The Unofficial List of Good mATX Motherboards (Overclocking and Not)

Yes. 2.4 to 3 possible. Not gueranteed but possible for a few posts around that I have seen.
 
So what would be the best board for me to get? Also, what would be causing the limitation? Heat/manufacturing of board...?
 
tdmosk said:
So what would be the best board for me to get? Also, what would be causing the limitation? Heat/manufacturing of board...?
Click to expand...

Chipset causes limitation
 
FYI: eWiz has the new Foxconn G9657MA-8KS2H C2D mATX Motherboard in stock!

I ordered one and will post my overclocking results for my C2D E6400 compared to my 680i results. ;)
 
That board has digital output... hope u OC well with that. We'll be waiting.


QUESTIONS:
I know integrated graphics really can't be used to play games with high graphics but some of them are pretty decent with movies.

The nv 6150 is pretty decent and the ATI series with integrated x300 isn't so bad either. What is on the Intel side that is similar or better than those two? Anyone?

Also. Are any integrated solutions HDCP compliant? can't really find info on this. I know the Abit Nview isn't apparantely. :(
 
dworley said:
FYI: eWiz has the new Foxconn G9657MA-8KS2H C2D mATX Motherboard in stock!

I ordered one and will post my overclocking results for my C2D E6400 compared to my 680i results. ;)
Click to expand...

Let me now how overclocking goes! Foxconn P9657AA-8EKRS2H (ATX-big brother) board had some issues with multiplier adjustments but Bios seemed otherewise good. I don't know if they have fixed it already?

I'm just waiting for a decent C2D mATX to arrive. Hoping that this Foxconn G9657MA-8KS2H is it so that I have usage for my upcoming Corsair CM2X1024-6400 sticks.
 
Dillusion said:
They would love too, but there is no chipset yet that can do that. NV is rumored to come out with a new IGP for intel soon,but we have no info on it yet.
Click to expand...

Of course there are chipsets that can do that - ones that don't have IGP. Motherboard manufacturers just don't want to use them on mATX, that's all. There have been some. Foxconn made a mATX board using the Nforce4 chipset (though not great overclocker). eVGA made a mATX board using the Nforce4 SLI chipset. Heck BITD I bought a mATX AOpen board using the Intel 845D chipset - that was a rare find. My in-laws are still using that to this day in a nice mATX system.

I don't think there would be any technical issue with putting an enthusiast chipset onto a mATX design with overclocking as high as any full ATX board. What stops it is probably marketing - the mobo manufacturers probably still don't think they'd get enough of an ROI on such a board to make it worth their while.
 
@ Zap

Lol. Dillusion's probably had most of those boards. It's not about companies not wanting too, or there not being any market. There's plenty of amazing mATX AM2's boards, We're just waiting for a nice intel flavor board. Abit has already said they're very interested in the mATX market. Companies like Biostar made their name in the enthusiast market by making killer mATX boards. DFI has a nice s939 and AM2 board, and the Abit NFM2 is one of the best mATX boards, if not Motherboards in general on the market for AM2. It's just a matter of time until we see some impressive things on the intel side of matx.
 
Hi EB..

My love is budget mATX MB ...tested list:

َAsrock 775Twins-HD R2.0 and R1.X

* = FSB
* = vChipset/vHTT only high-low-auto
* = vDIMM only upto 2.75/1.85
* = FSB/PCI/PCI-E Locks and DIMM Lock
* = DRAM Timings

in old ver GPU overvolt and freq av

biosbeta av
mod av

get with 805 3.33 Ghz Stable dual prime


Asrock 775i945GZ

* = FSB
* = vDIMM only up to 1.85
* = FSB/PCI/PCI-E Locks
* = DRAM Timings

get with 805 3.2 Ghz


Biostar NF61V Micro

* = FSB
* = vDIMM up to 2.1 by bios and 2.2 jumper
* = FSB/PCI/PCI-E Locks
* = DRAM Timings

Asrock 775Dual VSTA

* = FSB
* = vDIMM
* = FSB/PCI/PCI-E Locks
* = DRAM Timings

up to 3.9 with cel 2.66 ... the best OCer

vMod av


Asrock k8NF4G-Sata2


* = FSB
* = vDIMM upto 1.85
* = FSB/PCI/PCI-E Locks
* = DRAM Timings

Biosbeta av
vMod av



My other board already placed in list
 
Zap said:
Of course there are chipsets that can do that - ones that don't have IGP. Motherboard manufacturers just don't want to use them on mATX, that's all. There have been some. Foxconn made a mATX board using the Nforce4 chipset (though not great overclocker). eVGA made a mATX board using the Nforce4 SLI chipset. Heck BITD I bought a mATX AOpen board using the Intel 845D chipset - that was a rare find. My in-laws are still using that to this day in a nice mATX system.

I don't think there would be any technical issue with putting an enthusiast chipset onto a mATX design with overclocking as high as any full ATX board. What stops it is probably marketing - the mobo manufacturers probably still don't think they'd get enough of an ROI on such a board to make it worth their while.
Click to expand...

Essentially you're right. Thats kinda what I was saying.
 
Hi guys, gimme like half a day, i know someone who is about done reviewing the G9657MA from foxconn.
 
I've been waiting for reviews of that board forever. Too bad I bought a p5b-vm. If its promising, I might just RMA and get a Foxconn or that ASUS 945G MX board.
 
Its not defective, its called not meant to be there. The chipset is not made to overclock, so intel did not put R&D into pci-e locks. There is no such thing as 'broken'
 
yes, ok, i think i get it.
this board does not lock the pci-e at standard speeds - they must be increased as the fsb increases. the problem with the board is that this must be done manually.

still, the board is advertised as an overclocker - evidenced by standard overclocking profiles in the bios. other 965 chipset boards allow locking of pci-e, i believe, so it's not a matter of intel not developing it in the G965. i'm prepared to believe that it has been disabled though - perhaps to ensure the integrated graphics remain operational ??

anyone more knowledgeable than me care to comment?

ultimately, 336Mhz FSB / 122Mhz pci-e is not too bad compared to other boards though.
perhaps i'll be going for this board but waiting for the E4300 cpu, which may then mean a 200 -> 326Mhz (63%) overclock, rather than 266 ->326 (22%). again, anyone more knowledgeable, feel free to correct me.
 
rosco1011 said:
still, the board is advertised as an overclocker - evidenced by standard overclocking profiles in the bios. other 965 chipset boards allow locking of pci-e, i believe, so it's not a matter of intel not developing it in the G965. i'm prepared to believe that it has been disabled though - perhaps to ensure the integrated graphics remain operational ??
Click to expand...

Just because it has overclock profiles, doesnt mean its made to overclock. Those can be interpreted as 'burn-in' speeds, just like intel provides ontheir own desktop boards.

Yes, the pci-e problem does stem from the onbaord IGP. When the PCI-E bus is clocked too high, the IGP will go awry. But isnt that even more of a reason for intel to invest time into locking the bus? i would think so...

To me it just seems that this chipset wasnt made for 'serious' overclocking, or someone would have done something about it by now. There are always complex alogrithms that can be made by manufacturers like abit and asus, etc. They did this with the 915 and 925 chipsets that had overclocking problems, and this helped greatly; but the time and R&D is not worth it, when going too high will disrupt onboard devices anyway.
 
stealthrt said:
Does anyone know as of right now what the best overclock motherboard for the core 2 duo is? I need to order one before monday rolls around for a christmas gift so any input would be great!!! :)

Im looking to take the e6300 to around 2.5-3Ghz.

Only thing i need this motherboard to do is work well with photoshop CS2 type stuff. It will NOT be used for gaming if that helps..

David
Click to expand...

thats not going to happen with an E6300. You need an E6600 to hit 3ghz.
 
Overclocking Options:

ASUS P5L-MX *
X = FSB
√ = vCORE
√ = Mult
X = chipset
√ = vDIMM
X = Locks
√ = dram timings

ASUS P5B-VM
√ = FSB
√ = vCORE
√ = Mult
? = chipset
√ = vDIMM
X = Locks
? = dram timings

Foxconn 945G7MA-S / 8KS2 / 8EKRS2 (333fsb cap)
√ = FSB
√ = vCORE
√ = Mult
? = chipset
√ = vDIMM
? = Locks
? = dram timings

EPoX EP-5G945-MJ (350fsb cap)
√ = FSB
√ = vCORE
√ = Mult
? = chipset
√ = vDIMM
? = Locks
? = dram timings

If I get a chance, I will fill in those blanks for the bottom 3, but don't count on it. At least they are in the right thread so people know where to look. These other boards are not worth bothering investigating though - either no lock or a low FSB cap, which probably means... no lock.
 
stealthrt said:
Does anyone know as of right now what the best overclock motherboard for the core 2 duo is? I need to order one before monday rolls around for a christmas gift so any input would be great!!! :)

Im looking to take the e6300 to around 2.5-3Ghz.
Click to expand...

I got my E6400 up to 2.823=353fsb on my P5LD2-VM rev2.0. Not all have been having the same luck as me though. My PCIe is at 120 (but my 8800GTX on water is doing fine) and I use all onboard SATA even optical with no Fitness problems showing yet.
 
Concerning the P5LD2 VM DH rev2.0: here's my input
Overclocking Options:
√ = FSB up to 400
√ = vCORE up to 1.7
√ = Mult.( for x6800)
√ = vChipset/vHTT (vMCH)
√ = vDIMM up to 1.90
√ = FSB/PCI Locks but limited PCI-E lock ( *)
√ = DRAM Timings

*: FSB up to @289 no issue (pcie locked @100)
fsb between 290-300 : no boot (whatever pcie settings)
fsb@302 needs pcie@103
fsb@333 needs pcie@112
fsb@350 needs pcie@120
 
WOOT! I got my Abit NF-M2 Nview board today. Will post my results next week (after my last finals). I plan to use the same parts from my Biostar Tforce6100-AM2 including the Sempron 2800+ CPU that was almost fully stable at 2.6GHz+. Also have a second, identical CPU that's still in the sealed retail box...
 
A little OT but how does the Intel GMA 950 perform compared to nvidia geforce 6100? Is it able to run aero glass properly? I've already read the xbit article about IGPs but still not sure. (i would be glad if some could give me some impressions)
 
Some results. I'm reasonably happy with the Abit NF-M2 Nview board.

Using same Sempron 2800+ as on Biostar board (POST 330MHz HTT, 99.9% stable 325MHz HTT). Same quad heatpipe AMD HSF. Different RAM - previously tried DDR2-533 and DDR2-667, now using a pair of Crucial Ballistix DDR2-800 - this may have helped some.

Initially no POST. Had to reset BIOS, then go straight to CMOS setup, crank it up to 330MHz HTT right away. No sweat. 340, 350, 360, no sweat. 370MHz HTT, Prime failed immediately, then board wouldn't POST for a while - had to leave CMOS jumpered a minute (just quick clearing didn't fix it :eek: ). Only tried in 10MHz HTT increments so haven't tested in-between.

Results:
Default clock 8x200= 1600MHz
Overclock 8x360= 2880MHz
Vcore set to +0.300 :eek:

Since I wanted quick results, I was only letting Prime run for about ½ hour. Even at those clocks and voltages, CPU wasn't getting too warm. Of course it's freezing in my garage. ;) I was testing an FX-55 earlier with Prime at 2.8GHz and that puppy was getting warm, using same HSF.

Was the Abit board worth it? Mmmm, yeah. Especially at $89.99 shipped price.

EDIT: I also just got in another Biostar Tforce6100-939 board (excess socket 939 CPUs and DDR RAM). Well, just took it out of the packaging and the Northbridge chipset cooler... is the same one that's on the Southbridge. WTF?!?!? :confused: I'll probably end up having to use one of my spare Zalman NB47J heatsinks on this. Wasn't used or refurb, but brand new.
 
new update on the P5LD2-VM Rev 2.0, new BIOS 11.02 claims to solve the onboard video disable for 7950GX2 problems.

DL's, flashed, and went back through the OC settings, and it actually went a bit higher:
http://service.futuremark.com/compare?3dm06=951409

Changes from 2.82-2.85:
PCIe to 121 at 122 it loses the SATAs
CPU voltage to 1.450, CPU-Z indicates 1.213 which HAS to be wrong.
FSB to 357

will test with Orthos prime overnight.
 
Are you running your rig 24/7 @120 PCIE with your GTX?
Mine can sustain 350fsb pcie@120, but for safety it runs @333 fsb (pcie@112): don't want to fry my 8800gts!
 
seen no signs of danger yet:
Qmicra&


I am going to OC the GPU next...broke 11k on the previous BIOS.

Just OC'd the GPU to 650/980
http://service.futuremark.com/compare?3dm06=953527
I might yet squeeze 12k out of my little rig. :)
 
Hey guys, I'm new to the mATX Mobos.. and I was reading through a couple of the latest pages.. and I'm still kind of lost..

Plan on building a C2D SFF system real soon.. can anyone direct me towards some of the best mobo's around?
-New to OCing.. but I want to OC my Proc...
-Need it to be stable..
-and... whatever else you guys think should go after those 2.....

Thanks!
 
What would be the best C2D board for around $60-80 on newegg? I might fiddle with overclocking but not anything hardcore. Also, are there any C2D SLI micro ATX boards coming out in the next few months.
 
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