P965 Motherboard Roundup

[Gary Key]

Good Day.

Our roundup will be published later next week, really, the article is already in the mail (part one) for the edits.

I sincerely apologize for the delays but there have been so many changes to the original group of boards that we extended it well beyond our original date and scope of presentation. The market has also settled in with a certain pricing structure that we decided to follow for our recommendations. We have over thirteen boards, three different catagories, and a lot of information to present. In order to make this information easier to digest, the roundup will be in two different parts, the first series concentrating on the high-end boards and chipset analysis, the second series on the low to mid-range sector along with final recommendations.

 

[Capt Caveman]

Thanks for the work Gary. I've been holding off my Conroe Upgrade til your report. Shows that your efforts are definitely appreciated.

 

[memories2002]

Oh no...must wait for another whole week
Can we know what are the boards in consideration?

 

[imported_Husky55]

Thanks Gary,

I am anxiously waiting for your MB round up. Frankly, based on published reports, the choice and selection of a 965 or 975 MB should be fairly simple but the performance is anything but consistent. It seems to me to be a hit or miss thing, with all the non boot, memory incompatibility, and what have you.

C2 for 965 was not the end all and be all solution either.

Your review and summary of your findings would be a great help.

 

[cmdrdredd]

Originally posted by: Husky55
Thanks Gary,

I am anxiously waiting for your MB round up. Frankly, based on published reports, the choice and selection of a 965 or 975 MB should be fairly simple but the performance is anything but consistent. It seems to me to be a hit or miss thing, with all the non boot, memory incompatibility, and what have you.

C2 for 965 was not the end all and be all solution either.

Your review and summary of your findings would be a great help.

With the proper research you can basically hand pick the exact parts based on brand/model that will work out of the box. Overclocking is a crapshoot and needs you to adjust timings and voltages and since nobody can tell you exactly what your exact chip needs, you have to guess and try it. That's why everyone is complaining and reporting bad boards/memory etc. They don't research and when they get it to boot they're upset beause their chip won't do 3.2Ghz with stock voltage and memory set to spd.

 

[deathwalker]

Ya Gary, crack the door a little and tell us what boards are being reviewed

 

[Gary Key]

Originally posted by: deathwalker
Ya Gary, crack the door a little and tell us what boards are being reviewed

Four from Gigabyte, Three from Asus, Two from Abit, One each from Biostar, Foxconn, ECS, Intel, and a surprise from MSI. Obviously, there are more models available from Intel but the one we have pretty much covers their entire line up. Most of the manufacturers are busy introducing G965 boards now and we will cover those in November.

 

[deathwalker]

Originally posted by: Gary Key

Originally posted by: deathwalker
Ya Gary, crack the door a little and tell us what boards are being reviewed

Four from Gigabyte, Three from Asus, Two from Abit, One each from Biostar, Foxconn, ECS, Intel, and a surprise from MSI. Obviously, there are more models available from Intel but the one we have pretty much covers their entire line up. Most of the manufacturers are busy introducing G965 boards now and we will cover those in November.

No G965's...means no MicroAtx boards..

 

[Gary Key]

Originally posted by: deathwalker

Originally posted by: Gary Key

Originally posted by: deathwalker
Ya Gary, crack the door a little and tell us what boards are being reviewed

Four from Gigabyte, Three from Asus, Two from Abit, One each from Biostar, Foxconn, ECS, Intel, and a surprise from MSI. Obviously, there are more models available from Intel but the one we have pretty much covers their entire line up. Most of the manufacturers are busy introducing G965 boards now and we will cover those in November.

No G965's...means no MicroAtx boards..

This is P965. The following week we will have the mATX boards finished, both C2D and AM2 along with a new NVIDIA chipset.

 

[BlingBlingArsch]

what about those asrock boards featuring 945 chipsets? oh, nvm..review only on p965 boards...but why.

 

[deathwalker]

Originally posted by: Gary Key

Originally posted by: deathwalker

Originally posted by: Gary Key

Originally posted by: deathwalker
Ya Gary, crack the door a little and tell us what boards are being reviewed

Four from Gigabyte, Three from Asus, Two from Abit, One each from Biostar, Foxconn, ECS, Intel, and a surprise from MSI. Obviously, there are more models available from Intel but the one we have pretty much covers their entire line up. Most of the manufacturers are busy introducing G965 boards now and we will cover those in November.

No G965's...means no MicroAtx boards..

This is P965. The following week we will have the mATX boards finished, both C2D and AM2 along with a new NVIDIA chipset.

OK...U DA MAN!!

 

[Rock Hydra]

Awesome. These next 2 weeks are going to be very exciting.

 

[Gary Key]

Originally posted by: BlingBlingArsch
what about those asrock boards featuring 945 chipsets? oh, nvm..review only on p965 boards...but why.

We have already looked at the ASRock 945P board along with the EPoX in earlier articles. However, there will be a follow up in the near future with additional 945P boards.

 

[NoStateofMind]

Thanks for keeping us updated Gary. Now if we could just get some more info on the RD600 board.....

 

[vailr]

Will Epox be releasing any kind of "designed for Conroe" board?
Thanks.

 

[Gary Key]

Originally posted by: vailr
Will Epox be releasing any kind of "designed for Conroe" board?
Thanks.

They have their 945P board out now, no word on a 965 board yet but DFI is doing one now.

 

[Gary Key]

Originally posted by: PC Surgeon
Thanks for keeping us updated Gary. Now if we could just get some more info on the RD600 board.....

All I can say is - :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

 

[Skott]

Originally posted by: Gary Key

Originally posted by: PC Surgeon
Thanks for keeping us updated Gary. Now if we could just get some more info on the RD600 board.....

All I can say is - :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

Hmmmm....

 

[NoStateofMind]

Originally posted by: Skott

Originally posted by: Gary Key

Originally posted by: PC Surgeon
Thanks for keeping us updated Gary. Now if we could just get some more info on the RD600 board.....

All I can say is - :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

Hmmmm....

Indeed.....

 

[Cheex]

I suppose the Foxconn board Gary mentioned is the same one that I ordered and will be getting in a few days.
Foxconn P9657AA-8KS2H

The roundup then should give me a pretty good idea as to what i can really do with this board. I'm excited at the prospects.

Keep up the good work Gary...:thumbsup:

 

[JACKHAMMER]

Well, its next week already. Where r the Roundups??!?!?!?



Patiently awaiting this article for next week conroe build.:beer:

 

[Capt Caveman]

In his original post, he said later this week. It's only monday.

 

[avi85]

Originally posted by: Capt Caveman
In his original post, he said later this week. It's only monday.

Hey, some people are just impatient...

 

[Capt Caveman]

Trust me, I'm waiting impatiently also.

 

[Madellga]

Nice to know Gary. These are busy times indeed and I guess next month it will only get worse

It should be very interesting to see how the market developed in the last 2 months. Some boards/bios are more mature now and hopefully more mobos can be recommended/purchased.

As a suggestion, bring also a roundup for the 975, there are newer boards available (P5W64, MSI Powerup, etc) and very few reviews about them.

Hopefully the Nvidia chipset under NDA can be o/c as well....