PC Chips 830LR = ECS 7KS5A?

[NaughtyusMaximus]

Can I expect these two boards to be created equally?

 

[NaughtyusMaximus]

hrmm.

 

[nortexoid]

basically, yes...though some people erringly suggest otherwise.

 

[NaughtyusMaximus]

So I'd be right in thinking that the only difference between these boards is the name on the box?

 

[mboy]

Altho I havent looked at the spec's on either. I would probably say yes. I have the Pc Chips m817lr, which is exactly the same as the Ecs k7ama and an Amptron 817. I just flashed my bios for the PC chips with the bios from the Amptron site. If the specs are exactly the same, the board is just relabled thats all.

 

[NaughtyusMaximus]

What have your experiences with the motherboard been like? Overall impressions?

 

[nortexoid]

well, the ECS uses a black PCB while the others do not...

otherwise, they're essentially the same thing as far as I can tell, both spec/bios/feature wise...

after all, ECS = PCChips = Amptron.

 

[NaughtyusMaximus]

Would I be able to use BIOS updates & drivers interchangably? (Assuming that maybe ECS will release a new driver/bios flash at different times than PC Chips or Amptron)

 

[nortexoid]

why would you want to?..

you wouldn't

well, assuming u wanted to use the ECS o/c bios on the pcchips and amptron boards...i have reason to believe it works, sometimes...though I'm not entirely sure if it works 100%...i've heard of people flashing ECS boards w/ th pcchips bios...though i can't recall if it worked or not...

anwyay..if u really wanted all the fSB options, u could always download CPUCool which gives all FSB options allowed by the PLL (which isn't a lot w/ the one used on these boards...i think they're only (listed synchronous only) 100, 112, 124, 133, 138, 150, 166

 

[NaughtyusMaximus]

Thanks very much for your help. I'm not sure which one of these is even available in my area, I'm hoping to find one at a decent price.

 

[grant2]

i ran the k7s5a "OC" bios on my m830lr ... no problems except that I had to download some new ECS drivers cuz my board didn't think it was pcchips any more..

 

[grant2]

btw naughtyus Anitec has either board on sale for $99.

and my m830lr has worked great... i'd recommend it!

 

[NaughtyusMaximus]

Ya, if I could get to anitec, I'd buy from there. Problem is that I'm in Victoria for school right now.

I think I'm going to see if I can get my brother to pick one up for me and bring it over when he can...

 

[TunaBoo]

You get what you pay for. If cheap is okay, then go for it.

 

[JCobra14]

I do not know anything about the specs of those boards, but having owned a PCChips system, and an ECS board, I would definitely point to ECS, this has been a rock solid duron system

 

[grant2]

You get what you pay for. If cheap is okay, then go for it.

This is definately the most overused, inapplicable cliche that is used by people to complain about the k7s5a when hardly any have touched them. Although price OFTEN equates to quality, it also OFTEN equates to brand name and supply/demand pricing.

Mr. Tunaboo, if you REALLY believe you "get what you pay for" then you shouldn't have an athlon processor when p4s cost much more.