best mboard with integrated everything, currently?

  • Thread starter Thread starter OhioGuy
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OhioGuy

I'm looking for a motherboard with the following characteristics:

1) Under $100

2) integrated CPU

3) integrated video

4) integrated sound, LAN, etc.

I'm currently using a PCChips V21G motherboard with an onboard VIA C7 1.5
GHz processor. It works great for 98% of what I do on a regular basis.
However, the technology is at least a year old now, if not more.

The system lags a LOT when it comes to video compression, and things like
that.

I was wondering if anyone has a mboard with similar characteristics that
has a faster integrated CPU? Something at least on par with a Sempron
3000+, if not dual core?

Any info would be appreciated. Thanks!
 
OhioGuy said:
I'm looking for a motherboard with the following characteristics:

1) Under $100

2) integrated CPU

3) integrated video

4) integrated sound, LAN, etc.

I'm currently using a PCChips V21G motherboard with an onboard VIA C7 1.5 GHz
processor. It works great for 98% of what I do on a regular basis. However, the
technology is at least a year old now, if not more.

The system lags a LOT when it comes to video compression, and things like that.

I was wondering if anyone has a mboard with similar characteristics that has a faster
integrated CPU? Something at least on par with a Sempron 3000+, if not dual core?

Any info would be appreciated. Thanks!
Click to expand...

ok gotta ask WHY an integrated CPU? That alone kills MANY options.
If its the installation then I would suggest a 'motherboard bundle' that has the CPU and
heatsink / FAN installed and tested.
and also what about memory?
 
ok gotta ask WHY an integrated CPU?

There are a couple of reasons:

A) It knocks another $5 to $10 off the cost, since the processor can just be
soldered directly to the motherboard

B) By the time I ever get around to upgrading my CPU, it is always high time
to upgrade everything else anyway. It is just as easy to pop out the
motherboard as it is to pop out a video card and processor, especially when
everything is integrated.

C) If anything fails during the warranty period, I don't have to worry about
one vendor blaming the problem on another hardware item - they all came from
the same place

So, my main answers are cost savings, time savings, and the fact that
everything has been tested to be working together.
 
OhioGuy said:
I'm looking for a motherboard with the following characteristics:

1) Under $100

2) integrated CPU

3) integrated video

4) integrated sound, LAN, etc.

I'm currently using a PCChips V21G motherboard with an onboard VIA C7 1.5
GHz processor. It works great for 98% of what I do on a regular basis.
However, the technology is at least a year old now, if not more.

The system lags a LOT when it comes to video compression, and things like
that.

I was wondering if anyone has a mboard with similar characteristics that
has a faster integrated CPU? Something at least on par with a Sempron
3000+, if not dual core?

Any info would be appreciated. Thanks!
Click to expand...

If you want to break free of the 1.5GHz barrier, you'll have to move to a
real motherboard.

This processor draws 45W and costs $90. In terms of performance numbers,
it might rate around 4000+, or more practically, a little above 3200+
maybe. Which should be head and shoulders above where you are now.

AMD Athlon X2 BE-2350 Brisbane 2.1GHz 2 x 512KB L2 Cache Socket AM2 Processor $90
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103186

This is the Asus list of motherboards supporting BE-2350 and required min BIOS
release version. So lots of AM2 motherboard/chipset types should be able to handle it.

http://support.asus.com.tw/cpusuppo...0 (DD),1M,45W,rev.G,SocketAM2&SLanguage=en-us

I took a look through the Newegg list for AM2, and this one popped out as
the cheapest motherboard with a good rating. This has every connector known
to man strapped to it, and is $80. A number of other 690G boards aren't
rated as good as this one, which makes me suspicious that perhaps some
ballot box stuffing went on here. One reviewer claims it has no Vdimm adjustment.
The usual complaints about a hot Northbridge, so some re-engineering might
be required.

GIGABYTE GA-MA69GM-S2H AM2 AMD 690G HDMI Micro ATX AMD
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128056

"Other Thoughts: Tried to make this a true silent PC (Zalman HD160XT HTPC)with
a fanless BTF95 and low power Athlon X2 2350, on-board video, and no case fans,
but just sitting in the BIOS, the CPU would top out at 56C. I put a slow
spinning Scythe fan so it's basically noiseless. In Windows, total PC consumes
60 watts at idle."

An HR-05 SLI might be an alternate passive Northbridge cooler - assuming the
hole spacing is OK.

http://www.thermalright.com/a_images/hr05sli/11.JPG

You may want to verify that these clips come with the HR-05 SLI
and that the center to center spacing on the mounting holes,
lines up with the Gigabyte board, if using the heatsink.

http://www.thermalright.com/a_images/hr05/hr-05c-asm.jpg
http://images10.newegg.com/NeweggImage/productimage/35-109-131-05.jpg

HTH,
Paul
 
Paul, thanks, but the CPU you mentioned by itself costs 50% more than I
paid for my entire motherboard, with onboard video and CPU last year. (I
paid roughly $60)

Paying nearly $100 for the processor alone would definitely take it above
the $100 price ceiling.
 
Wait, you asked for the "best mboard with integrated everything".

Now you're saying there's a $100 price ceiling.

Choose one of the above.
 
OhioGuy said:
Paul, thanks, but the CPU you mentioned by itself costs 50% more than I paid for my
entire motherboard, with onboard video and CPU last year. (I paid roughly $60)

Paying nearly $100 for the processor alone would definitely take it above the $100
price ceiling.
Click to expand...


stick with what you have. you haven't the cash to upgrade. MEMORY does not come
integrated.
 
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