSI do? Er, perhaps make red a popular PCB color?

As for "alternative" chipsets the top manufacturers do use those chips. Gigabyte already has the lower end ULi chipset on a board. MSI and ECS makes ATI chipset boards. Asus is well known for their SiS chipset boards. I have a few P4S800-MX boards that work great with the mobile CPUs. P4S800 was a good overclocker with all the voltages and such for a low price. The Asus SiS 655 chipset boards (forgot model #s) were known to be budget alternatives to the 865PE chipset overclocker boards, with full FSB/voltage and AGP lock, with performance and overclockabilty like the Intel chipset boards.

The other part of the story is what sells. Just ask around here, "what socket 939 mobo do you recommend" and everyone will chime in with their favorite Nforce4 chipset board. Is it because there are no good alternatives to recommend or is it because people would recommend Nforce4 anyways? Chicken & egg problem. Manufacturers want boards to sell. They know that if they make two otherwise identical boards, but one of them uses Nforce4 chipset, that one will outsell the other.

 

[Zap]

ASRock 939Dual-SATA2: First Retail ULi PCIe/AGP

Newegg $68+4 OOS

Let's see, a "value" board with a separate SATA2 controller, both AGP/PCIe, can run at 300MHz bus, has an upgrade slot for future M2 socket daughterboard. Looks like a winner to me. :thumbsup: