Guide to Building a Home Theater PC



Buyer's Guide to Building a Home Theater PC - October/November 2011

Announcement (updated on October 1, 2011)

Here is the basic plan for "Buyer's Guide to Building a Home Theater PC" (formerly "Recommended HTPC Systems"):

1. Issues and Editions. The guide will be issued every month, on around the 20th day of the month, in the PDF format (a PDF reader is required to read it, such as Adobe Reader [free download (http://get.adobe.com/reader/)] or Adobe Acrobat).

2. Asking a Donation! I am asking a donation for the latest issue (why). There are two choices:

Single issue ($4 USD or more): You can download the current latest issue.


4 issues ($10 USD or more): You are eligible to download 4 consecutive issues. For example if you send a donation on April 1st, you can download March (during 4/1-4/20), April (during 4/20-5/20), May (during 5/20-6/20) and June (during 6/20-7/13) issues. How this works: Each donator will be provided with a download link to the issue file, which is valid for 2500 hours = 104 days = 3 months and 2 weeks (for example, April 1 to July 13 if you donate on April 1). I will update the file in the server on around the 20th day of each month and will announce it in this thread. Then you can download the new issue at the link provided. You will use the link repeatedly during the subscription period. So please keep the download link.
At this time only a donation by PayPal is accepted. Click the button

http://i442.photobucket.com/albums/qq146/renethx/PayPalDonate.png (http://www.e-junkie.com/renethx)

then select either one described above, click the PayPal icon and follow the instruction in the loaded page to send a donation. If you don't have a PayPal account, don't worry, click the link "Continue" following "Don't have a PayPal account?" in the page to create an account (it's free) and send money using your credit card or bank account. You will receive a download link instantly. Note that

The price field is editable; please change it and donate as much as you can. :)


Please add your User Name at AVS Forum in "Add special instructions to merchant" if you want to get my support via PM or posts in the thread. Otherwise I can't identify you with an AVS Forum member unless your user name is the same as your PayPal account holder name.

3. Older Issues will be released free. Older issues will be released for free, either in this thread like the previous "Recommended Systems" or in PDF for download or both. I am planning on releasing a couple of months old issue every couple of months.

4. Have a Question? If you have a question (how to build, how to configure or whatever), please either post it in the thread (yes, please post any question in the thread, hoping that invoke interest in the latest guide :)), PM me or email me. I will try to answer it; if I can't, somebody else may be able to help you.

Why do I ask a donation? Maintaining the guide consists of

Research latest hardware components;
Acquire key hardware components and do lots of experiments;
Write the information obtained in a readable form, that requires lots of time, meditation and inspiration (not kidding).
Among them the most difficult part is the second part because it involves lots of money ($1000 or more per month, not kidding, I consider $1000 is the minimum amount to maintain and keep the guide up to date) and currently it relies heavily on the donations. So please consider making a donation, as much as you can afford, if you think the guide is helpful and want to see it updated for some time to come.

BTW the amount of donations in 2010 is

October 16 2010 - November 15 2010: $60
September 16 2010 - October 15 2010: $85
August 16 2010 - September 15 2010: $145
This is good enough to buy a motherboard per month, but nothing more. :( This guide is going to die sooner or later if this continues.

Release Notes

October/November 2011 Issue: Released on December 11, 2011.

- Sandy Bridge-E LGA 2011 systems took the place of 3-year-old Bloomfield LGA 1366 systems.
- All systems were reexamined and nearly half of the systems were updated or completely changed because of new hardware components and price change of many components.

Sample (21 pages):

http://i442.photobucket.com/albums/qq146/renethx/Cover_Buyers_Guide_HTPC_11-10.png (http://hotfile.com/dl/142908158/ee4b39b/Sample_Buyers_Guide_HTPC_11-10.pdf.html)


August/September 2011 Issue: Released on October 1, 2011.

- The low-end and mid-range systems are restructured.
- Nearly half of the systems were updated or completely changed because of new hardware components and price change of many components.


June/July 2011 Issue: Released on July 14, 2011. The June issue has been delayed because of the delay of the May issue. So I decided to combine the June and July issues.

- AMD A-Series APU (Llano) systems took place of all the Socket AM3 systems in the low-end and mid-range AMD systems.
- Nearly half of the systems were updated because of new hardware components (new AMD 990FX/990X/SB950 chipset motherboards, new X58/ICH10R chipset motherboards etc.) and price change of many components.


May 2011 Issue: Released on June 3, 2011.

- All LGA 775 systems were replaced by LGA 1155 systems finally.
- Intel Z68 chipset motherboards are used in place of P67 in many systems.
- Standard Mini-ITX and Budget/Low-End microATX/ATX systems were completely re-organized reflecting the recent release of Pentium Sandy Bridge processor.
- 15-bay server systems are now using an Intel processor and Intel-brand motherboard (one reason for that is Intel Gb LAN).
- 20-24 bay server systems have more processor/motherboard options.


April 2011 Issue (free download (http://hotfile.com/dl/137256161/f54976b/Buyers_Guide_HTPC_11-4.pdf.html)): Released on April 23, 2011.

- All Radeon HD 5xxx cards were replaced by the latest Radeon HD 6xxx.
- Several older motherboards and SSDs were replaced by new ones.
- A Xeon LGA 1155 workstation was added.
- Server systems were streamlined and divided into two categories: Server I (12 and 15-drive systems) and Server II (20 and 24-drive systems).


March 2011 Issue (free download (http://hotfile.com/dl/124106065/6376eaa/Buyers_Guide_HTPC_11-3.pdf.html)): Released on March 21, 2011.

- Every Intel LGA 1156 (Clarkdale and Lynnfield) system was replaced by a LGA 1155 (Sandy Bridge) system.
- "Intel for 3D" (Clarkdale + a discrete graphics) systems were removed because Sandy Bridge supports 3D.
- A LGA 1366 workstation was added.
- Rocket 620 SATA controller card in a couple of server systems was replaced by Rosewill RC-211 because Rocket 620 BIOS disables other controller's BIOS.


February 2011 Issue (free download (http://hotfile.com/dl/124106035/e4e214b/Buyers_Guide_HTPC_11-2.pdf.html)): The initial version released on February 23, 2011, the final version released on March 4, 2011.

- An AMD E-350 APU system was added in the mini-ITX system ("Budge Mini-ITX System").
- Intel High-End/Premium/Ultimate Systems and Workstation were all updated (i.e. Lynnfield systems were revived) because Intel recalled Intel 6 Series chipsets (http://www.intel.com/support/chipsets/sb/CS-032263.htm).
- Minor changes in the server systems (new motherboards, a new SATA 6.0Gbps controller card) for better cost/performance.
- Every single system was reviewed and components were replaced if necessary.


January 2011 Issue (free download (http://hotfile.com/dl/124106007/3bd0c4e/Buyers_Guide_HTPC_11-1.pdf.html)): Issued on January 20, 2011. As Intel Sandy Bridge quad-core processors were released on January 9, mainly Intel High-End/Premium/Ultimate Systems were updated.


December 2010 Issue (free download (http://hotfile.com/dl/114152831/632e2bf/Buyers_Guide_HTPC_10.12.pdf.html)): Issued on January 5, 2011. This is the first PDF version of the Buyer's Guide. 80 pages in US letter. Almost every section of the June 2010 issue was updated. This issue is also posted here (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=19553212#Buyer's Guide to Building a Home Theater PC - December 2010).

Past Guides in This Thread

Buyer's Guide to Building a HTPC – December 2010 Edition (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=19553212#Buyer%27s%20Guide%20to%20Building% 20a%20Home%20Theater%20PC%20-%20December%202010)
Recommended HTPC Systems – June 2010 Edition
Recommended HTPC Systems – March 2010 Edition
Recommended HTPC Systems – January 2010 Edition
Recommended HTPC Systems – November 2009 Edition
Recommended HTPC Systems – September 2009 Edition


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Preface to the Guide - May 11, 2008
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This is a guide to building a HTPC (Home Theater PC), a revised, enlarged version of Core 2 Motherboard Complete List - With Hardware Recommendations for a HD HTPC. In general emphasis is on the aspect of smooth playback of HD contents (including Blu-ray Disc, HD DVD and 1080p H.264 files), hence I added "HD (High Definition)" in the title. The main parts are:

Part I. Hardware Guide
Part II. Assembling Guide (under construction)
Part III. Software Guide (under construction)
"Hardware Guide" includes a practical selection guide of various hardware components as well as theoretical aspects of hardware if necessary. This part should be helpful to select right components quickly when building a HTPC. "Assembling Guide" is a practical guide to assembling a HTPC. I will choose one of the recommended systems in Part I and give a step-by-step instruction of assembling components. The content of "Software Guide" is still undecided (I welcome suggestions).

There are six appendices:

Appendix I. Overview of Intel CPU
Appendix II. Overview of AMD CPU
Appendix III. Complete List of Core 2 Motherboards
Appendix IV. Complete List of AM2 Motherboards
Appendix V. Motherboard Naming Rules
Appendix VI. List of Bandwidth
These are for reference only.

Then follow

Discussion Posts
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Contents of the Guide
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Main Part
Hardware Guide (Page 1)
Introduction (under construction)
Recommended Systems
Peripheral Components
MicroATX System
ATX System
Home Media Server
CPU and CPU Cooler
Motherboard
Intel Platform
AMD Platform
Memory
Graphics Device
Sound Device
HDD
Optical Drive
TV Tuner
PSU
Case
Input Devices
Assembling Guide (Page 2) (under construction)
Software Guide (Page 3) (under construction)
Appendix
Intel Processors – An Overview (Page 4)
Contents
Preface
History
P6 Microarchitecture
NetBurst Microarchitecture
Mobile Microarchitecture
Core Microarchitecture
Atom Microarchitecture
Nehalem Microarchitecture
AMD Processors – An Overview (Page 5)
Contents
Preface
History
K5 Processor
K6 Processor
K7 Processor
K8 Processor
K10 Processor
Core 2 Motherboards – A Complete List of (Page 6)
Contents
Preface
Overview of Recent Chipsets for the Intel Platform
Intel 865 Chipset Motherboards
Intel 945/946 Express Chipset Motherboards
Intel 975X Express Chipset Motherboards
Intel 965 Express Chipset Motherboards
Intel 3 Series Chipset Motherboards
Intel 4 Series Chipset Motherboards
Intel Tylersburg & Ibexpeak Chipset Motherboards
NVIDIA nForce4 Series for Intel Chipset Motherboards
NVIDIA nForce 500 Series for Intel Chipset Motherboards
NVIDIA nForce 600i Series Chipset Motherboards
NVIDIA nForce 700i Series Chipset Motherboards
NVIDIA GeForce 7-Series GPU and nForce 6-Series MCP Motherboards
NVIDIA GeForce 8-Series mGPU Motherboards
ATI Chipset Motherboards
SiS Chipset Motherboards
VIA Chipset Motherboards
Mobile Intel 945 Express Chipset Motherboards
Mobile Intel 965 Express Chipset Motherboards
AM2 Motherboards – A Complete List of (Page 7)
Contents
Preface
Overview of Recent Chipsets for the AMD Platform
AMD 480 Series Chipset Motherboards
AMD 580 Series Chipset Motherboards
AMD 690 Series Chipset Motherboards
AMD 7-Series Chipset Motherboards
AMD 8-Series Chipset Motherboards
NVIDIA nForce3 Series Chipset Motherboards
NVIDIA nForce4 Series for AMD Chipset Motherboards
NVIDIA nForce 500 Series for AMD Chipset Motherboards
NVIDIA nForce 600a Series Chipset Motherboards
NVIDIA nForce 700a Series Chipset Motherboards
NVIDIA GeForce 6-Series GPU and nForce4 Series MCP Motherboards
NVIDIA GeForce 7-Series GPU and nForce 6-Series MCP Motherboards
NVIDIA GeForce 8-Series mGPU Motherboards
SiS Chipset Motherboards
ULi Chipset Motherboards
VIA Chipset Motherboards
Naming Rules of Motherboards (Page 8)
List of Bandwidth (Page 8)
MSI K8NGM2-FID: The Definitive Guide (page 9)
Discussion Posts (Click Here)

Part I. Hardware Guide

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Contents
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Introduction (under construction)
Recommended Systems
Peripheral Components
MicroATX System
ATX System
Home Media Server
CPU and CPU Cooler
Motherboard
Intel Platform
AMD Platform
Memory
Graphics Device
Sound Device
HDD
Optical Drive
TV Tuner
PSU
Case
Input Devices

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1. Introduction
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2. Recommended Systems
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For the latest recommended systems, go to: Recommended Systems - The Latest Edition
http://i696.photobucket.com/albums/vv328/renethx_yahoo/Support2yellow2.png

The purpose of this section is give a quick view of one of the best systems in various categories. First, systems are classified by form factor and functions:

MicroATX System: This is a small form factor (SFF) HTPC with 4 expansion slots and usually 1 or 2 HDDs.
ATX System: This is a full ATX form factor HTPC with up to 7 expansion slots and possibly more than 2 HDDs.
Home Media Server: This is a dedicated system storing media files and streaming them to client HTPCs. This can be also a HD PVR with multiple TV tuners. You don't have to have a dedicated storage server, but having it is useful when you have lots of HDDs that would emit excessive noise and heat in a HTPC case and/or you have several HTPCs to which you stream media contents.
I gave a low-end, mid-range, high-end, and premium system in each of the MicroATX and ATX Systems (a high-end and premium system for ATX only). A low-end system satisfies the minimum conditions to play back Blu-ray Disc (BD) and HD DVD movies. A mid-range/high-end/premium system has extra features such as better gaming performance and more storage space.

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Peripheral Components
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For the latest recommended systems, go to: Recommended Systems - The Latest Edition
http://i696.photobucket.com/albums/vv328/renethx_yahoo/Support2yellow2.png

There are several components common in every HTPC system: HDD, optical drive, TV tuner, input device (remote control/keyboard/mouse), and OS of course. Here is a quick recommendation for each of these components:

HDD: One of the following.
Samsung SpinPoint T166 500GB HD501LJ, $100. If you are going to use two 500GB HDDs in a case, then instead use:
Western Digital WD Caviar GP 1TB WD10EACS, $225.
Optical Drive: One of the following.
LITE-ON DH-4O1S BD-ROM Drive, $150. Blue-ray Disc read only. No HD DVD read or DVD/CD write.
LG GGC-H20L Super Multi Blue Blu-ray Disc & HD DVD-ROM Drive, $280.
TV Tuner: One of the following.
AVerMedia AVerTV Combo PCIe (PCI Express x1), $85 (white box), $110 (retail).
Silicondust HDHomeRun (Network), $170.
Sound Card: This is optional. You will need a sound card if you want 5.1 channel S/PDIF sounds from every source but your motherboard lacks DTS Connect/Dolby Digital Live, and/or if you want a better 7.1 channel analog sounds than the onboard audio codec, and/or if you are a gamer and you want the support for EAX 5.0.
ASUS Xonar DX (PCI Express x1)
ASUS Xonar D2X (PCI Express x1), $175.
Remote Controller: One of the following.
Microsoft Remote Control and Receiver for Media Center PC with Windows, $22.
Logitech Harmony One Advanced Universal Remote, $230. Requires an IR receiver.
Keyboard/Mouse: One of the following.
Microsoft Wireless Entertainment Desktop 7000, $107.
Logitech diNovo Edge, $135.
OS: One of the following.
Windows Vista Home Premium Service Pack 1 (either 32-bit or 64-bit edition), $100 (OEM), $220 (retail).
Windows Vista Ultimate Service Pack 1 (either 32-bit or 64-bit edition), $170 (32-bit OEM), $180 (64-bit OEM), $290 (retail).
http://img395.imageshack.us/img395/8600/commoniin4.png

Lower-cost components


http://img366.imageshack.us/img366/5459/commoniise2.png

Higher-cost components

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MicroATX System
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For the latest recommended systems, go to: Recommended Systems - The Latest Edition
http://i696.photobucket.com/albums/vv328/renethx_yahoo/Support2yellow2.png

Low-End I

The first system is a budget microATX system with integrated graphics. As the integrated graphics supports hardware HD decoding, you don't need a discrete graphics (unless you play games).

System

CPU: Athlon X2 4850e ADH4850DOBOX 45W Brisbane 2.5GHz Socket AM2, $89.
CPU Cooler: Scythe NINJA MINI, $35.
Motherboard: GIGABYTE GA-MA78GM-S2H AMD 780G chipset microATX, $81.
Memory: Crucial Ballistix BL2KIT12864AA804 DDR2-800 2 x 1GB Kit, $29 (after rebate at Newegg.com).
Graphics: ATI Radeon HD 3200 (integrated in the motherboard chipset), $0.
HDD: Samsung SpinPoint T166 500GB HD501LJ 500GB SATA, $106.
PSU: Antec EarthWatts EA 380 (included in the case), $0.
Case: Antec NSK2480, $75.
Total Cost: $415
http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/5074/0matxlowendijd4.png

Remarks

The case NSK2480 has a few problems.

Stealthed optical bay covers are absent. Unless you find a silver optical drive or a silver drive bezel, it may look pretty ugly.
There is no IEEE 1394 port on the front.
If you care about these problems, I recommend Antec Fusion 430.

Low-End II

The second system is another budget microATX system, but for the Intel platform. The motherboard comes with DVI, VGA, S/PDIF ports (optical; coaxial is for "in") and IEEE 1394 in the back panel at a very low price. The integrated graphics does not support hardware HD decoding, but it is good for:

DVD
HDTV (1080i MPEG-2)
all the 720p contents
all the 1080p contents (including Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD movies) with an appropriate video decoder (notably CoreAVC)
However playing back Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD movies with PowerDVD, the most popular application player, is unwatchable even with a quad-core processor. So I added a discrete graphics card.

System

CPU: Pentium Dual-Core E2220 2.4GHz Socket 775, $84.
CPU Cooler: Scythe NINJA MINI, $35.
Motherboard: eVGA e-7100/630i 112-CK-NF75-K1 NVIDIA GeForce 7100 and nForce 630i chipset microATX, $70.
Memory: Crucial Ballistix BL2KIT12864AA804 DDR2-800 2 x 1GB Kit, $29 (after rebate at Newegg.com).
Graphics Card: XFX GeForce 8600 GT PV-T84J-UAL3, $88.
HDD: Samsung SpinPoint T166 500GB HD501LJ 500GB SATA, $106.
PSU: Antec EarthWatts EA 380 (included in the case), $0.
Case: Antec NSK2480, $75.
Total Cost: $469
http://img185.imageshack.us/img185/7870/0matxlowendii2wg8.png

Remarks

HDCP of the onboad video is broken. But this does not matter because you will have to add a discrete video card for playing back BD / HD DVD with PowerDVD.
Mid-Range

This system has a more powerful CPU and a better graphics card.

System

CPU: Core 2 Duo E7200 2.53GHz Socket 775, $133.
CPU Cooler: Scythe NINJA MINI, $35.
Motherboard: ASUS P5K-VM Intel G33 chipset microATX, $101.
Memory: Crucial Ballistix BL2KIT12864AA804 DDR2-800 2 x 1GB Kit, $29 (after rebate at Newegg.com).
Graphics Card: PNY Verto 8600 GT 256MB PCIe VCG8600GXPB, $114. An alternative is ATI Radeon HD 3650, $99.
HDD: Samsung SpinPoint T166 500GB HD501LJ 500GB SATA, $106.
PSU: Antec EarthWatts EA 430 (included in the case), $0.
Case: Antec Fusion Black 430, $150.
Total Cost: $668
http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/3388/0matxmidrangelt8.png

Gaming HTPC

This system is intended for both games and HTPC work.

System

CPU: Core 2 Duo E7200 2.53GHz Socket 775, $133.
CPU Cooler: Scythe NINJA MINI, $35.
Motherboard: ASUS P5K-VM Intel G33 chipset microATX, $101.
Memory: Crucial Ballistix BL2KIT12864AA804 DDR2-800 2 x 1GB Kit, $29 (after rebate at Newegg.com).
Graphics Card: PNY Verto 8600 GT 256MB PCIe VCG8600GXPB, $114. An alternative is ATI Radeon HD 3650, $99.
HDD: Samsung SpinPoint T166 500GB HD501LJ 500GB SATA, $106.
PSU: Antec EarthWatts EA 430 (included in the case), $0.
Case: Antec Fusion Black 430, $150.
Total Cost: $668
http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/3388/0matxmidrangelt8.png

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ATX System
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For the latest recommended systems, go to: Recommended Systems - The Latest Edition
http://i696.photobucket.com/albums/vv328/renethx_yahoo/Support2yellow2.png

An ATX form factor system provides more expandability (more PCI/PCI Express slots) and more storage space than a microATX system.

Low-End

System

CPU: Pentium Dual-Core E2220 2.4GHz Socket 775, $84.
CPU Cooler: ZEROtherm BTF90, $30 (after rebate at Newegg.com).
Motherboard: GIGABYTE GA-P35-DS3L Intel P35 chipset ATX, $89.
Memory: Crucial Ballistix BL2KIT12864AA804 DDR2-800 2 x 1GB Kit, $50 (after rebate at Newegg.com).
Graphics Card: ATI Radeon HD 3450 (any brand), $50. An alternative is XFX GeForce 8500 GT PV-T86J-YAHG, $70.
HDD: Samsung SpinPoint T166 500GB HD501LJ 500GB SATA, $106.
PSU: Antec EarthWatts EA 430, $50.
Case: SilverStone Lascala SST-LC17B, $105.
Total Cost: $546
http://img244.imageshack.us/img244/8015/0atxlowendhg6.png

Mid-Range

The system is more powerful and has better features such as RAID.

System

CPU: Core 2 Duo E7200 2.53GHz Socket 775, $133.
CPU Cooler: ZEROtherm BTF90, $30 (after rebate at Newegg.com).
Motherboard: GIGABYTE GA-EP35-DS3R Intel P35 chipset ATX, $125.
Memory: Crucial Ballistix BL2KIT12864AA804 DDR2-800 2 x 1GB Kit, $50 (after rebate at Newegg.com).
Graphics Card: ATI Radeon HD 3650 (any brand), $99.
HDD: Samsung SpinPoint T166 500GB HD501LJ 500GB SATA, $106.
PSU: Antec NeoPower 430, $70.
Case: SilverStone Lascala LC20M SST-LC20B-M, $190.
Total Cost: $803
http://img146.imageshack.us/img146/3483/0atxmidrangebv8.png

High-End

System

CPU: Core 2 Duo E8400 3.00GHz Socket 775, $183.
CPU Cooler: ZEROtherm BTF90, $30 (after rebate at Newegg.com).
Motherboard: GIGABYTE GA-EP35-DS4 Intel P35 chipset ATX, $170. An alternative is abit IP35 Pro, $170.
Memory: A-DATA ADQVE1B16K DDR2-800 2 x 2GB Kit, $78.
Graphics Card: GeForce 9600 GT (any brand; ASUS, Chaintech, ECS, Leadtek, MSI, XFX (PV-T94P-YDD4), ZOTAC card comes with a DVI-HDMI adapter and an internal S/PDIF cable), $170
HDD: Samsung SpinPoint T166 500GB HD501LJ 500GB SATA, $106.
PSU: Enermax MODU82+ 525W EMD525AWT, $140. A cheaper alternative is Corsair HX520W, $96.
Case: SilverStone Grandia GD01-MX SST-GD01B-MXR, $229.
Total Cost: $1106
http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/3104/0atxhighendxf2.png

Premium I

The final ATX systems aim at not only HTPC but heavy gaming and workstation.

System

CPU: Core 2 Quad Q9300 2.5GHz Socket 775, $266.
CPU Cooler: Thermalright Ultra-120 Extreme, $56.
CPU Fan: Scythe S-FLEX S-FDB 120mm Fan SFF21E, $15.
Motherboard: eVGA 132-CK-NF78-A1 nForce 780i SLI ATX, $240.
Memory: G.SKILL F2-8000CL5D-4GBPQ DDR2-1000 2 x 2GB Kit, $110.
Graphics Card: XFX GeForce 8800 GT 512MB DDR3 PV-T88P-YDF4, $240; two of this card for SLI, $480.
HDD: Samsung SpinPoint T166 500GB HD501LJ 500GB SATA, $106.
PSU: Enermax MODU82+ 625W EMD625AWT, $163.
Case: Cooler Master COSMOS 1000, $160.
Total Cost: $1346 for non-SLI, $1586 for SLI
http://img72.imageshack.us/img72/5107/0atxpremiumiaho5.png

Premium II

The second premium system is the latest AMD Spider platform conisisting of Phenom processor, 790FX chipset and Radeon HD 3800 graphics. The 790FX excels in flexibility and power consumption and even Intel X38 chipset can't compete with it. The current revision B2 of Phenom has TLB erratum and you may want to wait for the B3 revision.

System

CPU: Phenom 9850 Black Edition HD985ZXAGHBOX 2.5GHz Socket AM2+, $235.
CPU Cooler: Thermalright Ultra-120 Extreme, $56.
CPU Fan: Scythe S-FLEX S-FDB 120mm Fan SFF21E, $15.
Motherboard: MSI K9A2 Platinum 790FX ATX, $157.
Memory: G.SKILL F2-8000CL5D-4GBPQ DDR2-1000 2 x 2GB Kit, $110.
Graphics Card: Radeon HD 3870, $230; two of this card for CrossFire, $460.
HDD: Samsung SpinPoint T166 500GB HD501LJ 500GB SATA, $106.
PSU: Enermax MODU82+ 625W, $163.
Case: Cooler Master COSMOS 1000, $160.
Total Cost: $1222 for non-CrossFire, $1452 for CrossFire
http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/6585/0atxpremiumiimx3.png

Optional DAS (Direct Attached Storage) for Premium Systems

The motherboard has a third PCI Express x16 slot (x8 electrically), you can add a RAID controller card for more storage space. For example, the following combination supports up to 16 HDDs (8 internal and 8 external).

HighPoint RocketRAID 2340 4-port SFF-8087 (16-port SATA) RAID Controller PCIe x8 Card, $430. An alternative is Promise SuperTrak EX16350 (with XOR engine and RAID 6), $560.
Cooler Master STB-3T4-E3-GP 4-in-3 Device Module (turns 3 x 5.25" bay into 4 x 3.5" bays), $25.
Internal SATA to External Multilane Dual Port PCI Bracket (http://www.cooldrives.com/intoexmudupo.html), $48.
HighPoint IB-1M InfiniBand SFF-8470 to InfiniBand SFF-8470 1 meter cable x 2, $62. (2m, 3m, 5m cables are also available here (http://www.pc-pitstop.com/sas_cables_adapters/).)
Addonics MST4ML-B (http://addonics.com/products/raid_system/mst4.asp) Mini Storage Tower (4 HDDs, 1 SFF-8470 port) x 2, $280. An alternative is External 8-Drive SATA Enclosure (http://www.pc-pitstop.com/sata_enclosures/scsat84xb.asp) (8 HDDs, 2 SFF-8470 ports), $219 or Tower 8-Bay Multilane SATA II Enclosure (http://www.cooldrives.com/8saiihoduenw.html) (8 HDDs, 2 SFF-8470 ports), $390.
Total Cost: $845 (HDDs for storage are not included)
http://img406.imageshack.us/img406/4189/10892124gt4.png

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Home Media Sever
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For the latest recommended systems, go to: Recommended Systems - The Latest Edition
http://i696.photobucket.com/albums/vv328/renethx_yahoo/Support2yellow2.png

As more and more people are interested in home media server as a centralized storage space, I greatly expanded this section.

You may need to use power adapters like below to connect lots of HDDs and fans:

Molex 4pin Male to Two 15pin SATA Power Cable (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812123119) (connecting two SATA drives to a peripheral power connector of the PSU), $3.
3pin Female - Dual 3wire / 3pin Male Fan Power Adapter (http://www.bestbyteinc.com/Cables_&_Misc._Accessories/Power_Cables,_Fan_Cables/3pin_Female_-_Dual_3wire__x__3pin_Male_Fan_Power_Adapter/Page_1/CBL-FAN-3D3.html) (connecting two fans to a fan connector of the motherboard), $1.
16 HDD System I

The first system is a RAID system with 16 storage drives in a mid tower case. I chose components as cheap as possible, hence the RAID controller lacks XOR engine, but that should be enough for a home media server. OS can be any the RAID controller card supports: Windows XP/Vista, Windows Server 2003/2008, Linux.

System

Case: AeroCool Masstige Silver (10 x 5.25" bay, 2 x 3.5" bay), $95 with:
Lian Li EX-23NB or EX-23B Internal HDD Kit (turns 2 x 5.25" bay into 3 x 3.5" bay) x 5, $100.
PSU: Corsair VX550W 550W, $81.
CPU: Athlon 64 X2 4200+ ADO4200DOBOX 65W Brisbane 2.2GHz Socket AM2, $60.
CPU Cooler: Stock Cooler, $0.
Memory: CORSAIR TWIN2X2048-6400 DDR2-800 2 x 1GB Kit, $28 (after rebate at Newegg.com).
Motherboard: ECS A780GM-A (V1.0) AMD 780G chipset ATX (6 x SATA ports), $72.
HBA: HighPoint RocketRAID 2340 4-port SFF-8087 (16-port SATA) RAID Controller PCI Express x8 Card, $430. An alternative is Promise SuperTrak EX16350 (with XOR engine and RAID 6), $638.
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce 7025 (integrated in the motherboard chipset), $0.
HDD: WD800JD 80GB SATA 3.0Gb/s, $40.
Total Cost: $906 (storage drives are not included)
http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/3442/0nas16hddifd1.png

Remarks

The motherboard requirements are:

IGP
Gb LAN (preferably PCI Express)
1 x SATA (or PATA) port for the system drive
1 x PCI Express x8 slot for 16-port SATA RAID controller (supporting 16 storage drives)
Basically any mid-range motherboard with integrated graphics can be used for this system.

16 HDD System II

The system is similar to the above, but without a RAID controller card, that will reduce the total cost. A typical OS is Windows XP/Vista (non-RAID), Windows Server 2003/2008 (non-RAID or software RAID), Windows Home Server, Linux (non-RAID or software RAID) or unRAID.

System

Case: AeroCool Masstige Silver (10 x 5.25" bay and 2 x 3.5" internal bay), $95.
Lian Li EX-23NB or EX-23B Internal HDD Kit (turns 2 x 5.25" bay into 3 x 3.5" bay) x 5, $100.
PSU: Corsair VX550W 550W, $81.
CPU: Athlon 64 X2 4200+ ADO4200DOBOX 65W Brisbane 2.2GHz Socket AM2, $60.
CPU Cooler: Stock Cooler, $0.
Memory: CORSAIR TWIN2X2048-6400 DDR2-800 2 x 1GB Kit, $28 (after rebate at Newegg.com).
Motherboard: ECS A780GM-A (V1.0) AMD 780G chipset ATX (6 x SATA ports), $72.
HBA: PROMISE SATA300 TX4 4-port SATA PCI adapter x 3: $180.
Graphics: Radeon HD 3200 (integrated in the motherboard chipset), $0.
HDD: WD800JD 80GB SATA 3.0Gb/s for OS other than unRAID, $40; CORSAIR Flash Voyager CMFUSB2.0-1GB 1GB USB Flash Drive for unRAID, $11.
Total Cost: $656 for OS other than unRAID; $627 for unRAID (storage drives are not included)
http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/9163/0nas16hddiiwv0.png

Remarks

The motherboard requirements are:

IGP
Gb LAN (preferably PCI Express)
1 x SATA (or PATA) port for the system drive
4 x SATA port for 4 storage drives
3 x PCI slot for 3 x 4-port SATA host controller (supporting 12 storage drives)
24 HDD System

The third system consists of a main system with 12 storage drives in either a mid tower or 4U rackmount case and an external enclosure with 12 storage drives in another case. Port multiplier (PM) is used to support storage drives. A typical OS is Windows XP/Vista (non-RAID), Windows Server 2003/2008 (non-RAID or software RAID), Windows Home Server or Linux (non-RAID or software RAID).

http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/9572/0nas24hddtowerle7.png

or

http://img126.imageshack.us/img126/8004/0nas24hddgx1.png

Main System

Mid Tower Case: Rosewill R6A34-BK ATX Mid Tower (4 x external 5.25″, 2 x external 3.5″, 5 x internal 3.5″), $45 with:
Lian Li EX-23B Internal HDD Kit (turns 2 x 5.25" bay into 3 x 3.5" bay) x 2, $40.
or
4U Rackmount Case: CODEGEN 4U-500-CA 4U Rackmount Chassis (3 x 5.25″ bay, 8 x 3.5″ bay, 2 x 3.5″ bay under the cross bar), $71 with:
HDD Mounting Kit x 2, $3 or Lian Li EX-34B Internal HDD Kit (turns 3 x 5.25" bay into 4 x 3.5" bay) for better cooling, $35.
PSU: Sparkle ATX-400PN 400W, $31.
CPU: Athlon 64 X2 4000+ ADO4000DDBOX 65W Brisbane 2.1GHz Socket AM2, $60.
CPU Cooler: Stock Cooler, $0.
Memory: CORSAIR TWIN2X2048-6400 DDR2-800 2 x 1GB Kit, $29 (after rebate at Newegg.com).
Motherboard: ECS A780GM-A (V1.0) AMD 780G chipset ATX (6 x SATA ports), $72.
HBA: HighPoint RocketRAID 2314 4-port eSATA RAID Controller PCI Express x4 Card supporting Port Multiplier, $165.
KINGWIN ESAC-02 Internal SATA to eSATA 2-Port PCI Bracket x 2, $6.
Graphics: GeForce 7025 (integrated in the motherboard chipset), $0.
HDD: WD800JD 80GB SATA 3.0Gb/s, $40.
Addonics AD5SAPM (http://www.addonics.com/products/host_controller/ad5sapm.asp) 5X1 Internal SATA Port Multiplier (1 x SATA in, 5 x SATA out) x 2, $170.
SATA cable x 11, $22.
Total Cost: $681 for Tower; $670 for Rackmount
http://img72.imageshack.us/img72/8873/0nas24hddmainsj4.png

Enclosure

Mid Tower Case: Rosewill R6A34-BK ATX Mid Tower (4 x external 5.25″, 2 x external 3.5″, 5 x internal 3.5″), $45 with:
Lian Li EX-23B Internal HDD Kit (turns 2 x 5.25" bay into 3 x 3.5" bay) x 2, $40.
or
4U Rackmount Case: CODEGEN 4U-500-CA 4U Rackmount Chassis (3 x 5.25" bay, 8 x 3.5″ bay, 2 x 3.5″ bay under the cross bar), $71 with:
HDD Mounting Kit x 2, $3 or Lian Li EX-34B Internal HDD Kit (turns 3 x 5.25" bay into 4 x 3.5″ bay) for better cooling, $35.
PSU: Sparkle ATX-350PN 350W, $24.
KINGWIN ESAC-02 Internal SATA to eSATA 2-Port PCI Bracket x 2, $6.
Addonics AD5SAPM (http://www.addonics.com/products/host_controller/ad5sapm.asp) 5X1 Internal SATA Port Multiplier (1 x SATA in, 5 x SATA out) x 2, $170.
SATA Cable x 10, $20.
KINGWIN ESAC-01 eSATA to eSATA 3' Cable x 2, $6.
Total Cost: $311 for Tower; $300 for Rackmount
http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/9505/0nas24hddenclosuregz3.png

Cost of the Total System

$992 for Tower; $970 for Rackmount (storage drives are not included)
Block Diagram

Each of the four eSATA ports of the host bus adapter (HBA) is connected to a port multiplier (PM) that supports 5 SATA drives. On the other hand, the southbridge (SB) of the motherboard chipset supports 4 SATA ports. Each subsystem includes 2 port multipliers. Among 12 storage drives in each of the subsystems, 10 drives are connected to the two port multipliers and the rest 2 drives are connected to the southbridge.

http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/296/blockdiagramee3.png

Remarks

1) You need to modify the PSU of the enclosure so that it works without a motherboard (please read the article Power Up an ATX PSU without a Motherboard (http://www.gideontech.com/content/articles/196/1)), or use 20-pin Power Supply Jump Start Connector (http://www.frozencpu.com/products/3223/psu-173/FrozenCPU_20-pin_Power_Supply_Jump_Start_Connector.html?tl=g11c28) (in this case you turn on/off the enclosure by the PSU switch).

2) The motherboard requirements are:

IGP
Gb LAN (preferably PCI Express)
1 x SATA (or PATA) port for the system drive
4 x SATA port for 4 storage drives
1 x PCI Express x4 slot for a 4-port eSATA PM-aware host controller (supporting 20 storage drives)
Basically any mid-range motherboard with integrated graphics can be used for this system.

40 HDD System I

HighPoint offers another PM host adapter, RocketRAID 2522, that support up to 32 hard disks with PM. By combining it with a motherboard with 8 SATA ports (e.g. ASUS P5B-VM DO), you can build a 40-HDD system cosisting of a main system with 10 storage drives and three external enclosures each with 10 storage drives. A typical OS is Windows XP/Vista (non-RAID), Windows Server 2003/2008 (non-RAID or software RAID), Windows Home Server or Linux (non-RAID or software RAID).

http://img155.imageshack.us/img155/4882/0nas40hddilq0.png

Main System

Mid Tower Case: Rosewill R6A34-BK ATX Mid Tower (4 x external 5.25″, 2 x external 3.5″, 5 x internal 3.5″), $45 with:
HDD Mounting Kit x 4, $6 or Lian Li EX-23B Internal HDD Kit (turns 2 x 5.25″ bay into 3 x 3.5″ bay) x 2 for better cooling, $40.
or
4U Rackmount Case: CODEGEN 4U-500-CA 4U Rackmount Chassis (3 x 5.25" bay, 8 x 3.5″ bay, 2 x 3.5″ bay under the cross bar), $71 with:
HDD Mounting Kit x 2, $3 or Lian Li EX-34B Internal HDD Kit (turns 3 x 5.25" bay into 4 x 3.5″ bay) for better cooling, $35.
PSU: Sparkle ATX-350PN 350W, $24.
CPU: Athlon 64 X2 4200+ ADO4200DOBOX 65W Brisbane 2.2GHz Socket AM2, $60.
CPU Cooler: Stock Cooler, $0.
Memory: CORSAIR TWIN2X2048-6400 DDR2-800 2 x 1GB Kit, $28 (after rebate at Newegg.com).
Motherboard: ECS A780GM-A (V1.0) AMD 780G chipset ATX (6 x SATA ports), $72.
HBA I: HighPoint RocketRAID 2522 8-port eSATA RAID Controller PCI Express x8 Card supporting Port Multiplier, $335.
HBA II: PROMISE SATA300 TX4 4-port SATA PCI adapter: $60.
HighPoint Ext-MS-1MES External Mini-SAS to eSATA Cable x 2, $107
Internal SATA to eSATA 4-Port PCI Bracket (http://www.cooldrives.com/intoexes4pop.html), $20.
KINGWIN ESAC-02 Internal SATA to eSATA 2-Port PCI Bracket x 2, $6.
Graphics: GeForce 7025 (integrated in the motherboard chipset), $0.
HDD: WD800JD 80GB SATA 3.0Gb/s, $40.
Addonics AD5SAPM (http://www.addonics.com/products/host_controller/ad5sapm.asp) 5X1 Internal SATA Port Multiplier (1 x SATA in, 5 x SATA out) x 2, $170.
SATA cable x 12, $24.
Total Cost: $997 for Tower; $1020 for Rackmount
http://img187.imageshack.us/img187/5497/0nas40hddimainwz5.png

Enclosure

Mid Tower Case: Rosewill R6A34-BK ATX Mid Tower (4 x external 5.25″, 2 x external 3.5″, 5 x internal 3.5″), $45 with:
HDD Mounting Kit x 4, $6 or Lian Li EX-23B Internal HDD Kit (turns 2 x 5.25" bay into 3 x 3.5" bay) x 2 for better cooling, $40.
or
4U Rackmount Case: CODEGEN 4U-500-CA 4U Rackmount Chassis (3 x 5.25″ bay, 8 x 3.5″ bay, 2 x 3.5″ bay under the cross bar), $71 with:
HDD Mounting Kit x 2, $3 or Lian Li EX-34B Internal HDD Kit (turns 3 x 5.25″ bay into 4 x 3.5″ bay) for better cooling, $35.
PSU: Sparkle ATX-350PN 350W, $24.
KINGWIN ESAC-02 Internal SATA to eSATA 2-Port PCI Bracket x 2, $6.
Addonics AD5SAPM (http://www.addonics.com/products/host_controller/ad5sapm.asp) 5X1 Internal SATA Port Multiplier (1 x SATA in, 5 x SATA out) x 2, $170.
SATA Cable x 8, $16.
KINGWIN ESAC-01 eSATA to eSATA 3' Cable x 2, $6.
Total Cost: $273 for Tower; $296 for Rackmount
http://img166.imageshack.us/img166/6039/0nas40hddienclosurekt7.png
Cost of the Total System (Main System and Three Enclosures)

$1816 for Tower; $1908 for Rackmount
Remarks

The motherboard requirements are:

IGP
Gb LAN (preferably PCI Express)
1 x SATA (or PATA) port for the system drive
4 x SATA port for 4 storage drives
1 x PCI slot for a 4-port SATA host controller (supporting 4 storage drives)
1 x PCI Express x8 slot for 8-port eSATA PM-aware host controller (supporting 32 storage drives)
Basically any mid-range motherboard with integrated graphics can be used for this system.

40 HDD System II

This system consists of a main system that includes only the system drive in a 3U rackmount chassis and four NORCO DS-1220N 12-bay 3U rackmount enclosures. All the 10 storage drives in the main system of 40 HDD System I are now stored in one of the enclosures. The NORCO DS-1220N has basically the same internal structure as our custom-built enclosure (two port multipliers with Silicon Image SiI3726 chip) but supports hot-swapping (and hence is pricey). A typical OS is Windows XP/Vista (non-RAID), Windows Server 2003/2008 (non-RAID or software RAID), Windows Home Server or Linux (non-RAID or software RAID).

http://img175.imageshack.us/img175/3783/0nas40hddiieo1.png

Main System

Case: iStarUSA D-300-PFS 3U Rackmount Chassis (2 x 5.25" bay, 6 x 3.5" bay) , $100.
PSU: Sparkle ATX-350PN 350W, $24.
CPU: Athlon 64 X2 4200+ ADO4200DOBOX 65W Brisbane 2.2GHz Socket AM2, $60.
CPU Cooler: Stock Cooler, $0.
Memory: CORSAIR TWIN2X2048-6400 DDR2-800 2 x 1GB Kit, $28 (after rebate at Newegg.com).
Motherboard: ECS A780GM-A (V1.0) AMD 780G chipset ATX (6 x SATA ports), $72.
HBA I: HighPoint RocketRAID 2522 8-port eSATA RAID Controller PCI Express x8 Card supporting Port Multiplier, $335.
HBA II: PROMISE SATA300 TX4 4-port SATA PCI adapter: $60.
HighPoint Ext-MS-1MES External Mini-SAS to eSATA Cable x 2, $107
KINGWIN ESAC-02 Internal SATA to eSATA 2-Port PCI Bracket x 4, $12.
Graphics: GeForce 7050 (integrated in the motherboard chipset), $0.
HDD: WD800JD 80GB SATA 3.0Gb/s, $40.
Total Cost: $838
http://img149.imageshack.us/img149/1262/0nas40hddiimainjf3.png

Enclosure

NORCO DS-1220N (http://www.norcotek.com/item_detail.php?categoryid=8&modelno=DS-1220N) Storage System, $759 (http://www.ipcdirect.net/servlet/Detail?no=105)
Total Cost: $759
http://img175.imageshack.us/img175/2694/0nas40hddiienclosuremy1.png

Cost of the Total System (Main System and Four Enclosures)

$3874 (storage drives are not included)
Remarks

The motherboard requirements are:

IGP
Gb LAN (preferably PCI Express)
1 x SATA (or PATA) port for the system drive
4 x SATA port for 4 storage drives
1 x PCI slot for a 4-port SATA host controller (supporting 4 storage drives)
1 x PCI Express x8 slot for 8-port eSATA PM-aware host controller (supporting 32 storage drives)
Basically any mid-range motherboard with integrated graphics can be used for this system.

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3. CPU and CPU Cooler
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Selection Guide
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The most demanding task for a high-definition HTPC is playing (i.e. decoding) H.264 encoded movies. H.264 contents playback experience depends on:

CPU processing power
GPU assist on the decode process
Playback software, codec and the video card driver
Thus the necessary CPU processing power and hence your CPU choice heavily depend on the video card you use.

For a pure playback machine with a NVIDIA GeForce 8600/8500 or ATI Radeon HD 2600/2400 video card:

The GeForce 8600/8500 and Radeon HD 2600/2400 GPUs are equipped with H.264 decode process engines that 100% offload H.264 decode work from the CPU. With these GPUs, any machine with a decent CPU (single-core or dual-core) can play even the most demanding H.264 contents pretty easily. Moreover Radeon HD 2600/2400 GPUs also 100% offload VC-1 decode work. Please read the two articles HARDSPELL.COM – DX10 is universalizing: G86/G84 complete test! (April 18, 2007) (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=10357876&&#post10357876) and HARDSPELL.COM – Face to DX10 and HD times! HD2000 rounded test (May 21, 2007) (http://www.hardspell.com/english/doc/showcont.asp?news_id=622) to see how effectively these GPUs decode H.264/VC-1 encoded HD contents.


In case you use a GeForce 7x00/8800 card or an ATI Radeon X1xxx video card or an IGP, and/or you want to do CPU intensive tasks such as encoding quickly:

The GeForce 7x00/8800 or ATI Radeon X1xxx GPUs or the currently available IGPs offload the decode process for HD contents only partially and therefore you need a powerful CPU. The AnandTech article HD Video Playback: H.264 Blu-ray on the PC (http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=2886) is a good source on this matter (though it is slightly dated). For such a system Intel Core 2 Duo processor is best suited.
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My Picks
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Intel

Intel Pentium E2200 (Allendale core)


Specs: 2.20GHz, FSB 800MT/s, multiplier x11, 1MB L2 Cache, No support for VT
Price: $84
Notes: Despite the name, this dual-core processor is based on the same Core microarchitecture as the Core 2 Duo processors and has nothing to do with Pentium D processors. 2.20GHz is just enough to play back HD contents smoothly.


Intel Core 2 Duo E4600 (Allendale core)


Specs: 2.40GHz, FSB 800MT/s, multiplier x12, 2MB L2 Cache, No support for VT
Price: $133
Notes: Larger L2 cache helps better performance in several applications (in particular games and encoding).


Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 (Wolfdale core)


Specs: 3.00GHz, FSB 1333MT/s, multiplier x9, 6MB L2 Cache, 45 nm
Price: $183
Notes: Currently the best bang for the buck among the 6MB L2 cache dual-core processors.


Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 (Kentsfield core)


Specs: quad-core, 2.40GHz, FSB 1333MT/s, multiplier x8, 4MB L2 Cache
Price: $266
Notes: If you do lots of CPU intensive tasks (for example encoding), this is for you.
AMD

AMD Athlon 64 X2 4400+ ADO4400DDBOX (Brisbane core)


Specs: Socket AM2, 2.30GHz, multiplier x11.5, 2 x 512KB L2 Cache, 65W
Price: $75
Notes: 2.30GHz is just enough for every kind of video playback if your video card supports PureVideo HD Gen2 or UVD. An alternative is Athlon X2 BE-2400 ADH2400DOBOX 2.3GHz 45W (~$100), which runs cooler.


Athlon 64 X2 5000+ Black Edition ADO5000DSWOF (Brisbane core)


Specs: Socket AM2, 2.60GHz, multiplier x13 (unlocked), 2 x 512KB L2 Cache, 65W
Price: $100
Notes: If you need a faster processor for brute force video playback, this is it.


Phenom 9500 HD9500WCGDBOX (Agena core)


Specs: Socket AM2+, 2.20GHz, multiplier x11, 4 x 512KB L2 Cache, 2MB L3 Cache, 95W
Price: $190
Notes: As powerful as Core 2 Quad Q6600 for realtime decoding (but only for decoding).
Intel Core Microarchitecture Desktop CPU Price List

FSB 1066/800MHz

http://img172.imageshack.us/img172/7739/intelprocessorpricelistwf8.png

FSB 1333/1066/800MHz

http://img257.imageshack.us/img257/3501/intelprocessorpricelistun8.png

45 nm/65 nm Manufacturing Process

http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/4513/intelprocessorpricelistkp2.png

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CPU Cooler
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Do you need a retail CPU cooler? First I recommend you to try the stock CPU cooler and see if it is good for your system (CPU) and you (your ears). If the CPU temperature is too high (say more than 60°C) at load or you are not comfortable with the fan noise, you'd better consider a retail cooler.

A major problem of using a retail cooler in a HTPC case is its height. The maximum height of the cooler should be, for example, around 134mm for the SilverStone LC16/LC17/LC18/LC20/GD01/CW01 case (H170mm including feet). In the case of a top-flow heatsink, at least a inch of the height clearance is necessary to avoid air turbulence. That means the maximum height of a top-flow cooler including fan should be about 110mm for the same SilverStone case. Of course the height of a top-flow heatsink when used for passive cooling can be larger, up to 134mm.

Side-Flow Heatsink for a Desktop Case

Scythe NINJA MINI (http://www.scythe-usa.com/product/cpu/032/scmnj1000_detail.html)


Specs: L110 x W110 X H115 mm (heatsink only), 580g (heatsink only); LGA775, LGA1366 (with LGA1366 Mounting Clips (http://www.scythe-usa.com/product/acc/055/sccl41366_detail.html)), Socket AM2/AM2+/AM3
Price: ~$35
Notes: Fan (80mm, PWM) is included. Fits in Antec NSK2480/Fusion 430.
Reviews: Silent PC Review (http://www.silentpcreview.com/article754-page1.html)


Xigmatek HDT-SD964 (http://www.xigmatek.com/product/air-hdtsd964.php)


Specs: L92 x W51 x H133 mm (heatsink only?), 466g (with fan); LGA775, LGA1366 (with Crossbow ACK-I7363 (http://www.xigmatek.com/product/accessory-crossbow-adk-i7363.php)), Socket AM2/AM2+/AM3
Price: ~$28
Notes: Fan (92 mm, PWM) is included. Can mount on AMD platforms in only one orientation.
Reviews: Silent PC Review (http://www.silentpcreview.com/article818-page1.html)


Zalman CNPS9500A LED (http://www.zalman.co.kr/ENG/product/Product_Read.asp?idx=277)


Specs: L85 x W112 x H125 mm, 530g (including fan); LGA775, Socket AM2/AM2+/AM3
Price: ~$50
Notes: Fan (92mm, 3-pin) included.
Reviews: Silent PC Review (http://www.silentpcreview.com/article267-page1.html)


ZEROtherm BTF90 (http://www.zerotherm.net/eng/product/BTF90.asp)


Specs: L108 x W81 x H128 mm, 678g (including fan); LGA775, Socket AM2/AM2+/AM3
Price: ~$38
Notes: Fan (92mm, PWM) included.
Reviews: Silent PC Review (http://www.silentpcreview.com/article645-page1.html)


Thermalright Ultima-90 (http://www.thermalright.com/new_a_page/product_page/cpu/utm90/product_cpu_cooler_utm90.html)


Specs: L115 x W55 x H139 mm (heatsink only), 460g (heatsink only); LGA775, Socket AM2/AM2+/AM3
Price: ~$45
Notes: Fan (92 mm or 120 mm) is not included. Too tall for most HTPC cases.
Side-Flow Heatsink for a Tower Case

Xigmatek Dark Knight-S1283V (http://www.xigmatek.com/product/air-dark-knight-s1283-v.php)


Specs: L50 x W120 x H159 mm (heatsink only), 660g (with fan); LGA775, LGA1366, Socket AM2/AM2+/AM3
Price: ~$40
Notes: Fan (120 mm, PWM) is included.
Reviews: Silent PC Review (http://www.silentpcreview.com/article818-page1.html) (HDT-S1283)


Thermalright HR-01 PLUS (http://www.thermalright.com/new_a_page/product_page/cpu/hr01plus/product_cpu_cooler_hr01plus.htm)


Specs: L60 x W110 x H159.5 mm (heatsink only), L85 x W120 x H160.5 mm (with 25mm fan), 600g (heatsink only)
Price: ~$42
Notes: Fan (120 mm) is not included. The best low airflow cooler. Can mount on AMD platforms in only one orientation.
Reviews: Silent PC Review (http://www.silentpcreview.com/article842-page1.html)


Scythe NINJA PLUS Rev. B SCNJ-1100P (http://www.scythe-usa.com/product/cpu/026/scnj1100p.html)


Specs: W110 x D110 x H150 mm (heatsink only), W120 x D135 x H160 mm (with 25mm fan), 640g (heatsink only)
Price: ~$45
Notes: Fan (120mm) included.
Reviews: Silent PC Review (http://www.silentpcreview.com/article251-page1.html)


Thermalright Ultra-120 eXtreme (http://www.thermalright.com/new_a_page/product_page/cpu/u120ex/product_cpu_cooler_u120ex.htm)


Specs: L63.44 x W132 x H160.5 mm (heatsink only), L84.5 x W132 x H160.5 mm (with 25mm fan), 790g (heatsink only)
Price: ~$65
Notes: Fan (120 mm) is not included. The best performing heatsink. Can mount on AMD platforms in only one orientation.
Reviews: Silent PC Review (http://www.silentpcreview.com/article759-page1.html)


Zalman CNPS9700 LED (http://www.zalman.co.kr/ENG/product/Product_Read.asp?idx=164)


Specs: L90 x W124 x H142 mm, 764g (including fan)
Price: ~$65
Notes: Fan (110 mm) included.
Reviews: Silent PC Review (http://www.silentpcreview.com/article727-page1.html)
Top-Flow Heatsink for a Desktop Case

Cooler Master 風神鍛 (Geminii S) RR-CCH-PBJ1-GP (http://www.coolermaster.com/products/product.php?language=en&act=detail&tbcate=1&id=3263)


Specs: L124 x W121 x H88 mm, 560g (with 25mm fan), LGA775, LGA1366 (with optional bracket), Socket AM2/AM2+/AM3
Price: ~$32
Notes: Fan (120 mm, PWM) is included.
Reviews: X-bit labs (http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/coolers/display/coolermaster-geminii-s.html)


Noctua NH-C12P (http://www.noctua.at/main.php?show=productview&products_id=18&lng=en)


Specs: L126 x W152 x H114 mm, 730g (with 25mm fan), LGA775, LGA1366 (with optional bracket), Socket AM2/AM2+/AM3
Price: ~$65
Notes: Fan (NF-P12; 120 mm, 3-pin) is included.
Reviews: Silent PC Review (http://www.silentpcreview.com/article846-page1.html)


Thermalright SI-128 SE (http://www.thermalright.com/new_a_page/product_page/cpu/si-128_se/product_cpu_cooler_si128se.html)


Specs: L125 x W145 x H112.5 mm (with 25mm fan), 510g (heatsink only)
Price: ~$50
Notes: Fan (120 mm) is not included. Evolved from XP-120 with increased fin surface area and increased height of the heatsink fins for better motherboard compatibility.
Reviews: Silent PC Review (http://www.silentpcreview.com/article719-page1.html) (non-SE)


Scythe SHURIKEN SCSK-1000 (http://www.scythe-usa.com/product/cpu/034/scsk1000_detail.html)


Specs: L105 x W116 x H64 mm, 355g (including fan)
Price: ~$33
Notes: Fan (100mm) included. Suitable for a low-profile HTPC case.
Reviews: FrostyTech.com (http://www.frostytech.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=2247)


Zalman CNPS8700 LED (http://www.zalman.co.kr/ENG/product/Product_Read.asp?idx=168)


Specs: L120 x W123 x H67 mm, 475g (including fan)
Price: ~$50
Notes: Fan (110mm) included. Suitable for a low-profile HTPC case.
Reviews: Silent PC Review (http://www.silentpcreview.com/article761-page1.html)
Fan

Nexus 92mm Real Silent Case Fan DF1209SL-3 (http://www.nexustek.nl/92mm_real_silent_case_fan.htm)


1500rpm, 25CFM, 92 x 92 x 25 mm, rpm sensor
Price: ~$12
Notes: This is the reference fan used for testing CPU heatsinks in Silent PC Review.


Panaflo 92mm fan FBA09A12L1BX (http://www.panasonic.com/industrial/appliance/appliance_fans_panaflo_axial.htm)


2100rpm, 43CFM, 92 x 92 x 25 mm, rpm sensor
Price: ~$9


Nexus 120mm Real Silent Case Fan D12SL-12 (http://www.nexustek.nl/120mm_real_silent_case_fan.htm)


1000rpm, 37CFM, 120 x 120 x 25 mm, rpm sensor
Price: ~$14
Notes: This is the reference fan used for testing CPU heatsinks in Silent PC Review.


NOCTUA 120mm Fan NF-S12-1200 (http://www.noctua.at/main.php?show=productview&products_id=5&lng=en)


1200rpm, 48CFM, 120 x 120 x 25 mm, rpm sensor
Price: ~$20


Scythe S-FLEX S-FDB 120mm Fan SFF21E (http://www.scythe-usa.com/product/acc/002/sflex_detail.html)


1200rpm, 49CFM, 120 x 120 x 25 mm, rpm sensor
Price: ~$15
They are available in many places in US (use Google Product Search).

Thermal Paste

You need to apply thermal compound at the bottom of the cooler (heatsink) before attaching the cooler to the CPU. The stock cooler comes with a thermal pad and it is good enough. A retail cooler usually comes with generic thermal compound. But I recommend to use one of:

Arctic Silver Arctic Silver 5 (http://www.arcticsilver.com/as5.htm)
Arctic Silver Céramique (http://www.arcticsilver.com/ceramique.htm)
Arctic Silver 5 is better in thermal conductivity but needs a care when treating it (Arctic Silver 5 should be kept away from electrical traces, pins, and leads). Follow the application instruction (http://www.arcticsilver.com/instructions.htm) carefully.

References

Core 2 Duo L2 Cache

AnandTech – L2 Cache: 4MB or 2MB? (http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/showdoc.aspx?i=2795&p=4)
Pconline – Dual-core overclocking 3GHz (E2160, E4300, E6850; April 11, 2007) (http://www.pconline.com.cn/diy/cpu/reviews/0704/993288.html)
Tom's Hardware – Does Cache Size Really Boost Performance? (October 24, 2007) (http://www.tomshardware.com/2007/10/24/does_cache_size_matter/)
Overclocking Guides – Intel

Legion Hardware – E4300 Overclocking for Beginners (http://www.legionhardware.com/document.php?id=610)
XtremeSystems Forums – HOWTO: Overclock C2Q (Quads) and C2D (Duals) - A Guide v1.4 (http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=147164)
Links to Guides to Overclocking Core 2 Duo (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=8391666&&#post8391666)
Overclocking Guides – AMD

Quick and dirty A64 clocking guide (http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview.aspx?catid=28&threadid=1497607&enterthread=y)
The *Official* MSI K8NGM2-FID GeForce 6150 Motherboard Thread, Section 16. Quick Overclocking Recipes (http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview.aspx?catid=29&threadid=1803985&enterthread=y)
Heatsink and Fan

MADSHRIMPS – AMD and Intel Heatsink Roundup 2006 (http://www.madshrimps.be/?action=getarticle&number=1&artpage=2179&articID=519)
Silent PC Review – Recommended Heatsinks (http://www.silentpcreview.com/article30-page1.html)
Silent PC Review – Recommended Fans (http://www.silentpcreview.com/article63-page1.html)
Thermal Compounds

GruntvillE.com – Arctic Silver 5 Shoot Out (January 9, 2003) (http://www.gruntville.com/reviews/thermal/as5/index.php)
ModSynergy – Arctic Silver 5 Review (July 30, 2004) (http://www.modsynergy.com/review109.htm)
XYZ Computing – Arctic Silver Thermal Compounds (July 30, 2004) (http://www.xyzcomputing.com/reviews/arcticsilver.htm)

______________
4. Motherboard
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
___________
Intel Platform
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯

The best chipset for Core 2 Duo/Quad is Intel P35 Express. So my first picks are from motherboards based on them. Several P35 motherboards support both DDR2 and DDR3 that is to assure future upgrade path or only DDR3. However the fastest DDR3 memory speed P35 can support is DDR3-1333 that provides at most the same level of performance as DDR2-1066 at triple the price, therefore there is no advantage of DDR3 over DDR2 in the P35 platform (for details, read X-bit labs – DDR3 SDRAM: Revolution or Evolution? (July 9, 2007) (http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/memory/display/ddr3.html)).

Recently Intel released X38 chipset that supports dual PCI Express 2.0 x16 (supporting CrossFire) and replaces the old Intel enthusiast chipset 975X. If you are going with CrossFire or use a RAID controller card, that could be your choice. Otherwise you may want to stay with P35 as the performance advantage of X38 is very small.

The NVIDIA nForce 700i Series is targeted for enthusiast SLI gamers and has plenty of PCI Express (1.0 and 2.0) lanes. If you are going to build a high-end gaming machine or even a workstation, that may be your first choice.

As for IGP, Intel G33 is basically the same as P35 with a mediocre graphics, GMA 3100 (a rework of the old GMA 950; 3DMark06 ~350). G35 is equipped with more capable IGD GMA X3500 (3DMark06 ~600). NVIDIA released GeForce 7150/7000 and nForce 630i chipset. Its graphics is better than G33 (3DMark06 ~400), but it is crippled with the single-channel memory controller. None of these IGPs offers hardware decode for the latest HD contents. So you need a fast processor for HD video playback (apart from the HDCP matter). Intel IGD (G965, G33, G35) supports 7.1 Ch. 24-bit LPCM over HDMI. Currently it is the only solution to get the true HDMI audio from PC.

ATX – High-End

abit IP35 Pro (Global site) (http://www.abit.com.tw/page/en/motherboard/motherboard_detail.php?pMODEL_NAME=IP35+Pro&fMTYPE=LGA775) or abit IP35 Pro (USA site) (http://www.uabit.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=32&Itemid=48&page=1&model=381)


Specs: P35 + ICH9R, PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 2@(16,4)/1/3 supporting CrossFire, PATA/SATA/eSATA: 1/6/2, RAID, dual PCI Gb LAN, ALC888, optical S/PDIF in & out, IEEE 1394
Price: ~$185
Notes: A drawback is its PCI Gb LAN that is about 20 to 40% slower than the PCI Express one.


ASUS P5K Deluxe/WIFI-AP (http://www.asus.com/products.aspx?l1=3&l2=11&l3=534&l4=0&model=1646&modelmenu=1)


Specs: P35 + ICH9R, PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 2@(16,4)/2/3* supporting CrossFire, PATA/SATA/eSATA: 1/6/2, RAID, dual PCI-E/PCI Gb LAN, wireless LAN, AD1988B, coaxial & optical S/PDIF out, IEEE 1394
Price: ~$209
Notes: A good motherboard for overclocking. Problems on ICH9R (non-working SATA ports and RAID) are reported. The power consumption of this motherboard is 20W to 40W higher than the other P35 motherboards. Unlike P5B Deluxe, DTS Connect is not supported.


GIGABYTE GA-P35-DS4 (rev. 2.0) (http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Products/Motherboard/Products_Overview.aspx?ProductID=2624&ModelName=GA-P35-DS4)


Specs: P35 + ICH9R, PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 2@(16,4)/3/2* supporting CrossFire, PATA/SATA/eSATA: 1/8/2 (eSATA sharing controller with SATA), RAID, Gb LAN, ALC889A supporting DTS Connect, coaxial & optical S/PDIF outs, IEEE 1394
Price: ~$178


DFI LANPARTY UT P35-T2R (http://www.dfi.com.tw/Product/xx_product_spec_details_r_us.jsp?PRODUCT_ID=5497&CATEGORY_TYPE=LP&SITE=NA)


Specs: P35 + ICH9R. Passive/Passive. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 3@(16,4,0), (16,1,1)/1*/3 supporting CrossFire. PATA/SATA: 1/8, RAID, dual PCI-E/PCI-E Gb LAN, ALC885, coaxial & optical S/PDIF outs, IEEE 1394
Price: ~$260
Notes: The best overclocking motherboard right now.


eVGA nForce 780i SLI 132-CK-NF78-A1 (http://www.evga.com/products/moreinfo.asp?pn=132-CK-NF78-A1)


Specs: nForce 780i SLI, PCIe 2.0 x16/PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 2@(16,16)/1@16/2*/2 supporting SLI, PATA/SATA: 1/6, RAID, dual Gb LAN, ALC885, optical S/PDIF out, IEEE 1394
Overclocking:
Price: ~$260
Previous Recommendations

ASUS P5B Deluxe/WiFi-AP (http://www.asus.com/products4.aspx?l1=3&l2=11&l3=307&model=1179&modelmenu=1) or ASUS P5B Deluxe (http://www.asus.com/products4.aspx?l1=3&l2=11&l3=307&model=1295&modelmenu=1)


Specs: P965 + ICH8R, PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 2@(16,4)/1/3* supporting CrossFire, PATA/SATA/eSATA: 1/7/1, RAID, dual Gb LAN, AD1988B supporting DTS Connect, coaxial & optical S/PDIF outs, IEEE 1394
Overclocking: ~520MHz (E6300), ~380MHz (E4300)
Price: ~$193 or ~$180
Notes: Supports FSB 1333 processors and 45 nm processors.


ASUS P5W DH Deluxe (http://www.asus.com/products4.aspx?l1=3&l2=11&l3=248&model=1198&modelmenu=1)


Specs: 975X + ICH7R, PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 2@(16,0), (8,8)/2*/3 supporting CrossFire, PATA/SATA/eSATA: 2/6/1, RAID, dual Gb LAN, ALC882M supporting Dolby Master Studio, coaxial & optical S/PDIF outs, IEEE 1394
Overclocking: ~420MHz (E6300), ~333MHz (E4300)
Price: ~$200
Notes: Supports FSB 1333 processors (but not 45 nm processors). An alternative is Intel D975XBX2 (BOXD975XBX2KR, Bad Axe 2, Extreme Series) (http://www.intel.com/products/motherboard/d975xbx2/index.htm) (~$200).
ATX – Mid-Range

abit IP35 (Global site) (http://www2.abit.com.tw/page/en/motherboard/motherboard_detail.php?pMODEL_NAME=IP35&fMTYPE=LGA775) or abit IP35 (USA site) (http://www.uabit.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=32&Itemid=48&page=1&model=382)


Specs: P35 + ICH9R, PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/2/3, PATA/SATA: 1/6, RAID, ALC888, optical S/PDIF out, IEEE 1394
Price: ~$130
Notes: Unlike its bigger brother IP35 Pro, LAN is on the PCI Express bus.


ASUS P5K-E (http://www.asus.com/products.aspx?l1=3&l2=11&l3=534&l4=0&model=1866&modelmenu=1)


Specs: P35 + ICH9R, PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 2@(16,4)/2/3* supporting CrossFire, PATA/SATA/eSATA: 1/6/2, RAID, AD1988B, coaxial & optical S/PDIF out, IEEE 1394
Price: ~$145
Notes: This is a stripped-down version of P5K Deluxe.


GIGABYTE GA-P35-DS3R (rev. 2.0) (http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Products/Motherboard/Products_Overview.aspx?ProductID=2626)


Specs: P35 + ICH9R, PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/3*/3, PATA/SATA/eSATA: 1/8/2 (eSATA sharing controller with SATA), RAID, Gb LAN, ALC889A, coaxial & optical S/PDIF outs, no IEEE 1394
Price: ~$130


MSI P6N SLI-FI (http://global.msi.com.tw/index.php?func=proddesc&prod_no=1141&maincat_no=1&cat2_no=170)


Specs: nForce 650i SLI, FSB 1333MTps, PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 2/1/3 supporting SLI, PATA/SATA: 2/4, RAID, Gb LAN, ALC888, optical S/PDIF out, IEEE 1394
Overclocking: ~380MHz (E4300), ~465MHz (E6300), ~450MHz (E6750), ~365MHz (QX6700)
Price: ~$105
Notes: This is very attractive in terms of features (SLI, RAID, IEEE 1394), performance (good overclocking) and price. Supports FSB 1333 processors (45 nm processors are under testing). An alternative is MSI P6N SLI Platinum (http://global.msi.com.tw/index.php?func=proddesc&prod_no=1140&maincat_no=1&cat2_no=170) (~$145).
Previous Recommendations

ASUS P5B-Plus (http://www.asus.com/products4.aspx?l1=3&l2=11&l3=307&model=1595&modelmenu=1)


Specs: P965 + ICH8R, PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/3/3*, PATA/SATA/eSATA: 1/7/1, RAID, Gb LAN, AD1988A, coaxial & optical S/PDIF outs, IEEE 1394
Overclocking: ~500MHz (E6300)
Price: ~$137
Notes: The last member of the ASUS P5B family. It comes with all the basic features and is capable of good overclocking. Supports FSB 1333 processors and 45 nm processors.


GIGABYTE GA-965P-DS3 (rev. 3.3) (http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Products/Motherboard/Products_Overview.aspx?ProductID=2456&ModelName=GA-965P-DS3)


Specs: P965 + ICH8, FSB 1333MTps, PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/3*/3, PATA/SATA: 1/6, no RAID, Gb LAN, ALC883, coaxial & optical S/PDIF outs, no IEEE 1394
Overclocking: ~505MHz (E6300), ~375MHz (E4300)
Price: ~$110
Notes: Supports FSB 1333 processors. GIGABYTE GA-965P-S3 (rev. 3.3) (http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Products/Motherboard/Products_Overview.aspx?ProductID=2457&ModelName=GA-965P-S3) is a cheaper alternative (~$88).


Intel DG965WH (BOXDG965WHMKR, Westchester, Media Series) (http://www.intel.com/products/motherboard/dg965wh/index.htm)


Specs: G965 + ICH8DH (supporting Intel Viiv), 1 x VGA, PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/3*/3, PATA/SATA: 1/6, RAID, Gb LAN, STAC9271D supporting Dolby Home Theater, optical S/PDIF out, IEEE 1394
Overclocking: N/A
Price: ~$114
Notes: A good stock motherboard with IGP
ATX – Low-End

GIGABYTE GA-P35-DS3L (rev. 1.0) (http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Products/Motherboard/Products_Overview.aspx?ProductID=2599&ModelName=GA-P35-DS3L)


Specs: P35 + ICH9, PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/3*/3, PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, Gb LAN, ALC888, coaxial & optical S/PDIF outs, no IEEE 1394
Overclocking: >450MHz (E6550), ~360MHz (E4300)
Price: ~$95
Previous Recommendations

abit IP35-E (Global site) (http://www.abit.com.tw/page/en/motherboard/motherboard_detail.php?pMODEL_NAME=IP35-E&fMTYPE=LGA775) or abit IP35-E (USA site) (http://www.uabit.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=32&Itemid=48&page=1&model=386)


Specs: P35 + ICH9, PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/2/3, PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, Gb LAN, ALC888, optical S/PDIF outs, no IEEE 1394
Overclocking: >480MHz (E6320), ~380MHz (E4300)
Price: ~$90
Notes: A stripped-down version of IP35.


Foxconn P9657AB-8EKRS2H (http://www.foxconnchannel.com/product/Motherboards/detail_overview.aspx?ID=en-us0000297)


Specs: P965 + ICH8R, PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 2@(16,4)/1*/3, PATA/SATA/eSATA: 1/6/1, RAID, Gb LAN, ALC883, optical S/PDIF out, IEEE 1394
Overclocking: ~343MHz (E6xxx), ~300MHz (E4300)
Price: ~$90
Notes: The most feature-rich low-end ATX board


ASRock ConRoeXFire-eSATA2 (http://www.asrock.com/mb/overview.asp?Model=ConRoeXFire-eSATA2)


Specs: 945P + ICH7R, PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 2/1*/3 supporting CrossFire, PATA/SATA/eSATA: 1/4/2 (eSATA share controller with SATA), RAID, Gb LAN, ALC888, S/PDIF header only, IEEE 1394
Overclocking: ~300MHz (E6xxx), ~224MHz (E4300)
Price: ~$82
Notes: Another feature-rich motherboard. Unfortunately it's not good for E4300. Soon it will be replace by ASRock ConRoe1333-eSATA2 (http://www.asrock.com/mb/overview.asp?Model=ConRoe1333-eSATA2&s=775) that supports FSB 1333 processors.


GIGABYTE GA-945P-S3 (rev. 1.0) (http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Products/Motherboard/Products_Overview.aspx?ProductID=2324)


Specs: 945P + ICH7, PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/3*/3, PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, Gb LAN, ALC883 5.1 Ch., S/PDIF header only, no IEEE 1394
Overclocking: ~350MHz (E6xxx), ~300MHz (E4300)
Price: ~$82
Notes: The board has less features but better overclocking capability than the ASRock board.


ASRock 4CoreDual-SATA2 (http://www.asrock.com/mb/overview.asp?Model=4CoreDual-SATA2&s=775)


Specs: VIA PT880 Ultra + VT8237S, Support for both DDR and DDR2, AGP/PCIe x16/PCI: 1/1/4*, PATA/SATA: 2/2, RAID, 10/100Mbps LAN, ALC888, S/PDIF header only, no IEEE 1394
Overclocking: ~300MHz (E6xxx & E4300)
Price: ~$60
Notes: If you need the support for DDR SDRAM and/or AGP, this is it.
MicroATX – Mid-Range

ASUS P5K-VM (http://www.asus.com/products.aspx?l1=3&l2=11&l3=542&l4=0&model=1690&modelmenu=1)


Specs: G33 + ICH9. 1 x VGA. PCIe x16/PCIe x4/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/1/0/2*. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, Gb LAN, ALC883, coaxial S/PDIF out, IEEE 1394
Overclocking: ~500MHz (E6300)
Price: ~$120


ASUS P5E-VM HDMI (http://www.asus.com/products.aspx?l1=3&l2=11&l3=584&l4=0&model=1912&modelmenu=1)


Specs: G35 + ICH9R. 1 x VGA, 1 x HDMI, 1 x DVI (via the bundled HDMI to DVI adapter). PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/2*/1. PATA/SATA: 1/6, RAID, Gb LAN, ALC883, coaxial S/PDIF out, IEEE 1394
Overclocking: ~467MHz (IGD), ~540MHz (DGD)
Price: ~$135


GIGABYTE GA-G33M-DS2R (http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Products/Motherboard/Products_Overview.aspx?ProductID=2534&ModelName=GA-G33M-DS2R)


Specs: G33 + ICH9R. 1 x VGA. PCIe x16/PCIe x4/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/1/0/2* supporting CrossFire. PATA/SATA: 1/6, RAID, Gb LAN, ALC889A, S/PDIF header only, IEEE 1394
Overclocking: ~450MHz (E6300), > 333MHz (E4300, need DDR2-1111)
Price: ~$130
Notes: The available memory multiplier (BIOS F4a) is:
FSB 800 processors: 1.66, 2
FSB 1066 processors: 1, 1.25, 1.5, 2
FSB 1333 processors: 1, 1.2, 1.6
This means that you need very fast memory modules to overclock a FSB 800 processor. This restriction applies to all the GIGABYTE G33/G31 microATX motherboards.


Intel DG33TL (BOXDG33TLM, Tower Lake, Media Series) (http://www.intel.com/products/motherboard/DG33TL/index.htm)


Specs: G33 + ICH9R, 1 x VGA, 1 x DVI-D (HDCP-compliant), PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/2*/1, PATA/SATA/eSATA: 1/6/1 (eSATA sharing controller with SATA), RAID, Gb LAN, STAC9271D supporting Dolby Home Theater, optical S/PDIF out, IEEE 1394
Overclocking: N/A
Price: ~$126
Notes: A good stock motherboard
Previous Recommendations

abit Fatal1ty F-I90HD (http://www.abit.com.tw/page/en/motherboard/motherboard_detail.php?pMODEL_NAME=Fatal1ty+F-I90HD&fMTYPE=LGA775)


Specs: Radeon Xpress 1250 + SB600, 1 x VGA, 1 x HDMI, 1 x DVI (via the bundled HDMI to DVI adapter), PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/2*/1. PATA/SATA: 1/4, RAID, Gb LAN, ALC888, optical S/PDIF out, no IEEE 1394
Overclocking: ~370MHz (E6xxx & E4300)
Price: ~$105
Notes: A minor problem is that the SATA1 port is blocked when GeForce 8800 GTS is inserted.


Foxconn G9657MA-8EKRS2H (http://www.foxconnchannel.com/product/Motherboards/detail_overview.aspx?ID=en-us0000202)


Specs: G965 + ICH8R, 1 x VGA, PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/1*/2, PATA/SATA/eSATA: 1/4/1, RAID, Gb LAN, ALC883, coaxial & optical S/PDIF outs, IEEE 1394
Overclocking: ~320MHz (E6xxx), ~265MHz (E4300), ~290MHz (the BSEL-modded E4300)
Price: ~$104


Intel DG965OT (BOXDG965OTMKR, Stoughton, Media Series) (http://www.intel.com/products/motherboard/dg965ot/index.htm)


Specs: G965 + ICH8DH (supporting Intel Viiv), 1 x VGA, PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/1*/2, PATA/SATA: 1/6, RAID, Gb LAN, STAC9271D supporting Dolby Home Theater, optical S/PDIF out, IEEE 1394
Overclocking: N/A
Price: ~$119
Notes: A good stock motherboard
MicroATX – Low-End

GIGABYTE GA-G31M-S2L (http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Products/Motherboard/Products_Overview.aspx?ProductID=2693)


Specs: G31 + ICH7, 1 x VGA, PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/1/2*. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, Gb LAN, ALC6625.1 Ch., S/PDIF header only, no IEEE 1394
Price: ~$67


GIGABYTE GA-73PVM-S2H (rev. 1.0) (http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Products/Motherboard/Products_Overview.aspx?ProductID=2691)


Specs: MCP73PV, 1 x VGA, 1 x DVI, 1 x HDMI, PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/1/2*. PATA/SATA/eSATA: 1/3/1, RAID, Gb LAN, ALC889A, optical S/PDIF out, IEEE 1394
Price: ~$80
Notes: Very feature-rich, the memory controller supports only single channel and 2 DIMMs, however.
Previous Recommendations

GIGABYTE GA-945GCMX-S2 (rev. 6.6) (http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Products/Motherboard/Products_Overview.aspx?ProductID=2521&ModelName=GA-945GCMX-S2)


Specs: 945GC (A2) + ICH7. 1 x VGA. PCIe x16/PCIe x4/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/1/0/2* supporting CrossFire. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, Gb LAN, ALC888, S/PDIF header only, no IEEE 1394
Overclocking: ~320MHz (E6xxx), ~290MHz (E2160), ~333MHz (E2160 with BSEL mode)
Price: ~$50
Notes: Problems are reported for FSB 1333 processors. However it works fine with FSB 1333 processors at FSB ~320MHz.


ASUS P5L-MX (http://www.asus.com/products4.aspx?l1=3&l2=11&l3=194&model=1320&modelmenu=1)


Specs: 945G + ICH7, 1 x VGA, PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/1/2*, PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, Gb LAN, AD1986A 5.1 Ch., S/PDIF header only, no IEEE 1394
Overclocking: ~325MHz (E6xxx & E4300)
Price: ~$76
Notes: This is one of the few microATX motherboards that overclock well with Core 2 Duo E4300.
References

P35 Chipset Motherboards

AnandTech – P35 Motherboard Roundup (expected on August 20)


The under $125 boards fall into this rating -

1. GIGABYTE GA-P35-DS3L
2. abit IP35-E (not a big fan of the PCI GigE, no reason for it) (My comment: Gb LAN 88E8056 is PCIe!)
2.5 BIOSTAR TP35D2-A7 (last BIOS really fixed a lot of issues)
3. ASUS P5K SE
4. Intel DP35DPM (do not plan on real overclocking, great stock board)


The under $150 boards fall into this rating -

1. GIGABYTE GA-P35-DS3P (our favorite board right now for the money)
2. GIGABYTE GA-P35-DS3R
2. MSI P35 Neo2-FR (P08 BIOS brought the board alive)
2.5 ASUS P5K (latest BIOS might get this to a two)
3. abit IP35 (still a couple of bugs left to work out)
4. Foxconn P35A (should be a rebate on it so it will go under $125, at that point, nice choice)


Over $150-

Still working on it... We will have an exclusive on the new Foxconn MARS board (it is surprising) and just got started on the water cooling tests on the new ASUS Blitz boards plus DFI is set to deliver their P35 board next week (looks like it will be going for $299....), the surprise in this group is the abit IP35 Pro as abit finally got it right on a new release... (source: here (http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview.aspx?catid=29&threadid=2062360))


DriverHeaven.net – P35 Motherboard Roundup (GIGABYTE GA-P35-DQ6, abit IP35 Pro, ASUS P5K Deluxe/WiFi-AP, MSI P35 Platinum) (http://www.driverheaven.net/reviews/p35moboroundup/)


Editor's Choice (Highly recommended) Award: GIGABYTE GA-P35-DQ6
Shortlist (Worth Consideration) Award: abit IP35 Pro, ASUS P5K Deluxe/WiFi-AP, MSI P35 Platinum


ExtremeTech – A Trio of P35 Motherboards (ASUS P5K3 Deluxe/WiFi-AP, GIGABYTE GA-P35-DS3R, MSI P35 Platinum) (http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1697,2135685,00.asp)


Final Thoughts: "We were pretty impressed with Gigabyte's P35-DS3R board. Gigabyte's tactic of essentially cloning an existing motherboard design resulted in the best behaved board of the bunch. It didn't run hot, like the ASUS board, and it didn't show any quirks in performance, like MSI's Company of Heroes result."


TechSpot – 9-way Intel P35 motherboard round-up (abit IP35 Pro, abit IP35-E, ASUS P5K Deluxe, ASUS P5K-E, ASUS P5K-SE, ECS P35T-A (V1.0), GIGABYTE GA-P35-DQ6, GIGABYTE GA-P35-DS4, GIGABYTE GA-P35-S3L) (August 22, 2007) (http://www.techspot.com/article/61-intel-p35-motherboard-roundup/)


High end: ASUS P5K Deluxe
Mainstream: ASUS P5K-E
More affordable solutions: abit IP35-E
Below the $100 mark: GIGABYTE GA-P35-S3L


The Tech Report – Five flavors of Intel's P35 Express compared (abit IP25 Pro, ASUS P5K3 Deluxe/WiFi-AP, ASUS P5K Deluxe/WiFi-AP, GIGABYTE GA-P35-DQ6, MSI P35 Platinum) (http://www.techreport.com/reviews/2007q2/p35-mobos/index.x?pg=1)


Editor’s Choice: abit IP35 Pro and GIGABYTE GA-P35-DQ6


Tom's Hardware – Eight P35-DDR2 Motherboards Compared (ASUS P5K Deluxe/WiFi-AP, abit IP35 Pro, Foxconn P35A, GIGABYTE GA-P35-DQ6, MSI P35 Neo, MSI P35 Platinum, GIGABYTE GA-P35C-DS3R, MSI P35 Neo Combo) (http://www.tomshardware.com/2007/06/19/eight_p35-ddr2_motherboards_compared/)


Conclusion: "An insignificant performance lead for the MSI P35 Platinum might be nullified by the fact that the same board finished near the bottom in overclocking", "Gigabyte's exceptionally-overclockable GA-P35-DQ6 is probably a better choice for anyone who'd even consider tinkering with bus speeds.", "Perhaps Gigabyte's DDR2 plus DDR3 supporting GA-P35C-DS3R is worth a closer look", "the majority of users who already own P965-Express motherboards will be best-advised to wait for Intel's next chipset before considering the DDR3 plunge."


Tom's Hardware – Pipe Dreams: Six P35-DDR3 Motherboards Compared (ASUS P5K Deluxe/WiFi-AP, BIOSTAR T-Series TP35DC-A7 Deluxe, GIGABYTE GA-P35T-DQ6, MSI P35 Diamond, GIGABYTE GA-P35C-DS3R, MSI P35 Neo Combo) (http://www.tomshardware.com/2007/06/05/pipe_dreams_six_p35-ddr3_motherboards_compared/index.html)


Conclusion: "All the boards in today's review were so close in performance that benchmark results can't accurately determine a winner", "Each buyer must determine which "killer feature" set best suits his or her needs."
680i/650i Chipset Motherboards

AnandTech – 680i/650i Roundup


Silver Editor's Choice: ASUS P5N32-E SLI Plus





[URL="http://www.tomshardware.com/2006/12/21/680i-motherboard-comparison/"]Tom's Hardware – 680i Motherboard Comparison Part 1 (abit IN9 32X-MAX Wi-Fi, ASUS Striker Extreme, BFG nForce 680i SLI) (]FiringSquad – NVIDIA nForce 680i Roundup (GIGABYTE GA-N680SLI-DQ6, ASUS Striker Extreme, ASUS P5N32-E SLI and Plus, abit IN9 32X-MAX Wi-Fi)[/URL), Tom's Hardware – 680i Motherboard Comparison Part 2 (ECS PN2-SLI2+, GIGABYTE GA-N680SLI-DQ6, MSI P6N Diamond) (http://www.tomshardware.com/2007/02/22/680i_motherboard_comparison_part_2/)


Author's Note: "Lacking any perfect choice I must allow you to lead the way this time."


Tom's Hardware – Seven 650i SLI Motherboards Compared (abit FP-IN9 SLI, ASUS P5N-E SLI, ASUS P5N32E-SLI Plus, ECS NF650iSLIT-A, GIGABYTE GA-N650SLI-DS4, MSI P6N SLI Platinum, MSI P6N SLI-FI) (http://www.tomshardware.com/2007/05/24/seven_650i_sli_motherboards_compared/)


Author's Opinion: "The ASUS P5N32-E SLI Plus is the best equipped board in the comparison, but it's not a true 650i SLI chipset solution and is priced well above these. That would leave the MSI P6N SLI Platinum as an obvious editor's choice candidate, except for its fourth-place performance standing. Awards are generally reserved for obviously superior solutions, and the P6N SLI Platinum barely missed receiving one."
MicroATX Motherboards

AnandTech – µATX Overview: Prelude to a Roundup (August 7, 2007) (http://www.anandtech.com/mb/showdoc.aspx?i=3058), AnandTech – µATX Part 1: ATI Radeon Xpress 1250 Performance Review (abit F-I90HD, ASRock 4Core1333-FullHD) (August 28, 2007) (http://www.anandtech.com/mb/showdoc.aspx?i=3072), AnandTech – µATX Part 2: Intel G33 Performance Review (ASUS P5K-VM, GIGABYTE GA-G33M-DS2R, MSI G33M-FI) (September 27, 2007) (http://www.anandtech.com/mb/showdoc.aspx?i=3111)


Tom's Hardware – Can MicroATX Boards Do the Job? (ECS G33T-M2, GIGABYTE GA-G33M-S2H, MSI G33M-FI) (July 31, 2007) (http://www.tomshardware.com/2007/07/31/can_microatx_boards_do_the_job/)


"Clearly, it does not make sense to select a motherboard hoping to get the one that performs best. With performance largely out of the picture, features have been the main characteristic by which buyers have differentiated among motherboards." ... "Feature-wise, Gigabyte's GA-G33M-SH2 is a clear winner - but it is not energy efficient, leaving you with a trade-off to ponder."


X-bit labs – Contemporary Platforms with Integrated Graphics (ASUS P5LD2-VM, P5B-VM, M2NPV-VM, M2N-MX) (http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/chipsets/display/ig965-gf6150.html)


FORUM HardWare.fr – Monter un PC matx à base de C2D: petit mais costaud! (January 28, 2007) (http://forum.hardware.fr/hfr/Hardware/CPU-Mobo-Ram/topic-monter-i90hd-sujet_760299_1.htm) (There is a concise overclocking chart of various microATX motherboards)
Older Stuff

AnandTech – C2D MB Buying Guide: Eight Motherboards (ASUS P5W DH Deluxe, Intel 975XBX, ASUS P5B Deluxe, ASUS P5N32-SLI SE Deluxe, BIOSTAR TForce P965 Deluxe, GIGABYTE GA-965P-DQ6, DFI INFINITY 975X/G, ASRock 775Dual-VSTA) (http://www.anandtech.com/mb/showdoc.aspx?i=2797)


Recommendation: ASUS P5W DH Deluxe


AnandTech – P965 Roundup 1 (abit AB9 Pro, ASUS P5B-E, BIOSTAR TForce P965 Deluxe, GIGABYTE GA-965P-DS3) (http://www.anandtech.com/mb/showdoc.aspx?i=2860), AnandTech – P965 Roundup 2 (BIOSTAR TForce 965PT, GIGABYTE GA-965P-S3) (http://www.anandtech.com/mb/showdoc.aspx?i=2871), AnandTech – P965 Roundup 3 (MSI P965 Platinum, ECS PX1) (http://www.anandtech.com/mb/showdoc.aspx?i=2882), AnandTech – P965 Roundup 4 (Foxconn P9657AA-8KS2H) (http://www.anandtech.com/mb/showdoc.aspx?i=2898), AnandTech – Intel P965: Roundup Recap and Awards (http://www.anandtech.com/mb/showdoc.aspx?i=2914)


Gold Editor's Choice: ASUS P5B-Deluxe/WiFi-AP
Silver Editor's Choice: GIGABYTE GA-965P-DS3
Bronze Editor's Choice: BIOSTAR TForce 965PT & Foxconn P9657AA-8KS2H


Boot Daily – 975/965 Round-up (abit AB9 Pro, ASUS P5W64 WS Professional, GIGABYTE GA-965-S3, MSI 975X Platinum, MSI P965 Platinum) (http://www.bootdaily.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=213&Itemid=51)


Boot Worthy: MSI P965 Platinum


Digital-Daily – A roundup of motherboards for Intel Core 2 Duo processors (abit AW9D-MAX, abit AB9 Pro, ASUS P5W DH Deluxe, ASUS P5W64 WS Professional, ASUS P5B Deluxe, ASUS P5N32-SLI SE Deluxe, GIGABYTE GA-965P-DQ6, GIGABYTE GA-965P-DS3, GIGABYTE GA-965G-DS3, Foxconn 975X7AB-8EKRS2H, Foxconn P9657AA-8EKRS2H, MSI P965 Platinum, MSI P965 Neo-F, Intel D975XBX2, Intel DG965RY) (http://www.digital-daily.com/motherboard/mobo_roundup_2006/)


Overclocker's Choice: ASUS P5B Deluxe & GIGABYTE GA-965P-DQ6
Best Buy: MSI P965 Neo-F & Intel DG965RY


DriverHeaven.net – Intel 975 Chipset Motherboard Group Test (abit AW9D-MAX, DFI INFINITY 975X/G, Intel D975XBX) (http://www.driverheaven.net/reviews/775moboroundup/index.php)


Gold Award: abit AW9D-MAX
Shortlist Award: Intel D975XBX


ExtremeTech – Four Mainstream Core 2 Motherboards (abit AB9 Pro, ASUS P5B-VM, Foxconn P9657AA-8KSH2, GIGABYTE GA965P-DQ6) (http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1697,2082141,00.asp)


ExtremeTech – Overclocking Core 2 Motherboards (ASUS Striker Extreme, abit AW9D-MAX, MSI 975X Platinum, ASUS P5B-E, ASUS Commando) (http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1697,2088776,00.asp)


The Winner: ASUS Striker Extreme


Hardware.Info – Intel 965/975 mainboards for Core 2 Duo tested (P5B Deluxe/WiFi-AP, ASUS P5W DH Deluxe, DFI INFINITY 975X/G, ECS P965T-A, Foxconn P9657AA-8EKRS2H, GIGABYTE 965P-DS3, GIGABYTE 965P-DQ6, MSI P965 Neo-F, MSI P965 Platinum, MSI 975X Platinum V2) (http://www.hardware.info/en-US/articles/amdnY2psZGKa/Intel_965975_mainboards_for_Core_2_Duo_tested/)


Gold Award: ASUS P5W DH Deluxe & GIGABYTE GA-965P-DQ6
Bronze Award: Foxconn P9657AA-8EKRS2H


Hot Hardware – 975X Express Motherboard Round-Up: Foxconn, Abit, and MSI (abit AW9D-MAX, MSI 975X Platinum V2, Foxconn 975X7AB-8EKRS2H) (http://www.hothardware.com/viewarticle.aspx?articleid=893)


IT-review.net – C2D MB Round-up 1 (ASUS P5W DH Deluxe, abit AB9 Pro) (http://it-review.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=670&Itemid=91), IT-review.net – C2D MB Round-up 2 (GIGABYTE GA-965P-DQ6, MSI P965 Platinum) (http://it-review.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=680&Itemid=91), IT-review.net – C2D MB Round-up 3 (ASUS P5B, ASUS P5LD2 SE) (http://it-review.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=685&Itemid=91), IT-review.net – C2D MB Round-up 4 (ASUS P5N32-SLI SE Deluxe, Intel D975XBX2) (http://it-review.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=693&Itemid=91), IT-review.net – Core 2 Duo MBO Round-up: Part 5 (GIGABYTE GA-945P-S3, Final, Conclusion) (http://it-review.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=719&Itemid=91)


Editor’s Choice Award: MSI P965 Platinum
Value For Money Award: GIGABYTE GA-945P-S3


Tom's Hardware – Four 975X Motherboards (ASUS P5W DH Deluxe, Foxconn 975X7AB-8EKRS2H, Intel D975XBX, MSI 975X Platinum) (http://www.tomshardware.com/2006/10/11/four_975x_motherboards_for_core_2_duo/)


Editor's Choice: MSI 975X Platinum


Tom's Hardware – Seven P965 Motherboards Compared (abit AB9 Pro, ASUS P5B Deluxe/WiFi-AP, BIOSTAR TForce P965 Deluxe, Foxconn P9657AA-8KS2H, GIGABYTE GA-965P-DS3, GIGABYTE GA-965P-DQ6, MSI P965 Platinum) (http://www.tomshardware.com/2006/11/13/shootout_at_the_core_2_corral/)


Editor's Choice: MSI P965 Platinum
Recommended Buy: BIOSTAR TForce P965 Deluxe


Tom's Hardware – Four MicroATX Mobos for Core 2 (ASUS P5B-VM, Foxconn G9657MA-8KS2H, GIGABYTE GA-965GM-S2 (rev. 1.0), MSI G965MDH-FI) (http://www.tomshardware.com/2006/11/22/four_microatx__mobos_for_core_2/)


Choice: "If you want a platform that offers maximum flexibility, Foxconn seems to be the best choice" ... "If you find a Foxconn G9657MA that spots the optional Firewire controller chip we recommend going for this product, since it offers a broad feature variety at a presumably acceptable price. We found both ASUS and GIGABYTE to be slightly too expensive and we could not find MSI's new motherboard in retail channels yet. Should you merely be looking for a workhorse to power your new HTPC, watch out for the best deal on these motherboards."


TweakTown – Intel P965 Shootout Part 1 (ASUS P5B Deluxe, MSI P965 Neo-F, Foxconn P9657AA-8EKRS2H) (http://www.tweaktown.com/articles/963/), TweakTown – Intel P965 Shootout Part 2 (GIGABYTE GA-965P-DS3, abit AB9 Pro, BIOSTAR TForce P965 Deluxe, GIGABYTE GA-965P-DQ6) (http://www.tweaktown.com/articles/991/)


Best Performance!: ASUS P5B Deluxe
Best Value!: Foxconn P9657AA-8EKRS2H


FiringSquad – ASUS Core 2-ready Motherboard Roundup (ASUS P5B Deluxe/WiFi-AP, ASUS P5W DH Deluxe, ASUS P5N32-SLI SE Deluxe, ASUS P5NSLI) (http://www.firingsquad.com/hardware/asus_core_2_motherboard_roundup/)


Editor's Choice: ASUS P5W DH Deluxe


GamePC – Core 2 Duo Platforms From ASUS: A Top To Bottom Comparison (ASUS P5N32-SLI SE Deluxe, ASUS P5WDG2 WS Professional, ASUS P5W DH Deluxe, ASUS P5B Deluxe, ASUS P5B) (http://www.gamepc.com/labs/view_content.asp?id=c2dmb&page=1&cookie%5Ftest=1)


XTreview.com – Conroe Motherboard P965 Chart Review (abit AB9 Pro, ASUS P5B Deluxe/WiFi-AP, ASUS P5B-E, BIOSTAR TForce P965 Deluxe, ECS PX1, Foxconn P9657AA-8EKRS2H, GIGABYTE GA-965P-DQ6, MSI P965 Platinum) (http://xtreview.com/review156.htm)

___________
AMD Platform
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯

There are many chipsets for the AMD platform. Among them NVIDIA nForce 570/590 SLI and AMD 480X/580X CrossFire are the best chipsets for discrete graphics, The AMD southbridge is still weaker than NVIDIA, though. Among the IGP solutions from NVIDIA, AMD-ATI, VIA and SiS, AMD 690G and NVIDIA GeForce 7050PV are the best.

ATX – High-End

MSI K9A2 Platinum (http://global.msi.com.tw/index.php?func=proddesc&prod_no=1332&maincat_no=1&cat2_no=171)


Specs: RD790 + SB600, PCIe 2.0 x16/PCIe 2.0 x1/PCI: 4@(16,0,16,0),(16,0,8,8),(8,8,16,0),(8,8,8,8)/1/2. PATA/SATA/eSATA: 1/6/2, RAID, ALc888, optical S/PDIF outs, IEEE 1394
Price: ~$157


ASUS M2N32-SLI Deluxe/Wireless (http://www.asus.com/products4.aspx?l1=3&l2=101&l3=300&model=1163&modelmenu=1)


Specs: nForce 590 SLI, PCIe x16/PCIe x4/PCIe x1/PCI: 2/1*/1/2 supporting SLI, PATA/SATA/eSATA: 1/7/1, RAID, dual Gb LAN, AD1988B supporting DTS Connect, optical & coaxial S/PDIF outs, IEEE 1394
Overclocking: ~340MHz
Price: ~$167


Foxconn C51XEM2AA-8EKRS2H (http://www.foxconnchannel.com/product/Motherboards/detail_overview.aspx?ID=en-us0000172)


Specs: nForce 590 SLI, PCIe x16/PCIe x4/PCIe x1/PCI: 2/1/1*/2 supporting SLI, PATA/SATA: 1/6, RAID, dual Gb LAN, ALC882D supporting Dolby Digital Live, optical S/PDIF out, IEEE 1394
Overclocking: ~320MHz
Price: ~$180
Notes: The board is the same as the NVIDIA reference board.


GIGABYTE GA-M59SLI-S5 (http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Products/Motherboard/Products_Overview.aspx?ProductID=2302&ModelName=GA-M59SLI-S5)


Specs: nForce 590 SLI, PCIe x16/PCIe x4/PCIe x1/PCI: 2/1/2*/2 supporting SLI, PATA/SATA: 1/8, RAID, dual Gb LAN, ALC888DD supporting Dolby Digital Live and DTS Connect, optical S/PDIF out, IEEE 1394
Overclocking: ~307MHz
Price: ~$175
ATX – Mid-Range

ASUS M2N-SLI Deluxe (http://www.asus.com/products4.aspx?l1=3&l2=101&l3=301&model=1160&modelmenu=1)


Specs: nForce 570 SLI, PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 2/2*/3 supporting SLI, PATA/SATA/eSATA: 1/7/1, RAID, dual Gb LAN, AD1988B, optical & coaxial S/PDIF outs, IEEE 1394
Overclocking: ~315MHz
Price: ~$130


MSI K9N SLI Platinum (http://global.msi.com.tw/index.php?func=proddesc&prod_no=251&maincat_no=1&cat2_no=171)


Specs: nForce 570 SLI, PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 2/2*/3 supporting SLI, PATA/SATA: 1/6, RAID, dual Gb LAN, ALC883, optical & coaxial S/PDIF outs, IEEE 1394
Overclocking: ~315MHz
Price: ~$125


MSI K9A Platinum (http://global.msi.com.tw/index.php?func=proddesc&prod_no=259&maincat_no=1&cat2_no=171)


Specs: RD580 + SB600, PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 2/2*/2 supporting CrossFire, PATA/SATA: 1/4, RAID, dual Gb LAN, ALC883, optical & coaxial S/PDIF outs, IEEE 1394
Overclocking: ~335MHz
Price: ~$130
ATX – Low-End

There are many low-end nForce4 (renamed to nForce 500) chipset motherboards. However audio codec is AC'97, where only 2 channels work under Windows Vista (Which Audio Codec provides Windows Vista Logo? (http://www.asrock.com/news/vista-01.html)). Some motherboards avoid AC'97 using UAA USB audio codec (Vista-ready) instead.

GIGABYTE GA-M61P-S3 (rev. 1.0) (http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Products/Motherboard/Products_Overview.aspx?ProductID=2434&ModelName=GA-M61P-S3)


Specs: GeForce 6100 and nForce 430 (MCP61P), 1 x VGA, PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/2*/4, PATA/SATA: 1/4, RAID, Gb LAN, ALC883, S/PDIF header only, IEEE 1394
Overclocking: > 280MHz
Price: ~$73
Notes: A motherboard with IGP. It comes with all the basic features including IEEE 1394 (you still need to buy an S/PDIF bracket though) and overclocks very well.


GIGABYTE GA-MA69G-S3H (rev. 1.0) (http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Products/Motherboard/Products_Overview.aspx?ProductID=2554&ModelName=GA-MA69G-S3H)


Specs: AMD 690G + SB600, 1 x VGA, 1 x HDMI, 1 x DVI with the bundled adapter, PCIe x16/PCIe x4/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/1/3*/2 supporting CrossFire, PATA/SATA: 1/4, RAID, PCI Gb LAN, ALC889A, optical S/PDIF out, IEEE 1394
Overclocking: ~286MHz
Price: ~$87
Notes: A motherboard with IGP. It comes with all the basic features including an optical SPDIF out and IEEE 1394 and overclocks very well. Pros and cons as compared with GA-M61P-S3 are:
Pro: CrossFire support, HDMI/DVI/TV out, better audio codec, optical S/PDIF out
Con: No RAID 5, PCI Gb LAN (20% to 40% slower than a PCIe Gb LAN), more expensive
Pro/Con: more PCIe slots, less PCI slots


BIOSTAR TForce 550 SE (5.x) (http://www.biostar.com.tw/app/en-us/t-series/content.php?S_ID=180)


Specs: nForce 550, PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/2*/4, PATA/SATA: 1/4, RAID, Gb LAN, ALC888, S/PDIF header only, no IEEE 1394
Overclocking: > 300MHz
Price: ~$73
Notes: This is the best budget overclocking ATX motherboard. The difference between the vanilla and the SE is audio codec ALC883 vs. ALC888 (ALC888 is slightly better in SNR).
MicroATX – Mid-Range

GIGABYTE GA-MA69GM-S2H (rev. 1.0) (http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Products/Motherboard/Products_Overview.aspx?ProductID=2579&ModelName=GA-MA69GM-S2H)


Specs: AMD 690G + SB600, 1 x VGA, 1 x DVI, 1 x HDMI, 1 x component video, 1 x S-video, 1 x composite video, PCIe x16/PCIe x4/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/1/0/2*, PATA/SATA: 1/4, RAID, Gb LAN, ALC889A supporting DTS Connect, optical S/PDIF out, IEEE 1394
Overclocking: ~400MHz
Price: ~$80
Notes: The board is capable of full 1080p (H.264/VC-1/MPEG-2-encoded) HD DVD or Blu-ray playback with a faster processor (2.4GHz or higher). Gb LAN is on the PCI bus that is slower than PCIe Gb LAN.
Previous Recommendations

BIOSTAR TF7050-M2 (http://www.biostar.com.tw/app/en-us/t-series/introduction.php?S_ID=182)


Specs: GeForce 7050 PV and nForce 630a (MCP68PV), 1 x VGA, 1 x HDMI, 1 x DVI with the bundled HDMI-DVI converter, 1 x S-video, PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/1/2*, PATA/SATA: 1/4, RAID, Gb LAN, ALC888, S/PDIF header only, no IEEE 1394
Overclocking: ~326MHz
Price: ~$77


BIOSTAR TA690G AM2 (http://www.biostar.com.tw/app/en-us/t-series/introduction.php?S_ID=17)


Specs: AMD 690G + SB600, 1 x VGA, 1 x HDMI, 1 x DVI, 1 x S-video, PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/1*/2, PATA/SATA: 1/4, RAID, Gb LAN, ALC888, S/PDIF header only, no IEEE 1394
Overclocking: ~290MHz
Price: ~$75


ASUS M2A-VM HDMI (http://www.asus.com/products4.aspx?l1=3&l2=101&l3=496&model=1585&modelmenu=1)


Specs: AMD 690G + SB600, 1 x VGA, 1 x HDMI, 1 x DVI, 1 x composite/S-/component video, PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/1/2*, PATA/SATA: 1/4, RAID, Gb LAN, 5.1 Ch. ALC883, coaxial S/PDIF out, IEEE 1394
Overclocking: ~225MHz
Price: ~$86
MicroATX – Low-End

BIOSTAR TF7025-M2 (http://www.biostar.com.tw/app/en-us/t-series/content.php?S_ID=183)


Specs: GeForce 7025 and nForce 630a (MCP68S), 1 x VGA, 1 x DVI-D, PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/1/2*, PATA/SATA: 1/4, RAID, Gb LAN, ALC888, S/PDIF header only, no IEEE 1394
Overclocking: ~326MHz
Price: ~$68
Notes: The best among the budget microATX motherboards
References

AnandTech – AM2 MB Part 1 (BIOSTAR TForce 590 SLI Deluxe, MSI K9N SLI Platinum) (http://www.anandtech.com/mb/showdoc.aspx?i=2773), AnandTech – AM2 MB Part 2 (Foxconn C51XEM2AA, GIGABYTE GA-M59SLI-S5) (http://www.anandtech.com/mb/showdoc.aspx?i=2783), AnandTech – AM2 MB Part 3 (ASUS M2N32-SLI Deluxe/Wireless, EPoX EP-MF570 SLI) (http://www.anandtech.com/mb/showdoc.aspx?i=2787), AnandTech – AM2 MB Part 4 (MSI K9A Platinum, ECS KA3 MVP Extreme) (http://www.anandtech.com/mb/showdoc.aspx?i=2819)


Gold Editor's Choice: ASUS M2N32-SLI Deluxe/Wireless
Silver Editor's Choice: Foxconn C51XEM2AA-8EKRS2H
Bronze Editor's Choice: MSI K9A Platinum & EPoX EP-MF570 SLI


Boot Daily – AM2 Motherboard Round-up (ECS KA3-MVP, Sapphire PC-AM2RD580Adv, ASUS M2R32-MVP, abit Fatal1ty AN9 32X, ASUS M2N32-SLI Deluxe/Wireless, Foxconn C51XEM2AA-8EKRS2H, GIGABYTE GA-M57SLI-S4, MSI K9N SLI Platinum) (http://www.bootdaily.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=51&Itemid=60)


Boot-Worthiness: abit AN9 32X & ASUS M2N32-SLI Deluxe/Wireless


Digital-Daily – A roundup overview of motherboards for CPU AMD Socket AM2 (ASUS CROSSHAIR, ASUS M2N32 WS Professional, ECS KA3 MVP, Foxconn C51XEM2AA-8EKRS2H, GIGABYTE GA-M59SLI-S5, DFI LANPARTY UT NF590 SLI-M2R/G, MSI K9N Diamond, MSI K9N Ultra-2F, MSI K9NU Neo-V, EPoX EP-MF570 SLI) (http://www.digital-daily.com/motherboard/amd_socket_am2_roundup/)


The Best Motherboard: ASUS M2N32 WS Professional
Overclocker's Choice: ASUS CROSSHAIR


DriverHeaven.net – AM2 Motherboard 3-way Roundup (abit KN9-SLI, ASUS M2N-E, MSI K9N Platinum) (http://www.driverheaven.net/reviews/socket_am2_motherboard_roundup/)


Editor's Choice: abit KN9-SLI


FiringSquad – nForce 590/570 SLI Roundup Part 1 (GIGABYTE GA-M59SLI-S5, ASUS M2N32-SLI Deluxe, EPoX EP-MF570 SLI) (http://www.firingsquad.com/hardware/nvidia_nforce590_comparison/default.asp)


Hot Hardware – nForce 590 SLI for AMD Round Up: GIGABYTE, MSI and ASUS (GIGABYTE GA-M59SLI-S5, MSI K9N Diamond, ASUS M2N32 WS Professional) (http://www.hothardware.com/viewarticle.aspx?articleid=859)


Editor's Choice: GIGABYTE GA-M59SLI-S5


IT-review.net – AM2 MBO Round-up: Part 1 (DFI LANPARTY NF590 SLI-M2R/G, EPoX AF590 SLI2) (http://it-review.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=725&Itemid=91), IT-review.net – AM2 MBO Round-up: Part 2 (abit KN9 SLI, ASUS M2N-SLI Deluxe) (http://it-review.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=732&Itemid=91), IT-review.net – AM2 MBO Round-up: Part 3 (ASUS CROSSHAIR, GIGABYTE GA-M55S-S3) (http://it-review.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=735&Itemid=91), IT-review.net – AM2 MBO Round-up: Part 4 (GIGABYTE GA-M59SLI-S4, abit Fatal1ty AN9 32X) (http://it-review.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=742&Itemid=91), IT-review.net – AM2 MBO Round-up: Part 5 (abit KN9S, abit KN9 Ultra) (http://it-review.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=742&Itemid=91), IT-review.net – AM2 MBO Round-up: Part 6 (ASUS M2N4-SLI, ASUS M2N-E) (http://it-review.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=771&Itemid=91), IT-review.net – AM2 MBO Round-up: Part 7 (MSI K9N Ultra, MSI K9N Neo) (http://it-review.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=788&Itemid=91), IT-review.net – AM2 MBO Round-up: Part 8 (ASUS M3R32-MVP, MSI K9VGM-V) (http://it-review.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=797&Itemid=91)


The Tech Report – A fistful of nForce 590 SLI motherboards compared (abit Fatal1ty AN9 32X, ASUS M2N32 WS Professional, DFI LANPARTY UT NF590 SLI-M2R/G, ECS KN3 SLI2, MSI K9N Diamond) (http://techreport.com/reviews/2006q4/nforce590sli-am2/)


Editor's Choice: abit Fatal1ty AN9 32X


Tom's Hardware – Tom's Socket AM2 Motherboard Summer Slam (ASUS CROSSHAIR, ASUS M2N32-SLI Deluxe, BIOSTAR TForce590 SLI Deluxe, EPoX EP-MF570 SLI, Foxconn C51XEM2AA-8EKRS2H, GIGABYTE GA-M59SLI-S5, MSI K9A Platinum, MSI K9N Platinum) (http://www.tomshardware.com/2006/09/19/toms_socket_am2_motherboard_summer_slam/)


Choice: "As far as which is best for you, that's a matter of personal taste. But I've got to admit, that ASUS CROSSHAIR sure set itself apart from the pack with a whole shed load of bling-bling."


TrustedReviews – AMD Socket AM2 Motherboard Group Test (abit KN9 SLI, ASUS M2N32-SLI Deluxe/Wireless, Foxconn C51XEM2AA-8EKRS2H, GIGABYTE GA-M59SLI-S5, MSI K9A Platinum) (http://www.trustedreviews.com/motherboards/review/2006/09/15/AMD-Socket-AM2-Motherboard-Group-Test/p1)
MicroATX Motherboards

AnandTech – µATX Overview: Prelude to a Roundup (August 7, 2007) (http://www.anandtech.com/mb/showdoc.aspx?i=3058)


X-bit labs – Contemporary Platforms with Integrated Graphics (ASUS P5LD2-VM, P5B-VM, M2NPV-VM, M2N-MX) (http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/chipsets/display/ig965-gf6150.html)

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5. Memory
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Selection Guide
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DDR, DDR2 and DDR3

There are three major memory specifications for the desktop PC: DDR-SDRAM (JESD79, June 2000), DDR2-SDRAM (JESD79-2, 2003), DDR3-SDRAM (JESD79-3?, to be released in mid-2007). All three adopt the DDR (double date rate) technology that enables two data transfers per clock cycle. Thus the memory (bus) clock can be expressed in two units

MHz (mega hertz)
MT/s (mega transfer per second)
with the simple conversion formula: MT/s = 2 x MHz. For example, DDR2-800 is 800 MT/s in effective frequency and 400 MHz in actual frequency.

The primary difference between DDR and DDR2 is that DDR2-SDRAM runs its I/O (input/output) bus at twice the speed of the memory cells thus enabling higher peak throughputs and runs at a lower operating voltage 1.8V compared to DDR's 2.5V due to an improved manufacturing process. Further DDR3-SDRAM runs its bus at four times the memory cell clock and runs at 1.5V thus consuming lower power. For example, memory clock / I/O bus clock / data transfer rates is

DDR-400: 200 MHz / 200 MHz / 400 MTps
DDR2-800: 200 MHz / 400 MHz / 800 MTps
DDR3-1600: 200 MHz / 800 MHz / 1600 MTps
As for actual performance, there is not much clock for clock difference between DDR and DDR2, and between DDR2 and DDR3 under the currently available memory controller P35. If you are interested, please read for example AnandTech and iXBT's recent articles in references.

The majority of the current desktop motherboards support only DDR2-SDRAM, so you will buy DDR2-SDRAM modules. Intel's new Bearlake chipset supports both DDR2-SDRAM and DDR3-SDRAM and a few upcoming motherboards with this chipset support DDR3-SDRAM. However DDR3-SDRAM chips are still too expensive and they won't be the mainstream standard until 2009 according to HKEPC Hardware (http://www.hkepc.com/bbs/news.php?tid=782147&starttime=0&endtime=0).

Speed (DDR2-553, DDR2-667 or DDR2-800)

In Core 2 Duo systems, memory is connected to the CPU via the front side bus (and the memory bus) whose maximal theoretical bandwidth is

1066MT/s x 64bit/8bit = 8.533GB/s.

(Pentium and Core 2's FSB is 64-bit wide.) That only equals the bandwidth of dual-channel DDR2-533 or PC2-4200:

533MT/s x 64bit/8bit x 2 (dual channel) = 8.533GB/s.

(DIMMs have a 64-bit data path.) Therefore there is no big performance growth if you use memory faster than DDR2-533. This is confirmed by various benchmark tests in the AnandTech and X-bit labs articles. The story for Athlon 64 systems is slightly different. Because of the superior on-processor memory controller, AM2 has a wider memory bandwidth and its performance depends more on memory speed than Core 2 Duo. But playing movies is insensitive to memory subsystem and there won't be much performance difference even if the memory speed changes.

However if you overclock your system, then your memory will run faster as the memory frequency is proportional to FSB (in the Intel platform) and you will need faster memory modules. Please read Appendix III. Calculating Memory Frequency when Overclocking to see what memory frequency is necessary when overclocking the system. In general DDR2-800 modules are recommended for mild overclocking.

Size (1GB or 2GB)

Under Windows XP, you won't see any system performance difference between 1GB and 2GB. If budget permits, choose 2GB. Otherwise 1GB is enough. You can add another 1GB later if necessary. You should buy two sticks of 512MB modules for 1GB or two sticks of 1GB modules for 2GB to enable the dual channel mode.

Windows Vista is a different story. OS itself requires lots of memory space so that 2GB is standard.

Compatibility with the motherboard

You should check the hardware compatibility list of each motherboard or ask the memory manufacturer about compatibility before shopping memory modules.

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Recommendations
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There are plenty of good memory kits. I picked up only a few DDR2-800 memory kits. High-performance memory kits (targeted for overclockers) usually require higher voltage than the JEDEC specification (1.8V) and hence are compatible with a smaller number of motherboards. So I avoided this type of memory (that means there is no high-end recommendation). The source of "Compatibility" is Newegg.com customer reviews.

A-DATA Vitesta DDR2-800, 2GB Kit: ADQVE1A16K, 1GB Kit: ADQVE1908K (http://www.adata.com.tw/adata_en/product_detail.php?ProductNo=AD2800U)


Specs: CAS 5, 5-5-5-12, 1.8V, Elpida IC
Compatibility: ASUS P5B-E, ASUS P5B-VM, ASUS P5N-E SLI, ASUS M2N-SLI Deluxe, ASUS M2NPV-VM, Foxconn P9657AA-8KS2H, GIGABYTE GA-965P-S3, GIGABYTE GA-965P-DS3, GIGABYTE GA-965G-DS3, Intel DP965LT, Intel DG965WH, MSI 975X Platinum V.2, MSI P965 Platinum, MSI P6N SLI Platinum, MSI P6N SLI-FI, MSI K9NBPM2-FID, MSI K9N6SGM-V
Reviews: Legit Reviews – DDR2-800 7-way Memory Showdown (http://www.legitreviews.com/article/258/2/), techPowerUp! (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/AData/DDR2-800), Digit-Life – Memory Module Analysis. Part 16 (http://www.digit-life.com/articles2/mainboard/memdb-adata-ddr2-800.html)
Price: ~$89, ~$50


Wintec AMPX PC2-6400 2GB Kit: 3AXT6400C5-2048K (http://www.wintecindustries.com/orderdesk/products/productInfo.aspx?category_id=1758&product_id=25251)


Specs: CAS 5, 5-5-5-16, 1.8V
Compatibility: ASROCK 775Dual-VSTA, ASRock ConRoeXFire-eSATA2, ASUS M2N32-SLI Deluxe/Wireless Edition, ASUS M2N32-SLI Premium Vista Edition, ASUS M2N-SLI Deluxe, ASUS P5N-E SLI, BIOSTAR TForce 550, MSI P6N SLI Platinum, MSI P6N SLI-FI
Reviews: Tom's Hardware (Overclocking 9 Value-Priced DDR2-800 Kits; February 21, 2007) (http://www.tomshardware.com/2007/02/21/overclocking-9-value-priced-ddr2-800-kits/page6.html)
Price: ~$90


Corsair XMS2 DDR2-800, 2GB Kit: TWIN2X2048-6400, 1GB Kit: TWIN2X1024A-6400 (http://www.corsairmemory.com/corsair/xms2.html)


Specs: CAS 5, 5-5-5-12, 1.9V
Compatibility: abit KN9, ASUS P5W DH Deluxe, ASUS P5W64 WS Professional, ASUS P5B (vanilla, -E, Deluxe), ASUS P5N32-SLI SE Deluxe, ASUS P5N-E SLI, ASUS M2N-E, ASUS M2N-SLI Deluxe, ASUS M2N32-SLI Deluxe/Wireless, ASUS M2NPV-VM, Foxconn 975X7AB-8EKRS2H, GIGABYTE GA-965P-DS3, GIGABYTE GA-965GM-S2, GIGABYTE GA-57SLI-S4, GIGABYTE GA-M59SLI-S5, GIGABYTE GA-M55SLI-S4, GIGABYTE GA-M55plus-S3G, Intel D975XBX, Intel DQ965GF, Intel DG965SS, Intel DG965WH, Intel DP965LT, MSI K9N Platinum, MSI K9N SLI Platinum
Price: ~$96 (after mail-in rebate), ~$67


G.SKILL F2-6400CL4D DDR2-800, 2GB Kit: F2-6400CL4D-2GBPK, 1GB Kit: F2-6400CL4D-1GBPK (http://www.gskill.com/en/f2-6400cl4d-pk.html)


Specs: CAS 4, 4-4-4-12, 1.9-2.0V
Compatibility: ASUS P5W DH Deluxe, ASUS P5B (vanilla, Deluxe), ASUS M2N-SLI Deluxe, DFI INFINITY 975X/G, GIGABYTE GA-965P-DS3, GIGABYTE GA-M57SLI-S4, Intel DG965WH, MSI P965 Neo-F, MSI K9A Platinum, MSI K9N Platinum
Reviews: Hardwareoverclock.com (http://www.hardwareoc.at/Gskill-F2-6400CL4D-2GBPK.htm), Virtual-Hideout (http://www.virtual-hideout.net/reviews/GSkill_PC2-6400/index.shtml)
Price: ~$113, ~$75
Notes: PK = Performance King, HZ = Hi-Performance Zeus (G.SKILL Product Naming Rules (http://www.gskill.com/en/naming.pdf))
References

Memory in General

PC Perspective Forums – The Memory FAQ (May 5, 2004) (http://forums.pcper.com/showthread.php?t=320351)
Tom's Hardware – How Much RAM Do You Really Need? (December 13, 2005) (http://www.tomshardware.com/2005/12/13/how_much_ram_do_you_really_need/)
X-bit labs – 2GB of RAM: Do We Really Need That Much? (February 2, 2006) (http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/memory/display/2gb-ram.html)
Core 2 Duo and Memory

AnandTech – Conroe vs. AM2: Memory & Performance (July 25, 2006) (http://www.anandtech.com/memory/showdoc.aspx?i=2800)
AnandTech – ASRock 775Dual-VSTA: Does DDR2 matter? (August 8, 2006) (http://www.anandtech.com/showdoc.aspx?i=2810)
AnandTech – Intel Core 2 Duo: Memory Performance Part Deux (August 14, 2006) (http://www.anandtech.com/mb/showdoc.aspx?i=2813&p=5)
AnandTech – Intel P965: DDR2-667 Memory Performance ( October 26, 2006) (http://www.anandtech.com/memory/showdoc.aspx?i=2862)
bit-tech.net – Core 2 Duo: Effects Of Memory Timings (July 18, 2006) (http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/2006/07/18/core_2_duo_memory_timings/1.html)
X-bit labs – Choosing the Right Memory for Core 2 Duo Platform – Part 1 (September 8, 2006) (http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/memory/display/core2duo-memory-guide.html)

AM2 and Memory

Digit-Life – Dual-Channel DDR2-800 on AMD Athlon 64 X2 "AM2" (May 23, 2006) (http://www.digit-life.com/articles2/mainboard/ddr2-800-am2.html)
Digit-Life – Dual Channel DDR2-800 Memory on AMD Athlon 64 X2 "AM2". Part 2 (May 29, 2006) (http://www.digit-life.com/articles2/mainboard/ddr2-800-am2-fx62.html)
AM2+ and Memory

Digit-Life – AMD Phenom X4 Intel X48 and Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9770 Dual-Channel DDR2-800/1066 Memory (December 5, 2007) (http://www.digit-life.com/articles3/mainboard/ddr2-yorkfield-phenom-page1.html)
Digit-Life – AMD Phenom X4 In Real-Life Applications: How memory speed affects CPU performance (July 2, 2008) (http://www.digit-life.com/articles3/cpu/amd-phenom-x4-9850-ddr2-533-p1.html)
DDR2-SDRAM Memory Comparison

AnandTech – Conroe Buying Guide: High-Performance DDR2 (Buffalo FireStix PC2-8000, Corsair CM2X1024-8500C5, Crucial Ballistix CL1116N.LW, Kingston KHX8500D2K2/1G, Mushkin XP2-8000 Redline, OCZ PC2-8000 Platinum EL) (July 19, 2006) (http://www.anandtech.com/mb/showdoc.aspx?i=2797&p=15)


Recommendations: Mushkin PC-8000 Redline & Corsair PC2-8500C5 & OCZ PC2-8000 Platinum EL


AnandTech – Conroe Buying Guide: Value DDR2 (A-Data Vitesta DDR2-5300, Corsair Value Select DDR2-667, Kingston Value Ram DDR2-667, Mushkin eXtreme DDR2-667, Patriot DDR2-667, PQI Turbo DDR2-667, Wintec AMPX DDR2-667) (July 19, 2006) (http://www.anandtech.com/mb/showdoc.aspx?i=2797&p=17)


Recommendations: A-DATA Vitesta ELJKD1A16K & Wintec AMPX 3AXD2675-1G2S-R


DriverHeaven.net – DDR2-6400 7-Way Roundup (A-Data Vitesta DDR2-800 2X512MB, Corsair Twin2X2048-6400C3 kit, Crucial Ballistix PC2-6400 2GB kit, G.SKILL PC2-6400 2GBHZ kit, Mushkin XP2-6400 2GB kit, OCZ PC2-6400 Platinum Rev2 2GB kit, PQI PQI26400-1GBSB 2x1GB modules) (http://www.driverheaven.net/reviews/PC2-6400%207-way%20memory%20round-up/index.htm)


Gold Award: Mushkin XP2-6400 2GB kit
Editor's Choice Award: G.SKILL PC2-6400 2GBHZ & OCZ PC2-6400 Platinum Rev2 2GB kit


Legit Reviews – DDR2 PC2-6400 (800MHz) 7-way Memory Showdown (A-DATA Vitesta DDR2, Corsair XMS Pro XMS2-6400, Crucial Ballistix PC2-6400, Kingston HyperX DDR2-800, Mushkin eXtreme XP6400, OCZ Technology PC2-6400, SyncMAX Express PC2-6400) (http://www.legitreviews.com/article/258/2/)


Legit Bottom Line: "If you are weekend enthusiast who likes to overclock on a budget without having to brown bag lunch for a month the A-DATA Vitesta DDRII 800 memory line will get you to blazing 1GHz memory speeds for under $140 shipped for a one gig kit."


Tom's Hardware – Overclocking 9 Value-Priced DDR2-800 Kits (A-DATA Extreme DDR2 800+, Buffalo Select PC2-6400, Buffalo FireStix PC2-6400, Crucial Ballistix PC2-6400, Mushkin SP6400 Standard Value Memory, OCZ Gold GX XTC Revision 2 PC2-6400, PDP Patriot Extreme Performance, Wintec AMPO PC2-6400, Wintec AMPX PC2-6400 CAS 5, Wintec AMPX PC2-6400 CAS 4) (February 2, 2007) (http://www.tomshardware.com/2007/02/21/overclocking-9-value-priced-ddr2-800-kits/)


Editor's Choice: PDP Patriot Extreme Performance PDC22G6400LLK


X-bit labs – Choosing the Right Memory for Core 2 Duo Platform – Part 2: DDR2-1000, DDR2-1067 SDRAM (Corsair TWIN2X2048-8500C5, GeIL GX22GB8000DC, OCZ DDR2 PC2-8000 Platinum Extreme Edition, Patriot PDC22G8000ELK, Patriot PDC22G8000+XBLK) (September 13, 2006) (http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/memory/display/ddr2-800.html)


Editor's Choice: Corsair TWIN2X2048-8500C5, OCZ DDR2 PC2-8000 Platinum Extreme Edition, Patriot PDC22G8000+XBLK


X-bit labs – Choosing the Right Memory for Core 2 Duo Platform – Part 3: DDR2-800 SDRAM Modules Roundup (Corsair TWIN2X2084-6400C4, Crucial Ballistix BL2KIT12864AA804, GeIL GX22GB6400UDC, G.SKILL F2-6400PHU2-2GBHZ, Kingston HyperX KHX6400D2LLK2/2G, Mushkin 996523 XP2-6400 DDR2) (October 16, 2006) (http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/memory/display/ddr2-800.html)


Editor's Choice: Corsair TWIN2X2048-6400C4, Mushkin 996523 XP2-6400 DDR2


XTreview.com – Memory PC2-4200 DDR2-533 Chart Review Benchmark and Overclocking (Patriot PC2-4200 PSD21G5332, Kingston PC2-4200 KVR533D2N4/1G, Transcend JetRam PC2-4200 JM388Q643A- 5, TwinMOS PC2-4200 8D22KB-MK, Hynix PC2-4200 HY5PS12821C, Samsung PC2-4200 M378T2953EZ 3- CD5) (February 27, 2007) (http://xtreview.com/review178.htm)


TwinMOS PC2-4200 8D22KB-MK
Transcend JetRam PC2-4200 JM388Q643A- 5


List of chips used on DDR2 RAM modules (http://ramlist.ath.cx/ddr2/)
DDR3-SDRAM

AnandTech – DDR3 vs. DDR2 (May 15, 2007) (http://www.anandtech.com/memory/showdoc.aspx?i=2989)
iXBT – The first glance at DDR3 (in Russian) (May 15, 2007) (http://www.ixbt.com/mainboard/ddr3-rmma.shtml)

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6. Graphics Card
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Selection Guide
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The most important criteria for choosing a video card for HTPC are:

Hardware assist for decoding HD contents (of all three formats MPEG-2, H.264, and VC-1)
HDCP (High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection) support
Picture quality
How about HDMI? HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) is an high-definition digital audio/video interface that is replacing analog audio/video and older digital standards such as DVI and has become the de facto standard interface in the consumer electronics market. HDMI 1.0/1.1/1.2 provides 4.9 Gb/s bandwidth and the current HDMI 1.3 provides 10.2 Gb/s that has enough headroom for 1080p at 60Hz and 8 channel/24 bits/192 kHz LPCM audio (e.g. sounds decoded from the new digital audio codecs Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio) as the following simple calculation shows:

1920 x 1080 pixels x 60 Hz / 0.95 (5% overhead) = 131 MHz (megapixel/s), 131 MHz x 24 bits = 3.14 Gb/s
24 bits x 192 kHz x 8 channel = 36.9 Mb/s
HDMI video is compatible with the existing digital standard DVI and in fact one form can be converted to the other via a simple adapter. So there is nothing new. In contrast HDMI audio completely takes over the aged digital standard S/PDIF which supports only stereo PCM and 5.1 Dolby Digital/DTS with the maximum bandwidth around 12 Mb/s.

Unfortunately HDMI audio has not been realized yet in the PC world and we are still confined to S/PDIF. As a matter of facts, every HDMI video card simply passes S/PDIF signals from a sound card or onboard audio codec over the HDMI connector. Thus there is no real advantage of the current HDMI solution over the existing DVI + S/PDIF solution. Recent IGPs (ATI Radeon Xpress 1250 for Intel and AMD 690G) are no exception. Right now the only way to take the full-rate lossless multichannel sounds from the PC is use analog outputs.

http://img62.imageshack.us/img62/8041/spdifanalogvw4.png

The upcoming ATI HD 2000 series GPU has a built-in audio controller that makes it possible to grab audio outputs directly through the PCI Express bus, but the audio quality is still at the level of S/PDIF. The following figure shows the ideal HDMI audio solution we are waiting for that transmits lossless full-bitrate multichannel PCM audio streams.

http://img62.imageshack.us/img62/5209/hdmiaudiohx9.png

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NVIDIA Cards
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PureVideo HD

NVIDIA's second generation PureVideo HD (http://www.nvidia.com/page/purevideo_hd.html) engine provides 100% offload for H.264 decoding. That means that any decent PC with a video card with this engine can play back HD contents smoothly. The new engine consists of


VP2 (the new Video Processor)
H.264 BSP (Bitstream Processor)
AES-128 Decryption Engine (AES = Advanced Encryption Standard)
The first two engines accelerate the four major steps of the decode process for MPEG-2, VC-1, and H.264:

bitstream processing (reverse entropy) (by H.264 BSP; only for H.264)
inverse transform (by VP2)
motion compensation (by VP2)
deblocking (by VP2)
and the AES-128 Decryption engine accelerates the decode of the AES-128 encryption protocol. Among them offloading the bitstream process in the H.264 decode process dramatically reduces the CPU usage.

However there is no big difference in the CPU usage in decoding VC-1 between the original PureVideo HD engine and the reworked PureVideo HD engine as the bitstream processor is not for VC-1.

This is the video part. None of the NVIDIA cards is able to transmit 7.1 LPCM audio through its HDMI connector.

Cards

The second generation PureVideo HD is implemented in GeForce 8600 and 8500 series GPUs, but right now supported only under for Windows Vista. PureVideo HD support for the 8500 and 8600 GPUs under Windows XP is expected in June 2007. Here are brief specs:

NVIDIA GeForce 8600 GTS (codenamed G84-400) (http://www.nvidia.com/object/geforce_8600.html)


Specs: Core/Mem: 675/2000 MHz, gDDR3 256MB, transistor count 289 million. Dual dual-link DVI + HDTV. HDMI can also be supported at the board manufacturer's discretion (none exists so far). HDCP support (by mandate from NVIDIA). DirectX 10. Power consumption: 47.0 W (peak 3D), 30.7 W (peak 2D), 21.4 W (idle)
Notes: All the GTS cards follow the reference PCB design and most of them use the reference cooler. Therefore the only differences between these cards are core/memory clock, bundled accessories and aftermarket service.


NVIDIA GeForce 8600 GT (codenamed G84-300) (http://www.nvidia.com/object/geforce_8600.html)


Specs: Core/Mem: 540/1400 MHz, gDDR3 256MB, transistor count 289 million. Dual dual-link DVI + HDTV. HDMI can also be supported at the board manufacturer's discretion (none exists so far). HDCP support is optional. DirectX 10.
Notes: As the codename and the specs indicate, the 8600 GTS and the 8600 GT are physically the same except the clock speeds. However the reference cooler of the 8600 GTS is better than that of a 8600 GT card. Both 8600 GTS and 8600 GT top out at around core/mem: 760/2400 MHz. If you are interested in extreme overclocking, read NVIDIA 8600GTS Overclocking! (http://www.vr-zone.com/index.php?i=4875).


NVIDIA GeForce 8500 GT (codenamed G86-300) (http://www.nvidia.com/object/geforce_8500.html)


Specs: Core/Mem: 450/800 MHz, DDR2 256MB/512MB, transistor count 210 million. VGA + dual-link DVI + HDTV. HDCP support is optional. DirectX 10
You can see a complete list of GeForce 8600 and 8500 Series video cards in Appendix IV. Including it here is almost useless because every card is identical with the reference card! And almost all NVIDIA cards seem to be built by one company, Flextronics in China. Companies like BFG Tech, EVGA, and XFX are simply putting their own stickers and maybe cooling on the card then tweaking the BIOS with their own overclock settings (Hard|OCP (http://enthusiast.hardocp.com/article.html?art=MTA2OSwxLCxoZW50aHVzaWFzdA==)).

My Picks

So which GPU should you choose? As for HD contents playback, there is not much difference between 8600 GTS, 8600GT and 8500 GT as seen in the HARDSPELL article DX10 is universalizing: G86/G84 complete test! (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=10357876&&#post10357876). Unfortunately there are only a couple of 8600 GT / 8500 GT cards that support HDCP. There are noticeable differences between them for gaming, however. My picks are:

eVGA GeForce 8600GTS Superclocked 256MB 256-P2-N765-AR (http://www.evga.com/products/moreinfo.asp?pn=256-P2-N765-AR&family=23)


Spec: Core/Mem: 720/2100, the reference cooler
Price: ~$200
Notes: This is the best combination of clock speed, bundled accessories, warranty and price. You can save $20 by choosing the standard clock version eVGA GeForce 8600GTS 256MB 256-P2-N761-AR (http://www.evga.com/products/moreinfo.asp?pn=256-P2-N761-AR&family=23) (overclocking it is easy).


ASUS EN8600GTS SILENT/HTDP/256M (http://www.asus.com/products.aspx?l1=2&l2=6&l3=514&l4=0&model=1643&modelmenu=1)


Specs: Core/Mem: 675/2000, passive cooling, occupies two slots.
Price: ~$200


GIGABYTE GV-NX86S256H (http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Products/VGA/Products_Overview.aspx?ProductID=2512)


Specs: Core/Mem: 675/2000, passive cooling, occupies two slots.
Price: ~$197


PNY Verto 8600 GT 256MB PCIe VCG8600GXPB (http://www2.pny.com/8600-GT-256MB-PCIe--P2323C269.aspx)


Spec: Core/Mem: 540/1400, the reference cooler
Price: ~$150


ASUS EN8600GT SILENT/HTDP/256M (http://www.asus.com/products.aspx?l1=2&l2=6&l3=514&l4=0&model=1642&modelmenu=1)


Spec: Core/Mem: 540/1400, passive cooling, occupies two slots.
Price: ~$143
Notes: If you prefer 8600 GT with a passive cooling, this is it.


GIGABYTE GeForce 8500 GT GV-NX85T256H (http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Products/VGA/Products_Overview.aspx?ProductID=2516)


Spec: Core/Mem: 500/800, passive cooling
Price: ~$100
Notes: This is one of the few 8500 GT cards that support HDCP. If you don't care of gaming performance, this is the best bang for your buck.
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ATI Cards
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Avivo HD Technology

ATI's new Avivo HD Technology (http://ati.amd.com/technology/Avivo/index.html), the successor to the Avivo Technology, integrates two new engines:

Universal Video Decoder (UVD)
Advanced Video Processor (AVP)
The UVD features more or less the same functions as NVIDIA's PureVideo HD: offloading

bitstream processing/entropy decode
frequency transform
pixel prediction
deblocking
from the CPU, but in both VC-1 and H.264 codecs. (The old Avivo Visual Processing Unit, VPU, lacks the bitstream processing capability, just like the first generation PureVideo HD.) On the other hand the AVP allows the GPU to apply hardware acceleration and video processing functions while keeping power consumption low.

Another striking feature of the new ATI cards is a built-in audio controller that grabs audio output through the PCI Express bus and transmits it through HDMI. Unfortunately it supports only Dolby Digital 5.1, DTS and 32kHz, 44.1kHz, 48kHz/16-bit PCM stereo. Although it is a step forward toward the true HDMI audio, practically there is no advantage over the current S/PDIF passthrough solution.

Cards

Originally ATI planned to implement the UVD in X1xxx series GPU, but it did not happen. The upcoming ATI Radeon HD 2600/2400 GPUs (to be released in July 2007) integrate the Avivo HD Technology:

Radeon HD 2600 Series (codenamed RV630) (http://ati.amd.com/products/Radeonhd2600/index.html): HD 2600 XT, HD 2600 PRO
Radeon HD 2400 Series (codenamed RV610) (http://ati.amd.com/products/Radeonhd2400/index.html): HD 2400 XT, HD 2400 PRO
Note that the high-end model Radeon HD 2900 XT lacks UVD.

The upcoming IGP (Q1 2008)

AMD RS780
will also support DirectX 10 and the Avivo HD Technology.

References

Video Playback

AnandTech – NVIDIA and ATI HDCP Compatible Graphics Cards Roundup (http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=2874)
AnandTech – HD Video Playback: H.264 Blu-ray on the PC (http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=2886)
AnandTech – HD-DVD Playback: On the Xbox 360 & on NVIDIA GPUs (http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=2890)
AnandTech – Coming Soon to HD DVD: Silicon Optix HD HQV (February 8, 2007) (http://anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=2923)
AnandTech – NVIDIA GeForce 8600: Full H.264 Decode Acceleration (April 27, 2007) (http://anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=2977)
AnandTech – HD Video Decode Quality and Performance Summer '07 (July 23, 2007) (http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=3047)
Digit-Life – ATI And NVIDIA Graphics Cards In Video Decoding Tasks (http://www.digit-life.com/articles2/video/video_dec.html)
PC Perspective – NVIDIA PureVideo HD Technology - Is the PC Ready of HD Video? (December 05, 2006) (http://www.pcper.com/article.php?aid=328)
X-bit labs – Ready to HD: Performance of Contemporary Graphics Accelerators during Video Playback (http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/video/display/video-playback.html)
HQV Benchmark (http://www.hqv.com/benchmark.cfm)
Tom's Hardware – Avivo vs. Purevideo, Round 1: The Radeon X1000 vs. Geforce 7000 Generation (January 9, 2007) (http://www.tomshardware.com/2007/01/09/avivo-vs-purevideo/)
Tom's Hardware – AVIVO HD vs. Purevideo HD: What You Need to Know about High-Definition Video (June 8, 2007) (http://www.tomshardware.com/2007/06/08/avivo_vs_purevideo_hd/)
Tom's Hardware – AVIVO HD vs. Purevideo HD Part 3: Midrange and Low-end Card Performance (October 26, 2007) (http://www.tomshardware.com/2007/10/26/avivo_hd_vs_purevideo/index.html)
HDMI

AnandTech – Gearing up for HDMI on the Desktop (January 17, 2005) (http://www.anandtech.com/multimedia/showdoc.aspx?i=2321)
Audioholics – HDMI Audio Transmission for Blu-ray and HD DVD (April 4, 2007) (http://www.audioholics.com/education/frequently-asked-questions/hdmi-audio-transmission-for-blu-ray-and-hd-dvd)
Audioholics – Audioholics HDMI 1.3 Q&A (April 9, 2007) (http://www.audioholics.com/education/display-formats-technology/audioholics-hdmi-1-3-q-a)
Dolby – Ensuring Compatibility Between Next-Generation High-Definition Disc Players and Your A/V System (http://www.dolby.com/consumer/technology/trueHD/AVRs/trueHD_avrs_1.html)
TweakTown – Setting up HDMI on your HDTV: NVIDIA vs. AMD (December 21, 2006) (http://www.tweaktown.com/articles/1022/1/page_1_introduction/index.html)
GeForce 8600 and 8500 Series Reviews

AnandTech – DX10 for the Masses: NVIDIA 8600 and 8500 Series Launch (April 17, 2007) (http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=2970)
AnandTech – 8600 GT/GTS Follow-up Performance (April 24, 2007) (http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=2975)
AnandTech – NVIDIA GeForce 8600: Full H.264 Decode Acceleration (April 27, 2007) (http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=2977)
bit-tech.net – NVIDIA GeForce 8600 GTS (April 17, 2007) (http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/2007/04/17/nvidia_geforce_8600_gts/1.html)
Guru of 3D – GeForce 8600 GT and GTS review and Shootout (BFG GeForce 8600 GTS OC, GALAXY GeForce 8600GTS, Point of View GeForce 8600 GTS EXO, XFX GeForce 8600 GT/GTS XXX) (April 17, 2007) (http://www.guru3d.com/article/Videocards/426/)
HARDSPELL – DX10 is universalizing: G86/G84 complete test! (April 18, 2007) (http://www.hardspell.com/english/doc/showcont.asp?news_id=385&pageid=439)
Hot Hardware – NVIDIA GeForce 8600 GTS and 8600 GT (April 17, 2007) (http://www.hothardware.com/Articles/NVIDIA%5FGeForce%5F8600%5FGTS%5Fand%5F8600%5FGT/)
nV News – NVIDIA GeForce 8600 GTS Preview (April 17, 2007) (http://www.nvnews.net/previews/geforce_8600_gts/)
OCWorkBench – CeBIT 2007 : NVIDIA GeForce 8600GTS Photos Review (March 11, 2007) (http://www.ocworkbench.com/2007/nvidia/8600GTS/g1.htm)
OCWorkBench – CeBIT 2007 : NVIDIA GeForce 8600GT Photos Review (March 11, 2007) (http://www.ocworkbench.com/2007/nvidia/8600GT/g1.htm)
OCWorkBench – Test Environment of NV 8600GTS benchmark (April 16, 2007) (http://www.ocworkbench.com/2007/nvidia/8600GTS/b1.htm)
OCWorkBench – NVIDIA 8600GTS 3Dmark03 SLI Results (April 16, 2007) (http://www.ocworkbench.com/2007/nvidia/8600GTS/b6a.htm)
OCWorkBench – NVIDIA PureVideo HD on GeForce 8500 and 8600 series uses new Video processing engine (April 17, 2007) (http://my.ocworkbench.com/2007/nvidia/purevideo-HD/g1.htm)
techPowerUp! – NVIDIA GeForce 8600 & 8500 Preview (April 17, 2007) (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NVIDIA/G84_G86/)
Tom's Hardware – GeForce 8600: DirectX 10 For The Masses (April 17, 2007) (http://www.tomshardware.com/2007/04/17/geforce_8600/)
VR-Zone – Mainstream Graphics Arena: The Launch of the GeForce 8600 and 8500 series (April 17, 2007) (http://www.vr-zone.com/index.php?i=4902)
VR-Zone – NVIDIA 8600GTS Overclocking! (April 2, 2007) (http://www.vr-zone.com/index.php?i=4875)
X-bit labs – GeForce 8 Streams to the Mainstream: Asus GeForce 8600 GTS Review (April 18, 2007) (http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/video/display/geforce8600gts.html)
XTreview.com – 8600 GTS and 8600 GT Review and Benchmark (April 17, 2007) (http://xtreview.com/review190.htm)
Radeon HD 2000 Series Reviews

HARDSPELL.COM - Face to DX10 and HD times! HD2000 rounded test (May 21, 2007) (http://www.hardspell.com/english/doc/showcont.asp?news_id=622)
X-bit labs – Highly Defined: ATI Radeon HD 2000 Architecture Review (May 15, 2007) (http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/video/display/r600-architecture.html)
HQV

HQV Benchmark (http://www.hqv.com/benchmark.cfm)

_____________
7. Sound Device
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_______________
Recommendations
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Low-End

ASUS Xonar DX (http://www.asus.com/products.aspx?l1=25&l2=150&l3=0&l4=0&model=2015&modelmenu=1)


Notes: Good for both HTPC and gaming. Supports Dolby Home Theater technologies and DS3D GX 2.0 (a software audio processing engine that mimics effects of DirectSound3D and EAX 5.0). PCI Express x1.
Price: ~$90


Bluegears b-Enspirer (http://www.bgears.com/b-enspire.html)


Notes: Supports Dolby Digital Live and DTS Connect.
Price: ~$100


Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeGamer (http://www.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=209&subcategory=669&product=15853)


Notes: Don't be fooled by the name "XtremeGamer". It's surely the standard sound card for gamers (EAX 5.0 support by "ALchemy"). However the sound chip and the codecs are the same as the award-winning X-Fi XtremeMusic (http://www.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=209&subcategory=669&product=14066) (discontinued). Note that the cheaper model X-Fi Xtreme Audio (http://www.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=209&subcategory=669&product=15855) uses a different audio controller CA0106 (the same as Sound Blaster Audigy SE).
Price: ~$80.
Mid-Range

ASUS Xonar D2X (http://www.asus.com/products.aspx?l1=25&l2=150&l3=0&l4=0&model=1989&modelmenu=1)


Notes: Good for both audiophiles and gamers.
Price: ~$175


Auzentech Auzen X-FI Prelude 7.1 (http://www.auzentech.com/site/products/x-fi_prelude.php)


Notes: Good for both audiophiles and gamers.
Price: ~$170
________
Card List
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The following is a partial list of PCI sound cards. Cards are classified by the audio processor.

C-Media Oxygen CMI8788

C-Media Oxygen CMI8788 (http://www.cmedia.com.tw/?q=en/pci/cmi8788)


Specs: 32-bit/192kHz, in/out: 8/12, no Dolby Digital or DTS decoders, support for Dolby Digital Live and DTS Connect encoders, EAX 2.0 (32 voices), no OpenAL
Notes:
Forums: Hardware Upgrade Forum (Schede con CMI8788 Oxygen HD [DD Live & DTS Connect] (Razer, Auzentech, Bluegears..)) (http://www.hwupgrade.it/forum/showthread.php?t=1397323)


ASUS Xonar D2/PM (http://www.asus.com/products.aspx?l1=25&l2=144&l3=0&l4=0&model=1769&modelmenu=1)


Specs: ASUS AV200 Sound Processor. PCI. Support for Dolby Home Theater technologies, DTS Connect and DS3D GX 1.0.
Accessories: 10 feet TOSLINK optical cable, four 3.5mm-to-RCA cables
Reviews: APH Networks (October 20, 2007) (http://aphnetworks.com/reviews/asus_xonar_d2), bit-tech.net (September 3, 2007)) (http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/2007/09/03/asus_xonar_d2/1), CDRinfo (September 10, 2007) (http://www.cdrinfo.com/Sections/Reviews/Specific.aspx?ArticleId=21355), CPU3D (October 12, 2007) (http://www.cpu3d.com/content/view/2239/55/), Custom PC (September 20, 2007) (http://www.custompc.co.uk/reviews/125904/asus-xonar-d2.html), DriverHeaven.net (Auzentech X-Fi Prelude 7.1 and ASUS Xonar D2; September 1, 2007) (http://www.driverheaven.net/reviews/preludeandxonarsoundcards/index.php), Elite Bastards (September 27, 2007) (http://www.elitebastards.com/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=468&Itemid=27), Hardware Canucks (October 6, 2007) (http://www.hardwarecanucks.com/forum/hardware-canucks-reviews/2808-asus-xonar-7-1-d2-review.html), Hot Hardware (October 24, 2007) (http://www.hothardware.com/Articles/ASUS%5FXonar%5FD2%5FUltra%5FFidelity%5F71%5FPCI%5FSound%5FCa rd/), InsideHW (November 30, 2007) (http://www.insidehw.com/content/view/332/9/), PC Pro (August 7, 2007) (http://www.pcpro.co.uk/reviews/121497/asus-xonar-d2.html), Techgage (September 3, 2007) (http://techgage.com/article/asus_xonar_d2_sound_card/), TrustedReviews (August 2, 2007) (http://www.trustedreviews.com/multimedia/review/2007/08/02/Asus-Xonar-D2-Sound-Card/p1), TweakTown (September 3, 2007) (http://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/1173/asus_xonar_d2_ultra_fidelity_sound_card/index.html), VR-Zone (August 1, 2007) (http://www.vr-zone.com/articles/Asus_Xonar_D2_RMAA_Results/5135.html)
Forums: AVS Forum (The Xonar 7.1 Thread) (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=897555)
Price: ~$175


ASUS Xonar D2X (http://www.asus.com/products.aspx?l1=25&l2=150&l3=0&l4=0&model=1989&modelmenu=1)


Specs: ASUS AV200 Sound Processor. PCI Express x1. Support for Dolby Home Theater technologies, DTS Connect and DS3D GX 1.0.
Accessories: 10 feet TOSLINK optical cable, four 3.5mm-to-RCA cables
Reviews: bit-tech.net (January 13, 2008) (http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/2008/01/13/asus_xonar_d2x_pci-express_soundcard/1), Elite Bastards (November 29, 2007) (http://www.elitebastards.com/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=496&Itemid=27), The Tech Report (Remixed audio cards in Windows Vista; January 14, 2008) (http://techreport.com/articles.x/13874)
Price: ~$175
Notes: This is basically the same as Xonar D2/PM, with the PLX PEX 8111 (http://www.plxtech.com/products/expresslane/pex8111.asp) PCI Express-to-PCI bridge chip.


ASUS Xonar DX (http://www.asus.com/products.aspx?l1=25&l2=150&l3=0&l4=0&model=2015&modelmenu=1)


Specs: ASUS AV100 Sound Processor. PCI Express x1. Support for Dolby Home Theater technologies and DS3D GX 2.0.
Accessories: a low-profile bracket.
Price: ~$90


Auzentech Auzen X-Meridian 7.1 (http://www.auzentech.com/site/products/x-meridian.php) (discontinued)


Specs:
Accessories: 10 feet TOSLINK optical cable
Notes: One of the prominent features of this card is its original design and in particular swappable opamps. A popular opamp is National Semiconductor L4562 (http://www.national.com/pf/LM/LM4562.html). You can buy it from Digi-Key (http://www.digikey.com/scripts/dksearch/dksus.dll?Detail?Ref=39947&Row=724928&Site=US) ($5.50 per piece). An X-Tension DIN (http://www.auzentech.com/site/products/x-tension_din.php) add-on card (sold seperatly) sports additional S/PDIF connections, G9 Digital Multi Outputs supporting 7.1 LPCM and a MIDI interface.
Reviews: Club Overclocker (November 22, 2006) (http://www.cluboverclocker.com/reviews/sound/XMeridian/index.htm), DriverHeaven.net (January 7, 2007) (http://www.driverheaven.net/reviews/auzentech/index.php), Elite Bastards (January 10, 2007) (http://www.elitebastards.com/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=282&Itemid=27), Guru of 3D (December 13, 2006) (http://www.guru3d.com/article/sound/399/), nV News (November 20, 2006) (http://www.nvnews.net/reviews/auzentech_xmeridian/index.shtml), Rage3D.com (January 23, 2007) (http://www.rage3d.com/reviews/sound/auzentechxmeridian/), Reg Hardware (November 23, 2006) (http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/11/23/review_auzentech_x-meridian/), Techgage (February 28, 2007) (http://techgage.com/article/auzentech_x-meridian_71/), The Tech Report (February 2, 2007) (http://techreport.com/reviews/2007q1/oxygen-sound-cards/), ThinkComputers.org (December 12, 2006) (http://www.thinkcomputers.org/index.php?x=reviews&id=532)
Forums: AnandTech Forums (The **OFFICIAL** Auzentech X-Meridian Thread) (http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview.aspx?catid=27&threadid=1885218), AVS Forum (The X-Meridian 7.1 Thread) (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=792354), AVS Forum (X-Fi Elite or X-Meridian Sound Card) (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=765317), Guru3D.com Forums (Auzentech X-Purity/X-Meridian Specs) (http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=183439), Guru3D.com Forums (Auzentech X-Meridian Discussion Thread Part 2) (http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=212119), Hard|Forum (Auzentech X Meridian is finally out!) (http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1113796)
Price: ~$170


Bluegears b-Enspirer (http://www.bgears.com/b-enspire.html)


Specs: no front panel audio
Accessories: 6 feet TOSLINK optical cable
Notes: The same as the reference card.
Reviews: A True Review (November 18, 2006) (http://www.atruereview.com/bluegears_enspirer/index.php), Benchmark Reviews (http://benchmarkreviews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=36), Bjorn3d.com (October 11, 2006) (http://www.bjorn3d.com/read.php?cID=975) (Golden Bear Award), Custom PC (May 25, 2007) (http://www.custompc.co.uk/reviews/114105/bluegears-b-enspirer.html), Elite Bastards (January 4, 2007) (http://www.elitebastards.com/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=278&Itemid=27), Overclockers New Zealand (October 25, 2006) (http://www.overclockers.co.nz/ocnz/review.php?id=06misc0audio000bluegearenspirer0104), Penstarsys.com (http://www.penstarsys.com/reviews/sound/bluegears/b-enspirer/index.html), Virtual-Hideout (September 26, 2006) (http://www.virtual-hideout.net/reviews/Bluegears_Enspirer/index.shtml)
Forums:
Price: ~$90


Sondigo Inferno (http://www.sondigo.com/inferno)


Specs: no front panel audio
Accessories: 6 feet TOSLINK optical cable
Notes: The same as the reference card.
Reviews: bit-tech.net (October 12, 2006) (http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/2006/10/12/sondigo_inferno_pci_soundcard/1.html), ChileHardWare (December 27, 2006) (http://www.chilehardware.com/review_200612271.html), The Tech Report (February 2, 2007) (http://techreport.com/reviews/2007q1/oxygen-sound-cards/index.x?pg=3), Viper Lair (January 26, 2007) (http://viperlair.com/reviews/multimedia/soundcard/inferno/index.shtml)
Forums:
Price: ~$80 (at Newegg.com)


HT OMEGA CLARO (http://www.htomega.com/rgboard/view.php?&bbs_id=soundcards&page=&doc_num=8)


Specs:
Accessories: 10 feet TOSLINK optical cable
Notes:
Reviews: Benchmark Reviews (January 19, 2007) (http://benchmarkreviews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=23&Itemid=1), bit-tech.net (March 9, 2007) (http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/2007/03/09/HT_Omega_Claro/1.html), Bjorn3d.com (February 9, 2007) (http://www.bjorn3d.com/read.php?cID=1051), Club Overclocker (January 26, 2007) (http://www.cluboc.net/reviews/sound/HT_Omega/Claro/index.htm), DragonSteelMods (http://www.dragonsteelmods.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1776&Itemid=38), Elite Bastards (March 12, 2007) (http://www.elitebastards.com/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=318&Itemid=27),
Forums:
Price: ~$140


HT OMEGA CLARO plus+ (http://www.htomega.com/rgboard/view.php?&bbs_id=soundcards&page=&doc_num=14)


Specs:
Accessories: 10 feet TOSLINK optical cable
Notes: The only difference between CLARO and CLARO plus+ is opamps (LM833 vs. AD8620, $15 1pc!).
Reviews:
Forums:
Price: ~$175


Razer Barracuda AC-1 (http://www.razerzone.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2_16&products_id=41)


Specs:
Accessories:
Notes:
Reviews: Hardware Zone (March 21, 2007) (http://www.hardwarezone.com/news/view.php?cid=2&id=6486), PCApex.com (February 21, 2007) (http://reviews.pcapex.com/audio_hardware/razer_barracuda_ac-1_game_sound_card.php), Phoronix (November 22, 2006) (http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=article&item=590&num=1), OverClock Intelligence Agency (January 3, 2007) (http://www.ocia.net/reviews/razerbarracudaaudio/page1.shtml), Overclockers Club (February 8, 2007) (http://www.overclockersclub.com/reviews/cuda_sound/), Techgage (April 6, 2007) (http://techgage.com/article/razer_barracuda_ac-1_sound_card/), Ultimate OC (January 28, 2007) (http://www.ultimateoc.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=78&Itemid=32), Virtual-Hideout (January 3, 2007) (http://virtual-hideout.net/reviews/Razer_AC1/index.shtml), XSReviews (May 4, 2007) (http://www.xsreviews.co.uk/reviews/headsets/razer-barracuda-ac-1/), XYZ Computing (February 21, 2007) (http://www.xyzcomputing.com/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=959)
Forums:
Price: $180 at Newegg.com (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16829153001)
E-MU EMU20K1 (CA20K1)

E-MU EMU20K1 (CA20K1)


Specs: no Dolby Digital Live/DTS Connect, EAX 5.0 (128 voices), OpenAL
Notes:
Reviews: ExtremeTech (Creative's New X-Fi Audio Processor; May6, 2005) (http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1697,1813719,00.asp)


Auzentech Auzen X-FI Prelude 7.1 (http://www.auzentech.com/site/products/x-fi_prelude.php)


Specs:
Accessories:
Notes:
Reviews: Club Overclocker (October 7, 2007) (http://www.cluboverclocker.com/reviews/sound/Auzentech/Prelude/index.asp), Custom PC (September 20, 2007) (http://www.custompc.co.uk/reviews/129254/auzentech-auzen-x-fi-prelude.html), DriverHeaven.net (Auzentech X-Fi Prelude 7.1 and ASUS Xonar D2; September 1, 2007) (http://www.driverheaven.net/reviews/preludeandxonarsoundcards/index.php), Elite Bastards (September 6, 2007) (http://www.elitebastards.com/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=456&Itemid=27), Guru of 3D (September 14, 2007) (http://www.guru3d.com/article/sound/456/), Hardware Canucks (September 4, 2007) (http://www.hardwarecanucks.com/forum/hardware-canucks-reviews/2485-auzentech-x-fi-prelude-7-1-review.html), nV News (September 24, 2007) (http://www.nvnews.net/reviews/auzentech_xfi_prelude/index.shtml), Overclock3D.Net (October 30, 2007) (http://www.overclock3d.net/reviews.php?/audio/auzentech_x-fi_prelude_7_1_sound_card/1), Techgage (October 2, 2007) (http://techgage.com/article/auzentech_x-fi_prelude/), The Tech Report (Remixed audio cards in Windows Vista; January 14, 2008) (http://techreport.com/articles.x/13874), XSReviews (September 3, 2007) (http://www.xsreviews.co.uk/reviews/audio-cards/auzentech-prelude-71/), X-bit labs (December 18, 2007) (http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/multimedia/display/auzen-prelude71.html)
Forums: AVS Forum (The Auzen Prelude 7.1 Thread) (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=897556), Hard|Forum (Auzentech X-Fi Prelude) (http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1180277)
Price:


Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Sound Card Family (http://www.creative.com/products/welcome.asp?category=209&subcategory=669&)


Reviews: ExtremeTech (August 19, 2005) (http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1697,1850360,00.asp), PC Perspective (November 02, 2005) (http://www.pcper.com/article.php?aid=177), X-bit labs (January 13, 2006) (http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/multimedia/display/creative-soundblaster-xfi.html)
Forums: AnandTech Forums – What's the difference between a X-Fi Elite, X-Fi Platinum, and an X-Fi Fatal1ty FPS? (http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview.aspx?catid=30&threadid=2026968)


Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Elite Pro (http://www.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=209&subcategory=669&product=14064)


Specs:
Accessories: Sound Blaster X-Fi I/O Console and Remote Control
Notes: Replacing the main opamp with LM4562 is explained in Head-Fi Forums (Hotrodding the X-Fi: A Layman's Guide) (http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=229350) (applies to all the X-Fi models).
Reviews: AnandTech (August 30th, 2005) (http://www.anandtech.com/multimedia/showdoc.aspx?i=2518), Digit-Life (August 22, 2005) (http://www.digit-life.com/articles2/multimedia/creative-x-fi.html), Digit-Life (Part 2. 24-bit Crystalizer; October 17, 2005) (http://www.digit-life.com/articles2/multimedia/creative-x-fi-part2.html), Digit-Life (Part 3. X-RAM; February 7, 2006) (http://www.digit-life.com/articles2/multimedia/creative-x-fi-part3.html), HEXUS.net (October 14, 2005) (http://lifestyle.hexus.net/content/item.php?item=3580), IT Reviews (October 14, 2005) (http://www.itreviews.co.uk/hardware/h828.htm), NordicHardware (October 26, 2005) (http://www.nordichardware.com/Articles/?skrivelse=441), nV News (December 5, 2005) (http://www.nvnews.net/reviews/creative_sb_xfi/index.shtml), TrustedReviews (August 22, 2005) (http://www.trustedreviews.com/multimedia/review/2005/08/22/Creative-X-Fi-Xtreme-Music-and-X-Fi-Elite-Pro/p1)
Forums: AVS Forum (X-FI Elite Pro - Is it an HTPC Pre-Pro Replacement?) (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=591103), AVS Forum (X-Fi Elite or X-Meridian Sound Card) (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=765317), Head-Fi Forums (Hotrodding the X-Fi: A Layman's Guide) (http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=229350)
Price: ~$220


Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Fatal1ty (http://www.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=209&subcategory=669&product=14000)


Specs:
Accessories: Sound Blaster X-Fi I/O Drive and Remote Control
Notes:
Reviews: bit-tech.net (October 31, 2005) (http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/2005/10/31/creative_xfi/1.html), Guru of 3D (August 22, 2005) (http://www.guru3d.com/article/sound/246/2/), hardCOREware.net (May 5, 2006) (http://www.hardcoreware.net/reviews/review-331-1.htm), Rbmods.com (November 15, 2005) (http://www.rbmods.com/Articles/Creative/X_fi_fatal1ty/1.php), TechSpot (February 3, 2006) (http://www.techspot.com/reviews/hardware/soundblaster_xfi/)The Tech Report (March 17, 2006) (http://techreport.com/reviews/2006q1/xfi-fatal1ty/), XSReviews (October 12, 2006) (http://www.xsreviews.co.uk/reviews-69.html)
Forums:
Price: ~$133


Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeGamer Fatal1ty Professional Series (http://www.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=209&subcategory=669&product=15854)


Specs:
Accessories:
Notes:
Reviews:
Forums:
Price: ~$130


Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeGamer (http://www.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=209&subcategory=669&product=15853)


Specs: Intel HD Audio compatible front panel header (the only X-Fi model that has this header)
Accessories:
Notes: The same chip and the same codecs as the rest of the X-Fi lineup (except for Elite Pro). No AD_Link connector, AD_EXT connector, X-RAM or SPDIF In. Use TOSLINK female to TOSLINK mini-male adapter (http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=104&cp_id=10423&cs_id=1042301&p_id=2671&seq=1&format=2&style=) for optical S/PDIF out.
Reviews: bit-tech.net (July 1, 2007) (http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/2007/07/01/creative_x-fi_xtremegamer/1), Custom PC (May 25, 2007) (http://www.custompc.co.uk/reviews/114104/creative-sound-blaster-x-fi-xtreme-gamer.html), PALgaming (February 12, 2007) (http://www.palgaming.com/hreviews.php?rid=2), Rbmods.com (January 17, 2007)) (http://www.rbmods.com/Articles/Creative/Xtreme_gamer/1.php)
Forums:
Price: ~$80


Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeMusic (http://www.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=209&subcategory=669&product=14066)


Specs:
Accessories:
Notes: You can purchase the Creative Sound Blaster Digital I /O Module (http://www.pricegrabber.com/p__Creative_Sound_Blaster_Digital_I_O_Module,__21989620) for optical/coaxial SPDIF in/out.
Reviews: Custom PC (October 27, 2005) (http://www.custompc.co.uk/reviews/79312/creative-sound-blaster-x-fi-xtreme-music.html), ExtremeMhz.com (December 29, 2005) (http://www.extrememhz.com/xtrememusic-p1.shtml), Guru of 3D (October 19, 2005) (http://www.guru3d.com/article/sound/265/), HardwareLogic (February 16, 2006) (http://www.hardwarelogic.com/news/118/ARTICLE/1093/2006-02-16.html), Hot Hardware (October 26, 2005) (http://www.hothardware.com/Articles/Soundblaster_XFi_XtremeMusic/), Modders-Inc. (July 7, 2005) (http://www.modders-inc.com/reviews-story--32.html), Overclockers Online (December 1, 2005) (http://www.overclockersonline.net/index.php?page=articles&num=331), PC Pro (December 2005) (http://www.pcpro.co.uk/reviews/78843/creative-sound-blaster-xfi-xtrememusic.html), PlanetX64 (February 27, 2006) (http://www.planetx64.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=85&Itemid=14), The Tech Report (October 11, 2005) (http://techreport.com/reviews/2005q4/soundblaster-x-fi/)
Forums:
Price: ~$75 (bulk)
VIA Vinyl Envy24HT (IC Ensemble ICE1724)

VIA Vinyl Envy24HT (http://www.via.com.tw/en/products/audio/controllers/envy24ht/)


Specs:
Notes:


AUDIOTRAK Prodigy 7.1 (http://www.audiotrak.net/prodigy71.htm)


Specs:
Accessories:
Notes:
Reviews: Big Bruin (March 21, 2004) (http://www.bigbruin.com/html/audiotrakprodigy.htm), Digit-Life (July 22, 2003) (http://www.digit-life.com/articles2/audiotrak-prodigy71/index.html), ExtremeTech (May 5, 2003) (http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,3973,1054770,00.asp), Gamepyre (November 12, 2003) (http://www.gamepyre.com/hardwared.html?aid=319&p=1), Guru of 3D (December 16, 2003) (http://www.guru3d.com/article/sound/105/), Hot Hardware (September 18, 2003) (http://www.hothardware.com/Articles/Terratec%5FAureon%5FVs%5FAudioTrak%5FProdigy/), Sound On Sound (August 2003) (http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/aug03/articles/audiotrakprodigy.htm)
Forums:
Price: ~$125


M-AUDIO Revolution 7.1 (http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/Revolution71-main.html)


Specs:
Accessories:
Notes:
Reviews: 3DXtreme (May 5, 2004) (http://www.3dxtreme.net/index.php?id=m-audiorevolution1), Digit-Life (March 6, 2003) (http://www.digit-life.com/articles2/m-audio-revolution71/index.html), FiringSquad (May 29, 2003) (http://www.firingsquad.com/hardware/m-audio_revolution_7.1_review/default.asp), Futurelooks (June 4, 2003) (http://www.futurelooks.com/display.php?i=181&p=1), GideonTech.com (April 24, 2004) (http://www.gideontech.com/content/articles/14/1), Hot Hardware (June 24, 2003) (http://www.hothardware.com/Articles/MAudio%5FRevolution%5F71%5FReview/), IT Reviews (March 17, 2003) (http://www.itreviews.co.uk/hardware/h405.htm), L.A. Audio File (October 2003) (http://www.laaudiofile.com/revolution71.html), Legion Hardware (March 22, 2003) (http://www.legionhardware.com/document.php?id=238), Sharky Extreme (August 25, 2003) (http://www.sharkyextreme.com/hardware/article.php/3068541), Speedy 3D (August 1, 2003) (http://www.speedy3d.com/doc/article.php?faq=1&fldAuto=18), SystemCooling.com (April 06, 2004) (http://www.systemcooling.com/maudio_rev-01.html), TechSpot (May 20, 2003) (http://www.techspot.com/reviews/hardware/revolution71/), The Tech Report (April 1, 2003) (http://techreport.com/reviews/2003q2/maudio-rev/), TWEAKNEWS (March 19th, 2003) (http://www.tweaknews.net/reviews/revo/), X-bit labs (July 15, 2003) (http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/multimedia/display/revolution71.html)
Forums: Head-Fi Forums (AUDIOTRAK Prodigy 7.1 HiFi review) (http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=207135), PC Perspective Forums (Modifying the M audio revolution 7.1- Complete procedure) (http://forums.pcper.com/showthread.php?t=350965)
Price: ~$100
VIA Vinyl Envy24GT (IC Ensemble ICE1722)

VIA Vinyl Envy24GT (http://www.via.com.tw/en/products/audio/controllers/envy24gt/)


Specs:
Notes:


M-AUDIO Revolution 5.1 (http://www.audiotrak.net/prodigy71.htm)


Specs:
Accessories:
Notes:
Reviews: Digit-Life (April 12, 2006) (http://www.digit-life.com/articles2/multimedia/m-audio-revolution51.html)
Forums:
Price: ~$75
••• The following are prosumer sound cards (with a lower number of channels but better DACs and ACDs) •••

E-MU E-DSP

E-MU E-DSP


Specs:
Notes: Based on EMU10K2 (used in Audigy), focusing on the pro audio market


Creative Professional E-MU 1820M (http://www.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=237&subcategory=239&product=9871) or E-MU 1820M (http://www.emu.com/products/product.asp?product=9871)


Specs:
Accessories:
Notes:
Reviews: Digit-Life (December 6, 2004) (http://www.digit-life.com/articles2/creative-emu-1820/), ExtremeTech (April 6, 2004) (http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1697,1562422,00.asp), Samplecraze (http://www.samplecraze.com/reviews.php?xReviewID=3), Sound On Sound (June 2004) (http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/jun04/articles/emu.htm), TweakHeadz Lab (http://www.tweakheadz.com/review_of_the_emu_1820m.html)
Forums:
Price: ~$450


Creative Professional E-MU 1212M (http://www.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=237&subcategory=239&product=9872) or E-MU 1212M (http://www.emu.com/products/product.asp?category=505&subcategory=491&product=9872)


Specs:
Accessories:
Notes:
Reviews: Digit-Life (December 6, 2004) (http://www.digit-life.com/articles2/creative-emu-1820/), ExtremeTech (April 6, 2004) (http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1697,1562422,00.asp)
Forums:
Price: ~$150


Creative Professional E-MU 0404 (http://us.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=237&subcategory=239&product=10447) or E-MU 0404 (http://www.emu.com/products/product.asp?category=505&subcategory=491&product=10447)


Specs:
Accessories:
Notes:
Reviews: Sound On Sound (September 2004) (http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/sep04/articles/emu0404.htm), Tom's Hardware (November 4, 2004) (http://www.tomshardware.com/2004/11/04/creative/)
Forums:
Price: ~$90
VIA Vinyl Envy24 (IC Ensemble ICE1712)

VIA Vinyl Envy24 (http://www.via.com.tw/en/products/audio/controllers/envy24/)


Specs:
Notes:


M-AUDIO Audiophile 2496 (http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/Audiophile2496-main.html)


Specs:
Accessories:
Notes:
Reviews: Digit-Life (June 5, 2002) (http://www.digit-life.com/articles/maudioaudiophile/), PC Recording.com (March 21, 2001) (http://www.pcrecording.com/audiophile.htm)
Forums:
Price: ~$85
VIA Vinyl Envy24HT (IC Ensemble ICE1724)

VIA Vinyl Envy24HT (http://www.via.com.tw/en/products/audio/controllers/envy24ht/)


Specs:
Notes:


M-AUDIO Audiophile 192 (http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/Audiophile192-main.html)


Specs:
Accessories:
Notes:
Reviews: Digit-Life (October 16, 2006) (http://www.digit-life.com/articles2/multimedia/m-audio-audiophile192.html), Sound On Sound (March 2005) (http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/mar05/articles/maudiophile192.htm)
Forums:
Price: ~$140


VIA Vinyl Envy24HT-S (IC Ensemble ICE1721)


VIA Vinyl Envy24HT-S (http://www.via.com.tw/en/products/audio/controllers/envy24ht-s/)


Specs:
Notes:
Forums: AVS Forum (Envy24HT-S - The Definitive Source) (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=364771)


ESI Juli@ (http://www.esi-pro.com/viewProduct.php?pid=43)


Specs:
Accessories:
Notes:
Reviews: Digit-Life (September 22, 2004) (http://www.digit-life.com/articles2/esi-julia/index.html), PC Modding Malaysia (June 3, 2005) (http://www.pcmoddingmy.com/e107_plugins/content/content.php?content.249), Sound On Sound (January 2005) (http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/jan05/articles/esijulia.htm)
Forums:
Price: ~$150
FPGA DSP (Field Programmable Gate Array Digital Signal Processor)

Lynx Studio LynxTWO-B (http://www.lynxstudio.com/lynxtwo.html)


Specs: FPGA: Xilinx Spartan-II XC2S200 (http://www.xilinx.com/products/silicon_solutions/fpgas/spartan_series/spartan2_fpgas/index.htm)
Accessories:
Notes:
Reviews: Digit-Life (October 31, 2002) (http://www.digit-life.com/articles2/lynxtwo/index.html), eCoustics.com (http://www.ecoustics.com/secrets/volume_13_1/lynx-two-sound-card-2-2006-part-1.html), PC AV Tech (February 28, 2002) (http://www.pcavtech.com/soundcards/lynxtwo/), Sound On Sound (March 2002) (http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/Mar02/articles/lynxtwo.asp)
Forums: Lynx Support Forum (http://www.lynxstudio.com/forum/forum_topics.asp?FID=11&PN=1), AVS Forum (LynxTWO-B..the best sound card has gotten even better..) (http://archive2.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=509076&page=1&pp=30)
Price: ~$900


RME Hammerfall DSP (HDSP) 9632 (http://www.rme-audio.com/english/hdsp/hdsp9632.htm)


Specs:
Accessories:
Notes:
Reviews: Music Tech Magazine (November 5, 2003) (http://www.musictechmag.co.uk/mtm/reviews/hdsp-9632), Sound On Sound (November 2003) (http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/nov03/articles/rmehdsp9632.htm)
Forums: AVS Forum (RME HDSP 9632 Sound Card/HTPC Review) (http://archive.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?threadid=465391), AVS Forum (Bye bye M-AUDIO, welcome RME! Share the love thread...) (http://archive.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?threadid=413977)
Price: ~$600
References

Review Sites

Audioholics – Online A/V Magazine (http://www.audioholics.com/)
Sound On Sound (http://www.soundonsound.com/)
Other Forums

Audioholics Home Theater Forums (http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/)
Hard|Forum > Computer Audio (http://www.hardforum.com/forumdisplay.php?f=33)
Product Comparison

X-Fi Features Comparison (http://193.95.171.84/wwimages/audio_int/xfi/xfi_comparison.png)
X-Fi Connectivity Comparison (http://193.95.171.84/wwimages/audio_int/xfi/xfi_comparison_2.png)


The Tech Report – Remixed audio cards in Windows Vista: Asus' Xonar D2X and Auzentech's Prelude 7.1 go head-to-head (January 14, 2008) (http://techreport.com/articles.x/13874)


Editor's Choice: ASUS Xonar D2X


The Tech Report – C-Media Oxygen HD sound cards from Auzentech and Sondigo: Creative gets competition (X-Meridian, Inferno, X-Fi Fatal1ty, AD1988A) (February 2, 2007) (http://techreport.com/reviews/2007q1/oxygen-sound-cards/)


"So we like the X-Meridian, or at least we like it more than the Inferno. But would we recommend it over an X-Fi? No." "In the end, we can only recommend the X-Meridian if you have a specific need for real-time DTS or Dolby Digital Live encoding or if you have a set of high-end OPAMPs burning a hole in your pocket."


The Tech Report – Creative's Sound Blaster X-Fi audio processor: Xtremely good (X-Fi XtremeMusic, Revolution 7.1, Audigy2 ZS, ALC880) (October 11, 2005) (http://techreport.com/reviews/2005q4/soundblaster-x-fi/)


Editor's Choice: Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeMusic


The Tech Report – M-Audio's Revolution 7.1 sound card: Talking 'bout a revolution (Audigy, Audigy2, Revolution 7.1, DMX 6fire 24/96) (April 1, 2003) (http://techreport.com/reviews/2003q2/maudio-rev/)


"Quite simply, the Revolution 7.1 delivers the best sound quality I've heard from a sub-$100 audio card, making it an ideal addition to any PC used primarily for audio, video, or DVD playback." "hard-core gamers with low-end systems will be better off with an Audigy2."


The Tech Report – Examining the highs and lows: Seven PC audio solutions compared (Hercules Muse LT, Hercules Muse 5.1 DVD, Hercules Gamesurround Fortissimo III 7.1, Hercules DIGIFIRE 7.1, Creative Audigy, Terratec DMX 6fire 24/96) (January 9, 2003) (http://techreport.com/reviews/2003q1/soundcards/)


Editor's Choice: Terratec DMX 6fire 24/96 and Hercules Gamesurround Fortissimo III 7.1


AVS Forum – The best sound card for HTPC HD (February 13, 2007) (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=804827)
AVS Forum – Audiophile Grade : Sound Card (December 21, 2006) (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=772260)
AVS Forum – X-Fi Elite or X-Meridian Sound Card (December 9, 2006) (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=765317)
AVS Forum – Sound Card for PC (September 2, 2006) (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=718323)
AVS Forum – X-Fi vs. RME vs. Lynx (October 21, 2005) (http://archive2.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=593782)
AVS Forum – High end sound on a HTPC? (July 23, 2005) (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=561923)
AVS Forum – The Best Sound Card (December 1, 2004) (http://archive.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?threadid=476678)
AVS Forum – Which is the best HTPC sound card? (September 4, 2004) (http://archive.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?threadid=443966)
AVS Forum – High-End Analogue Sound Card Shootout: LynxTWO, RME DIGI96/8 PAD and Delta 1010 (LONG) (March 10, 2003) (http://archive.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?threadid=236215)

______
8. HDD
¯¯¯¯¯¯
_____________
Selection Guide
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯

Factors to consider when selecting a HDD, besides capacity, are performance, noise and heat dissipation, reliability and warranty period. I picked some of recent models in each drive capacity, in particular from the viewpoint of low noise and low heat dissipation. Currently a 500GB drive is the sweet spot and good for the single drive setup (possibly with a partition for OS and the other partition for data).

_______________
Recommendations
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯

160GB

Western Digital WD Caviar SE 160GB WD1600AAJS (http://www.wdc.com/en/products/products.asp?DriveID=254)


Specs: 160GB, 1 platter, 160GB/platter, SATA 3.0Gbps, 8MB Cache, 7200RPM
Warranty: 3 years
Price: ~$45
Reviews: AnandTech (http://www.anandtech.com/storage/showdoc.aspx?i=2920), Tom's Hardware – 2007 HDD Rundown (http://www.tomshardware.com/2007/01/16/2007-hdd-rundown/)
Notes: Runs cool and quiet. Don't confuse it with the older two-platter model WD1600JS (http://www.wdc.com/en/products/products.asp?DriveID=137).
320GB

Western Digital WD Caviar SE16 320GB WD3200AAKS (http://www.wdc.com/en/products/products.asp?driveid=299)


Specs: 320GB, 1 platter, 320GB/platter, SATA 3.0Gbps, 16MB Cache, 7200RPM
Warranty: 3 years
Price: ~$64
Notes: The latest single platter version.


Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 320GB SATA ST3320620AS (http://www.seagate.com/cda/products/discsales/personal/family/0,1594,757,00.html)


Specs: 320GB, 2 platters, 160GB/platter, SATA 3.0Gbps, 16MB Cache, 7200RPM
Warranty: 5 years
Price: ~$62


Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 SATA 3Gb/s 320GB ST3320613AS (http://www.seagate.com/ww/v/index.jsp?locale=en-US&name=st3320613as-barracuda-7200-11-sata-320g-hd&vgnextoid=e7c048e03b758110VgnVCM100000f5ee0a0aRCRD&vgnextchannel=47f281f8c0f43110VgnVCM100000f5ee0a0aRCRD&reqPage=Model)


Specs: 320GB, 2 platters, 160GB/platter, SATA 3.0Gbps, 16MB Cache, 7200RPM
Warranty: 5 years
Price: ~$70


Samsung Spinpoint T166 320GB HD321KJ (http://www.samsung.com/global/business/hdd/productmodel.do?group=72&type=61&subtype=64&model_cd=254&ppmi=1156)


Specs: 320GB, 2 platter, 160GB/platter, SATA 3.0Gbps, 16MB Cache, 7200RPM
Warranty: 3 years
Price: ~$70
Notes: Runs cool and quiet with good performance.
500GB

Samsung SpinPoint T166 500GB HD501LJ (http://www.samsung.com/global/business/hdd/productmodel.do?group=72&type=61&subtype=64&model_cd=259&ppmi=1156)


Specs: 500GB, 3 platters, 167GB/platter, SATA 3.0Gbps, 16MB Cache, 7200RPM, Startup 2.1A@12V & 0.7A@5V, Idle 7.1W
Warranty: 3 years
Price: ~$100
Reviews: StorageReview (http://www.storagereview.com/HD501LJ.sr)
Notes: The highest capacity of T166 Series. Runs cool and quiet with good performance.


Hitachi Deskstar P7K500 HDP725050GLA360 (http://www.hitachigst.com/portal/site/en/menuitem.e6b513c73a0b7518e8284977eac4f0a0/)


Specs: 500GB, 2 platters, 250GB/platter, SATA 3.0Gbps, 16MB Cache, 7200RPM, Startup 2.0A@12V & 1.3A@5V, Idle 4.8W
Warranty: 3 years
Price: ~$98
Notes: Problems are reported when AHCI mode is on with ICH9.


Western Digital WD Caviar GP WD5000AACS (http://www.wdc.com/en/products/Products.asp?DriveID=338)


Specs: 500GB, 2 platters, 250GB/platter, SATA 3.0Gbps, 16MB Cache, 5400RPM, Idle 3.3W
Warranty: 3 years
Price: ~$98


Western Digital WD Caviar SE16 WD5000AAKS (http://www.wdc.com/en/products/Products.asp?DriveID=301)


Specs: 500GB, 3 platters, 167GB/platter, SATA 3.0Gbps, 16MB Cache, 7200RPM
Warranty: 3 years
Price: ~$98
Notes: The new 3 platter model.


Hitachi Deskstar T7K500 HDT725050VLA360 (http://www.hitachigst.com/portal/site/en/menuitem.f053c8a6f66a6a14e85c1a70eac4f0a0/)


Specs: 500GB, 3 platters, 167GB/platter, SATA 3.0Gbps, 16MB Cache, 7200RPM
Warranty: 3 years
Price: ~$135


Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 500GB SATA ST3500630AS (http://www.seagate.com/cda/products/discsales/personal/family/0,1594,757,00.html)


Specs: 500GB, 3 platters, 167GB/platter, SATA 3.0Gbps, 16MB Cache, 7200RPM
Warranty: 5 years
Price: ~$105
Reviews: AnandTech (July 6, 2007) (http://www.anandtech.com/storage/showdoc.aspx?i=3030)
Notes: Drives manufactured in China/Thailand are reported to be very noisy.


Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 SATA 3Gb/s 500GB ST3500320AS (http://www.seagate.com/ww/v/index.jsp?locale=en-US&name=st500320as-barracuda-7200-11-sata-3-0-gb/s-500g-hd&vgnextoid=c89ef141e7f43110VgnVCM100000f5ee0a0aRCRD&vgnextchannel=47f281f8c0f43110VgnVCM100000f5ee0a0aRCRD&reqPage=Model)


Specs: 500GB, 2 platters, 250GB/platter, SATA 3.0Gbps, 32MB Cache, 7200RPM, Idle 8.0W
Warranty: 5 years
Price: ~$103
640GB

Western Digital WD Caviar SE16 640GB WD6400AAKS (http://www.wdc.com/en/products/products.asp?driveid=394)


Specs: 640GB, 2 platter, 320GB/platter, SATA 3.0Gbps, 16MB Cache, 7200RPM
Warranty: 3 years
Price: ~$110
Notes: The latest two-platter version.
750GB


Western Digital WD Caviar GP WD7500AACS (http://www.wdc.com/en/products/Products.asp?DriveID=337)


Specs: 750GB, 3 platters, 250GB/platter, SATA 3.0Gbps, 16MB Cache, 5400RPM, Idle 4.0W
Warranty: 3 years
Price: ~$140
Reviews: Silent PC Review (December 4, 2007) (http://www.silentpcreview.com/article786-page1.html)


Western Digital WD Caviar SE16 WD7500AAKS (http://www.wdc.com/en/products/Products.asp?DriveID=311)


Specs: 750GB, 4 platters, 188GB/platter, SATA 3.0Gbps, 16MB Cache, 7200RPM, Startup 2.5A@12V & 0.9A@5V, Idle 8.3W
Warranty: 3 years
Price: ~$148
Reviews: StorageReview (http://www.storagereview.com/WD7500AAKS.sr)
Notes: The second fastest 7200RPM drive. Runs very quiet and cool.


Samsung Spinpoint F1 HD753LJ (http://www.samsung.com/global/business/hdd/productmodel.do?group=72&type=61&subtype=63&model_cd=248&ppmi=1155)


Specs: 750GB, 3 platters, SATA 3.0Gbps, 32MB Cache, 7200RPM, Idle 7.7W
Warranty: 3 years
Price: ~$170


Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 SATA 3Gb/s 750GB ST3750330AS (http://www.seagate.com/ww/v/index.jsp?locale=en-US&name=st3750330as-barracuda-7200-11-sata-750g-hd&vgnextoid=1cd981f8c0f43110VgnVCM100000f5ee0a0aRCRD&vgnextchannel=47f281f8c0f43110VgnVCM100000f5ee0a0aRCRD&reqPage=Model)


Specs: 750GB, 3 platters, 250GB/platter, SATA 3.0Gbps, 32MB Cache, 7200RPM
Warranty: 5 years
Price: ~$153
1TB


Western Digital WD Caviar GP WD10EACS (http://www.wdc.com/en/products/products.asp?driveid=336&language=en)


Specs: 1TB, 4 platters, 250GB/platter, SATA 3.0Gbps, 16MB Cache, 5400RPM, Startup 2.3A@12V & 0.9A@5V, Idle 3.8W
Warranty: 3 years
Price: ~$225
Reviews: AnandTech (November 26, 2007) (http://www.anandtech.com/storage/showdoc.aspx?i=3161), ExtremeTech (October 25, 2007) (http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1697,2206485,00.asp), Mikhailtech (December 27, 2007) (http://www.mikhailtech.com/Reviews/Western_Digital/Western_Digital_Green_Power_1TB/page1), Silent PC Review (February 26, 2008) (http://www.silentpcreview.com/article804-page1.html), StorageReview.com (October 1, 2007) (http://www.storagereview.com/1000.sr)
Notes:


Hitachi Deskstar 7K1000 1TB HDS721010KLA330 (http://www.hitachigst.com/portal/site/en/menuitem.8027a91c954924ae4bda9f30eac4f0a0/)


Specs: 1TB, 5 platters, 200GB/platter, SATA 3.0Gbps, 32MB Cache, 7200RPM, Startup 1.4A@12V & 1.0A@5V, Idle 7.9W
Warranty: 3 years
Price: ~$270 (OEM, 0A35155), ~$305 (Retail, 0A34915)
Reviews: Silent PC Review (January 19, 2008) (http://www.silentpcreview.com/article799-page1.html), StorageReview (http://www.storagereview.com/HDS721010KLA330.sr)
Notes: The fastest and largest 7200RPM drive.


Samsung SpinPoint F1 1TB HD103UJ (http://www.samsung.com/global/business/hdd/productmodel.do?group=72&type=61&subtype=63&model_cd=249&ppmi=1155)


Specs: 1TB, 3 platters, 333GB/platter, SATA 3.0Gbps, 16MB/32MB Cache, 7200RPM
Price: ~$260
Reviews: The Tech Report (February 22, 2008) (http://www.techreport.com/articles.x/14200/1), Tom's Hardware (November 21, 2007) (http://www.tomshardware.com/2007/11/21/samsung_overtakes_with_a_bang/)


Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 SATA 3Gb/s 1TB ST31000340AS (http://www.seagate.com/ww/v/index.jsp?locale=en-US&name=barracuda-7200-11-sata-3-0-gb/s-1-tb-hard-drive-st31000340as&vgnextoid=0732f141e7f43110VgnVCM100000f5ee0a0aRCRD&vgnextchannel=47f281f8c0f43110VgnVCM100000f5ee0a0aRCRD&reqPage=Model)


Specs: 1TB, 4 platters, 250GB/platter, SATA 3.0Gbps, 32MB Cache, 7200RPM, Startup 1.9A@12V & 0.7A@5V, Idle 8.4W
Warranty: 5 years
Price: ~$245
Reviews: Bjorn3d.com (November 13, 2007) (http://www.bjorn3d.com/read.php?cID=1180), Hot Hardware (November 7, 2007) (http://www.hothardware.com/Articles/Seagate_Barracuda_720011_1TB/), Silent PC Review (February 19, 2008) (http://www.silentpcreview.com/article803-page1.html), The Tech Report (October 30, 2007) (http://techreport.com/articles.x/13440), TrustedReviews (December 17, 2007) (http://www.trustedreviews.com/storage/review/2007/12/17/Seagate-Barracuda-7200-11-1-Terabyte-Hard-Drive/p1), Viper Lair (February 5, 2008) (http://www.viperlair.com/reviews/storage/hdd/seagate/720011/index.shtml)
References

StorageReview (http://www.storagereview.com/)
StorageReview – 250 GB Drive Roundup (February 2, 2006) (http://www.storagereview.com/articles/200601/250_1.html)
StorageReview – SATA in the Enterprise: A 500 GB Drive Roundup (July 10, 2006) (http://www.storagereview.com/articles/200607/500_1.html)
Silent PC Review – Recommended Hard Drives (http://www.silentpcreview.com/article29-page1.html)
Tom's Hardware – 2007 HDD Rundown: Can High Capacities Meet High Performance? (January 16, 2007) (http://www.tomshardware.com/2007/01/16/2007-hdd-rundown/)
X-bit labs – 500GB HDD Shootout: Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 and Others! (October 31, 2006) (http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/storage/display/seagate-barra-720010.html)
X-bit labs – Battle for 160GB: Hard Disk Drive Roundup Part I (March 16, 2007) (http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/storage/display/160gb-roundup.html)

_____________
9. Optical Drive
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
________________
Blu-ray Disc Writer
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯

Internal

LG GGW-H20L Super Multi Blu-ray Disc Rewriter & HD DVD ROM Drive (US site) (http://us.lge.com/products/model/detail/computer%20products_optical%20drives_optical%20drives_GGW-H20L.jhtml)


Specs: Read: BD, HD DVD, DVD, CD; Write: BD-R 6x, BD-R (DL) 4x, DVD, CD, Interface: SATA, W146 x H41.4 x D185 mm
Price: ~$280


LG GGW-H10N Super Multi Blue Blu-ray Disc Rewriter & HD DVD-ROM Drive (Global site) (http://www.lge.com/products/model/detail/ggw-h10n.jhtml) or LG GGW-H10NI Super Multi Blue Blu-ray Disc/HD DVD Reader (US site) (http://us.lge.com/products/model/detail/computer%20products_optical%20drives_optical%20drives_GGW-H10NI.jhtml)


Specs: Read: BD, HD DVD, DVD, CD; Write: BD-R 4x, BD-R (DL) 2x, DVD, CD, Interface: SATA, W146 x H41.4 x D200 mm (without Bezel), W148 x H42 x D5 mm (Front Bezel)


LG GBW-H10N Super Multi Blue Blu-ray Disc Rewriter (Global site) (http://www.lge.com/products/model/detail/gbw-h10n.jhtml)


Specs: Read: BD, DVD, CD; Write: BD-R 4x, DVD, CD, Interface: SATA, W146 x H41.3 x D200 mm (without Bezel), W148 x H42 x D5 mm (Front Bezel)


LITE-ON LH-2B1S Blu-ray Disc Triple Writer (http://us.liteonit.com/us/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=241&Itemid=191)


Specs: Read: BD, DVD, CD; Write: BD-R 2x, DVD, CD, Interface: SATA, W145 x H41.4 x D170 mm
Price: ~$326


PHILIPS SPD7000BD Blu-ray Disc Drive (http://www.p4c.philips.com/cgi-bin/dcbint/cpindex.pl?slg=ENG&cat=PC_STORAGE_CA&sct=INTERNAL_DVD_REWRITER_SU&session=20080401044641_124.44.132.96&grp=PC_PRODUCTS_GR&ctn=SPD7000BD/00&mid=Link_ProductInformation&hlt=Link_ProductInformation)


Specs: Read: BD, DVD, CD; Write: BD-R 2x, DVD, CD, Interface: SATA, W146 x H42 x D173 mm
Price: ~$480


Pioneer BDR-202 Blu-ray Disc/DVD/CD Writer (http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/Products/BusinessProducts/Blu-rayDisc+DVDWriters/Blu-rayDiscWriters/BDR-202)


Specs: Read: BD, DVD, CD; Write: BD-R 4x, DVD, CD, Interface: SATA, W148 x H42.3 x D185 mm
Price: ~$420


SONY BWU200S Blu-ray Disc Rewritable Drive (http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&productId=8198552921665251949)


Specs: Read: BD, DVD, CD; Write: BD-R DL 4x, DVD, CD, Interface: SATA, W133 x H41.4 x D178 mm
Price: ~$600
External

LaCie d2 Blu-ray Drive (http://www.lacie.com/us/products/product.htm?pid=10867)


Specs: Read: BD, DVD, CD; Write: BD-R 2x, DVD, CD, Interface: USB & IEEE 1394
Price: ~$720
___________________
Blu-ray Disc ROM Drive
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯

Internal

LG GGC-H20L Super Multi Blue BD & HD DVD-ROM Drive (USA site) (http://us.lge.com/products/model/detail/computer%20products_optical%20drives_optical%20drives_GGC-H20L.jhtml)


Specs: Read: BD, HD DVD, DVD, CD; Write: DVD, CD, Interface: SATA, W146 x H41.3 x D185 mm (without Bezel), W148 x H42 x D5 mm (Front Bezel)
Price: ~$169
Forums: AVS Forum (The Official LG HD-DVD/Blu-ray Combo Drive Owner's Thread) (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=927751)


LITE-ON DH-4O1S BD-ROM Drive (http://us.liteonit.com/us/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=242&Itemid=191)


Specs: Read: BD, DVD, CD, Interface: SATA, W145 x H41.3 x D170 mm. A replacible sliver bezel is bundled.
Price: ~$150


Pioneer BDC-202 Blu-ray Disc/DVD/CD Combo Drive (http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/Products/BusinessProducts/Blu-rayDisc+DVDWriters/Blu-rayDiscWriters/BDC-202)


Specs: Read: BD, DVD, CD; Write: DVD, CD, Interface: SATA, W148 x H42.3 x D185 mm
Price: ~$150


SONY BDU-X10S Blu-ray Disc BD-ROM Drive (http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&productId=8198552921665305102)


Specs: Read: BD, DVD, CD; Write: DVD, CD, Interface: SATA, W133 x H41.4 x D178 mm
Price: ~$200
External

Addonics ZBH63DES Zebra Blu-ray / HD DVD player & DVD±R/RW burner (http://www.addonics.com/products/external_cd/mobilehd_dvd_rrw.asp)


Specs: Read: BD, HD DVD, DVD, CD; Write: DVD, CD, Interface: eSATA, W168 x H60 x D258 mm
Price: $409
Notes: The drive is LG GGC-H20N.


Addonics ZBH63DEU Zebra Blu-ray / HD DVD player & DVD±R/RW burner (http://www.addonics.com/products/external_cd/mobilehd_dvd_rrw.asp)


Specs: Read: BD, HD DVD, DVD, CD; Write: DVD, CD, Interface: eSATA & USB, W168 x H60 x D258 mm
Price: $429
Notes: The drive is LG GGC-H20N.

___________
10. TV Tuner
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯

Here is a quick list of TV tuners as many people are asking it. First I would like to mention a caveat.

What you can do and what you cannot do with a TV tuner

You can do:

Watch and record analog programs by NTSC tuner.
Watch and record digital programs from over the air (OTA) by ATSC tuner.
Watch and record unencrypted (or clear) QAM digital programs from cable (found usually on "basic" cable service) by ATSC tuner supporting QAM.
QAM (quadrature amplitude modulation) is a method of modulation used by most cable operators. Terrestrial broadcast uses 8VSB (8-level vestigial sideband) modulation.

You cannot do:

Watch and record encrypted QAM digital programs from cable (found on most premium channels).
There are several ways to get encrypted digital cable or satellite channels in PC.

Get a set top box (STB) from the cable or satellite company and connect it to the USB capture device Hauppauge HD PVR (http://www.hauppage.com/site/products/hd_pvr.html) ($249) via component cables (up to 1080i) and stereo RCA or S/PDIF. HD PVR includes a H.264 hardware encoder that records HD TV programs in HDD in AVCHD format in realtime.


If your STB has an IEEE 1394 port and is no-5C enabled, then you will be able to get digital HD contents in PC.


Use Nextcom R5000-HD (http://www.nextcomwireless.com/r5000/home.htm) ($425 to $550 depending on your STB), a Windows-based HDTV recording system installed in your STB and connected to your PC via USB 2.0. It works with Dish Network, DirecTV and certain cable systems with no-5C enabled STBs with no DRM.


Buy a pre-built PC equipped with Digital Cable Tuner (a.k.a. OCUR, OpenCable Unidirectional Receiver) and buy a CableCARD (a PCMCIA card) from the cable company. You cannot build your own PC with Digital Cable Tuner. Only an OEM who signed a legal document with CableLabs (the cable companies' oversight group) can build it (moreover a special BIOS and a special Windows Vista edition are required). An example of pre-built system with Digital Cable Tuner is HP Pavilion Elite m9000t series (http://www.shopping.hp.com/webapp/shopping/computer_can_series.do?storeName=computer_store&category=desktops&a1=Usage&v1=High+performance&series_name=m9000t_series). You have to pay $300 premium for Digital Cable Tuner.


Use TiVo HD DVR (http://www.tivo.com/whatistivo/tivohd/index.html) (160GB HDD, 20-hours HD; $250) with CableCARD. Transferring contents to PC is restricted to unencrypted ones, however.


Use HR20 DIRECTV Plus HD DVR (http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/global/contentPageNR.jsp?assetId=P4380062) (50-hours HD).
Among them the first method looks very promising. Several manufacturers are working on products similar to Hauppauge HD PVR and the price of a "HD PVR" device is expected to come down.
___
List
¯¯¯

TV Tuner

All the models below support clear QAM. Among them only Silicondust HDHomeRun and AVerMedia AVerTV Combo PCIe are supported by Vista Media Center as far as clear QAM is concerned, the others need its own application.

Silicondust HDHomeRun (http://www.silicondust.com/wiki/products/hdhomerun)


Specs: LAN
Price: $170
Forums: AVS Forum (HDHomeRun - Dual ATSC or QAM to Ethernet Box) (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=731457)


AutumnWave OnAir GT (http://www.autumnwave.com/Consumers/OnAir-GT.html)


Specs: USB
Price: $160
Forums: AVS Forum (AutumnWave / OnAir USB HDTV Tuners) (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=695589)


AVerMedia AVerTV Combo PCIe (http://www.aver.com/mpd/combopcie_mce.html)


Specs: PCI Express
Price: $85 (white box), $110 (retail)
Forums: AVS Forum ( Avertv combo pcie tuner) (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=796931)


Hauppauge WinTV-HVR-1800 (http://www.hauppauge.com/pages/products/data_hvr1800.html)


Specs: PCI Express
Price: $95 (white box), $105 (retail)


Hauppauge WinTV-HVR-2250 (http://www.hauppauge.com/pdfs/Hauppauge_Dual%20tuner_PCIe.pdf)


Specs: PCI Express
Price: $129


Vista View Saber DA-1N1-E Combo (http://www.vistaview.tv/saber-da-1n1-e.html)


Specs: PCI Express
Price: $100


ATI TV Wonder HD 650 Combo PCI Express (http://ati.amd.com/products/tvwonder650/PCIe/index.html)


Specs: PCI Express
Price: $120
Forums: AVS Forum (ATI 650 Problems) (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=713412)


DViCO FusionHDTV5 Express (http://www.fusionhdtv.co.kr/eng/Products/fusion5express.aspx)


Specs: PCI Express
Price: $169
Forums: AVS Forum (DVICO Fusion 5 HDTV tuner) (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=545967)
Capture Device

Hauppauge HD PVR model 1212 (http://www.hauppage.com/site/products/hd_pvr.html)


Specs: USB, 1080i, H.264 hardware encoding, component video in, S-video in, composite video in, component out for pass-through, RCA LR audio for AAC and S/PDIF audio for Dolby Surround. S/PDIF and RCA audio pass-through. IR Blaster included. A free add-on for Windows Media Center 2005 and Windows Vista will be released later.
Price: $249
Forums: AVS Forum (New Hauppauge HD hardware encoder demoed at CES) (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=974452), AVS Forum (Hauppauge WinTV HD PVR (H.264) screenshot) (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1015617), The Green Button (Hauppauge HD PVR) (http://thegreenbutton.com/forums/1/234814/ShowThread.aspx), SageTV Community (Hauppauge WinTV HD PVR (H.264) screenshot and pre-order link) (http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=32027)


Blackmagic Design Intensity Pro (http://www.blackmagic-design.com/products/intensity/)


Specs: PCI Express x1, 1080i/720p, HDMI in & out (unprotected contents only; stereo audio only), component video in & out, S-video in & out, RCA stereo audio in & out, S/PDIF stereo out.
Price: $349
Forums: AVS Forum (HDMI Capture To Blu Ray Solution) (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=921907)
References

General

HDTV PC Tuner Guide (http://www.hdtvtunerinfo.com/index.html) (This is one of the best places to get information on HDTV tuners.)
Missing Remote – ATSC/NTSC Tuner Guide (http://www.missingremote.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2034&Itemid=232)
CableCARD

CableLabs site (http://www.opencable.com/)
Vista Media Center CableCARD FAQ (http://msmvps.com/blogs/chrisl/archive/2007/06/10/954764.aspx)

_______
11. PSU
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
_____________
Selection Guide
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯

There are several important factors to consider when selecting a power supply unit: total power output, +12V line output (combined), quality and efficiency, quietness.

Total power output

First you should calculate the total power consumption of your system by using, for example, eXtreme PSU Calculator (http://www.extreme.outervision.com/psucalculator.jsp). A typical maximum power consumption of each component is:

CPU: 65W (TDP, thermal design power, of Athlon 64 X2 Brisbane core or Core 2 Duo)
DDR2 DIMM: 5W
Motherboard: 40W
Radeon HD 2600 XT: 49W (peak 3D), 28W (peak 2D), 21W (idle)
GeForce 9600 GT 512MB: 60W (peak 3D), 35W (peak 2D), 26W (idle)
GeForce 8800 GT 512MB: 78W (peak 3D), 39W (peak 2D), 35W (idle)
DVD drive: 30W
SATA drive: 12W
PCI TV tuner card: 30W (ATI Theater 550 Pro)
PCI TV tuner card: 44W (NVIDIA DualTV MCE)
PCI sound card: 10W
80mm fan: 2W
For example, if the system consists of 1 x Radeon HD 2600 XT card, 2 x DDR2 SDRAM, 1 x DVD drive, 2 x SATA drive, 1 x PCI TV tuner card and 2 x fan, the maximum power consumption is ~245W. This number is obtained simply by adding the maximum power rating for each components. However it is almost impossible for any application to draw, say, 80% of the maximum power from each component simultaneously. Therefore a typical power consumption of such a system when playing back movies are 100W~200W and a 430W PSU is enough if the PSU is rated honestly.

Total power output of an overclocked system

When you overclock the CPU, its power consumption is calculated by the following formula:

Power Consumption = Cdynamic x V^2 x Frequency
where Cdynamic is a constant dynamic capacity that is determined by the CPU microarchitecture and depends on the number of transistors and their activity during CPU operation (source: Intel Developer Forum; cf. X-bit labs – Getting Ready to Meet Intel Core 2 Duo (http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/cpu/display/core2duo-preview_2.html)), V is the applied voltage, and Frequency is the operating frequency of the CPU. The factor V^2 is just Ohm's law. The factor "Frequency" is due to the so-called switching loss – the amount of heat emitted from a transistor when it goes from one state to the other (at the order of 10^(-16) joule). Each transistor in the CPU would emit 1 x 10^9 times that amount of heat per second if the CPU frequency were 1GHz and 2 x 10^9 times that amount if the CPU frequency were 2GHz. Thus the total amount of heat is proportional to the frequency.

For example, if you overclock Core 2 Duo E6600 (2.4GHz, 1.25V, 65W) to 3.2GHz with Vcore 1.45V, then the power consumption is calculated as follows:

65W x (1.45/1.25)^2 x (3.2/2.4) = 117W

Quietness and efficiency

Quietness is one of the essential factors in selecting PSU for a HTPC and higher efficiency is the key to cooler, quieter PSU operation. There are many "quiet" PSU's, but only a few of them are truly quiet. In the following recommendations, I cited efficiency and noise levels measured by Silent PC Review. Please read the SPCR articles in the reference section for their meanings.

_______________
Recommendations
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High-End

Enermax MODU82+ 625W (EMD625AWT) (http://www.enermax.com.tw/english/product_Display1.asp?PrID=90)


Specs: 625W, +12V: 50A, 84% & 19dBA@150W, 85.4% & 22dBA@300W, modular sleeved cables, 9 x SATA, 4 x PCIe 8-pin
Price: ~$139
Notes: 525W (EMD525AWT; 6 x SATA, 3 x PCIe 8-pin; ~$118), 425W (EMD425AWT; 3 x SATA, 2 x PCIe 8-pin; ~$93) versions are also available.


Corsair HX620W (CMPSU-620HX) (http://www.corsairmemory.com/corsair/HX_power_supply.html)


Specs: 620W, +12V: 50A, 80% & 22dBA@150W, 85% & 22dBA@300W, modular sleeved cables, 8 x SATA, 2 x PCIe 8-pin
Price: ~$135
Notes: 520W (CMPSU-520HX; 4 x SATA, 2 x PCIe 8-pin; ~$100) version is also available.
Mid-Range

Antec NeoPower 430 (http://www.antec.com/us/productDetails.php?ProdID=28430)


Specs: 430W, +12V: 32A, 79% & 21dBA@150W, 76% & 37dBA@300W, modular sleeved cables, 4 x SATA, 1 x PCIe 6-pin
Price: ~$70
Notes: 380W, 430W, 500W, 550W versions are available. Super quiet at low power consumption.


Seasonic M12II-430 (http://www.seasonicusa.com/M12II.htm)


Specs: 430W, +12V: 30A, 83.1% & 21dBA@150W, 83.4% & 35dBA@300W, modular sleeved cables, 6 x SATA, 2 x PCIe 6-pin
Price: ~$86
Notes: 500W (6 x SATA, 1 x PCIe 8-pin, 1 x PCIe 6-pin; $105) version is also available.
Low-End

Antec EarthWatts EA 430 (http://www.antec.com/us/pro_p_EarthWatts.html)


Specs: 430W, +12V: 30A, 81% & 22dBA@150W, 82% & 37dBA@300W
Price: ~$60
Notes: The best budget quiet & efficient PSU. 380W, 430W, 500W versions are available. Performance is akin to NeoHE.
References

eXtreme Power Supply Calculator (http://www.extreme.outervision.com/psucalculator.jsp)
Silent PC Review – Power Supply Fundamentals (http://www.silentpcreview.com/article28-page1.html)
Silent PC Review – Recommended Power Supplies (http://www.silentpcreview.com/article699-page1.html)
BeHardware – Intel Core 2 Duo E4300: Power consumption (http://www.behardware.com/articles/652-2/intel-core-2-duo-e4300.html)
Digit-Life – HDD Diet: Power Consumption and Heat Dissipation (http://www.digit-life.com/articles2/storage/hddpower.html)
ExtremeTech – Choosing the Right Home Theater PC Case and Power Supply (April 2006) (http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1697,1949441,00.asp)
X-bit labs – Faster, Quieter, Lower: Power Consumption and Noise Level of Contemporary Graphics Cards (http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/video/display/power-noise.html)
X-bit labs – GeForce 8 Streams to the Mainstream: Asus GeForce 8600 GTS Review (http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/video/display/geforce8600gts_7.html)
X-bit labs – Fast and Faster: MSI GeForce 8800 GTS 640MB vs. GeForce 8800 GTS 320MB (http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/video/display/msi8800gts-640_6.html#sect0)
AnandTech – NVIDIA DualTV MCE TV Tuner (http://www.anandtech.com/multimedia/showdoc.aspx?i=2761&p=3)

_______
12. Case
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_____________
Selection Guide
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There are several factors in selecting a HTPC case: form factor, ventilation, noise control, functionality and appearance. But it is not easy to recommend a HTPC case based on these criteria partly because there are not enough review articles on each case and partly because everybody has his or her own requirements of functions and appearance. So I just list several HTPC cases by well-known manufacturers for your reference. I did not include tower cases (simply because there are too many ones), cases currently not available in US, and slim cases that do not accept full-height PCIe/PCI cards or an ATX PSU.

Personally I would choose:

High-End: SilverStone Crown CW03
Mid-Range: Antec Fusion Remote Max, Zalman HD160 Plus
Low-End: SilverStone Lascala LC17
MicroATX case: Antec Fusion Remote
___
List
¯¯¯

Conventions

DVD = 5.25″ external bay
CR (card reader) = 3.5″ external bay
HDD = 3.5″ internal bay
"Standard front I/O ports" = 2 x USB, 1 x IEEE 1394, 1 x headphone, 1 x microphone (or more)
Desktop ATX Case – High-End (with LCD Touch Screen & IR Remote)

3R SYSTEM

3R SYSTEM M-station HT-5000 (http://www.3rsys.com/english/products/view.asp?navi=case&idx_num=88)


Specs: W435 x D406 x H167 mm, 1 x DVD, 1 x CR, 4 x HDD, multi card reader, standard front I/O ports, 7″ LCD touch screen (800 x 600), remote control, 1 x 80mm rear fan
Moneual Lab

Moneual Lab MonCaso 932P (http://www.moneual.com/accessory/932P_features.php), Moneual Lab MonCaso 932B (http://www.moneual.com/accessory/932B_features.php) or Moneual Lab MonCaso 932T (http://www.moneual.com/accessory/932T_features.php)


Specs: W432 x D470 x H171 mm, 1 x DVD, 4 x HDD, media card reader, standard front I/O ports, 7″ LCD touch screen (recommeded 800 x 600), remote control, 2 x 80mm rear an
Notes: All aluminum chassis
Price: ~$485
Reviews: Geek.com (January 30, 2007) (http://www.geek.com/moneual-moncaso-932b-htpc-case/), Overclock Intelligence Agency (October 16, 2007) (http://www.ocia.net/reviews/moncaso932p/page1.shtml), PCSTATS (January 30, 2007) (http://www.pcstats.com/NewsView.cfm?NewsID=56107), Pro-Clockers.com (February 6, 2007) (http://www.pro-clockers.com/review.php?id=199), Silent PC Review (November 1, 2007) (http://www.silentpcreview.com/article768-page1.html), techPowerUp! (April 25 2007) (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Moneual_LAB/MonCaso_T932), TWEAKNEWS (October 9, 2007) (http://www.tweaknews.net/reviews/moneual_lab_932B_HTPC_case_review/), Virtual-Hideout (April 27, 2007) (http://www.virtual-hideout.net/reviews/Moneual_MonCaso_932/index.shtml)
Notes: LG GGC-H20N does not fit in this case because the drive (190mm deep) hits the motherboard. LITE-ON DH-4O1S BD-ROM drive (170mm deep) fits perfectly.
OrigenAE

OrigenAE X15e V2 (http://www.origenae.com/en/htpc_x15e.htm)


Specs: W435 x D420 x H155 (less feet) mm, 1 x DVD, 1 x CR, 4 x HDD, standard front I/O ports, 7″ LCD touch screen (max 1024 x 768), IR module, 2 x 80mm rear exhaust fan, 1 x 80mm bottom intake fan
Notes: All aluminum chassis
Price: ~$600
Reviews: bit-tech.net (http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/2006/08/02/origen_x15_htpc_case/1.html), ExtremeTech – A Case and Power Supply for Your DIY Media PC (http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1697,1899912,00.asp), HTPCnews.com (V1) (http://www.htpcnews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=32&Itemid=33), Overclock3D.Net (http://www.overclock3d.net/reviews.php?type=3&id=74&page=1&desc=origenae_x15e_htpc_atx_case), Presence PC (V1) (http://www.presence-pc.com/tests/Uneed-X15e-PCHC-avec-ecran-tactile-298/)


OrigenAE S21T (http://www.origenae.com/en/htpc_s21t.htm)


Specs: W435 x D390 x H220 (inc feet) mm, 1 x DVD, 10 x HDD, standard front I/O ports, 12.1″ motorized LCD touch screen (max 1920 x 1080), IR Module, 1 x 120mm rear exhaust fan, 2 x 92mm bottom intake fan
Notes: All aluminum chassis
Price: ~$1000


OrigenAE S16T (http://www.origenae.com/en/htpc_s16t.htm)


Specs: W435 x D390 x H175 (inc feet) mm, 1 x DVD, 4 x HDD, 1 x HDD (optional), card readers, standard front I/O ports, 7″ LCD touch screen (max 1920 x 1080), IR Module, 2 x 80mm exhaust fan, 1 x 92mm intake fan
Notes: All aluminum chassis
Price:
SilverStone

SilverStone Crown CW03 (http://www.silverstonetek.com/products/p_contents.php?pno=cw03&area=usa)


Specs: W430 x D436 x H184 mm, 2 x DVD, 1 x CR, 6 x HDD, no front I/O ports, 7 inch LCD touchscreen (800 x 480), IR, remote control, 2 x 80mm rear exhaust fan, 2 x 80mm bottom intake fan slot
Notes: All aluminum chassis
Price: ~$700
Zalman

Zalman HD160XT (http://www.zalman.co.kr/ENG/product/Product_Read.asp?idx=192)


Specs: W460 x D435 x H160 mm, 1 x DVD, 5 x HDD, card readers, standard front I/O ports, 7″ Wide LCD touch screen (~1024 x 768), remote control, 2 x 80mm rear fan, 1 x 80 mm bottom fan, 1 x 92 mm side fan
Price: ~$540
Reviews: matbe.com (http://www.matbe.com/articles/lire/365/zalman-hd160xt-boitier-htpc-de-luxe/), PC Perspective (April 9, 2007) (http://www.pcper.com/article.php?aid=386), TWEAKNEWS (http://www.tweaknews.net/reviews/zalman_hd160xt_htpc_case/), Virtual-Hideout (http://www.virtual-hideout.net/reviews/Zalman_HD160XT/index.shtml)


Zalman HD160XT Plus (http://www.zalman.co.kr/ENG/product/Product_Read.asp?idx=193)


Specs: W460 x D435 x H160 mm, 1 x DVD, 5 x HDD, card readers, standard front I/O ports, 7″ Wide LCD touch screen (~1024 x 768) & remote control, 2 x 80mm rear fan, 1 x 80 mm bottom fan, 1 x 92 mm side fan
Price: ~$620
Desktop ATX Case – High-End (Others)

A-Tech Fabrication

A-Tech Fabrication 6000 HeatSync Case (http://www.atechfabrication.com/products/heatsync_6000.htm)


Specs: W445 x D292 x H159 (less feet) mm, 1 x DVD, 1 x HDD, optional front I/O ports, CPU/video card HeatSync cooling system
Price: $699 + options (Buy direct from the manufacturer)
Forums: AVS Forum – A-Tech Fabrication HTPC Case: update (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=176655), HTPCnews.com Forums – Building an A-Tech HeatSync 6000 Case, Information for those interested... (http://www.htpcnews.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=14540)
Ahanix

Ahanix MCE 701 (http://ahanix.com/products/mce/mce_701.php)


Specs: W427 x D414 x H157 mm, 1 x DVD, 1 x CR, 4 x HDD, standard front I/O ports, 7″ LCD touch screen (800 x 600), 2 x 80mm rear exhaust fan
Notes: All aluminum chassis
Price: ~$400
Reviews: ExtremeTech (Pimp Your Home Theater PC) (http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1697,2006639,00.asp)
Forums: AVS Forums (Ahanix MCE701 mini review) (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=708270)
SilverStone

SilverStone Lascala LC18 (http://www.silverstonetek.com/products/p_contents.php?pno=lc18&area=)


Specs: W425 x D425 x H170 (inc feet) mm, 2 x DVD, 1 x CR, 5 x HDD, no front I/O ports, 7″ LCD touch screen (640 x 480~1600 x 1024), 2 x 80mm rear exhaust fan, 2 x 80mm bottom intake fan slot
Notes: All aluminum chassis
Price: ~$600
Reviews: Hardwareluxx (http://www.hardwareluxx.de/cms/artikel.php?action=show&id=242), Presence PC (http://www.presence-pc.com/tests/Boitier-SilverStone-LC18-359/), TobiTech (http://www.tobitech.de/secviewa-237.html), Tom's Hardware (http://www.tomshardware.com/2005/10/20/silverstone_lascala_lc18/)
Desktop ATX Case – Midrange (with VFD/LCD & IR Remote Control)

3R SYSTEM

3R SYSTEM M-station HT-1100 (http://www.3rsys.com/english/products/view.asp?navi=case&idx_num=48)


Specs: W435 x D458 x H147 mm, 1 x DVD, 2 x HDD, multi card reader, standard front I/O ports, VFD & remote control, 1 x 60mm rear fan, 1 x 60mm rear fan (optional), 1 x 80mm rear fan (optional), 1 x 80mm side fan
Price:
Reviews: AnandTech (HTPC 4-Way Roundup; November 22, 2005) (http://www.anandtech.com/casecooling/showdoc.aspx?i=2614&p=2), DriverHeaven.net (March 25, 2007) (http://www.driverheaven.net/reviews/3R%20System%20M-Station%20HT-1100%20HTPC%20Case/)


3R SYSTEM M-station HT-1000 (http://www.3rsys.com/english/products/view.asp?navi=case&idx_num=70)


Specs: W434 x D406 x H167 mm, 1 x DVD, 2 x HDD, multi card reader, standard front I/O ports, LCD & remote control, 1 x 80mm rear fan
Price:
Reviews: Viper Lair (Editor's Choice; May 21, 2007) (http://www.viperlair.com/reviews/cases/other/cases/ht1000/)


3R SYSTEM M-station HT-3000 (http://www.3rsys.com/english/products/view.asp?navi=case&idx_num=81)


Specs: W366 x D475 x H159 mm, 2 x DVD, 1 x HDD, multi card reader, standard front I/O ports, LCD & remote control, 1 x 120mm side fan, 2 x 60mm rear fan (optional)
Price:
Antec

Antec Fusion Remote Max (http://www.antec.com/us/productDetails.php?ProdID=15727)


Specs: W446 x D453 x H178 mm, 1 x DVD, 4 x HDD, standard front I/O ports + 1 x eSATA, LCD & remote control, 1 x 140mm side fan, 1 x 120mm rear fan, 1 x 120mm front fan (optional)
Price: ~$185
Cooler Master

Cooler Master CM Media 280 (RC-280) (http://www.coolermaster.com/products/product.php?act=detail&tbcate=17&id=150)


Specs: W430 x D477 x H178 mm, 3 x DVD, 1 x CR, 5 x HDD, standard front I/O ports, VFD & IR Module, 1 x 120mm rear fan, 1 x 120mm front/top/side fan (optional)
Price: ~$200
Reviews: Big Bruin (http://www.bigbruin.com/2007/cmmedia280_1), bit-tech.net (http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/2007/02/05/cooler_master_media_280/1.html), Hi-Tech Reviews (http://hi-techreviews.com/reviews_2007/CM_Media280/CM_Media280_Page1.htm), Modders-Inc. (http://www.modders-inc.com/reviews-story--110.html), MODTHEBOX.COM
(http://www.modthebox.com/review523_1.shtml)

Moneual Lab
Moneual Lab MonCaso 832P (http://www.moneual.com/accessory/832P_features.php) or Moneual Lab MonCaso 832B (http://www.moneual.com/accessory/832B_features.php)


Specs: W432 x D457 x H152 mm, 1 x DVD, 1 x CR, 4 x HDD, LCD, remote control, 2 x 60mm rear fan, 1 x 80mm front fan, 1 x 80mm front fan (optional)
Notes: All aluminum chassis
Price: ~$290
Notes: Read Horrible LCD in Moneual MonCaso 832 case before buying it.
nMEDIA

nMEDIAPC HTPC 500BAR & SAR (http://www.nmediapc.com/htpc500R.htm)


Specs: W432 x D419 x H133 mm, 1 x DVD, 3 x HDD, IEEE 1394, USB & audio on side panel, VFD, MCE receiver & remote, 2 x 60mm fan, 1 x 80mm fan
Price: ~$160
Notes: PSU not included.
OrigenAE

OrigenAE X10 (http://www.origenae.com/en/htpc_x10.htm)


Specs: W435 x D458 x H150 (inc feet) mm, 1 x DVD, 1 x CR, 1 x HDD, standard front I/O ports, VFD & IR Module, 2 x 60mm rear exhaust fan, 1 x 80mm bottom intake fan
Notes: All aluminum chassis
Price: ~$200
Reviews: Overclock3D.Net (http://www.overclock3d.net/reviews.php?type=3&id=63&page=1&desc=origenae_x10_htpc_case)


OrigenAE X11 V2 (http://www.origenae.com/en/htpc_x11.htm)


Specs: W435 x D420 x H170 (inc feet) mm, 1 x DVD, 1 x CR, 4 x HDD, standard front I/O ports, VFD & IR Module, 2 x 80mm rear exhaust fan, 1 x 80mm bottom intake fan
Notes: All aluminum chassis
Price: ~$230
Reviews: HEXUS.net (http://www.hexus.net/content/item.php?item=6642)


OrigenAE S16V (http://www.origenae.com/en/htpc_s16v.htm)


Specs: W435 x D390 x H175 (inc feet) mm, 1 x DVD, 4 x HDD, 1 x HDD (optional), card readers, standard front I/O ports, VFD & IR Module, 2 x 80mm exhaust fan, 1 x 92mm intake fan
Notes: All aluminum chassis
Price: ~$380


OrigenAE H5 (http://www.origenae.com/en/htpc_h5.htm)


Specs: W435 x D458 x H150 (inc feet) mm, 1 x DVD, 1 x HDD, no front I/O ports, VFD & IR Module, 2 x 60mm rear exhaust fan
Notes: All aluminum chassis. MicroATX PSU only.
Reviews:
SilverStone

SilverStone Lascala LC10M (http://www.silverstonetek.com/products/p_contents.php?pno=lc10m&area=usa)


Specs: W430 x D429 x H163 mm, 1 x DVD, 5 x HDD, standard front I/O ports, VFD & Remote controller, 1 x 80mm intake fan, 2 x 60mm exhaust fan
Price: ~$190
Reviews: 3dvelocity (http://www.3dvelocity.com/reviews/lc10m/lc10m.htm), AnandTech (http://www.anandtech.com/casecooling/showdoc.aspx?i=2274), AnandTech – December 2004 HTPC Case Roundup (Editors Choice Award) (http://www.anandtech.com/casecooling/showdoc.aspx?i=2309&p=6), A True Review (http://www.atruereview.com/lcm10_case/index.php), EXTREME Overclocking (http://www.extremeoverclocking.com/reviews/cases/SilverStone_LC-10M_1.html), Hardwareluxx (http://www.hardwareluxx.de/cms/artikel.php?action=show&id=170), Hardware-Review.net (http://www.hardware-review.net/html/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=792), Overclocker Cafe (http://www.overclockercafe.com/Reviews/cases/SilverStone_Lascala10M/), PC Ekspert (http://www.pcekspert.com/articles/428.html), Presence PC (http://www.presence-pc.com/tests/Boitier-Home-Cinema-SilverStone-LC10M-252/), Tom's Hardware – Home Theater PCs: Trendy Cases In Hi-Fi Design (http://www.tomshardware.com/2005/06/14/home_theater_pcs/page25.html), XtremeComputing (http://www.xtremecomputing.co.uk/review.php?id=153)
Forums: HTPCnews.com Forums – Building a SilverStone LC10M System., Pics and info about the case! (http://www.htpcnews.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=9490)


SilverStone Lascala LC14M (http://www.silverstonetek.com/products/p_contents.php?pno=lc14m&area=usa)


Specs: W437 x D434 x H172 mm, 2 x DVD, 4 x HDD, standard front I/O ports, integrated hotkey, VFD & Remote controller, 1 x 92mm intake fan, 2 x 60mm exhaust fan
Price: ~$225
Reviews: hardCOREware.net (http://www.hardcoreware.net/reviews/review-284-1.htm), DreamWare Computers (http://www.dreamwarecomputers.com/reviews/silverstone_lc14m/), MODTHEBOX.COM (http://www.modthebox.com/review408_1.shtml), ThinkComputers.org (http://www.thinkcomputers.org/index.php?x=reviews&id=556), TWINSBYTE.de (http://www.twinsbyte.de/hardware/reviews_05/silverstone_lc14m/lc14m_1.php), XtremeComputing (http://www.xtremecomputing.co.uk/review.php?id=166)


SilverStone Lascala LC16M (http://www.silverstonetek.com/products/p_contents.php?pno=lc16m&area=usa)


Specs: W425 x D425 x H170 mm, 1 x DVD, 1 x CR, 6 x HDD, standard front I/O ports, VFD & Remote controller, 2 x 80mm fans
Price: ~$230
Reviews: bit-tech.net (http://www.bit-tech.net/modding/2006/02/24/silverstone_lc16m_htpc/1.html), Bjorn3d.com (http://www.bjorn3d.com/read.php?cID=857), Gear Digest – DIY HD HTPC Extravaganza – Part 1: The Cases (http://www.geardigest.com/2006/02/22/diy_hd_htpc_extravaganza_part1/page20.html), Hardware Fusion (http://www.games-fusion.net/articles/content/media_pc_article_featuring_silverstones_lc16m_case.php), MODTHEBOX.COM (http://www.modthebox.com/review419_1.shtml), OCModShop (http://www.ocmodshop.com/ocmodshop.aspx?a=744), Sudhian (http://www.sudhian.com/index.php?/articles/show/Silverstone_LC16M_Review/), Technic3D (http://www.technic3d.com/index.php?site=article&action=article&a=109)


SilverStone Lascala LC20M (http://www.silverstonetek.com/products/p_contents.php?pno=lc20m&area=usa)


Specs: W430 x D430 x H170 mm, 2 x DVD, 1 x CR, 6 x HDD, standard front I/O ports, VFD & Remote Controller, 2 x 80mm fans (& side & front fan slots)
Price: ~$180
Reviews: bit-tech.net (http://www.bit-tech.net/modding/2006/05/10/silverstone_lascala_lc20m_case/1.html), Phoronix (http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=article&item=511&num=1), Short-Media.com (http://www.short-media.com/review.php?r=319), ThinkComputers.org (http://www.thinkcomputers.org/index.php?x=reviews&id=401), TWINSBYTE.de (http://www.alltests.de/hardware/reviews_06/silverstone_lc20m/seite_1.php), XtremeComputing (http://www.xtremecomputing.co.uk/review.php?id=313)
Forums: AVS Forum – Josh's LC20-m build with pictures! (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=735070), AVS Forum – SilverStone LC20 Mini-Review – not flattering (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=733652)


SilverStone Grandia GD01-MX (http://www.silverstonetek.com/products/p_contents.php?pno=gd01mx&area=usa)


Specs: W430 x D430 x H170 mm, 2 x DVD, 1 x CR included, 6 x HDD, standard front I/O ports, LCD & Remote Controller, 2 x 80mm fans (& side & front fan slots)
Price: ~$229
Reviews: OCModShop (http://www.ocmodshop.com/ocmodshop.aspx?a=772), Overclock3D.Net (http://www.overclock3d.net/reviews.php?type=3&id=176&page=1&desc=silverstone_grandia_gd01s_-_mxr_atx_matx_htpc_chassis), Rbmods.com (http://www.rbmods.com/Articles/Silverstonetek/SST_GM/1.php), Silent PC Review (http://www.silentpcreview.com/article772-page1.html), ThinkComputers.org (http://www.thinkcomputers.org/index.php?x=reviews&id=596), Virtual-Hideout (http://www.virtual-hideout.net/reviews/silverstone_GD01/index.shtml)


SilverStone Crown CW02 (http://www.silverstonetek.com/products/p_contents.php?pno=cw02&area=usa)


Specs: W435 x D440 x H225 mm, 1 x DVD, 1 x CR (if the graphics card length < 9.25 inches), 6 x HDD, standard front I/O ports, LCD & Remote Controller, 1 x 120mm rear fan (& 2 x 92mm bottom fan slots)
Price: ~$360
Forums: AVS Forum – Silverstone CW02B HTPC case review (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=889512)
Thermaltake

Thermaltake Mozart with Media LAB (http://www.thermaltake.com/product/Chassis/desktop/mozart/vc4001sns.asp)


Specs: W430 x D452 x H170 mm, 3 x DVD, 5 x HDD, standard front I/O ports, VFD & Remote Controller, 2 x 60mm rear fan, 1 x 80mm front fan
Price: ~$210
Reviews: GruntvillE.com (http://www.gruntville.com/reviews/cases/tt_mozart/index.php), Guru of 3D (http://www.guru3d.com/article/content/324/), MODTHEBOX.COM (http://www.modthebox.com/review492_1.shtml), Overclockers Online (http://www.overclockersonline.net/index.php?page=articles&num=387), The Tech Zone (http://www.thetechzone.com/?m=show&id=576), TrustedReviews (http://www.trustedreviews.com/multimedia/review/2006/12/05/Thermaltake-Media-LAB/p1), X-bit labs (http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/multimedia/display/thermaltake-bach-mozart.html)
Notes: Installing a DVD drive in the third external 5.25″ bay is not recommended. The design resembles Classé Delta series (http://www.classeaudio.com/delta/images/CA2100.jpg). That may be one reason why Thermaltake is despised by some experts.


Thermaltake Mozart SX with Media LAB (http://www.thermaltake.com/product/Chassis/desktop/mozart_SX/mozartsx_vc7001.asp)


Specs: W470 x D440 x H90 mm, 1 x DVD, 1 x CR, 2 x HDD, standard front I/O ports, VFD & Remote Controller, 2 x 80mm fan
Price: ~$200
Reviews: Futurelooks (http://www.futurelooks.com/378-Thermaltake-Mozart-SX--VC7001SNS--Slim-Home-Theatre-PC-Enclosure-Review.html), hardCOREware.net (http://www.hardcoreware.net/reviews/review-346-1.htm)
Notes: Only two expansion slots (PCIe x 16, PCI) are available. A two-slot video card does not fit.


Thermaltake Mozart IP with Media LAB (http://www.thermaltake.com/product/Chassis/desktop/mozartIP/vf3000_index.asp#overview)


Specs: W430 x D450 x H170 mm, 3 x DVD, 5 x HDD, standard front I/O ports, integrated iPod docking station, VFD & Remote Controller, 2 x 60mm rear fan, 1 x 80mm front fan
Price: ~$280
Reviews: Overclocker Cafe (October 18, 2007) (http://www.overclockercafe.com/Reviews/cases/Tt_Mozart_iP/index.html), techPowerUp! (August 11, 2007) (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Thermaltake/MozartIP/)
Zalman

Zalman HD160 (http://www.zalman.co.kr/ENG/product/Product_Read.asp?idx=190)


Specs: W435 x D420 x H160 mm, 1 x DVD, 4 x HDD, standard front I/O ports, Card Readers, VFD & remote control, 2 x 80mm rear fan
Price: ~$260
Reviews: AnandTech (http://www.anandtech.com/casecooling/showdoc.aspx?i=2731), bit-tech.net (http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/2006/04/18/Zalman_HD160_HTPC/1), DarkVision Hardware (http://www.dvhardware.net/review79_zalmanhd160.html), HTPCnews.com (http://www.htpcnews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=122&Itemid=33), MADSHRIMPS (http://www.madshrimps.be/?action=getarticle&articID=412), matbe.com (http://www.matbe.com/articles/lire/278/hd160-le-boitier-htpc-signe-zalman/), MetkuMods (http://www.metku.net/index.html?path=reviews/hd160/index_eng), PCApex.com (http://reviews.pcapex.com/cases/zalman_hd160_htpc_case.php?page=1), PC Perspective (http://www.pcper.com/article.php?aid=306), Rbmods.com (http://www.rbmods.com/Articles/Zalman/Hd160_htpc/1.php), Silent PC Review (http://www.silentpcreview.com/article603-page1.html), TWEAKNEWS (http://www.tweaknews.net/reviews/hd160/), Virtual-Hideout (http://www.virtual-hideout.net/reviews/Zalman_HD160/index.shtml), X-bit labs (http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/multimedia/display/zalman-hd160.html)
Notes: All aluminum


Zalman HD160 Plus (http://www.zalman.co.kr/ENG/product/Product_Read.asp?idx=281)


Specs: W460 x D435 x H160 mm, 1 x DVD, 5 x HDD, standard front I/O ports, LCD & remote control, 2 x 80mm rear fan, 1 x 80mm bottom fan (optional), 1 x 92mm side fan (optional)
Price: $299
Notes: All aluminum


Zalman HD135 (http://www.zalman.co.kr/ENG/product/Product_Read.asp?idx=281)


Specs: W435 x D425 x H135 mm, 1 x DVD, 1 x CR, 5 x HDD, standard front I/O ports, VFD & Remote Controller, 1 x 80mm exhaust fan, 1 x 80mm inflow fan
Price: ~$280
Reviews: BCCHardware (http://www.bcchardware.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3728&Itemid=40), Big Bruin (http://www.bigbruin.com/2006/zalmanhd135_1), bit-tech.net (http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/2007/01/09/zalman_hd135_htpc/1.html), MADSHRIMPS (http://www.madshrimps.be/?action=getarticle&articID=485), matbe.com (http://www.matbe.com/articles/lire/327/zalman-hd135/), MetkuMods (http://www.metku.net/index.html?path=reviews/hd135/index_eng), MODTHEBOX.COM (http://www.modthebox.com/review515_1.shtml), Silent PC Review (http://www.silentpcreview.com/article711-page1.html) ("flawed by poor airflow design,..."), techPowerUp! (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Zalman/HD135)
Notes: All aluminum chassis
Desktop ATX Case – Midrange (Others)

Ahanix

Ahanix D4 MCE (D.Vine 4) (http://ahanix.com/products/mce/mce_d4.php)


Specs: W435 x D406 x H181 mm, 2 x DVD, 2 x HDD, standard front I/O ports less audio, VFD with parallel connector, 350W PSU, 2 x 60mm fans
Price: ~$180
Reviews: AnandTech (http://www.anandtech.com/casecooling/showdoc.aspx?i=2237), Overclockers Online (http://www.overclockersonline.net/index.php?page=articles&num=230), MODTHEBOX.COM (http://www.modthebox.com/review346_1.shtml), PCApex.com (http://reviews.pcapex.com/cases/ahanix_dvine_4_htpc_atx_case.php), TWINSBYTE.de (http://www.alltests.de/hardware/reviews_05/ahanix_dvine4/dvine_d4_1.php)
Notes: D.Vine series enclosures come bare without a VFD or a PSU. Whereas, all "D" Series Media Center Enclosures come standard with VFD and PSU.
SilverStone

SilverStone Crown CW01 (http://www.silverstonetek.com/products/p_contents.php?pno=cw01&area=usa)


Specs: W425 x D443 x H170 mm, 2 x DVD, 1 x CR included, 5 x HDD, standard front I/O ports, 2 x 80mm rear fans (& 2 x 80mm bottom fan slots)
Price: ~$260
Reviews: MODTHEBOX.COM (http://www.modthebox.com/review513_1.shtml), PC Perspective (http://www.pcper.com/article.php?aid=356), Phoronix (http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=article&item=594&num=1), XtremeComputing (http://www.xtremecomputing.co.uk/review.php?id=320)
Forums: HTPCnews.com Forums – Building the SilverStone CW01, SilverStone's latest HTPC case..Fall 2006 (http://www.htpcnews.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=24679&st=0)
Notes: LC18 enclosure without the integrated touch screen. Premium, all aluminum construction.
Desktop ATX Case – Low-End

3R SYSTEM

3R SYSTEM M-station HT-1000 Light (http://www.3rsys.com/english/products/view.asp?navi=case&idx_num=69)


Specs: W434 x D406 x H167 mm, 1 x DVD, 2 x HDD, multi card reader, standard front I/O ports, 1 x 80mm rear fan
Price:
Cooler Master

Cooler Master CM Media 260 (RC-260) (http://www.coolermaster.com/products/product.php?act=detail&tbcate=17&id=63)


Specs: W430 x D440 x H89 mm, 1 x DVD, 1 x CR, 2 x HDD, 1 x AGP/PCIe x16 slot, 2 x PCI slot, standard front I/O ports, 1 x 60mm side fan
Price: ~$100
Reviews: MODTHEBOX.COM (http://www.modthebox.com/review414_1.shtml), PCApex.com (http://reviews.pcapex.com/cases/cooler_master_cm_media_260_case.php), Sudhian (http://www.sudhian.com/index.php?/articles/show/Coolermaster_C_Media_260_Case_Review/a_closer_look_cont)


Cooler Master CM Media 281 (RC-281) (http://www.coolermaster.com/products/product.php?act=detail&tbcate=17&id=151)


Specs: W430 x D477 x H178 mm, 3 x DVD, 1 x CR, 5 x HDD, standard front I/O ports, optional VFD, 1 x 120mm rear fan, 1 x 120mm front/top/side fan (optional)
Price: ~$105
Reviews: Presence PC (http://www.presence-pc.com/tests/Coolermaster-Media-281-503/)


Cooler Master CM Media 283 (RC-283) (http://www.coolermaster.com/products/product.php?act=detail&tbcate=17&id=3751)


Specs: W430 x D477 x H178 mm, 3 x DVD, 1 x CR, 5 x HDD, standard front I/O ports, 1 x 120mm rear fan, 1 x 120mm front/top/side fan (optional)
Price:
Lian-Li

Lian-Li PC-C30A/B (http://www.lian-li.com/product/product05.php?pr_index=77&cl_index=1&sc_index=1&ss_index=34)


Specs: W435 x D443 x H167 mm, 2 x DVD, 1 x CR, 2 x HDD, standard front I/O ports, 2 x 80mm exhaust fan
Price: ~$140
Reviews: BoxGods.com (http://www.boxgods.com/dept/htpc-sff/index.php?Action=Article&ID=219), HardwareLogic (http://hardwarelogic.com/news/63/ARTICLE/1358/2007-02-26.html), techPowerUp! (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/LianLi/PC-C30/), Virtual-Hideout (http://www.virtual-hideout.net/reviews/Lianli_PC-C30/index.shtml)


Lian-Li PC-C32A/B (http://www.lian-li.com/product/product05.php?pr_index=124&cl_index=1&sc_index=1&ss_index=34)


Specs: W426 x D530 x H167 mm, 2 x DVD, 4 x HDD, standard front I/O ports, 2 x 120mm fan
Price: ~$150
Notes: The case is very deep!


Lian-Li PC-V800A/B (http://www.lian-li.com/product/product05.php?pr_index=75&cl_index=1&sc_index=1&ss_index=34)


Specs: W380 x D440 x H160 mm, 2 x DVD, 1 x CR, 2 x HDD, standard front I/O ports, 2 x 60mm fan, 1 x 80mm fan
Price: ~$120
Reviews: AnandTech – HTPC 4-Way Roundup (http://www.anandtech.com/casecooling/showdoc.aspx?i=2614&p=8), Club Overclocker (http://www.cluboverclocker.com/reviews/cases/lian_li/v880/index.htm), Overclocker Cafe (http://www.overclockercafe.com/Reviews/cases/Lian_Li_PC-V800), The Tech Report (http://techreport.com/reviews/2005q2/lianli-pcv800/), Virtual-Hideout (http://www.virtual-hideout.net/reviews/lianli_pc800/index.shtml)


Lian-Li PC-V880A/B (http://www.lian-li.com/product/product05.php?pr_index=76&cl_index=1&sc_index=1&ss_index=34)


Specs: W380 x D465 x H160 mm, 2 x DVD, 3 x HDD, standard front I/O ports, 1 x 60mm fan, 1 x 80mm fan, 1 x air duct
Price: ~$150
Reviews: Club Overclocker (http://www.cluboverclocker.com/reviews/cases/lian%5Fli/v880/), Gear Digest – DIY HD HTPC Extravaganza – Part 1: The Cases (http://www.geardigest.com/2006/02/22/diy_hd_htpc_extravaganza_part1/page15.html), Overclocker Cafe (http://www.overclockercafe.com/Reviews/cases/Lian_Li_PC-V880/), Presence PC (http://www.presence-pc.com/tests/Boitier-Lian-Li-PC-V880-346/)
nMEDIA

nMEDIAPC HTPC 300BA & SA (http://www.nmediapc.com/htpc300.htm)


Specs: W368 x D457 x H149 mm, 1 x DVD, 1 x CR, 3 x HDD, standard front I/O ports, 2 x 60mm fan, 1 x 60mm HD fan, 1 x air duct
Price: ~$55
Reviews: ExtremeTech – A Pair of Stylish Home Theater Cases (http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1697,1993716,00.asp), HTPCnews.com (http://www.htpcnews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=123&Itemid=26), ThinkComputers.org (http://www.thinkcomputers.org/index.php?x=reviews&id=352)
Notes: PSU not included.


nMEDIAPC HTPC 400BA & SA (http://www.nmediapc.com/htpc400.htm)


Specs: W432 x D419 x H133 mm, 1 x DVD, 3 x HDD, IEEE 1394 & 3 x USB on front panel, MCE receiver rack (receiver not included), 2 x 60mm fan, 1 x 80mm fan
Price: ~$105
Reviews: Hardware Canucks (May 22, 2007) (http://www.hardwarecanucks.com/forum/hardware-canucks-reviews/1342-nmedia-htpc-400ba-media-center-case-review.html)
Notes: PSU not included.


nMEDIAPC HTPC 500BA & SA (http://www.nmediapc.com/htpc500.htm)


Specs: W432 x D419 x H133 mm, 1 x DVD, 3 x HDD, IEEE 1394 & USB on side panel, VFD, MCE receiver rack (receiver not included), 2 x 60mm fan, 1 x 80mm fan
Price: ~$130
Reviews: Big Bruin (June 6, 2007) (http://www.bigbruin.com/2007/nmedia_1), Modders-Inc. (June 9, 2007) (http://modders-inc.com/reviews-story--145.html)
Notes: PSU not included.


nMEDIAPC HTPC 600BAR & SAR (http://www.nmediapc.com/htpc600.htm)


Specs: W432 x D419 x H133 mm, 1 x DVD, 3 x HDD, all-in-1 card reader, IEEE 1394, USB & audio on side panel, MCE receiver & remote, 2 x 60mm fan, 1 x 80mm fan
Price: ~$120
Notes: PSU not included.
NZXT

NZXT Duet (http://www.nzxt.com/products/duet/)


Specs: W370 x D455 x H148 mm, 2 x DVD, 1 x CR, 3 x HDD, standard front I/O ports, 1 x 80mm rear exhaust fan, 1 x 80mm bottom intake fan, 2 x 120mm side intake fan with 1 x HDD
Price: ~$80
Reviews: Modders-Inc. (http://www.modders-inc.com/reviews-story--108.html), OverClock Intelligence Agency (http://www.ocia.net/reviews/nzxtduet/page1.shtml), SysOpt.com (http://www.sysopt.com/features/cases/article.php/3661216), Techgage (http://techgage.com/article/nzxt_duet/), ThinkComputers.org (http://www.thinkcomputers.org/index.php?x=reviews&id=552)
Notes: Supports all video cards less than 8″ in length. Dual positioning, vertical or horizontal.
SilverStone

SilverStone Lascala LC01 (http://www.silverstonetek.com/products/p_contents.php?pno=lc01&area=usa)


Specs: W425 x D450 x H159 mm, 2 x DVD, 2 x CR, 4 x HDD, standard front I/O ports, 1 x 80mm exhaust fan
Price: ~$148
Reviews: ASE Labs (http://www.aselabs.com/articles.php?id=89%20), CoolTechZone.com (http://www.cooltechzone.com/reviews/cases/loc1_1.php), FastLaneHW.com (http://www.fastlanehw.com/reviews.php?action=view&id=61%20%20%20), GamePC (http://www.gamepc.com/labs/view_content.asp?id=lascala01&page=1&cookie%5Ftest=1), HTPCnews.com (http://www.htpcnews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=23&Itemid=26), LinuxIS (http://www.linuxis.us/linux/media/reviews/lc01/), ModSynergy.com (http://www.modsynergy.com/review108.htm), MODTHEBOX.COM (http://www.modthebox.com/review257_1.shtml), Short-Media.com (http://www.short-media.com/articles/silverstone_sstlc01_htpc_case_review), Silent PC Review (http://www.silentpcreview.com/article175-page1.html), The Tech Report (http://techreport.com/reviews/2004q2/silverstone-sstlc01/), http://www.tomshardware.com/2003/12/17/2003_winter_case_review_part_2/page65.html (Tom's Hardware)


SilverStone Lascala LC03 (http://www.silverstonetek.com/products/p_contents.php?pno=lc03&area=usa)


Specs: W425 x D415 x H160.5 mm, 2 x DVD, 2 x CR, 2 x HDD, standard front I/O ports, 2 x 60mm exhaust fan
Price: ~$100
Reviews: A True Review (http://www.atruereview.com/HTPC/index.php), hardCOREware.net (http://www.hardcoreware.net/reviews/review-229-1.htm), Hardwareluxx (http://www.hardwareluxx.de/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=14&t=000050), HTPCnews.com (http://www.htpcnews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=24&Itemid=26), MODTHEBOX.COM – Build Your Own Home Theatre PC Part 1 (http://www.modthebox.com/htpc.shtml), OCModShop (http://www.ocmodshop.com/ocmodshop.aspx?a=230), The Tech Zone (http://www.thetechzone.com/?m=show&id=139), XtremeComputing (http://www.xtremecomputing.co.uk/review.php?id=20)


SilverStone Lascala LC10 (http://www.silverstonetek.com/products/p_contents.php?pno=lc10&area=usa)


Specs: W430 x D429 x H163 mm, 1 x DVD, 5 x HDD, standard front I/O ports, 1 x 80mm intake fan, 2 x 60mm exhaust fan
Price: ~$90
Reviews: ap0calypse (http://www.ap0calypse.com/showthread.php?t=1558), Ascully.com (http://www.ascully.com/modules.php?name=Reviews&rop=showcontent&id=447), CoolTechZone.com (http://www.cooltechzone.com/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=1031), OCModShop (http://www.ocmodshop.com/ocmodshop.aspx?a=250), Viper Lair (http://www.viperlair.com/reviews/cases/silverstone/lc10b/index.shtml)


SilverStone Lascala LC13 (http://www.silverstonetek.com/products/p_contents.php?pno=lc13&area=usa)


Specs: W430 x D434 x H163 mm, 2 x DVD, 2 x CR, 2 x HDD, standard front I/O ports, 1 x 92mm intake fan, 2 x 60mm exhaust fan
Price: ~$90
Reviews: ExtremeMhz.com (http://www.extrememhz.com/lc13-p1.shtml), InsaneTek (http://insanetek.com/content/view/44/27/), MODTHEBOX.COM (http://www.modthebox.com/review384_1.shtml), Rage3D (http://www.rage3d.com/reviews/cases/sslc13/)


SilverStone Lascala LC14 (http://www.silverstonetek.com/products/p_contents.php?pno=lc14&area=usa)


Specs: W437 x D434 x H172 mm, 2 x DVD, 4 x HDD, standard front I/O ports, integrated hotkey, 1 x 92mm intake fan, 2 x 60mm exhaust fan
Price: ~$150
Reviews: Phoronix (http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=article&item=232), SysOpt.com (http://www.sysopt.com/features/cases/article.php/3549061), The Moditory (http://www.moditory.com/content/view/133/34/)


SilverStone Lascala LC17 (http://www.silverstonetek.com/products/p_contents.php?pno=lc17&area=usa)


Specs: W425 x D425 x H170 mm, 2 x DVD, 1 x CR, 6 x HDD, standard front I/O ports, 2 x 80mm fans (& side & front fan slots)
Price: ~$115
Reviews: Bjorn3d.com (http://www.bjorn3d.com/read.php?cID=875), MADSHRIMPS (http://www.madshrimps.be/?action=getarticle&articID=377), Modders-Inc. (http://www.modders-inc.com/reviews-story--49.html), Neoseeker (http://www.neoseeker.com/Articles/Hardware/Reviews/sslc17/), Overclockers Online (http://www.overclockersonline.net/index.php?page=articles&num=322), PlanetX64 (http://www.planetx64.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=128&Itemid=14), ProCooling.com (http://www.procooling.com/index.php?func=articles&disp=144), Silent PC Review (http://www.silentpcreview.com/article772-page1.html), ThinkComputers.org (http://www.thinkcomputers.org/beta/home.php?x=reviews&id=244&page=1), Viper Lair (http://www.viperlair.com/reviews/cases/silverstone/lc17/index.shtml)
Forums: HTPCnews.com – Building the SilverStone LC-17, Putting it all together (http://www.htpcnews.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=15946)


SilverStone Lascala LC20 (http://www.silverstonetek.com/products/p_contents.php?pno=lc20&area=usa)


Specs: W430 x D430 x H170 mm, 2 x DVD, 1 x CR, 6 x HDD, standard front I/O ports, 2 x 80mm fans (& side & front fan slots)
Price: ~$120
Reviews: Dev Hardware (http://www.devhardware.com/c/a/Computer-Cases/Silverstone-LC20-Case-Review/), DreamWare Computers (http://www.dreamwarecomputers.com/reviews_2006/silverstone_lc20/index.htm), Overclockers Online (http://www.overclockersonline.net/index.php?page=articles&num=671)
Forums: AVS Forum – SilverStone LC20 Mini-Review – not flattering (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=733652)


SilverStone Grandia GD01 (http://www.silverstonetek.com/products/p_contents.php?pno=gd01&area=usa)


Specs: W430 x D430 x H170 mm, 2 x DVD, 1 x CR included, 6 x HDD, standard front I/O ports, 2 x 80mm fans (& side & front fan slots)
Price:
Thermaltake

Thermaltake Bach (http://www.thermaltake.com/product/Chassis/desktop/bach/vb8000_index.asp)


Specs: W430 x D450 x H170 mm, 3 x DVD, 5 x HDD, standard front I/O ports, 2 x 60mm rear fan, 1 x 80mm front fan
Price: ~$120
Reviews: Gear Digest – DIY HD HTPC Extravaganza – Part 1: The Cases (http://www.geardigest.com/2006/02/22/diy_hd_htpc_extravaganza_part1/page26.html), Overclocker Cafe (Media LAB version) (http://www.overclockercafe.com/Reviews/cases/Tt_Bach/), X-bit labs (Media LAB version) (http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/multimedia/display/thermaltake-bach-mozart.html)
Notes: Installing a DVD drive in the third external 5.25″ bay is not recommended.


Thermaltake Mozart (http://www.thermaltake.com/product/Chassis/desktop/mozart/vc4000sns.asp)


Specs: W430 x D452 x H170 mm, 3 x DVD, 5 x HDD, standard front I/O ports, 2 x 60mm rear fan, 1 x 80mm front fan
Price: ~$120
Reviews: Big Bruin (http://www.bigbruin.com/reviews05/review.php?item=ttmozart&file=1), Gear Digest – DIY HD HTPC Extravaganza – Part 1: The Cases (http://www.geardigest.com/2006/02/22/diy_hd_htpc_extravaganza_part1/page29.html), Gadget Life (http://live.gadgetlife.org/reviews/cases/thermaltake/mozart-vc4000sns/1)
Notes: Installing a DVD drive in the third external 5.25″ bay is not recommended.


Thermaltake Mozart SX (http://www.thermaltake.com/product/Chassis/desktop/mozart_SX/mozartsx_vc7000.asp)


Specs: W470 x D440 x H90 mm, 1 x DVD, 1 x CR, 2 x HDD, standard front I/O ports, 2 x 80mm fan
Price: ~$125
Reviews: Futurelooks (http://www.futurelooks.com/378-Thermaltake-Mozart-SX--VC7001SNS--Slim-Home-Theatre-PC-Enclosure-Review.html), hardCOREware.net (http://www.hardcoreware.net/reviews/review-346-1.htm)
Notes: Only two expansion slots (PCIe x 16, PCI) are available. A two-slot video card does not fit.


Thermaltake Mozart IP with Media LAB (http://www.thermaltake.com/product/Chassis/desktop/mozartIP/vf3000_index.asp#overview)


Specs: W430 x D450 x H170 mm, 3 x DVD, 5 x HDD, standard front I/O ports, integrated iPod docking station, 2 x 60mm rear fan, 1 x 80mm front fan
Price: ~$180


Thermaltake Tenor (http://www.thermaltake.com/product/Chassis/desktop/tenor/vb2000_index.asp)


Specs: W430 x D460 x H170 mm, 3 x DVD, 2 x CR, 3 x HDD, standard front I/O ports, 2 x 60mm rear fan, 1 x 80mm front fan
Price: ~$100
Reviews: 3DVelocity.com (http://www.3dvelocity.com/reviews/tenorhtpc/vb2000.htm) (Editor's Choice), AnandTech – HTPC 4-Way Roundup (http://www.anandtech.com/casecooling/showdoc.aspx?i=2614&p=11), Dev Hardware (http://www.devhardware.com/c/a/Computer-Cases/Thermaltake-Tenor-VB2000/), DriverHeaven.net (http://www.driverheaven.net/reviews/Therm/index.htm) (Silver Award), HTPCnews.com (http://www.htpcnews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=121&Itemid=33), Legion Hardware (http://www.legionhardware.com/document.php?id=414) (Innovative Hardware; Total Score 95%), Modders-Inc. (http://www.modders-inc.com/reviews-story--46.html) (Score 7), PCApex.com (http://reviews.pcapex.com/cases/thermaltake_tenor_htpc_case.php) (Recommended Award), Phoronix (http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=article&item=224&num=1) (Editor's Choice), Rbmods.com (http://www.rbmods.com/Articles/Thermaltake/Tenor/3.php) (5 out of 5 dots), TWEAKNEWS (http://www.tweaknews.net/reviews/tenor/)
Notes: Installing a DVD drive in the third external 5.25″ bay is not recommended. Aluminum + 1.0mm SECC
Desktop MicroATX Case

3R SYSTEM

3R SYSTEM M-station HT-2000 (http://www.3rsys.com/english/products/view.asp?navi=case&idx_num=80)


Specs: W350 x D370 x H136 mm, 1 x DVD, 2 x HDD, multi card reader, standard front I/O ports, LCD & remote control, 2 x 60mm rear fan
Notes: MicroATX PSU only.
Antec

Antec Fusion 430 (http://www.antec.com/us/productDetails.php?ProdID=15740) or Antec Fusion Black 430 (http://www.antec.com/us/productDetails.php?ProdID=15739)


Specs: W445 x D414 x H140 (exc. feet) mm, 1 x DVD, 2 x HDD, standard front I/O ports, VFD or LCD (for Black), IR receiver, EarthWatts 430W PSU, 2 x 120mm exhaust fan
Price: ~$135
Notes: A major difference from Antec Fusion (http://www.antec.com/us/productDetails.php?ProdID=15738) (discontinued) is that Fusion 430 comes with IR receiver.
Reviews: Ascully.com (http://www.ascully.com/modules.php?name=Reviews&rop=showcontent&id=620) (Editor's Choice), Club Overclocker (http://www.cluboverclocker.com/reviews/cases/antec/Fusion/index.htm), ExtremeTech (Pimp Your Home Theater PC) (http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1697,2006642,00.asp), Futurelooks (http://www.futurelooks.com/?m=show&id=323), Hardware in Review (http://www.hardwareinreview.com/cms/content/view/45/1/), HardwareLogic (http://www.hardwarelogic.com/news/63/ARTICLE/1302/2006-11-15.html), Hardware Zone (http://www.hardwarezone.com/articles/view.php?cid=22&id=2104), Hardware.Info (http://www.hardware.info/en-US/news/ym2clZqVwp6a/Antec_introduces_FusionEC_HTPC__Media_Center_case/), HEXUS.net (http://www.hexus.net/content/item.php?item=6462), matbe.com (http://www.matbe.com/articles/lire/339/antec-fusion/), OCModShop (http://www.ocmodshop.com/ocmodshop.aspx?a=712), Overclockers Online (http://www.overclockersonline.net/index.php?page=articles&num=481), Silent PC Review (http://www.silentpcreview.com/article591-page9.html), Sudhian (http://www.sudhian.com/index.php?/articles/show/antec_fusion_review/), SysOpt.com (http://www.sysopt.com/features/cases/article.php/3624281), ThinkComputers.org (http://www.thinkcomputers.org/v2/index.php?x=reviews&id=478), TWEAKNEWS (http://www.tweaknews.net/reviews/antecfusion/), TWINSBYTE.de (http://www.alltests.de/hardware/reviews_06/antec_fusion/seite_1.php), Virtual-Hideout (http://virtual-hideout.net/reviews/Antec_Fusion/index.shtml)
Forums: AVS Forum (Started new HTPC with Antec Fusion V2 case!! *with pics*) (http://avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=878407)


Antec NSK2480 (http://www.antec.com/us/productDetails.php?ProdID=92480)


Specs: W445 x D414 x H140 (exc. feet) mm, 2 x DVD, 2 x HDD, standard front I/O ports without IEEE 1394, EarthWatts 380W PSU, 2 x 120mm exhaust fan
Price: ~$80
Reviews: Silent PC Reviews (http://www.silentpcreview.com/article591-page1.html) (the best airflow of any reviewed media case for all the components within. High potential for quiet system), ThinkComputers.org (http://www.thinkcomputers.org/index.php?x=reviews&id=427), Virtual-Hideout (http://www.virtual-hideout.net/reviews/Antec_NSK2400/index.shtml)
Notes: Cosmetically the case looks pretty ugly (unless you use a sliver drive) because of the absence of stealthed optical bay covers. Please read AVS Forum – Antec 2480 Case: Need A DVD Burner w/ Matching Silver Bezel - Where? (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=946745).
Cooler Master

Cooler Master CM Media 250 (RC-250) (http://www.coolermaster.com/products/product.php?act=detail&tbcate=17&id=61)


Specs: W423 x D445 x H140 mm, 2 x DVD, 1 x CR, 2 x HDD, standard front I/O ports, 2 x 60mm exhaust rear fan
Price: ~$50
Reviews: Big Bruin (http://www.bigbruin.com/reviews05/review.php?item=cm250&file=1), SysOpt.com (http://www.sysopt.com/features/cases/article.php/3561906)
nMEDIA

nMEDIAPC HTPC 100BA & SA (http://www.nmediapc.com/htpc100.htm)


Specs: W349 x D381 x H140 mm, 1 x DVD, 1 x CR included, 2 x HDD, standard front I/O ports, LCD, 300W PSU, 1 x 60mm exhaust fan, 1 x air duct
Price: ~$90
Reviews: AnandTech – December 2004 HTPC Case Roundup (http://www.anandtech.com/casecooling/showdoc.aspx?i=2309&p=8), bit-tech.net (http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/2005/03/01/nmedia_htpc_100/1.html), MODTHEBOX.COM (http://www.modthebox.com/review385_1.shtml), Tom's Hardware – Home Theater PCs: Trendy Cases In Hi-Fi Design (http://www.tomshardware.com/2005/06/14/home_theater_pcs/page16.html)


nMEDIAPC HTPC 180BA & SA (http://www.nmediapc.com/htpc180.htm)


Specs: W394 x D381 x H137 mm, 1 x DVD, 1 x CR included, 4 x HDD, standard front I/O ports, LCD, MCE receiver rack (receiver not included), 300W PSU, 1 x 60mm exhaust fan, 1 x air duct
Price: ~$110
Reviews: Bjorn3d.com (http://www.bjorn3d.com/read.php?cID=968), ExtremeMhz.com (January 28, 2007) (http://www.extrememhz.com/180BA-p1.shtml), MODTHEBOX.COM (http://www.modthebox.com/review486_1.shtml), Sudhian (http://www.sudhian.com/index.php?/articles/show/nmedia_htpc_180_review/)


nMEDIAPC HTPC 200BA & SA (http://www.nmediapc.com/htpc200.htm)


Specs: W432 x D406 x H133 mm, 1 x DVD, 1 x CR included, 3 x HDD, standard front I/O ports, LCD, MCE receiver rack (receiver not included), 2 x 60mm fan, 1 x 80mm HD fan, 1 x air duct
Price: ~$100
Reviews: ExtremeTech – A Pair of Stylish Home Theater Cases (http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1697,1993716,00.asp), Tom's Guide – DIY HD HTPC Extravaganza – Part 1: The Cases (http://www.tomsguide.com/us/diy-hd-htpc-extravaganza-part1,review-647-17.html), hardCOREware.net (http://www.hardcoreware.net/reviews/review-321-1.htm), MODTHEBOX.COM (http://www.modthebox.com/review437_1.shtml), Virtual-Hideout (http://www.virtual-hideout.net/reviews/nMedia_HTPC200BA/index.shtml)
Forums: AVS Forum – New nMEDIA HTPC 200 HTPC Case – New Design after collecting your feedback (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=566311), HTPCnews.com Forums – Building an nMEDIAPC 200, Info for those interested... (http://www.htpcnews.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=18249)
Notes: PSU not included.


nMEDIAPC HTPC 288BA & SA (http://www.nmediapc.com/htpc288.htm)


Specs: W432 x D406 x H133 mm, 1 x DVD, 3 x HDD, standard front I/O ports, VFD (optional), MCE receiver rack (receiver not included), 2 x 60mm fan, 1 x 80mm HD fan, 1 x air duct
Price: ~$110
Reviews: GideonTech.com (March 3, 2007) (http://www.gideontech.com/content/articles/347/1), Modders-Inc. (June 22, 2007) (http://modders-inc.com/reviews-story--141.html), TweakTown (March 17, 2007) (http://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/1064/1/page_1_introduction/index.html), X-bit labs (August 22, 2007) (http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/multimedia/display/nmedia-288sa.html)
Notes: PSU not included.
OrigenAE

OrigenAE H6 (http://www.origenae.com/en/htpc_h6.htm)


Specs: W435 x D458 x H150 (inc feet) mm, 1 x DVD, 4 x HDD, no front I/O ports, VFD & IR Module, 2 x 60mm exhaust fan, 1 x 80mm internal fan
Notes: All aluminum chassis
Price: ~$230
Reviews:


OrigenAE H7 (http://www.origenae.com/en/htpc_h6.htm)


Specs: W435 x D458 x H150 (inc feet) mm, 2 x DVD, 2 x HDD, no front I/O ports, VFD & IR Module, 2 x 60mm rear exhaust fan
Notes: All aluminum chassis
Price: ~$230
Reviews:


OrigenAE S14V (http://www.origenae.com/en/htpc_s14v.htm)


Specs: W435 x D390 x H150 (inc feet) mm, 1 x DVD, 4 x HDD, card readers, standard front I/O ports, VFD & IR Module, 2 x 60mm exhaust fan, 1 x 92mm intake fan
Notes: All aluminum chassis
Price: ~$370


OrigenAE S10V (http://www.origenae.com/en/htpc_s10v.htm)


Specs: W435 x D390 x H115 (inc feet) mm, 1 x slim DVD, 2 x HDD, card readers, standard front I/O ports, VFD & IR Module, 2 x 60mm exhaust fan, 2 x 60mm intake fan
Notes: All aluminum chassis
Price: ~$360
SilverStone

SilverStone Grandia GD02 (http://www.silverstonetek.com/products/p_contents.php?pno=gd02)


Specs: W430 x D360 x H155 mm, 1 x DVD, 1 x CR, 2 x HDD, standard front I/O ports, 2 x 80mm exhaust fan, support 11.5″ graphics card
Notes: Aluminum front panel & corners, SECC body
Forum: AVS Forum (SilverStone GD02B HTPC Case Review)
Price: ~$150


SilverStone Grandia GD02MT (http://www.silverstonetek.com/products/p_contents.php?pno=gd02mt)


Specs: W430 x D360 x H155 mm, 1 x slim DVD, 1 x CR, 2 x HDD, standard front I/O ports, 4.3″ LCD touchscreen (480 x 272), IR, remote control, 2 x 80mm exhaust fan, support 11.5″ graphics card
Notes: Aluminum front panel & corners, SECC body
Price: ~$390
Desktop MicroATX Case – Low-Profile

Antec

Antec NSK1480 (http://www.antec.com/us/productDetails.php?ProdID=91480)


Specs: W390 x D410 x H120 mm, 1 x DVD, 2 x HDD, 2xUSB2.0+1xeSATA+Audio In/Out, 1 x 80mm intake fan, 2 x 80mm side fan, 80 PLUS 350W ATX12V PSU
Notes: PSU is proprietary.
Price: ~$104


Antec Micro Fusion Remote 350 (http://www.antec.com/us/productDetails.php?ProdID=15737)


Specs: W390 x D410 x H120 mm, 1 x DVD, 2 x HDD, 2xUSB2.0+1xeSATA+Audio In/Out, 1 x 80mm intake fan, 2 x 80mm side fan, LCD & remote control, 80 PLUS 350W ATX12V PSU
Notes: PSU is proprietary.
Price: ~$164
Lian Li

Lian Li PC-C36B MUSE (http://www.lian-li.com/v2/en/product/product06.php?pr_index=219&cl_index=1&sc_index=26&ss_index=68)


Specs: W435 x D378 x H94 mm, 1 x DVD, 2 x HDD, standard front I/O ports, 1 x 70mm rear fan, 300W TFX PSU with 80mm fan, 2 x full size expansion slot or 4 x low-profile expansion slot
Price: ~$210


Lian Li PC-C37B MUSE (http://www.lian-li.com/v2/en/product/product06.php?pr_index=220&cl_index=1&sc_index=26&ss_index=68)


Specs: W435 x D378 x H94 mm, 1 x DVD, 2 x HDD, standard front I/O ports, 1 x 70mm rear fan
Price: ~$155
Mini-ITX Case

Apex

Apex MI-100 (http://www.apextechusa.com/products.asp?pID=115)


Specs: W220 x D300 x H129 mm, 1 x DVD, 1 x CR, 1 x HDD, 2xUSB2.0+Audio In/Out, no fan except PSU fan, ATX12V SFX 250W PSU, 1 x full size expansion slot
Price: ~$56


Apex MI-008 (http://www.apextechusa.com/products.asp?pID=171)


Specs: W220 x D300 x H129 mm, 1 x DVD, 1 x CR, 1 x HDD, 2xUSB2.0+Audio In/Out, no fan except PSU fan, ATX12V SFX 250W PSU, 1 x full size expansion slot
Price: ~$56
Reviews: Silent PC Review (http://www.silentpcreview.com/apex-mi008)
Case Fan

Nexus 80 mm Real Silent Case Fan SP802512L-03 (http://www.nexustek.nl/80mmcasefan.htm)


Specs: 1500 RPM, 20 CFM, 18 dBA
Price: ~$12


Panaflo 80 mm fan FBA08A12L1A (http://www.panasonic.com/industrial/appliance/appliance_fans_panaflo_axial.htm)


Specs: 1900 RPM, 24 CFM, 21 dBA
Price: ~$5
If you feel fans loud, use Zalman Fan Mate 2 (http://www.zalman.co.kr/ENG/product/Product_Read.asp?idx=206) (possibly with 3pin Female – Dual 3pin Male Fan Power Adapter (http://www.bestbyteinc.com/Cables_&_Misc._Accessories/Power_Cables,_Fan_Cables/3pin_Female_-_Dual_3wire__x__3pin_Male_Fan_Power_Adapter/Page_1/CBL-FAN-3D3.html)) or use the 7V trick (http://www.silentpcreview.com/article63-page1.html).

References

AnandTech – HTPC 4-Way Roundup (3R Mstation HT-1100, Antec Overture II, Lian-Li PC-V800B, Thermaltake Tenor) (http://www.anandtech.com/casecooling/showdoc.aspx?i=2614)
AnandTech – December 2004 HTPC Case Roundup (Ahanix D.Vine 5, CoolerMaster Cavalier 2, SilverStone Lascala LC10M, nMEDIAPC HTPC 100) (http://www.anandtech.com/casecooling/showdoc.aspx?i=2309&p=1)
ExtremeTech – A Case and Power Supply for Your DIY Media PC (December 2005) (http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1697,1899909,00.asp)
ExtremeTech – Choosing the Right Home Theater PC Case and Power Supply (April 2006) (http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1697,1949441,00.asp)
Gear Digest – DIY HD HTPC Extravaganza – Part 1: The Cases (3R Systems HT-1100, Antec Overture II, CoolerMaster CM Media 260, Lian-Li PC-V880B, nMEDIAPC HTPC 200, SilverStone LC16M, SilverStone Sugo SG01 Evolution, Thermaltake Bach, Thermaltake Mozart) (http://www.geardigest.com/2006/02/22/diy_hd_htpc_extravaganza_part1/)
Silent PC Review – Cases: Basics & Recommendations (http://www.silentpcreview.com/article75-page1.html)
Silent PC Review – Recommended Fans (http://www.silentpcreview.com/article63-page1.html)
Tom's Hardware – Home Theater PCs: Trendy Cases In Hi-Fi Design (Hiper Media Center, Ahanix D-Vine 5, nMEDIAPC HTPC 100, SilverStone LC10M, SilverStone LC11M) (http://www.tomshardware.com/2005/06/14/home_theater_pcs/)

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13. Input Devices
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Remote Control
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For Media Center PC with Windows (Only)

Microsoft Remote Control and Receiver for Media Center PC with Windows (http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/mouseandkeyboard/productdetails.aspx?pid=065)


Specs: IR, 20 feet, 2 AA batteries, USB IR receiver included
Price: ~$22


Streamzap PC Remote (http://www.streamzap.com/products/pcremote/)


Specs: IR, 40 feet, 2 AAA batteries, USB IR receiver included
Price: ~$27


SilverStone MFP51 Multi-media system LCD display for 5.25″ bay (http://www.silverstonetek.com/products/p_contents.php?pno=mfp51)


Specs: IR receiver, LCD display device which fits a 5.25″ drive bay, IR remote controller
Price: ~$85


SoundGraph iMON VFD (http://www.soundgraph.com/Eng_/Products/imon25.aspx?topMenu=2&subMenu=1&leftMenu=25)


Specs: IR receiver, VFD display device which fits a 5.25″ drive bay, IR remote controller
Price: ~$85
Reviews: techPowerUp! (May 18, 2006) (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Soundgraph/iMONVFD)


SoundGraph iMON Inside (http://www.soundgraph.com/Eng_/Products/imon24.aspx?topMenu=2&subMenu=1&leftMenu=24)


Specs: IR receiver which fits a 3.5” disk drive bay, IR remote controller
Price: ~$60


Thermaltake Media Lab (http://www.thermaltake.com/product/Chassis/misc/median%20lab/medialab_index.asp)


Specs: VFD display panel which fits a 5.25″ drive bay, IR remote control
Price: ~$79
Universal Remote Control

A universal remote control works with various devices including a HTPC (that must have an IR receiver). Only consumer products are included here. Professional products need to be programmed and installed by experienced custom installation professionals. Two major manufacturers of professional remotes are Universal Remote Control (http://www.universalremote.com/) and RTI (http://www.rticorp.com/).

Gyration Media Center Universal Remote Control (http://www.gyration.com/p-21-universal-remote-control-for-pc-media-center-and-audiovideo-functions.aspx)


Specs:
Price: ~$100


Logitech Harmony One Advanced Universal Remote (http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/remotes/universal_remotes/devices/3898&cl=us,en)


Specs: IR, 2.2″ Color Touch Screen LCD, Lithium-ion rechargeable battery
Price: ~$230
Reviews: CNET (Editor's Choice 8.7/10; February 21, 2008) (http://reviews.cnet.com/remote-controls/logitech-harmony-one/4505-7900_7-32825878.html), ExtremeTech (Approved; February 7, 2008) (http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1697,2257371,00.asp), I4U News (Editor's Choice; January 17, 2008) (http://www.i4u.com/full-review-364.html), Techgage (Editor's Choice; February 12, 2008) (http://techgage.com/article/logitech_harmony_one_advanced_universal_remote/)
Forums: AVS Forums – Official Logitech Harmony One thread


Logitech Harmony 1000 Advanced Universal Remote (http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/remotes/universal_remotes/devices/373&cl=us,en)


Specs: IR, 3.5″ Color Touch Screen LCD, Lithium-ion rechargeable battery
Price: ~$350
Reviews: CNET (Very Good 7.7/10; February 8, 2007) (http://reviews.cnet.com/remote-controls/logitech-harmony-1000/4505-7900_7-32068854.html)
Forums: AVS Forums – Harmony 1000 (3.5 inch screen)


Logitech Harmony 890 Advanced Universal Remote (http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/remotes/universal_remotes/devices/374&cl=us,en)


Specs: RF (via Harmonly RF wireless extender and 4 dual-IR emitters for up to 8 IR devices), 100 feet, Backlit color LCD (84x48), Lithium-ion rechargeable battery and 4 AAA batteries
Price: ~$250
Reviews: CNET (Excellent 8.3/10; May 17, 2006) (http://reviews.cnet.com/remote-controls/logitech-harmony-890/4505-7900_7-31630408.html)
Notes: This is basically the same as Harmony 880 except that it uses RF instead of IR.


Logitech Harmony 880 Advanced Universal Remote (http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/remotes/universal_remotes/devices/372&cl=us,en)


Specs: IR, > 40 feet, Backlit color LCD (84x48), Lithium-ion rechargeable battery and 4 AAA batteries
Price: ~$140
Reviews: Audioholics (December 7, 2005) (http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/remote-controls/logitech-harmony-880-remote-control), CNET (Excellent 8.0/10; May 2, 2005) (http://reviews.cnet.com/remote-controls/logitech-harmony-880/4505-7900_7-31337419.html), Techgage (September 15, 2006) (http://techgage.com/article/logitech_harmony_880_remote/)
Forums: AVS Forums – Harmony 880 Official Thread. For all info and FAQs


Logitech Harmony 659 Advanced Universal Remote (http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/remotes/universal_remotes/devices/379&cl=us,en)


Specs: IR, 40 feet, Backlit monochrome LCD (84x48), 4 AAA batteries
Price: ~$90
Reviews: Engadget HD (October 29, 2005) (http://www.engadgethd.com/2005/10/29/hd-beat-review-harmony-659/)


Logitech Harmony 550 Advanced Universal Remote (http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/remotes/universal_remotes/devices/376&cl=us,en)


Specs: IR, Backlit monochrome LCD
Price: ~$79
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Keyboard + Mouse Combo
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Logitech diNovo Media Desktop Laser (http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/keyboards/keyboard_mice_combos/devices/164&cl=us,en)


Specs: Bluetooth 2.0, Rechargeable Laser Mouse included
Price: ~$127


Logitech Cordless Desktop S 510 (http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/keyboards/keyboard_mice_combos/devices/145&cl=us,en)


Specs: RF, LX5 Optical Mouse included
Price: ~$50
Notes: The effective distance is 5 feet to 15 feet depending on the environment.


Microsoft Wireless Entertainment Desktop 7000 (http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/mouseandkeyboard/productdetails.aspx?pid=081)


Specs: Bluetooth, Rechargeable Laser Mouse included
Price: ~$107

________
Keyboard
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Adesso 2.4 GHz RF Wireless Mini Keyboard w/Optical Trackball WKB3000UB (http://www.adesso.com/products_detail.asp?productid=336)


Specs: RF, 100 feet
Price: ~$70


Logitech diNovo Edge (http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/keyboards/keyboard/devices/192&cl=us,en)


Specs: Bluetooth 2.0, 30 feet
Price: ~$135


Microsoft Remote Keyboard for Windows XP Media Center Edition (http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/mouseandkeyboard/ProductDetails.aspx?pid=038)


Specs: IR, 30 feet
Price: ~$30
Notes: IR receiver is not included.

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Appendix I. Intel Processors – An Overview

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Table of Contents
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Preface
History
P6 Microarchitecture
NetBurst Microarchitecture
Mobile Microarchitecture
Core Microarchitecture
Desktop
Server
Mobile
Atom Microarchitecture
Nehalem Microarchitecture
______
Preface
¯¯¯¯¯¯

The purpose of this part is list recent Intel chips according to microarchitectures since P6 for reference. (A microarchitecture is the design and layout of a microprocessor.) In-depth expositions of each microarchitecture and each CPU family are found in articles in References.

________
1. History
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___________________
2. P6 Microarchitecture
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The P6 microarchitecture is the sixth generation x86 architecture of Intel released in 1995, which lasted until 2000, then revived in the mobile microarchitecture in 2003 with the release of the Pentium M line of processors, which was in turn succeeded by the Core microarchitecture in 2006. (x86 or 80x86 is the generic name of microprocessor architecture developed by Intel since the Intel 8086 processor in 1978.) This was a completely new architecture featuring implementation of the RISC technology, on-die L2 cache, etc. The chip families based on this architecture are:

Pentium Pro, used mostly in workstations and servers


P6, released on November 1, 1995, 500 nm and 350 nm processes, Socket 8


Pentium II, actually low-end Pentium Pro, but re-branded


Klamath, released on May 7, 1997, 350 nm process, Slot 1
Deschutes, released on February 26, 1998, 250 nm process, Slot 1


Pentium III


Katmai, released on February 26, 1999, 250 nm process, Slot 1
Coppermine, released on October 25, 1999, 180 nm process, Slot 1/Socket 370
Tualatin, released on June 19, 2001, 130 nm process, Socket 370
Celeron (a value desktop CPU line), Xeon (a server CPU line) and Mobile Pentium II/III (mobile CPU lines) were also introduced based on Pentium II/III cores.

By the way, the brand name Pentium first appeared in the fifth generation x86 architecture (codenamed P5) in March 1993.

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3. NetBurst Microarchitecture
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The Intel NetBurst microarchitecture is the successor to the P6 microarchitecture introduced in 2000. The architecture features deep pipeline, higher clock speeds, larger die size, etc. Intel expected 10GHz with this architecture, but eventually abandoned it because of increasing power dissipation with higher clock speeds. The chip families based on NetBurst are

Pentium 4


Willamette, released on November 20, 2000, 180 nm process, Socket 423/478
Northwood, released on January 7, 2002, 130 nm process, Socket 478
Prescott (the last processor identified by a clock speed), released on February 2, 2004, 90 nm process, Socket 478
Prescott (500 Series), released on June 21, 2004 (with the 915 Express chipset), 90 nm process, Socket 775
Prescott 2M (600 Series), released on February 20, 2005, 90 nm process, EM64T, Socket 775
Cedar Mill (6x1 Series), released on January 18, 2006, 65 nm process, Socket 775
Pentium D is the first announced dual-core desktop processor.


Smithfield (800 Series), released on May 26, 2005, two Prescott cores on a single die, 90 nm process, Socket 775
Presler (900 Series), released on January 6, 2006, two Cedar Mill dies on a single package, 65 nm process, Socket 775
There are also Extreme Editions, Celeron, Celeron D (single-core!), Xeon, Mobile Pentium 4 and Mobile Pentium 4 - M based on Pentium 4 and/or Pentium D cores. Intel is releasing NetBurst-based Dual-Core Xeon 7100 Series (Tulsa) that may be the last NetBurst-based CPU line.

_________
References
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
NetBurst Microarchitecture

AnandTech – Intel's NetBurst Architecture (http://www.anandtech.com/showdoc.aspx?i=1301)
Ars Technica – The Pentium: An Architectural History of the World's Most Famous Desktop Processor (Part I) (July 11, 2004) (http://arstechnica.com/articles/paedia/cpu/pentium-1.ars)
Ars Technica – The Pentium: An Architectural History of the World's Most Famous Desktop Processor (Part II) (July 26, 2004) (http://arstechnica.com/articles/paedia/cpu/pentium-2.ars)
X-bit labs – NetBurst 1 (http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/cpu/display/netburst-1.html)
X-bit labs – NetBurst 2 (http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/cpu/display/netburst-2.html)
X-bit labs – NetBurst 3 (http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/cpu/display/replay.html)
Intel Dual-Core Processors

AnandTech – Intel's Dual Core Strategy, Oct. 2004 (http://www.anandtech.com/showdoc.aspx?i=2252)
Ars Technica – Multicore, dual-core, and the future of Intel (September 13, 2004) (http://arstechnica.com/articles/paedia/cpu/intel-future.ars)

______________________
4. Mobile Microarchitecture
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Intel's mobile microarchitecture was first implemented in the Pentium M mobile processor released in March 2003. Pentium M is not a low-power version of Pentium 4 but a modified version of Pentium III Tualatin optimized for power efficiency. It runs at a lower clock speed than Pentium 4 but with a similar performance. Then came Intel Core in January 2006 that brought dual core into notebooks with 65 nm technology. That was also a preliminary step to the next desktop Intel Core microarchitecture.

Pentium M


Banias (vanilla and 705), released on March 12, 2003 as part of the Centrino mobile technology, 130 nm process, FSB 400MTps, Socket 479
Dothan (700 Series), released on May 10, 2004, 90 nm process, FSB 533MTps, Socket 479


Core Duo (Yonah), released on January 5, 2006. Dual-core, 65 nm, [VT, EIST, XD Bit], Socket M (479 pins, but different layout from Socket 479)


Standard Voltage, FSB 533/667MTps, 31W
T2050: 1.60GHz = 133MHz x 12, 2MB L2, [no VT]
T2250: 1.73GHz = 133MHz x 13, 2MB L2, [no VT]
T2300E: 1.66GHz = 166MHz x 10, 2MB L2, [no VT]
T2300: 1.66GHz = 166MHz x 10, 2MB L2
T2400: 1.83GHz = 166MHz x 11, 2MB L2
T2500: 2.00GHz = 166MHz x 12, 2MB L2
T2600: 2.16GHz = 166MHz x 13, 2MB L2
T2700: 2.33GHz = 166MHz x 14, 2MB L2
Low Voltage, FSB 667MTps, 15W
L2300: 1.50GHz = 166MHz x 9, 2MB L2
L2400: 1.66GHz = 166MHz x 10, 2MB L2
L2500: 1.83GHz = 166MHz x 11, 2MB L2
Ultra Low Voltage, FSB 533MTps, 9W
U2400: 1.06GHz = 133MHz x 8, 2MB L2
U2500: 1.20GHz = 133MHz x 9, 2MB L2


Core Solo (Yonah), released on January 5, 2006. Single-core (the same die as Core Duo with only one core active), 65 nm, Socket M


Standard Voltage, FSB 667MTps, 27W, [EIST, XD Bit]
T1300: 1.66GHz = 166MHz x 10, 2MB L2
T1350: 1.86GHz = 133MHz x 14, 2MB L2
T1400: 1.83GHz = 166MHz x 11, 2MB L2
Ultra Low Voltage, FSB 533MTps, 5.5W, [VT, EIST, XD Bit]
U1300: 1.06GHz = 133MHz x 8, 2MB L2
U1400: 1.20GHz = 133MHz x 9, 2MB L2


Celeron M (400 Series, Yonah-based), released in April and May 2006. Single-core, 65 nm, [XD Bit], Socket M


Standard Voltage, FSB 533MTps, 27W
410: 1.46GHz = 133MHz x 11, 1MB L2
420: 1.60GHz = 133MHz x 12, 1MB L2
430: 1.73GHz = 133MHz x 13, 1MB L2
440: 1.86GHz = 133MHz x 14, 1MB L2
450: 2.00GHz = 133MHz x 15, 1MB L2
Ultra Low Voltage, FSB 533MTps, 5.5W
423: 1.06GHz = 133MHz x 8, 1MB L2
There are also Celeron M 300 Series based on Banias and Dothan and Dual-Core Xeon LV/ULV based on Yonah.

_________
References
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
Intel's Mobile Microarchitecture

AnandTech – Pentium M (http://www.anandtech.com/showdoc.aspx?i=1800)
AnandTech – Yonah Preview 1 (http://www.anandtech.com/showdoc.aspx?i=2627)
AnandTech – Yonah Preview 2 (http://www.anandtech.com/showdoc.aspx?i=2648)
AnandTech – Core Duo (http://www.anandtech.com/showdoc.aspx?i=2663)

_____________________
5. Core Microarchitecture
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The Intel Core microarchitecture is the current Intel microarchitecture, previously known as Next Generation Microarchitecture (NGMA). This is the direct successor to Intel's mobile microarchitecture and has little in common with the NetBurst microarchitecture. It features relatively low frequencies but improved other functions such as smarter prefetch and cache, resulting in increased performance and increasing energy efficiency.

Some of Intel's T's (Technologies) or *T's (star T's, Advanced Technologies) and other technologies embedded in today's microprocessors are:
Hyper-Threading Technology (HT) enables one physical processor to appear and behave as two virtual processors to the operating system. Currently none of Core 2 cores supports this technology.
Virtualization Technology (VT) enables one hardware platform to function as multiple "virtual" platforms.
Enhanced Intel SpeedStep Technology (EIST) allows the system to dynamically adjust processor voltage and core frequency, which can result in decreased average power consumption and decreased average heat production. An equivalent of AMD's Cool'n'Quiet Technology.
Extended Memory 64 Technology (EM64T) is Intel's name of the 64-bit microprocessor architecture developed by AMD.
Execute Disable Bit (XD Bit) segregates instructions and data in memory to prevent certain classes of malicious software from taking over computers. The same as No Execute Bit (NX Bit) or Enhanced Virus Protection (EVP) in AMD's term.
Trusted Execution Technology (TXT) will be introduced in 2007 and is designed to protect sensitive information from software attacks.

_________________
Desktop Processors
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LGA775 – 65 nm

Core 2 Duo (Conroe), first released on July 27, 2006. Dual-core, 65 nm, FSB 1066/1333MTps, 4MB L2 cache, [VT, EIST, EM64T, XD Bit]


E6300: 1.86GHz = 266MHz x 7, 2MB L2, 65W
E6320: 1.86GHz = 266MHz x 7, 65W (April 22, 2007)
E6400: 2.13GHz = 266MHz x 8, 2MB L2, 65W
E6420: 2.13GHz = 266MHz x 8, 65W (April 22, 2007)
E6600: 2.40GHz = 266MHz x 9, 65W
E6700: 2.66GHz = 266MHz x 10, 65W
E6540: 2.33GHz = 333MHz x 7, 65W, (July 22, 2007)
E6550: 2.33GHz = 333MHz x 7, 65W, [TXT] (July 22, 2007)
E6750: 2.66GHz = 333MHz x 8, 65W, [TXT] (July 22, 2007)
E6850: 3.00GHz = 333MHz x 9, 65W, [TXT] (July 22, 2007)


Core 2 Extreme (Conroe), released on July 27, 2006. Dual-core, 65 nm, FSB 1066MTps, 4MB L2 cache, unlocked multiplier, [VT, EIST, EM64T, XD Bit]


X6800: 2.93GHz = 266MHz x 11, 75W


Core 2 Quad (Kentsfield). Quad-core (two Conroe dies on a single package), 65 nm, FSB 1066MTps, 2 x 4MB L2 cache, [VT, EIST, EM64T, XD Bit]


Q6600: 2.40GHz = 266MHz x 9, 105W (SL9UM, B3; January 8, 2007) / 95W (SLACR, G0; July 22, 2007 )
Q6700: 2.66GHz = 266MHz x 10, 95W (July 22, 2007)


Core 2 Extreme (Kentsfield). Quad-core (two Conroe dies on a single package), 65 nm, FSB 1066/1333MTps, 2 x 4MB L2 cache, unlocked multiplier, [VT, EIST, EM64T, XD Bit]


QX6700: 2.66GHz = 266MHz x 10, 130W (November 2, 2006)
QX6800: 2.93GHz = 266MHz x 11, 130W (April 9, 2007)
QX6850: 3.00GHz = 333MHz x 9, 130W (July 16, 2007)


Core 2 Duo (Allendale), first released on January 21, 2007. Dual-core, 65 nm, FSB 800MTps, 2MB L2 cache, [EIST, EM64T, XD Bit]


E4300: 1.80GHz = 200MHz x 9, 65W
E4400: 2.00GHz = 200MHz x 10, 65W (April 22, 2007)
E4500: 2.20GHz = 200MHz x 11, 65W (July 22, 2007)
E4600: 2.40GHz = 200MHz x 12, 65W (October 21, 2007)
E4700: 2.60GHz = 200MHz x 13, 65W (March 2, 2008)


Pentium Dual-Core (E2000 Series, Conroe-1M), first released in June 3, 2007. Dual-core, 65 nm, FSB 800MTps, 1MB L2 cache, [EIST, EM64T, XD Bit]


E2140: 1.60GHz = 200MHz x 8, 65W
E2160: 1.80GHz = 200MHz x 9, 65W
E2180: 2.00GHz = 200MHz x 10, 65W (August 26, 2007)
E2200: 2.20GHz = 200MHz x 11, 65W (December 2, 2007)
E2220: 2.40GHz = 200MHz x 11, 65W (March 2, 2008)


Celeron Dual-Core (E1000 Series, Conroe-1M), first released on January 20, 2008. Dual-core, 65 nm, FSB 800MTps, 512KB L2 cache, [EM64T, XD Bit]


E1200: 1.60GHz = 200MHz x 8, 65W
E1400: 2.00GHz = 200MHz x 10, 65W (May 11, 2008)


Celeron (400 Series, Conroe-L), first released on June 3, 2007. Single-core, 65 nm, FSB 800MTps, 512KB L2 cache, [EM64T, XD Bit]


420: 1.60GHz = 200MHz x 8, 35W
430: 1.80GHz = 200MHz x 9, 35W
440: 2.00GHz = 200MHz x 10, 35W
LGA775 – 45 nm

Core 2 Duo (Wolfdale), released on January 20, 2008. Dual-core, 45 nm, FSB 1333MTps, 6MB L2 cache, [VT, EIST, EM64T, XD Bit, TXT]


E8190: 2.66GHz = 333MHz x 8, 65W, [no VT, no TXT]
E8200: 2.66GHz = 333MHz x 8, 65W
E8300: 2.83GHz = 333MHz x 8.5, 65W (April 20, 2008)
E8400: 3.00GHz = 333MHz x 9, 65W
E8500: 3.16GHz = 333MHz x 9.5, 65W


Core 2 Quad (Yorkfield), released in Q1 2008. Quad-core (two Wolfdale dies on a single package), 45 nm, FSB 1333MTps, 2 x 6MB L2 cache, [VT, EIST, EM64T, XD Bit]


Q9300: 2.50GHz = 333MHz x 7.5, 95W, 2 x 3MB L2
Q9450: 2.66GHz = 333MHz x 8, 95W
Q9550: 2.83GHz = 333MHz x 8.5, 95W


Core 2 Extreme (Yorkfield), first released on November 12, 2007. Quad-core (two Wolfdale dies on a single package), 45 nm, FSB 1333MTps, 2 x 6MB L2 cache, unlocked multiplier, [VT, EIST, EM64T, XD Bit]


QX9650: 3.00GHz = 333MHz x 9, 130W
QX9770: 3.20GHz = 400MHz x 8, 136W (January 20, 2008)


Core 2 Duo (Wolfdale-3M), to be released in Q2 2008. Dual-core, 45 nm, FSB 1066MTps, 3MB L2 cache, [EIST, EM64T, XD Bit]


E7200: 2.53GHz = 266MHz x 9.5, 65W


Pentium Dual-Core (Wolfdale-2M), to be released in August 2008. Dual-core, 45 nm, FSB 800MTps, 2MB L2 cache, [EIST, EM64T, XD Bit]


E5200: 2.50GHz = 200MHz x 12.5, 65W
Skulltrail Platform

The Intel Skulltrail platform is a dual-socket, multi-core PC platform consisting of two LGA771 sockets, a pair of Yorkfield processors and Intel 5400 (Seaburg) DP server chipset (hence pricey FB-DIMM is required). It features 2 nForce 100 PCI Express bridges, supporting 4 PCI Express x16 links. Thus it is called 8x4 (8 CPU cores and 4 GPU cores). It's Intel's version of the AMD QuadFX platform.

Core 2 Extreme (Yorkfield), released in Q1 2008. Quad-core (two Wolfdale dies on a single package), 45 nm, FSB 1600MTps, 2 x 6MB L2 cache, unlocked multiplier, [VT, EIST, EM64T, XD Bit]


QX9775: 3.20GHz = 400MHz x 8, 150W

________________
Server Processors
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UP – 65 nm

Processors for UP (uni-processor) system are the same as desktop processors with LGA775 socket.

Dual-Core Xeon 3000 Series (Conroe), first released in October 2006. Dual-core, 65 nm, FSB 1066MTps, 4MB L2 cache, [VT, EIST, EM64T, XD Bit]


3040: 1.86GHz = 266MHz x 7, 2MB L2, 65W
3050: 2.13GHz = 266MHz x 8, 2MB L2, 65W
3060: 2.40GHz = 266MHz x 9, 65W
3065: 2.33GHz = 333MHz x 7, 65W
3070: 2.66GHz = 266MHz x 10, 65W
3075: 2.66GHz = 333MHz x 8, 65W
3085: 3.00GHz = 333MHz x 9, 65W


Quad-Core Xeon 3200 Series (Kentsfield), released on January 7, 2007. Quad-core, 65 nm, FSB 1066MTps, 2 x 4MB L2 cache, [VT, EIST, EM64T, XD Bit]


X3210: 2.13GHz = 266MHz x 8, 105W
X3220: 2.40GHz = 266MHz x 9, 105W
X3230: 2.66GHz = 266MHz x 10, 95W
DP – 65 nm

DP (dual-processor) systems use LGA771 socket with Bensley platform.

Dual-Core Xeon 5100 Series (Woodcrest), released on June 25, 2006. Dual-core, 65 nm, FSB 1066/1333MTps, 4MB L2 cache, [VT, EIST, EM64T, XD Bit]


5110: 1.60GHz = 266MHz x 6, 65W
5120: 1.87GHz = 266MHz x 7, 65W
5130: 2.00GHz = 333MHz x 6, 65W
5140: 2.33GHz = 333MHz x 7, 65W
5150: 2.66GHz = 333MHz x 8, 65W
5160: 3.00GHz = 333MHz x 9, 80W
LV 5128: 1.86GHz = 266MHz x 7, 40W
LV 5138: 2.13GHz = 266MHz x 8, 35W
LV 5148: 2.33GHz = 333MHz x 7, 40W


Quad-Core Xeon 5300 Series (Clovertown), first released on November 14, 2006. Quad core (two Woodcrest dies on a single package), 65 nm, FSB 1066/1333MTps, 2 x 4MB L2 cache, [VT, EIST, EM64T, XD Bit]


L5310: 1.60GHz = 266MHz x 6, 50W (March 12, 2007)
E5310: 1.60GHz = 266MHz x 6, 80W
L5320: 1.86GHz = 266MHz x 7, 50W (March 12, 2007)
E5320: 1.86GHz = 266MHz x 7, 80W
L5335: 2.00GHz = 333MHz x 6, 50W (August 13, 2007)
E5335: 2.00GHz = 333MHz x 6, 80W
E5345: 2.33GHz = 333MHz x 7, 80W
X5355: 2.66GHz = 333MHz x 8, 120W
X5365: 3.00GHz = 333MHz x 9, 120W (August 13, 2007)
UP – 45 nm

Processors for UP (uni-processor) system are the same as desktop processors with LGA775 socket.

Dual-Core Xeon 3100 Series (Wolfdale), released on January 20, 2008. Dual-core, 45 nm, FSB 1333MTps, 6MB L2 cache, [VT, EIST, EM64T, XD Bit]


E3110: 3.00GHz = 333MHz x 9, 65W


Quad-Core Xeon 3300 Series (Yorkfield), released on Q1 2008. Quad core (two Wolfdale dies on a single package), 45 nm, FSB 1333MTps, 2 x 6MB L2 cache, [VT, EIST, EM64T, XD Bit]


X3320: 2.50GHz = 333MHz x 7.5, 2 x 3MB L2, 95W
X3350: 2.66GHz = 333MHz x 8, 95W
X3360: 2.83GHz = 333MHz x 8.5, 95W
DP – 45 nm

Dual-Core Xeon 5200 Series (Wolfdale-DP), released on November 12, 2007. Dual-core, 45 nm, FSB 1066/1333/1600MTps, 6MB L2 cache, [VT, EIST, EM64T, XD Bit]


E5205: 1.86GHz = 266MHz x 7, 65W
X5260: 3.33GHz = 333MHz x 10, 80W
X5272: 3.40GHz = 400MHz x 8.5, 80W


Quad-Core Xeon 5400 Series (Harpertown), released on November 12, 2007. Quad core (two Wolfdale-DP dies on a single package), 45 nm, FSB 1333/1600MTps, 2 x 6MB L2 cache, [VT, EIST, EM64T, XD Bit]


E5405: 2.00GHz = 333MHz x 6, 80W
E5405: 2.00GHz = 333MHz x 6, 80W
E5410: 2.33GHz = 333MHz x 7, 80W
E5420: 2.50GHz = 333MHz x 7.5, 80W
E5430: 2.66GHz = 333MHz x 8, 80W
E5440: 2.83GHz = 333MHz x 8.5, 80W
E5450: 3.00GHz = 333MHz x 9, 80W
X5450: 3.00GHz = 333MHz x 9, 120W
X5460: 3.16GHz = 333MHz x 9.5, 120W
E5462: 2.80GHz = 400MHz x 7, 80W
E5472: 3.00GHz = 400MHz x 7.5, 80W
X5472: 3.00GHz = 400MHz x 7.5, 120W
X5482: 3.20GHz = 400MHz x 8, 150W
MP (4-Way) – 65 nm

The current Intel MP (multi-processor) system use the Caneland platform with four Socket 604 and four independent FSB.

Dual-Core Xeon 7200 Series (Tigerton-DC), released on ?. Dual-core, 65 nm, FSB 1066MTps, 8MB L2 cache, [VT, EIST, EM64T, XD Bit]


E7210: 2.40GHz = 266MHz x 9, 80W
E7220: 2.93GHz = 266MHz x 11, 80W


Quad-Core Xeon 7300 Series (Tigerton), released on ?. Quad-core, 65 nm, FSB 1066MTps, [VT, EIST, EM64T, XD Bit]


E7310: 1.60GHz = 266MHz x 6, 4MB L2, 80W
E7320: 2.13GHz = 266MHz x 8, 4MB L2, 80W
E7330: 2.40GHz = 266MHz x 9, 6MB L2, 80W
E7340: 2.40GHz = 266MHz x 9, 8MB L2, 80W
L7345: 1.86GHz = 266MHz x 7, 8MB L2, 50W
X7350: 2.93GHz = 266MHz x 11, 8MB L2, 130W
MP (4-Way) – 45 nm

A 45 nm successor to Tigerton is Dunnington, expected in Q4 2008. This is a native 6-core chip (a monolithic chip consisting of 3 pairs of Core 2 processors) and pin-compatible with Tigerton.

______________
Mobile Processors
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯

Socket M 65 nm Processors

Core 2 Duo (Merom), released on July 27, 2006. Dual-core, 65 nm, FSB 667MTps, [VT, EIST, EM64T, XD Bit]


Standard Voltage, FSB 667MTps, 34W
T5500: 1.66GHz = 166MHz x 10, 2MB L2, 20W, [no VT]
T5600: 1.83GHz = 166MHz x 11, 2MB L2, 34W
T7200: 2.00GHz = 166MHz x 12, 4MB L2, 34W
T7400: 2.16GHz = 166MHz x 13, 4MB L2, 34W
T7600: 2.33GHz = 166MHz x 14, 4MB L2, 34W
Low Voltage, FSB 667MTps, 17W
L7200: 1.33GHz = 166MHz x 8, 4MB L2, 17W (January 2007)
L7400: 1.50GHz = 166MHz x 9, 4MB L2, 17W (January 2007)


Celeron M (500 Series, Merom-based), to be released in H1 2007. Single-core, 65 nm, [EM64T, XD Bit]


Standard Voltage, FSB 533MTps
520: 1.60GHz = 133MHz x 12, 1MB L2 (January 2007)
530: 1.73GHz = 133MHz x 13, 1MB L2 (Q2 2007)
Socket P 65 nm Processors

Core 2 Duo (Merom), released in May 2007. Dual-core, 65 nm, FSB 800/667/533MTps, [VT, EIST, EM64T, XD Bit]


Standard Voltage, FSB 800/667MTps, 35W
T7100: 1.80GHz = 200MHz x 9, 2MB L2
T7300: 2.00GHz = 200MHz x 10, 4MB L2
T7500: 2.20GHz = 200MHz x 11, 4MB L2
T7700: 2.40GHz = 200MHz x 12, 4MB L2
Low Voltage, FSB 800MTps, 17W
L7300: 1.40GHz = 200MHz x 7, 4MB L2,
L7500: 1.60GHz = 200MHz x 8, 4MB L2
Ultra Low Voltage, FSB 533MTps, 10W
U7500: 1.06GHz = 133MHz x 8, 2MB L2
U7600: 1.20GHz = 133MHz x 9, 2MB L2
U7700: 1.33GHz = 133MHz x 10, 2MB L2 (January 6, 2008)


Core 2 Extreme (Merom-XE), first released on July 16, 2007. Dual-core, 65 nm, FSB 800MTps, 44W, [VT, EIST, EM64T, XD Bit]


X7800: 2.60GHz = 200MHz x 13, 4MB L2
X7900: 2.80GHz = 200MHz x 14, 4MB L2 (August 23, 2007)
Socket P 45 nm Processors

Core 2 Duo (Penryn), release on January 20, 2008, Dual-core, 45 nm, FSB 800MTps, 35W


T8100: 2.10GHz = 200MHz x 10.5, 3MB L2
T8300: 2.40GHz = 200MHz x 12, 3MB L2
T9300: 2.50GHz = 200MHz x 12.5, 6MB L2
T9500: 2.60GHz = 200MHz x 13, 6MB L2


Core 2 Extreme (Penryn-XE), release on January 20, 2008, Dual-core, 45 nm, FSB 800MTps, 6MB L2 cache, 44W


X9000: 2.80GHz = 200MHz x 14
_________
References
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
Intel Site

Processors (http://www.intel.com/products/processor/)
Core 2 Extreme Processor X6800 and Core 2 Duo Desktop Processor E6000 and E4000 Sequences Datasheet (http://www.intel.com/design/processor/datashts/313278.htm)
Core 2 Duo Mobile Processor for Centrino Duo Mobile Technology Datasheet (http://www.intel.com/design/mobile/datashts/314078.htm)
Core 2 Duo Processors and Core 2 Extreme Processors for Platforms Based on Mobile 965 Express Chipset Family Datasheet (http://www.intel.com/design/mobile/datashts/316745.htm)
Intel Processor Numbers (http://www.intel.com/products/processor_number/index.htm)
Core Microarchitecture (http://www.intel.com/technology/architecture/coremicro/)
Silicon (http://www.intel.com/technology/silicon/index.htm)
*T's (http://www.intel.com/platforms/technologies.htm)
Core Microarchitecture

Real World Technologies – NGMA (http://www.realworldtech.com/page.cfm?ArticleID=RWT030906143144)
AnandTech – Core microarchitecture (http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/showdoc.aspx?i=2748)
AnandTech – Core 2 Duo/Extreme (http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/showdoc.aspx?i=2795)
AnandTech – Core Duo vs. Mobile Core 2 Duo (http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/showdoc.aspx?i=2808)
Ars Technica – Into the Core: Intel's next-generation microarchitecture (April 5, 2006) (http://arstechnica.com/articles/paedia/cpu/core.ars)
Core 2 Processors

DailyTech – Kentsfield (http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=4217)
DailyTech – Conroe-L (http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=4252)
DailyTech – Low End Xeon (http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=3381)
DailyTech – Quad-core Xeon (http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=4253)
電腦領域 HKEPC Hardware – Clovertown (http://www.hkepc.com/bbs/itnews.php?tid=671378)
DailyTech – Merom-based Celeron M (http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=4250)
DailyTech – "Conroe" Refresh Details Unveiled (http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=4589)
DailyTech – Upcoming Intel Desktop Launch Schedule Unveiled (http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=4965)
Penryn Processors

X-bit labs – Intel to Tape Out First 45nm Processor in Q4 2006 (http://www.xbitlabs.com/news/cpu/display/20061019222838.html)
AnandTech – Intel: More Details on Penryn and Nehalem (March 28, 2007) (http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/showdoc.aspx?i=2955)
AnandTech – Intel Penryn Performance Preview: The Fastest gets Faster (April 18, 2007) (http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/intel/showdoc.aspx?i=2972)
AnandTech – The Penryn Preview - Part I: Wolfdale Performance (August 21, 2007) (http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/intel/showdoc.aspx?i=3069)

_____________________
6. Atom Microarchitecture
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_________
References
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯

AnandTech – Silverthorne Gets a Name: Meet Intel Atom and Intel Centrino Atom (March 2, 2008) (http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/showdoc.aspx?i=3248)
AnandTech – More Details on the Intel Atom Emerge (March 6, 2008) (http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/showdoc.aspx?i=3254)
AnandTech – Intel's Atom Architecture: The Journey Begins (April 2, 2008) (http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/showdoc.aspx?i=3276)

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7. Nehalem Microarchitecture
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Nehalem Microarchitecture is an architecture that succeeds Core Microarchitecture and is planned to be released in Q4 2008. It is designed by the developing team at Oregon (who designed P6 and NetBurst microarchitectures too). Despite its location, Nehalem Microarchitecture is based on Core Microarchitecture (which was designed by the Israeli team) with several new technologies:

A new processor bus, called Intel QuickPath interconnect, that features point-to-point serial bus topology, similar to PCI Express and HyperTransport (AMD adopted it in 2003!).
IMC (Integrated Memory Controller), called Intel QuickPath memory controller, up to triple channel DDR3.
Performance improvement by adding new functions such as
SMT (Simultaneous Multi-Threading), the revival of HT (HyperThreading) in Pentium 4
New 3-level cache hierarchy, L2, L2 (new 256KB/core), L3 (8MB fully-shared)
New 2-level TLB (Translation Lookaside Buffer) hierarchy
L2 branch predictor


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References
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯

DailyTech – Intel Life after Conroe (June 20, 2006) (http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=2649)
PC Watch – Topics on the Intel 3 Series chipset and a new chipset in 2008 (June 7, 2007) (http://pc.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/2007/0607/ubiq188.htm)
X-bit labs – Intel Readies New Memory Controller for Nehalem Chips (June 10, 2007) (http://www.xbitlabs.com/news/cpu/display/20070610234912.html)
PC Watch – IDFで公開された「Nehalem」の内部アーキテクチャ (April 3, 2008) (http://pc.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/2008/0403/kaigai433.htm)

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Appendix II. AMD Processors – An Overview

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Table of Contents
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Preface
History
K5 Processor
K6 Processor
K7 Processor
K8 Processor
Desktop
Server
Mobile
Ordering Part Number Description
K10 Processor
Desktop
Server
Griffin Processor
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Preface
¯¯¯¯¯¯

The purpose of this part is list recent AMD processors since K5 for reference. In-depth expositions of each processor family are found in articles in References.

________
1. History
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AMD was founded in 1969 as a manufacturer of integrate circuits. AMD produced clones of Intel processors from 1975 to 1995. But with reverse-engineered clones, AMD was always behind Intel in x86 evolution and the introduction of the 5th generation x86 processor Pentium (released in 1993) threatened to widen the gap. AMD (and Cyrix, NexGen) began working on a processor that was x86-compatible but whose internal designs were independent.

References

Wikipedia – Advanced Micro Devices (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amd)

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2. K5 Processor
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The "K" stands for Kryptonite or Krypton (Intel = Superman). The project started in 1992 as AMD's top priority. The processor was released belatedly in 1996, over a year later than the original plan. The K5 was technically better than the Pentium with larger primary caches, a better superscalar design (more execution units), with modern features such as out-of-execution and a RISC-like core. However the K5 did not succeed commercially because it was released just too late and it had several problems (low clock rates, poor performance in several applications).

SSA/5, released on March 27, 1996, Clockrate: 75–100MHz (AMD-K5 PR75–PR100), FSB: 50–66MHz, 500 or 350 nm process, Socket 5/Socket 7
5k86, first released on October 7, 1996, Clockrate: 90–133MHz (AMD-K5 PR120–PR200), FSB: 60/66MHz, 350 nm process, Socket 5/Socket 7, improved internal designs with lower clock speeds and better performance

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3. K6 Processor
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The K6 processor was introduced in 1997. Despite the name implying a design evolving from the K5, the K6 is a totally different design that was created by the NexGen team (and in particular Vinod Dham, the father of the Pentium) and adapted after the acquisition of NexGen by AMD in 1996. The processor has a powerful six issue RISC core including Multimedia Unit with Intel's new MMX supported. It became the first processor to truly challenge Intel's dominance since the launch of the Pentium and allowed AMD to recover after problems with the K5 processors. The first iteration AMD-K6 gained the performance crown before the release of the Pentium II. The second iteration AMD-K6-2 and the third AMD-L6-III competed very well against Pentium II, Celeron, and Pentium III. Overall the K6 (in particular K6-2) became very popular and dominated the retail PC market.

AMD-K6
K6, released on April 2, 1997, Clockrate: 166–233MHz, FSB: 66MHz, 350 nm process, Socket 7
K6 Littlefoot, released on January 1998, Clockrate: 200–300MHz, FSB: 66MHz, 250 nm process, Socket 7


AMD-K6-2 (Chomper), first released on May 28, 1998, Clockrate: 233–350MHz, FSB: 66/100MHz, 250 nm process, Super Socket 7, 3DNow! (a floating point SIMD instruction set)


AMD-K6-III (Sharptooth), first released on February 22, 1999, Clockrate: 400/450MHz, FSB: 100MHz,250 nm process, Super Socket 7, on-die L2 Cache

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4. K7 Processor
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Work on AMD's 7th generation x86 processor, known as K7, started in 1995 with the mission of beating Intel's next generation CPU. The K7 was built from scratch by the design team led by Dirk Meyer (a leading engineer of the DEC Alpha, now the president of AMD). It was given a new name Athlon (derived from the word "decathlon"), and released in June 1999. It featured better and larger functional units (a fully-pipelined FPU, 3 fully-pipelined IEU, 3 fully-pipelined AGU), implying a larger die size, deep pipelines (so a higher clock speed), superior instruction decoder and control unit, the EV6 DDR point-to-point bus architecture (vs. Intel's GTL+ shared bus), that also meant the Athlon needed its own chipset (first AMD 750, then VIA, ALi, SiS) unlike K5 and K6. The Athlon processor family surpassed Intel in every way and became an enormous success.


Athlon, first released on June 23, 1999, Slot A
K7 Argon, first released on June 23, 1999, 500–600MHz; 650, 700 MHz, FSB 200MT/s, 250 nm process
K75 Pluto, first released on November 29, 1999, 550–750MHz; 800, 850 MHz, FSB 200MT/s, 180 nm process
K75 Orion, released on March 6, 2000, 900–1000MHz, FSB 200MT/s, 180 nm process


Athlon Thunderbird, first released on June 5, 2000, Slot A/Socket A, 256KB on-die L2 Cache
Slot A, 600–1000MHz, FSB 200MT/s, 180 nm process
Socket A, B-models, 650–1400MHz, FSB 200MT/s, 180 nm process
Socket A, C-models, 1000–1400MHz, FSB 266MT/s, 180 nm process


Athlon XP, first released on October 9, 2001, Socket A, optimizations to the core design resulting in 20% decrease in power use
Palomino, first released on October 9, 2001, 1333–1733MHz (1500+ to 2100+), FSB 266MT/s, 180 nm process
Thoroughbred, first released on June 10, 2002, 1400–2133MHz (1600+ to 2600+) with FSB 266MT/s and 2083–2250MHz (2600+ to 2800+) with FSB 333MT/s, 130 nm process
Barton, first released on February 10, 2003, L2 Cache doubled, 1833–2083MHz (2500+ to 2800+) with FSB 333MT/s and 2100, 2200MHz (3000+, 3200+) with FSB 400MT/s, 130 nm process
Thorton, first released September 2003, the same core as Barton but half the L2 Cache disabled, 1667–2200MHz (2000+ to 3100+), FSB 266/333/400MT/s, 130 nm process
There were also Athlon MP (supporting multiprocessor for workstation/server), Athlon XP-M (mobile Athlon XP featuring PowerNow!), Duron (reduced 64KB L2 Cache, based on the Thunderbird/Palomino/Thoroughbred cores) and the first generation Sempron (based on the Thoroughbred/Thorton/Barton cores).

References

Wikipedia – Athlon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athlon)
Ars Technica – Into the K7, Part One (http://arstechnica.com/cpu/3q99/k7_theory/k7-one-1.html)
Ars Technica – Into the K7, Part Two (http://arstechnica.com/cpu/3q99/k7_theory/k7-two-1.html)
AnandTech – AMD Athlon (August 9, 1999) (http://www.anandtech.com/showdoc.aspx?i=1015)
AnandTech – AMD Athlon "Thunderbird" 1.1GHz (August 28, 2000) (http://www.anandtech.com/showdoc.aspx?i=1310)
AnandTech – AMD Athlon 4 - The Palomino is Here (May 14, 2001) (http://www.anandtech.com/showdoc.aspx?i=1469)

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5. K8 Processor
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The K8 processor (codenamed Hammer) is the eighth (current) generation of AMD's x86 processor. The core design evolved from the K7 with a few changes or improvements. The major difference is the ability of 64-bit computing, called the x86-64 technology (or AMD64 for the AMD platform, and EM64T for the Intel platform as Intel adopted the technology later). There had been several microprocessors with 64-bit computing. The only 64-bit processor with x86 32-bit compatibility at that time was Intel's Itanium, but that ran x86 32-bit applications only with significant speed degradation. AMD64 gained recognition because of its ability to run 32-bit application without speed penalties as well as 64-bit applications. Other features are an on-die memory controller and the implementation of an extremely high performance point to point bus architecture called HyperTransport.

The first of the AMD64 processors was the server processor Opteron (Socket 940) released in April 22, 2003. Then the desktop processors Athlon 64 (Socket 754; restricted to a single-channel memory controller) and Athlon 64 FX (Socket 940; marketed to hardware enthusiasts) were released on September 23, 2003. The Athlon 64 with Socket 939 (supports a dual-channel memory controller) was released on June 1, 2004. The on-die memory controller was designed from the ground up to be able to support multiple cores and, after manufacturing processes matured, the first dual-core Opteron was released on April 21, 2005 and the dual-core desktop Athlon 64 X2 followed. The K8 cores first supported DDR, then migrated to DDR2 with the new Socket AM2 (desktop), Socket F (1207) (server) and Socket S1 (mobile) since May 23, 2006. A low-end processor family was branded Sempron (the same name as the last low-end Socket A processor family, but with entirely new cores). In the Athlon 64 FX family, the AMD Quad FX platform was introduced in November 2006, that features two dual-core processors with upgradability to two quad-core processors in future. The manufacturing process was 130 nm, then 90 nm (the Winchester core and all the subsequent cores) and currently 65 nm (the Brisbane core).

All the processors in the K8 family except a few low-end Sempron models support all of MMX, SSE, SSE2, Enhanced 3DNow!, NX bit, AMD64 and Cool'n'Quiet (PowerNow!). The support for SSE3 was added later (since the Venice core). The support for AMD Virtualization was added to Socket AM2, Socket F (1207), and Socket S1 processors.

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K8 Processor – Desktop
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Desktop processors are distinguished from server processors in that they support only

Unbuffered memory
Single HyperTransport link
The available socket types are:

Socket 754: The original desktop socket type released on September 23, 2003; supports only a single-channel memory controller and a single HyperTransport 1.0 (800MHz) link.
Socket 940: The original server socket type; used for only a few initial high-end desktop processors to support dual-channel memory
Socket 939: The successor to Socket 740 released on June 1, 2004; supports a dual-channel memory controller and a single HyperTransport 2.0 (1000MHz) link.
Socket AM2: The successor to Socket 939 released on May 23, 2006; supports DDR2 SDRAM
The main core revisions for the desktop processors are:

September 2003/January 2004
ClawHammer (C0/CG): Socket 754, 130 nm, 1MB L2
Newcastle (CG): the 512KB L2 version of ClawHammer
June 2004
ClawHammer (CG): Socket 939
Newcastle (CG): Socket 939
September 2004
Winchester (D0): 90 nm, 512KB L2
April/May 2005
Venice (E3/E6): 512KB L2, an enhanced memory controller, SSE3
San Diego (E4/E6): the 1MB L2 version of Venice
May 2005
Manchester (E4): dual-core, 2 x 512KB L2
Toledo (E6): the 2 x 1MB L2 version of Manchester
May 2006
Windsor (F2/F3): Socket AM2, dual-core
Orleans (F2/F3): Socket AM2, single-core
November 2006
Windsor FX (F3): AMD Quad FX platform
December 2006
Brisbane (G1): 65 nm, dual-core
Lima (G1): 65 nm, single-core
Socket 754

The first iteration of the desktop processors features Socket 754, a single-channel memory controller and HyperTransport 1.0 (800MHz).

ClawHammer (C0/CG), first released on September 23, 2003, 130 nm process, 1MB L2 Cache, 89W


Athlon 64 2800+: 1.8GHz, 512KB L2 (half the L2 Cache disabled)
Athlon 64 3000+: 2.0GHz, 512KB L2 (half the L2 Cache disabled)
Athlon 64 3200+: 2.0GHz
Athlon 64 3400+: 2.2GHz, released on January 6, 2004
Athlon 64 3700+: 2.4GHz, released on June 1, 2004


Newcastle (CG), first released in January 2004, 512MB L2 cache, 89W


Athlon 64 2800+: 1.8GHz
Athlon 64 3000+: 2.0GHz
Athlon 64 3200+: 2.2GHz
Athlon 64 3300+: 2.4GHz, 256KB L2 (half the L2 Cache disabled)
Athlon 64 3400+: 2.4GHz


Paris (CG), first released on July 28, 2004, 128KB or 256KB L2 Cache, 62W, no AMD64, no Cool'n'Quiet


Sempron 3000+: 1.8GHz, 128KB L2
Sempron 3100+: 1.8GHz, 256KB L2


Venice (E3/E6), first released on April 5, 2005?, 90 nm process, 512KB L2 Cache, SSE3


Athlon 64 3000+: 2.0GHz, 51W
Athlon 64 3200+: 2.2GHz, 59W
Athlon 64 3200+: 2.4GHz, 67W


Palermo (D0/E3/E6), first released on April 15, 2005, based on the Winchester/Venice core, 128KB or 256KB L2 Cache, 62W, some CPU technologies disabled


Sempron 2500+: 1.4GHz, 256KB L2
Sempron 2600+: 1.6GHz, 128KB L2
Sempron 2800+: 1.6GHz, 256KB L2
Sempron 3000+: 1.8GHz, 128KB L2
Sempron 3100+: 1.8GHz, 256KB L2
Sempron 3300+: 2.0GHz, 128KB L2
Sempron 3400+: 2.0GHz, 256KB L2
Socket 940

Socket 940 was designed for the server platform, supporting a dual-channel memory controller but accepting only registered memory. AMD originally planned only a single-channel desktop processor. OEMs/enthusiasts demanded a dual-channel solution for the ultra high-end desktop part. Thus AMD simply took their existing dual-channel design (Opteron, Socket 940) and rebranded it as a desktop processor. The main drawbacks were that it required registered memory and there was no upgrade path.

SledgeHammer (C0/CG), first released on September 23, 2003, 130 nm process, 1MB L2 Cache, 89W


Athlon 64 FX-51: 2.2GHz, released on September 23, 2003
Athlon 64 FX-53: 2.4GHz, released on March 18, 2004
Socket 939

Socket 939 was introduced in June 2004 as a replacement of Socket 754 and Athlon 64 FX Socket 940. It supports a dual-channel unbuffered memory controller and has a single HyperTransport 2.0 (1000MHz) link.

ClawHammer (CG), first released on June 1, 2004, 130 nm process, 1MB L2 Cache, 89W


Athlon 64 3500+: 2.2GHz, 512KB L2
Athlon 64 4000+: 2.4GHz, released on October 19, 2004
Athlon 64 FX-53: 2.4GHz, released on June 1, 2004
Athlon 64 FX-55: 2.6GHz, released on October 19, 2004


Newcastle (CG), first released on June 1, 2004, 512MB L2 cache, 89W


Athlon 64 3000+: 1.8GHz
Athlon 64 3200+: 2.0GHz
Athlon 64 3500+: 2.2GHz, released on June 1, 2004
Athlon 64 3800+: 2.4GHz, released on June 1, 2004


Winchester (D0), released in September 2004, 90 nm process, 512KB L2 Cache, 67W


Athlon 64 3000+: 1.8GHz
Athlon 64 3200+: 2.0GHz
Athlon 64 3500+: 2.2GHz


Venice (E3/E6), released on April 4, 2005, 90 nm process, 512KB L2 Cache, 67W, an enhanced memory controller, SSE3


Athlon 64 3000+: 1.8GHz
Athlon 64 3200+: 2.0GHz
Athlon 64 3500+: 2.2GHz
Athlon 64 3800+: 2.4GHz, 89W


Palermo (E3/E6), based on the Venice core, 128KB or 256KB L2 Cache, 62W, no Cool'n'Quiet


Sempron 3000+: 1.8GHz, 128KB L2
Sempron 3200+: 1.8GHz, 256KB L2
Sempron 3400+: 2.0GHz, 128KB L2
Sempron 3500+: 2.0GHz, 256KB L2


San Diego (E4), first released on May 2, 2005, the 1MB L2 cache version of Venice, 89W


Athlon 64 3500+: 2.2GHz, 512KB L2, 67W
Athlon 64 3700+: 2.2GHz
Athlon 64 4000+: 2.4GHz
Athlon 64 FX-55: 2.6GHz
Athlon 64 FX-57: 2.8GHz, released on June 27, 2005


Manchester (E4), first released on May 31, 2005, 90 nm process, dual-core, each core based on Venice, 2 x 512KB L2 Cache, 89W


Athlon 64 X2 3800+: 2.0GHz
Athlon 64 X2 4200+: 2.2GHz
Athlon 64 X2 4600+: 2.4GHz, 110W
Athlon 64 3200+: 2.0GHz, single-core (with one defective core)
Athlon 64 3500+: 2.2GHz, single-core (with one defective core)


Toledo (E6), first released on May 31, 2005, the 2 x 1MB L2 cache version of Manchester, 110W


Athlon 64 X2 3800+: 2.0GHz, 2 x 512KB L2, 89W
Athlon 64 X2 4200+: 2.2GHz, 2 x 512KB L2, 89W
Athlon 64 X2 4400+: 2.2GHz, 89W
Athlon 64 X2 4400+: 2.2GHz
Athlon 64 X2 4600+: 2.4GHz, 2 x 512KB L2
Athlon 64 X2 4800+: 2.4GHz
Athlon 64 FX-60: 2.6GHz
Socket AM2

Socket AM2 is the successor to Socket 939 released on May 23, 2006. It supports DDR2 SDRAM and AMD Virtualization.

Windsor (F2/F3), first released on May 23, 2006, 90 nm process, dual-core, 2 x 512KB or 2 x 1MB L2 Cache, 89W


Athlon 64 X2 3800+: 2.0GHz, 2 x 512KB L2
Athlon 64 X2 4000+: 2.0GHz, 2 x 1MB L2
Athlon 64 X2 4200+: 2.2GHz, 2 x 512KB L2
Athlon 64 X2 4400+: 2.2GHz, 2 x 1MB L2
Athlon 64 X2 4600+: 2.4GHz, 2 x 512KB L2
Athlon 64 X2 4800+: 2.4GHz, 2 x 1MB L2
Athlon 64 X2 5000+: 2.6GHz, 2 x 512KB L2
Athlon 64 X2 5200+: 2.6GHz, 2 x 1MB L2
Athlon 64 X2 5400+: 2.8GHz, 2 x 512KB L2
Athlon 64 X2 5600+: 2.8GHz, 2 x 1MB L2
Athlon 64 X2 6000+: 3.0GHz, 2 x 1MB L2, 125W
Athlon 64 X2 6400+ Black Edition: 3.2GHz, 2 x 1MB L2, 125W (August 20, 2007)
Athlon 64 FX-62: 2.8GHz, 2 x 1MB L2, 125W, unlocked multiplier
Athlon 64 X2 3800+ Energy Efficient 65W: 2.0GHz, 2 x 512KB L2
Athlon 64 X2 4000+ Energy Efficient 65W: 2.0GHz, 2 x 1MB L2
Athlon 64 X2 4200+ Energy Efficient 65W: 2.2GHz, 2 x 512KB L2
Athlon 64 X2 4400+ Energy Efficient 65W: 2.2GHz, 2 x 1MB L2
Athlon 64 X2 4600+ Energy Efficient 65W: 2.4GHz, 2 x 512KB L2
Athlon 64 X2 4800+ Energy Efficient 65W: 2.4GHz, 2 x 1MB L2
Athlon 64 X2 5000+ Energy Efficient 65W: 2.6GHz, 2 x 512KB L2
Athlon 64 X2 5200+ Energy Efficient 65W: 2.6GHz, 2 x 1MB L2
Athlon 64 X2 6000+ Energy Efficient 89W: 3.0GHz, 2 x 1MB L2 (August 31, 2007)
Athlon 64 X2 3800+ Energy Efficient Small Form Factor 35W: 2.0GHz, 2 x 512KB L2


Orleans (F2/F3), released on May 23, 2006, 90 nm process, single-core, 512KB L2 Cache, 62W


Athlon 64 3000+: 1.8GHz
Athlon 64 3200+: 2.0GHz
Athlon 64 3500+: 2.2GHz
Athlon 64 3500+ Energy Efficient Small Form Factor: 2.2GHz, 35W
Athlon 64 3500+(F3): 2.2GHz (February 20, 2007)
Athlon 64 3800+: 2.4GHz
Athlon 64 3800+ (F3): 2.4GHz (February 20, 2007)
Athlon 64 4000+ (F3): 2.6GHz (February 20, 2007)
Athlon 64 LE-1600 (F3): 2.2GHz, 1MB L2, 45W (October 8, 2007)
Athlon 64 LE-1620 (F3): 2.4GHz, 1MB L2, 45W (October 8, 2007)
Athlon 64 LE-1640 (F3): 2.6GHz, 1MB L2, 45W (January 7, 2008)


Manila (F2), first released on May 23, 2006, based on Orleans with 128KB or 256KB L2 Cache, 62W, HT 800MHz, no AMD Virtualization


Sempron 2800+: 1.6GHz, 128KB L2
Sempron 3000+: 1.6GHz, 256KB L2
Sempron 3200+: 1.8GHz, 128KB L2
Sempron 3400+: 1.8GHz, 256KB L2
Sempron 3500+: 2.0GHz, 128KB L2
Sempron 3600+: 2.0GHz, 256KB L2
Sempron 3800+: 2.2GHz, 256KB L2
Sempron 3000+ Energy Efficient Small Form Factor 35W: 1.6GHz, 256KB L2
Sempron 3200+ Energy Efficient Small Form Factor 35W: 1.8GHz, 128KB L2
Sempron 3400+ Energy Efficient Small Form Factor 35W: 1.8GHz, 256KB L2
Sempron 3500+ Energy Efficient Small Form Factor 35W: 2.0GHz, 128KB L2
Socket AM2 – 65 nm

Brisbane (G1/G2), first released on December 5, 2006, 65 nm process, dual-core, 2 x 512KB L2 Cache, 65W


Athlon 64 X2 3600+: 1.9GHz (January 2007)
Athlon 64 X2 4000+: 2.1GHz
Athlon 64 X2 4200+: 2.2GHz (October 2007)
Athlon 64 X2 4200+ (G2): 2.2GHz (January 2008)
Athlon 64 X2 4400+: 2.3GHz
Athlon 64 X2 4400+ (G2): 2.3GHz (October 8, 2007)
Athlon 64 X2 4600+ (G2): 2.4GHz (April 10, 2008)
Athlon 64 X2 4800+: 2.5GHz
Athlon 64 X2 4800+ (G2): 2.5GHz (October 8, 2007)
Athlon 64 X2 5000+: 2.6GHz
Athlon 64 X2 5000+ Black Edition: 2.6GHz, unlocked multiplier (September 25, 2007)
Athlon 64 X2 5000+ (G2): 2.6GHz (October 8, 2007)
Athlon 64 X2 5200+ : 2.7GHz
Athlon 64 X2 5200+ (G2): 2.7GHz (October 8, 2007)
Athlon 64 X2 5400+ (G2): 2.8GHz (December, 2007)
Athlon 64 X2 5600+ (G2): 2.9GHz, 89W (March 2, 2008)
Athlon 64 X2 5800+ (G3?): 3.0GHz, 65W (Q2 2008)
Athlon X2 BE-2300: 1.9GHz, 45W (June 5, 2007)
Athlon X2 BE-2350: 2.1GHz, 45W (June 5, 2007)
Athlon X2 BE-2400: 2.3GHz, 45W (August, 2007)
Athlon X2 BE-2400 (G2): 2.3GHz, 45W (October 8, 2007)
Athlon X2 BE-2450: 2.5GHz, 45W (Q1 2008)
Athlon X2 4050e: 2.1GHz, 45W (Q2 2008); the same as X2 BE-2350
Athlon X2 4450e: 2.3GHz, 45W (Q2 2008); the same as X2 BE-2400
Athlon X2 4850e: 2.5GHz, 45W (March 4, 2008); the same as X2 BE-2450
Sempron X2 2100: 1.8GHz, 2 x 256KB L2, HT 800MHz (March 20, 2008)
Sempron X2 2100 (G2): 1.8GHz, 2 x 256KB L2, HT 800MHz (March 20, 2008)
Sempron X2 2200 (G2): 2.0GHz, 2 x 256KB L2, HT 800MHz (March 20, 2008)

Athlon X2 4000e Series is identical with Athlon X2 BE Series.


Lima (G1), first released on February 20, 2007, 65 nm process, single-core, 512KB L2 Cache, 45W


Athlon 64 3500+: 2.2GHz
Athlon 64 3800+: 2.4GHz


Sparta (G1/G2), first released in August 20, 2007, 65 nm process, single-core, 256/512KB L2 Cache, 45W


Sempron LE-1100: 1.9GHz, 256KB L2 (October 8, 2007)
Sempron LE-1150: 2.0GHz, 256KB L2
Sempron LE-1200: 2.1GHz, 512KB L2 (October 8, 2007)
Sempron LE-1250: 2.2GHz, 512KB L2 (October 8, 2007)
Sempron LE-1300: 2.3GHz, 512KB L2 (December, 2007)
Quad FX Platform

The AMD Quad FX platform is a dual-socket, multi-core PC platform consisting of two Socket F (1207) called Socket F (1207 FX) (also called Socket L1) and a pair of Athlon 64 FX processors (identified as Opteron by CPU-Z). Socket F (1207) is used instead of AM2 to support three HyperTransport links for multiprocessors. However Quad FX accepts only unbuffered memory. It is reported that Opteron 2200-series processors (Santa Rosa) work with the Quad FX platform without problems (DailyTech – AMD Opteron 2200-series Works in Quad FX Motherboards (http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=5968)).

Windsor FX (F3), first released on November 30, 2006, 90 nm process, 2 x dual-core processor, 2 x 2 x 1MB L2 Cache, 2 x 125W


Athlon 64 FX-70: 2.6GHz
Athlon 64 FX-72: 2.8GHz
Athlon 64 FX-74: 3.0GHz
Athlon 64 FX-76: 3.2GHz (Q3 2007)

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K8 Processor – Server
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Server processors feature:

Registered memory
Three HyperTransport links
1MB L2 Cache for the single-core and 2 x 1MB L2 Cache for the dual-core
Exceptions are 90 nm 1-way processors (unbuffered memory, a single HT link) that are actually Athlon 64 (X2) desktop processors. The available socket types are:

Socket 940: The original server socket type released on April 23, 2003
Socket 939: Used for 1-way processors
Socket F (1207): The successor to Socket 940 released on August 15, 2006; support for DDR2 SDRAM
Socket AM2: Used for 1-way processors
The main core revisions for the server processors are:

130 nm, Single-Core, HyperTransport 1.0 (800MHz), since April 2003
SledgeHammer (B3/C0/CG): Socket 940, 1 to 8-way processors
90 nm, Single-Core, HyperTransport 2.0 (1000MHz), SSE3, since December 2004
Venus (E4): Socket 939, 1-way (the same as San Diego)
Troy (E4): Socket 940, 2-way
Athens (E4): Socket 940, 8-way
90 nm, Dual-Core, since April 2005
Denmark (E6): Socket 939, 1-way (the same as Toledo)
Italy (E6): Socket 940, 2-way
Egypt (E1/E6): Socket 940, 8-way
90 nm, Dual-Core, DDR2, AMD Virtualization
Santa Ana (F2/F3): Socket AM2, 1-way, since August 2005
Santa Rosa (F2/F3): Socket F (1207), 2 & 8-way
The model name is in the form

Opteron XZW for Socket 940 and Socket 939 processors
Opteron XYZW for Socket F (1207) and Socket AM2 processors
where

X = 1: designed for uniprocessor systems, having one HyperTransport link
X = 2: designed for dual-processor systems, having two HyperTransport links
X = 8: designed for dual-processor systems, having three HyperTransport links
Y = 2: DDR2 (currently no other values are assigned)
ZW: an indication of the speed of the CPU; 60 or higher indicates a dual-core model for Socket 940/939
K8 Server – 130 nm Single-Core Processors

The first iteration of the sever processors featured Socket 940, 130 nm process, single-core, and HyperTransport 1.0 (800MHz).

SledgeHammer (B3/C0/CG), first released on April 23, 2003, Socket 940, 1 to 8-way
Opteron 140: 1.4GHz, 84.7W/82.1W
Opteron 142: 1.6GHz, 84.7W/82.1W
Opteron 144: 1.8GHz, 84.7W/82.1W
Opteron 146: 2.0GHz, 89W
Opteron 148: 2.2GHz, 89W
Opteron 150: 2.4GHz, 89W
Opteron 146 HE (High Efficient): 2.0GHz, 55W
Opteron 140 EE (Energy Efficient): 1.4GHz, 30W
Opteron 240: 1.4GHz, 84.7W/82.1W
Opteron 242: 1.6GHz, 84.7W/82.1W
Opteron 244: 1.8GHz, 84.7W/82.1W
Opteron 246: 2.0GHz, 89W
Opteron 248: 2.2GHz, 89W
Opteron 250: 2.4GHz, 89W
Opteron 246 HE (High Efficient): 2.0GHz, 55W
Opteron 240 EE (Energy Efficient): 1.4GHz, 30W
Opteron 840: 1.4GHz, 84.7W/82.1W
Opteron 842: 1.6GHz, 84.7W/82.1W
Opteron 844: 1.8GHz, 84.7W/82.1W
Opteron 846: 2.0GHz, 89W
Opteron 848: 2.2GHz, 89W
Opteron 850: 2.4GHz, 89W
Opteron 846 HE (High Efficient): 2.0GHz, 55W
Opteron 840 EE (Energy Efficient): 1.4GHz, 30W
K8 Server – 90 nm Single-Core Processors

The second iteration of the server processors features 90 nm process, single-core and HyperTransport 2.0 (1000MHz). The support for SSE3 was added.

Venus (= San Diego, E4), first released in August 2, 2005, Socket 939, 1-way
Opteron 144: 1.8GHz, 67W
Opteron 146: 2.0GHz, 67W
Opteron 148: 2.2GHz, 85.3W
Opteron 150: 2.4GHz, 85.3W
Opteron 152: 2.6GHz, 104W
Opteron 154: 2.8GHz, 104W
Opteron 148 HE (High Efficient): 2.2GHz, 55W


Troy (E4), first released in December 2004, Socket 940, 2-way
Opteron 242: 1.6GHz, 85.3W
Opteron 244: 1.8GHz, 85.3W
Opteron 246: 2.0GHz, 85.3W
Opteron 248: 2.2GHz, 85.3W
Opteron 250: 2.4GHz, 85.3W
Opteron 252: 2.6GHz, 92.6W
Opteron 254: 2.8GHz, 92.6W
Opteron 256: 3.0GHz, 92.6W
Opteron 246 HE (High Efficient): 2.0GHz, 55W
Opteron 248 HE (High Efficient): 2.2GHz, 55W
Opteron 250 HE (High Efficient): 2.4GHz, 55W Opteron 842: 1.6GHz, 85.3W


Athens (E4), first released in December 2004, Socket 940, 8-way
Opteron 844: 1.8GHz, 85.3W
Opteron 846: 2.0GHz, 85.3W
Opteron 848: 2.2GHz, 85.3W
Opteron 850: 2.4GHz, 85.3W
Opteron 852: 2.6GHz, 92.6W
Opteron 854: 2.8GHz, 92.6W
Opteron 856: 3.0GHz, 92.6W
Opteron 846 HE (High Efficient): 2.0GHz, 55W
Opteron 848 HE (High Efficient): 2.2GHz, 55W
Opteron 850 HE (High Efficient): 2.4GHz, 55W
K8 Server – 90 nm Dual-Core Processors

Almost at the same time as the release of Athlon 64 X2 Processors, dual-core server processors were released.

Denmark (= Toledo, E6), first released in May 2005, Socket 939, 1-way
Opteron 165: 1.8GHz, 110W
Opteron 170: 2.0GHz, 110W
Opteron 175: 2.2GHz, 110W
Opteron 180: 2.4GHz, 110W
Opteron 185: 2.6GHz, 110W


Italy (E6), first released on April 21, 2005, Socket 940, 2-way
Opteron 265: 1.8GHz, 95W
Opteron 270: 2.0GHz, 95W
Opteron 275: 2.2GHz, 95W
Opteron 280: 2.4GHz, 95W
Opteron 285: 2.6GHz, 95W
Opteron 290: 2.8GHz, 95W
Opteron 260 HE (High Efficient): 1.6GHz, 55W
Opteron 265 HE (High Efficient): 1.8GHz, 55W
Opteron 270 HE (High Efficient): 2.0GHz, 55W
Opteron 275 HE (High Efficient): 2.2GHz, 55W


Egypt (E1/E6), first released on April 21, 2005, Socket 940, 8-way
Opteron 865: 1.8GHz, 95W
Opteron 870: 2.0GHz, 95W
Opteron 875: 2.2GHz, 95W
Opteron 880: 2.4GHz, 95W
Opteron 885: 2.6GHz, 95W
Opteron 890: 2.8GHz, 95W
Opteron 860 HE (High Efficient): 1.6GHz, 55W
Opteron 865 HE (High Efficient): 1.8GHz, 55W
Opteron 870 HE (High Efficient): 2.0GHz, 55W
Opteron 875 HE (High Efficient): 2.2GHz, 55W
K8 Server – 90 nm Dual-Core Processors with DDR2 Memory Controller

With the migration to DDR2 SDRAM, Socket F (1207) was introduced. Dual-core processors only. AMD Virtualization was added.

Santa Ana (F2/F3), first released on August 15, 2006, Socket AM2, 1-way
Opteron 1210: 1.8GHz, 103W
Opteron 1212: 2.0GHz, 103W
Opteron 1214: 2.2GHz, 103W
Opteron 1216: 2.4GHz, 103W
Opteron 1218: 2.6GHz, 103W
Opteron 1220: 2.8GHz, 103W
Opteron 1220 SE: 2.8GHz, 125W
Opteron 1210 HE (High Efficient): 1.8GHz, 65W
Opteron 1212 HE (High Efficient): 2.0GHz, 65W
Opteron 1214 HE (High Efficient): 2.2GHz, 65W
Opteron 1216 HE (High Efficient): 2.4GHz, 65W
Opteron 1218 HE (High Efficient): 2.6GHz, 65W


Santa Rosa (F2/F3), first released on August 15, 2006, Socket F (1207), 2 to 8-way
Opteron 2210: 1.8GHz, 95W
Opteron 2212: 2.0GHz, 95W
Opteron 2214: 2.2GHz, 95W
Opteron 2216: 2.4GHz, 95W
Opteron 2218: 2.6GHz, 95W
Opteron 2220: 2.8GHz, 95W
Opteron 2220 SE: 2.8GHz, 119W
Opteron 2222: 3.0GHz, 95W
Opteron 2222 SE: 3.0GHz, 119W
Opteron 2224 SE: 3.2GHz, 119W
Opteron 2210 HE (High Efficient): 1.8GHz, 68W
Opteron 2212 HE (High Efficient): 2.0GHz, 68W
Opteron 2214 HE (High Efficient): 2.2GHz, 68W
Opteron 2216 HE (High Efficient): 2.4GHz, 68W
Opteron 2218 HE (High Efficient): 2.6GHz, 68W
Opteron 8212: 2.0GHz, 95W
Opteron 8214: 2.2GHz, 95W
Opteron 8216: 2.4GHz, 95W
Opteron 8218: 2.6GHz, 95W
Opteron 8220: 2.8GHz, 95W
Opteron 8220 SE: 2.8GHz, 119W
Opteron 8222: 3.0GHz, 95W
Opteron 8222 SE: 3.0GHz, 119W
Opteron 8224 SE: 3.2GHz, 119W
Opteron 8212 HE (High Efficient): 2.0GHz, 68W
Opteron 8214 HE (High Efficient): 2.2GHz, 68W
Opteron 8216 HE (High Efficient): 2.4GHz, 68W
Opteron 8218 HE (High Efficient): 2.4GHz, 68W

__________________
K8 Processor – Mobile
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Mobile processors are basically low-power versions of desktop processors:

Unbuffered memory
Single HyperTransport link
Low power consumption
Lidless (no heat spreader)
The available socket types are:

Socket 754: The same as the desktop Socket 754; in particular, supports only a single-channel DDR memory and HyperTransport 1.0 (800MHz)
Socket S1: The successor to Socket 754 for laptops released on May 17, 2006; 638 pins; support for dual-channel DDR2 memory, dual-core mobile processors, HyperTransport (800MHz), and AMD Virtualization
Socket 754


ClawHammer (C0/CG), first released in September 2003, 130 nm process, 1MB L2 Cache
Mobile Athlon 64 2700+: 1.6GHz, 512KB L2, 81.5W
Mobile Athlon 64 2800+: 1.6GHz, 81.5W
Mobile Athlon 64 3000+: 1.8GHz, 81.5W
Mobile Athlon 64 3200+: 2.0GHz, 81.5W
Mobile Athlon 64 3400+: 2.2GHz, 81.5W
Mobile Athlon 64 3700+: 2.4GHz, 81.5W
Mobile Athlon 64 2800+: 1.6GHz, 62W
Mobile Athlon 64 3000+: 1.8GHz, 62W
Mobile Athlon 64 3200+: 2.0GHz, 62W
Mobile Athlon 64 3400+: 2.2GHz, 62W
Mobile Athlon 64 2700+: 1.8GHz, 256KB L2, 35W


Odessa (CG), first released in January 2004, 512KB L2 Cache


Mobile Athlon 64 2800+: 1.6GHz, 81.5W
Mobile Athlon 64 2700+: 1.6GHz, 35W
Mobile Athlon 64 2800+: 1.8GHz, 35W
Mobile Athlon 64 3000+: 2.0GHz, 35W


Dublin (CG), released on July 28, 2004, 128KB or 256KB L2 Cache, no AMD64, no PowerNow!


Mobile Sempron 2600+: 1.6GHz, 128KB L2, 62W
Mobile Sempron 2800+: 1.6GHz, 256KB L2, 62W
Mobile Sempron 3000+: 1.8GHz, 128KB L2, 62W
Mobile Sempron 2600+ Low Power: 1.6GHz, 128KB L2, 25W
Mobile Sempron 2800+ Low Power: 1.6GHz, 256KB L2, 25W


Oakville (D0), released on August 17, 2004, 90 nm process, 512KB L2 Cache


Mobile Athlon 64 2700+ Low Power: 1.6GHz, 35W
Mobile Athlon 64 2800+ Low Power: 1.8GHz, 35W
Mobile Athlon 64 3000+ Low Power: 2.0GHz, 35W


Georgetown (D0), first released in May 2005, 128KB or 256KB L2 Cache, no AMD64, no PowerNow!


Mobile Sempron 2600+: 1.6GHz, 128KB L2, 62W
Mobile Sempron 2800+: 1.6GHz, 256KB L2, 62W
Mobile Sempron 3000+: 1.8GHz, 128KB L2, 62W
Mobile Sempron 3100+: 1.8GHz, 256KB L2, 62W
Mobile Sempron 3300+: 2.0GHz, 128KB L2, 62W


Sonora (D0), released in November 2004, 128KB or 256KB L2 Cache, no AMD64, no PowerNow!


Mobile Sempron 2600+ Low Power: 1.6GHz, 128KB L2, 25W
Mobile Sempron 2800+ Low Power: 1.6GHz, 256KB L2, 25W
Mobile Sempron 3000+ Low Power: 1.8GHz, 128KB L2, 25W
Mobile Sempron 3100+ Low Power: 1.8GHz, 256KB L2, 25W


Newark (SH-E5), first released on April 14, 2005, 1MB L2 Cache


Mobile Athlon 64 3000+: 1.8GHz, 62W
Mobile Athlon 64 3200+: 2.0GHz, 62W
Mobile Athlon 64 3400+: 2.2GHz, 62W
Mobile Athlon 64 3700+: 2.4GHz, 62W
Mobile Athlon 64 4000+: 2.6GHz, 62W


Albany (E6), first released on July 15, 2005, 128KB or 256KB L2 Cache, no AMD64, no PowerNow!


Mobile Sempron 3000+: 1.8GHz, 128KB L2, 62W
Mobile Sempron 3100+: 1.8GHz, 256KB L2, 62W
Mobile Sempron 3300+: 2.0GHz, 128KB L2, 62W
Mobile Sempron 3400+: 2.0GHz, 256KB L2, 62W
Mobile Sempron 3600+: 2.2GHz, 128KB L2, 62W


Roma (E6), first released on May 17, 2006, 128KB or 256KB L2 Cache, no AMD64, no PowerNow!


Mobile Sempron 2800+ Low Power: 1.6GHz, 256KB L2, 25W
Mobile Sempron 3000+ Low Power: 1.8GHz, 128KB L2, 25W
Mobile Sempron 3100+ Low Power: 1.8GHz, 256KB L2, 25W
Mobile Sempron 3300+ Low Power: 2.0GHz, 128KB L2, 25W
Mobile Sempron 3400+ Low Power: 2.0GHz, 256KB L2, 25W


Lancaster (E5), first released on March 10, 2006, 512KB or 1MB L2 Cache


Turion 64 ML-28: 1.6GHz, 512KB L2, 35W
Turion 64 ML-30: 1.6GHz, 1MB L2, 35W
Turion 64 ML-32: 1.8GHz, 512KB L2, 35W
Turion 64 ML-34: 1.8GHz, 1MB L2, 35W
Turion 64 ML-37: 2.0GHz, 1MB L2, 35W
Turion 64 ML-40: 2.2GHz, 1MB L2, 35W
Turion 64 ML-42: 2.4GHz, 512KB L2, 35W
Turion 64 ML-44: 2.4GHz, 1MB L2, 35W
Turion 64 MT-28: 1.6GHz, 512KB L2, 25W
Turion 64 MT-30: 1.6GHz, 1MB L2, 25W
Turion 64 MT-32: 1.8GHz, 512KB L2, 25W
Turion 64 MT-34: 1.8GHz, 1MB L2, 25W
Turion 64 MT-37: 2.0GHz, 1MB L2, 25W
Turion 64 MT-40: 2.2GHz, 1MB L2, 25W
Socket S1

Richmond (F2), released on September 1, 2006, 512KB L2 Cache


Turion 64 MK-36: 2.0GHz, 31W


Taylor (F2), released on May 17, 2006, dual-core, 2 x 256KB L2 Cache


Turion 64 X2 TL-50: 1.6GHz, 31W


Trinidad (F2), first released on May 17, 2006, dual-core, 2 x 512KB L2 Cache


Turion 64 X2 TL-52: 1.6GHz, 31W
Turion 64 X2 TL-56: 1.8GHz, 33W
Turion 64 X2 TL-60: 2.0GHz, 35W
Turion 64 X2 TL-64: 2.2GHz, 35W


Keene (F2), first released on May 17, 2006, no PowerNow!, no AMD Virtualization


Mobile Sempron 3200+: 1.6GHz, 512KB L2, 25W
Mobile Sempron 3400+: 1.8GHz, 256KB L2, 25W
Mobile Sempron 3500+: 1.8GHz, 512KB L2, 25W
Mobile Sempron 3600+: 2.0GHz, 256KB L2, 25W


Tyler (G1), first released on May 7, 2007, 65 nm process, dual-core, 2 x 512KB L2 Cache


Athlon 64 X2 TK-53: 1.7GHz, 2 x 256KB L2, 31W (August 20, 2007)
Turion 64 X2 TL-56: 1.8GHz, 31W
Turion 64 X2 TL-58: 1.9GHz, 31W (August 20, 2007)
Turion 64 X2 TL-60: 2.0GHz, 31W
Turion 64 X2 TL-64: 2.2GHz, 35W
Turion 64 X2 TL-66: 2.3GHz, 35W (July 10)


? (G1), first released on , no PowerNow!, no AMD Virtualization


Mobile Sempron 3600+: 2.0GHz, 256KB L2, 25W
Mobile Sempron 3800+: 2.1GHz, 256KB L2, 31W
Mobile Sempron 4000+: 2.1GHz, 512KB L2, 31W

References

BIOS and Kernel Developer's Guide for AMD NPT Family 0Fh Processors (#32559; December 2006) (http://www.amd.com/us-en/assets/content_type/white_papers_and_tech_docs/32559.pdf)
AnandTech – AMD's Hammer Architecture – Making Sense of it All (October 23, 2001) (http://www.anandtech.com/showdoc.aspx?i=1546)
AnandTech – AMD's Hammer in Action: The most impressive demo of IDF (February 27, 2002) (http://www.anandtech.com/showdoc.aspx?i=1591)
AnandTech – AMD's Hammer gets a new name: Opteron (April 24, 2002) (http://www.anandtech.com/showdoc.aspx?i=1611)
AnandTech – AMD Opteron Coverage – Part 1: Intro to Opteron/K8 Architecture (April 23, 2003) (http://www.anandtech.com/showdoc.aspx?i=1815)
AnandTech – AMD Opteron Coverage – Part 2: Enterprise Performance (April 23, 2003) (http://www.anandtech.com/showdoc.aspx?i=1816)
AnandTech – AMD Opteron Coverage – Part 3: The First Servers Arrive (April 23, 2003) (http://www.anandtech.com/showdoc.aspx?i=1817)
AnandTech – AMD Opteron Coverage – Part 4: Desktop Performance (April 24, 2003) (http://www.anandtech.com/showdoc.aspx?i=1818)
Ars Technica – An Introduction to 64-bit Computing and x86-64 (March 11, 2003) (http://arstechnica.com/articles/paedia/cpu/x86-64.ars)
Ars Technica – Inside AMD's Hammer: the 64-bit architecture behind the Opteron and Athlon 64 (February 01, 2005) (http://arstechnica.com/articles/paedia/cpu/amd-hammer-1.ars)

________________________________________
K8 Processor – Ordering Part Number Description
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯

The ordering part number of the AMD Processor is of the format:

(Brand)(Power Limit)(Model Number)(Package)(Operating Voltage)(Case Temperature)(L2 Cache Size)(Part Definition)

For example, ADA3800DAA5BV (Athlon 64 X2 3800+ Socket 939) is

Brand: AD = Athlon 64 Desktop
Power Limit: A = Standard Power
Model Number: 3800 = 3800+
Package: D = 939 Pin Lidded OµPGA
Operating Voltage: A = Variable
Case Temperature: A = Variable
L2 Cache Size: 5 = 1 MB
Part Definition: BV = Rev E4
Options in each entry are:

Brand


AD: Athlon 64 Desktop
SD: Sempron Desktop
AM: Athlon 64 Mobile
SM: Sempron Mobile
TM: Turion 64 Mobile Technology
OS: Opteron Server


Power Limit


A: Standard Power
S: 25W
B: 30W
D: 35W
H: 45W
K: 55W
N: 62W
O: 65W
P: 68W
Y: 120W
X: 125W


Model Number


Available model numbers depend on the brand.


Package


A: 754 Pin Lidded OµPGA (organic micro pin grid array)
B: 754 Pin Lidless OµPGA
C: 940 Pin Lidded CµPGA (ceramic micro pin grid array)
D: 939 Pin Lidded OµPGA
F: 940 Pin Lidded OµPGA
G: Socket F (1207)
H: Socket S1
I: Socket AM2


Operating Voltage


A: Variable
B: 1.575 V
C: 1.55 V
D: 1.525 V
E: 1.50 V
F: 1.475 V
G: 1.45 V
H: 1.425 V
I: 1.40 V
J: 1.375 V
K: 1.35 V
L: 1.325 V
M: 1.30 V
N: 1.275 V
O: 1.25 V
P: 1.225 V
Q: 1.20 V
R: 1.175 V
S: 1.15 V


Case Temperature


A: Variable
B: 56ºC
C: 57ºC
D: 58ºC
E: 59ºC
F: 60ºC
G: 61ºC
H: 62ºC
I: 63ºC
J: 64ºC
K: 65ºC
L: 66ºC
M: 67ºC
N: 68ºC
O: 69ºC
P: 70ºC
Q: 71ºC
T: 78ºC
U: 83ºC
X: 95ºC


L2 Cache Size


2: 128 KB
3: 256 KB
4: 512 KB
5: 1 MB
6: 2 MB


Part Definition


AG: B3, Ceramic, 1P
AH: B3, Ceramic, 2P
AI: B3, Ceramic, 8P
AK: C0, Ceramic, 1P
AL: C0, Ceramic, 2P
AM: C0, Ceramic, 8P
AP: C0, Lidded
AR: CG, Lidded
AS: CG, D1
AT: CG, Ceramic, 1P
AU: CG, Ceramic, 2P
AV: CG, Ceramic, 8P
AW: CG, D1
AX: CG, Lidded
AY: CG B3
AZ: CG
BA: D0, Lidded
BB: D0, Organic, 1P
BC: D0, Organic, 2P
BD: D0, Organic, 8P
BI: D0, D1
BK: E4, Organic, 1P
BL: E4, Organic, 2P
BM: E4, Organic, 8P
BN: E4, D1, Organic, 1P
BO: E3
BP: E3, D2
BS: E1, Organic, 8P
BU: SH-E5
BV: E4, Lidded
BW: E6, D2
BX: E6, Lidded
BY: E6
BZ: E3
CA: E6, Organic, 1P
CB: E6, Organic, 2P
CC: E6, Organic, 8P
CD: E6, D1, Lidded, 1P
CF: E6, D1
CG: E4, D1
CM: F2
CN: F2
CQ: F2, 2P
CR: F2, 8P
CS: F2, 1P
CT: F2
CU: F2
CW: F2
CX: F3, 2P
CY: F3, 8P
CZ: F3, 1P
DC: G1
DD: G1
DE: G1
DH: F3
DI: F3
DL: G1
DN: G1
DO: G2
LA: Lowe Power Mobile, CG B3
LB: Lowe Power Mobile, D0
LD: Lowe Power Mobile, E5 B4
LE: Lowe Power Mobile, E6
LF: Lowe Power Mobile, E6

_________
References
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯

K8 Processor

BIOS and Kernel Developer's Guide for AMD NPT Family 0Fh Processors (#32559; December 2006) (http://www.amd.com/us-en/assets/content_type/white_papers_and_tech_docs/32559.pdf)
AnandTech – AMD's Hammer Architecture – Making Sense of it All (October 23, 2001) (http://www.anandtech.com/showdoc.aspx?i=1546)
AnandTech – AMD's Hammer in Action: The most impressive demo of IDF (February 27, 2002) (http://www.anandtech.com/showdoc.aspx?i=1591)
AnandTech – AMD's Hammer gets a new name: Opteron (April 24, 2002) (http://www.anandtech.com/showdoc.aspx?i=1611)
AnandTech – AMD Opteron Coverage – Part 1: Intro to Opteron/K8 Architecture (April 23, 2003) (http://www.anandtech.com/showdoc.aspx?i=1815)
AnandTech – AMD Opteron Coverage – Part 2: Enterprise Performance (April 23, 2003) (http://www.anandtech.com/showdoc.aspx?i=1816)
AnandTech – AMD Opteron Coverage – Part 3: The First Servers Arrive (April 23, 2003) (http://www.anandtech.com/showdoc.aspx?i=1817)
AnandTech – AMD Opteron Coverage – Part 4: Desktop Performance (April 24, 2003) (http://www.anandtech.com/showdoc.aspx?i=1818)
Ars Technica – An Introduction to 64-bit Computing and x86-64 (March 11, 2003) (http://arstechnica.com/articles/paedia/cpu/x86-64.ars)
Ars Technica – Inside AMD's Hammer: the 64-bit architecture behind the Opteron and Athlon 64 (February 01, 2005) (http://arstechnica.com/articles/paedia/cpu/amd-hammer-1.ars)
List of K8 Processors

AA-64 implementation AMD K8 (http://www.sandpile.org/impl/k8.htm)
Wikipedia – List of AMD Athlon 64 microprocessors (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_AMD_Athlon_64_microprocessors)
Wikipedia – List of AMD Opteron microprocessors (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_AMD_Opteron_microprocessors)
Wikipedia – List of AMD Sempron microprocessors (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_AMD_Sempron_microprocessors)
Wikipedia – List of AMD Turion microprocessors (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_AMD_Turion_microprocessors)
Athlon 64

AnandTech – Athlon64 Preview: nForce3 at 2.0GHz (September 4, 2003) (http://www.anandtech.com/showdoc.aspx?i=1856)
AnandTech – AMD Athlon 64 & Athlon 64 FX – It's Judgment Day (September 23, 2003) (http://www.anandtech.com/showdoc.aspx?i=1884)
Socket 939 Processors

AnandTech – AMD Athlon 64 3800+ and FX-53: The First 939 CPUs (June 1, 2004) (http://www.anandtech.com/showdoc.aspx?i=2065)
Dual-Core Processors

AnandTech – AMD's dual core Opteron & Athlon 64 X2 - Server/Desktop Performance Preview (April 21, 2005) (http://www.anandtech.com/showdoc.aspx?i=2397)
Socket AM2 Processors

AnandTech – AMD Socket-AM2: Same Performance, Faster Memory, Lower Power (May 23, 2006) (http://www.anandtech.com/showdoc.aspx?i=2762)
X-bit labs – Socket AM2 Platform: DDR2 SDRAM Support from AMD (http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/cpu/display/amd-socket-am2.html)
Quad FX

AnandTech – AMD's Quad FX: Technically Quad Core (November 30, 2006) (http://www.anandtech.com/showdoc.aspx?i=2879)
Hard|OCP – AMD Athlon 64 FX-74 & Quad FX Platform Review (November 30, 2006) (http://enthusiast.hardocp.com/article.html?art=MTIzMywxLCxoZW50aHVzaWFzdA==)
HEXUS.net – AMD Quadfather – first part of an epic trilogy? (November 24, 2006) (http://www.hexus.net/content/item.php?item=7316)
HEXUS.net – AMD's '4x4' Quad-FX platform unveiled and benchmarked (November 30, 2006) (http://www.hexus.net/content/item.php?item=7348)
HEXUS.net – AMD QuadFX pushed to the limit... and beyond (January 18, 2007) (http://www.hexus.net/content/item.php?item=7348)
Legit Reviews – AMD Quad FX System Review with FX-74 Processors (November 29, 2006) (http://www.legitreviews.com/article/425/1/)
The Tech Report – AMD's Quad FX platform (November 30, 2006) (http://techreport.com/reviews/2006q4/quad-fx/)
Tom's Hardware Guide – AMD's 4x4 Platform & Athlon 64 FX-70: Brute Force Quad Cores (November 30, 2006) (http://www.tomshardware.com/2006/11/30/brute_force_quad_cores/)
X-bit labs – Quad-Core from AMD: Quad FX Platform Review (November 29, 2006) (http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/cpu/display/amd-quad-fx.html)
65 nm Processors

AnandTech – AMD's 65 nm Brisbane Core Previewed: The most energy efficient AMD CPU to date (December 14, 2006) (http://www.anandtech.com/showdoc.aspx?i=2889)
AnandTech – AMD's 65 nm Preview Part 2 - The Plot Thickens (Updated with Information from AMD) (December 21, 2006) (http://www.anandtech.com/showdoc.aspx?i=2893)
X-bit labs – AMD Athlon 64 X2 4800+ Anew: AMD Masters 65 nm Technology (http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/cpu/display/athlon64-brisbane.html)
Mobile Technology

AnandTech – AMD Unveils Turion 64 Mobile Technology: A Rebranded Mobile Athlon 64 (http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/showdoc.aspx?i=2374)
K8 Processor Ordering Part Number Description

AMD Athlon 64 Processor Power and Thermal Data Sheet (http://www.amd.com/us-en/Processors/TechnicalResources/0,,30_182_739_7203,00.html)
AMD Opteron Processor Power and Thermal Data Sheet (http://www.amd.com/us-en/Processors/TechnicalResources/0,,30_182_739_9003,00.html)
Compare Processor Specifications (http://www.amdcompare.com/us-en/)

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6. K10 Processor
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References

AnandTech – Barcelona Architecture: AMD on the Counterattack (March 1, 2007) (http://www.anandtech.com/showdoc.aspx?i=2939)
X-bit labs – AMD's Next Generation Microarchitecture Preview: from K8 to K8L (http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/cpu/display/amd-k8l.html)
X-bit labs – AMD K10 Micro-Architecture (August 17, 2007) (http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/cpu/display/amd-k10.html)

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K10 Processor – Desktop
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Socket AM2+

Kuma, released on September 2, 2008, Duad-Core, 65 nm


Athlon X2 6500: 2.3GHz, HT 1.8GHz (?), 2 x 512KB L2, 2MB L3, 95W


Toliman (B2/B3), to be released in March 2008, Tri-Core, 65 nm


Phenom X3 8400: 2.1GHz, HT 1.8GHz, 3 x 512KB L2, 2MB L3, 95W (OEM; March 27, 2008)
Phenom X3 8600: 2.3GHz, HT 1.8GHz, 3 x 512KB L2, 2MB L3, 95W (OEM; March 27, 2008)


Phenom X3 8250e (B3): 1.9GHz, HT 1.8GHz, 3 x 512KB L2, 2MB L3, 65W (September 2, 2008)
Phenom X3 8450 (B3): 2.1GHz, HT 1.8GHz, 3 x 512KB L2, 2MB L3, 95W (April 24, 2008)
Phenom X3 8450e (B3): 2.1GHz, HT 1.6GHz (?), 3 x 512KB L2, 2MB L3, 65W (September 2, 2008)
Phenom X3 8550 (B3): 2.2GHz, HT 1.8GHz, 3 x 512KB L2, 2MB L3, 95W (September 2, 2008)
Phenom X3 8650 (B3): 2.3GHz, HT 1.8GHz, 3 x 512KB L2, 2MB L3, 95W (April 24, 2008)
Phenom X3 8600B (B3): 2.3GHz, HT 1.8GHz, 3 x 512KB L2, 2MB L3, 95W (July 7, 2008)
Phenom X3 8750 (B3): 2.4GHz, HT 1.8GHz, 3 x 512KB L2, 2MB L3, 95W (April 24, 2008)
Phenom X3 8750B (B3): 2.4GHz, HT 1.8GHz, 3 x 512KB L2, 2MB L3, 95W (August 15, 2008)
Phenom X3 8750 Black Edition (B3): 2.4GHz, HT 1.8GHz, 3 x 512KB L2, 2MB L3, 95W (September 2, 2008)
Phenom X3 8850 (B3): 2.5GHz, HT 1.8GHz, 3 x 512KB L2, 2MB L3, 95W (October, 2008)
Phenom X3 8850 Black Edition (B3): 2.5GHz, HT 1.8GHz, 3 x 512KB L2, 2MB L3, 95W (December, 2008)


Agena (B2/B3), first released on November 19, 2007, Quad-Core, 65 nm


Phenom X4 9100e: 1.80GHz, HT 1.6GHz, 4 x 512KB L2, 2MB L3, 65W (OEM; March 27, 2008)
Phenom 9500: 2.20GHz, HT 1.8GHz, 4 x 512KB L2, 2MB L3, 95W
Phenom 9600: 2.30GHz, HT 1.8GHz, 4 x 512KB L2, 2MB L3, 95W
Phenom 9600 Black Edition: 2.30GHz (multiplier lock-free), HT 1.8GHz, 4 x 512KB L2, 2MB L3, 95W (December 19, 2007)


Phenom X4 9150e (B3): 1.80GHz, HT 1.6GHz, 4 x 512KB L2, 2MB L3, 65W (July 2, 2008)
Phenom X4 9350e (B3): 2.00GHz, HT 1.8GHz, 4 x 512KB L2, 2MB L3, 65W (July 2, 2008)
Phenom X4 9550 (B3): 2.20GHz, HT 1.8GHz, 4 x 512KB L2, 2MB L3, 95W (March 27, 2008)
Phenom X4 9650 (B3): 2.30GHz, HT 1.8GHz, 4 x 512KB L2, 2MB L3, 95W (OEM; March 27, 2008)
Phenom X4 9600B (B3): 2.30GHz, HT 1.8GHz, 4 x 512KB L2, 2MB L3, 95W (July 2, 2008)
Phenom X4 9750 (B3): 2.40GHz, HT 1.8GHz, 4 x 512KB L2, 2MB L3, 95W (OEM; March 27, 2008)
Phenom X4 9750 (B3): 2.40GHz, HT 1.8GHz, 4 x 512KB L2, 2MB L3, 125W (March 27, 2008)
Phenom X4 9750B (B3): 2.40GHz, HT 1.8GHz, 4 x 512KB L2, 2MB L3, 95W (August 15, 2008)
Phenom X4 9850 Black Edition (B3): 2.50GHz, HT 2.0GHz, 4 x 512KB L2, 2MB L3, 125W (March 27, 2008)
Phenom X4 9950 Black Edition (B3): 2.60GHz, HT 2.0GHz, 4 x 512KB L2, 2MB L3, 140W (July 2, 2008)
Phenom X4 9950 Black Edition (B3): 2.60GHz, HT 2.0GHz, 4 x 512KB L2, 2MB L3, 120W (September 25, 2008)
FASN8 (8x4 Platform) (Canceled! (http://www.techreport.com/discussions.x/13698))

The FASN8 (First AMD Silicon Next-gen 8-core Platform) is a dual-socket, octa-core PC platform consisting of two Socket F (1207) called Socket F (1207 FX) (also called Socket L1) and a pair of Phenom FX processors. Socket F (1207) is used instead of AM2+ to support three HyperTransport links for multiprocessors. The AMD RD790 chipset will support this platform with DSDC (Dual Socket Direct Connect). Since it also supports 4 PCI Express x16 graphics cards, the platform also called 8x4 (8 CPU cores and 4 GPU cores).

References

AnandTech – AMD's Phenom Unveiled: A Somber Farewell to K8 (November 19, 2007) (http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/showdoc.aspx?i=3153)
Hard|OCP – AMD Phenom & Spider vs Intel QX9770 (November 19, 2007) (http://www.hardocp.com/article.html?art=MTQyMiwsLGhlbnRodXNpYXN0)
The Tech Report – AMD's Phenom processors (November 19, 2007) (http://www.techreport.com/articles.x/13633)
The Tech Report – Chip problem limits supply of quad-core Opterons (December 3, 2007) (http://www.techreport.com/discussions.x/13721)
The Tech Report – Erratum degrades Phenom 9500, 9600 performance (December 3, 2007) (http://www.techreport.com/discussions.x/13724)
The Tech Report – Phenom TLB patch benchmarked (December 6, 2007) (http://www.techreport.com/articles.x/13741)

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K10 Processor – Server
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Socket AM2+

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7. Griffin Processor
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Griffin is the codename of the first processor family from AMD solely for the mobile platform, based on the K8 processor with some specific architectural enhancements aimed at lower power consumption. The Griffin processor was released as part of the Puma mobile platform on June 4th, 2008. Some key features are:

Dual core based on the K8 Rev. G
Dual-channel DDR2 memory controller optimized for the mobile platform
Single HyperTransport 3.0 link
Low power consumption by
Independent dynamic core frequency
Spit voltage planes for core 0, core 1 and memory controller
Dynamic scaling of HyperTransport link widths
Socket S1 (with a pinout different from the K8 mobile processor)
Socket S1

Griffin, first released on June 4, 2008, 65 nm process
Turion X2 Dual-Core Mobile Processor RM-70: 2.0GHz, HT 1.8GHz, 1MB L2 Cache, 31W
Turion X2 Dual-Core Mobile Processor RM-72: 2.1GHz, HT 1.8GHz, 1MB L2 Cache, 35W
Turion X2 Ultra Dual-Core Mobile Processor ZM-80: 2.1GHz, HT 1.8GHz, 2MB L2 Cache, 32W
Turion X2 Ultra Dual-Core Mobile Processor ZM-82: 2.2GHz, HT 1.8GHz, 2MB L2 Cache, 35W
Turion X2 Ultra Dual-Core Mobile Processor ZM-84: 2.3GHz, HT 1.8GHz, 2MB L2 Cache, 35W (Q3 2008)
Turion X2 Ultra Dual-Core Mobile Processor ZM-86: 2.4GHz, HT 1.8GHz, 2MB L2 Cache, 35W
References

AMD – AMD Turion™ X2 Ultra Dual-Core and AMD Turion™ X2 Dual-Core Mobile Processors for Notebook PCs (http://www.amd.com/us-en/Processors/ProductInformation/0,,30_118_12651_15667,00.html)
PC Watch – モバイルに最適化された「Turion X2 Ultra(Griffin)」の実像 (June 9, 2008) (http://www.anandtech.com/showdoc.aspx?i=2939) (currently the most comprehensive article on Griffin)

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Appendix III. Core 2 Motherboards – A Complete List of

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Table of Contents
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Preface
Overview of Recent Chipsets for the Intel Platform
Intel 865 Chipset Motherboards
Intel 945/946 Express Chipset Motherboards
Intel 975X Express Chipset Motherboards
Intel 965 Express Chipset Motherboards
Intel 3 Series Chipset Motherboards
Intel 4 Series Chipset Motherboards
Intel Tylersburg/Summitlake Chipset Motherboards
NVIDIA nForce4 Series for Intel Chipset Motherboards
NVIDIA nForce 500 Series for Intel Chipset Motherboards
NVIDIA nForce 600i Series Chipset Motherboards
NVIDIA nForce 700i Series Chipset Motherboards
NVIDIA GeForce 7-Series GPU and nForce 6-Series MCP Motherboards
NVIDIA GeForce 9-Series mGPU and nForce 7-Series MCP Motherboards
ATI Chipset Motherboards
SiS Chipset Motherboards
VIA Chipset Motherboards
Mobile Intel 945 Express Chipset Motherboards
Mobile Intel 965 Express Chipset Motherboards
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Preface
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For those who are interested in building a Core 2 system, I collected a list of motherboards (ATX and microATX) supporting Core 2 processors. This part begins with a preliminary section: a brief overview of chipsets for the Intel platform. Then a list of motherboards follows. Motherboards are classified by chipset and then form factor. Each motherboard is hyperlinked to the manufacture's website. A brief description of specifications is included. To make the description concise and readable, I assume the following specifications are standard for today's desktop motherboards:

FSB 1333 MTps support
Dual-channel memory controller supporting DDR2-800, 4 DIMMs, 4GB maximum
1 x VGA for a microATX board
1 x PCI Express x16 (x16 electrically), 1 x PCI Express x1, 2 x PCI
1 x PATA, 4 x SATA at 3.0Gbps
RAID 0/1/01 or 10/5, NCQ, Hot-Plug
8 x USB 2.0
1 x PCI Express Gb LAN
7.1 Ch. HD Audio
1 x coaxial S/PDIF out and/or 1 x optical S/PDIF out
2 x IEEE 1394
Part of the specifications that does not meet the above is written in bold letters. I also used bold letters elsewhere if a special attention is needed. I included a few overclocking options in BIOS for those who are interested in overclocking the system. Links to review sites and user forums are also included if any. Information on the actual availability in US retail stores is included. The link to Newegg.com is often included for your convenience.

Conventions

A name in italic letters like Bearlake is a codename. In motherboard lists, I used various abbreviations:

Specs

Active/Passive means that the cooling method of northbridge/southbridge is active/passive (i.e. heatsink with fan/heatsink only), etc.
PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 2@(16,4)/1/3* means that there are two PCI Express x16 slots, each of which can run at the maximum speed of x16, x4 respectively (but may not run at that speed concurrently), one PCI Express x 1 slot, and 3 PCI slots, and one of the PCI slots cannot be used when a two-slot video card is installed, etc.
PATA/SATA/eSATA: 1/4/2 means that the number of PATA controllers is 1 (so 2 PATA devices), the number of SATA ports is 4 and the number of external SATA ports is 2, etc.
RAID implies NCQ and Hot-Plug and vice versa for Intel and NVIDIA chipsets. So I won't write them for brevity. SiS, Uli, VIA southbridges are different. I did not mention RAID capability of additional storage controllers.
No S/PDIF means no onboard S/PDIF header. No S/PDIF (need an optional bracket) means that there is an onboard S/PDIF header, but a bracket is not included in the retail package.
BIOS

FSB: 600MHz means that the maximum selectable FSB frequency available in the BIOS setup is 600MHz, etc. The front side bus transfers data four times per cycle (the technology called QDR, quadruple data rate, or quad pumping), thus FSB can be expressed in two units
MHz (mega hertz)
MTps (mega transfer per second)
with the simple conversion formula: MTps = 4 x MHz. The default value of FSB depends on the processor you use. Currently three default values of FSB are available:

200MHz = 800MTps
266MHz = 1066MTps
333MHz = 1333MTps
The CPU frequency and the effective DRAM frequency are calculate by the following formulas:

CPU frequency = (FSB in MHz) x (CPU multiplier)
DRAM frequency = (FSB in MHz) x (FSB-DRAM ratio) x 2
CPU: 1.725V means that the maximum CPU voltage available in BIOS is 1.725V, etc. The default CPU voltage is around 1.3V, depending on each CPU core.
DRAM: 2.1V means that the maximum DRAM voltage available in BIOS is 2.1V, etc. The default voltage by the JEDEC DDR2 DRAM specification is 1.8V.
NB: 1.25–1.65V means that the northbridge voltage can be adjusted from 1.25V to 1.65V in BIOS, etc. The default voltage depends on chipset and motherboard.
Max FSB: 300MHz (E6400, x8, VR-Zone) means that the maximum stable FSB reported in VR-Zone is 300MHz, with Core 2 Duo E6400 and multiplier x8, etc.
FSB: — means that there is no FSB adjustment option in BIOS, etc.
FSB: ? means that I have not been able to confirm FSB yet, etc.
Spreadsheet

You can also view a list of motherboards in the Excel worksheet format:

94708
This includes complete description of storage, LAN, audio and IEEE 1394 controller names, and more detailed BIOS options.

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1. Overview of Recent Chipsets for the Intel Platform
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Intel
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Intel has been producing chipsets (http://www.intel.com/products/chipsets/index.htm?iid=HMPAGE+Header_2_Product_Chipsets) for its own chips. Each Intel chipset consists of the traditional two chips:

MCH (or GMCH): (Graphics and) Memory Controller Hub, so called northbridge, that includes CPU interface, DRAM controller, external graphics interface (and internal graphics controller).
ICH: I/O Controller Hub, so called southbridge, that includes the PCI and PCI Express interface, PATA, SATA, LAN, Audio, USB and other I/O functions.
Desktop Chipsets

Recently a new desktop chipset family is introduced every year, around June. Chipset families that may support Core 2 are:

Intel 865 with ICH5, with or without integrated graphics Extreme Graphics 2

Released in May 2003. Features FSB 800MTps, dual-channel DDR, AGP 8X, and integrated SATA. There is an extreme version Intel 875P.


Intel 915 Express with ICH6, with or without graphics media accelerator GMA 900

The 1st generation of Express chipset family released in June 2004, along with the new socket LGA (Land Grid Array) 775. Introduced revolutionary technologies: dual-channel DDR2, PCI Express and HD audio. There are two extreme versions, Intel 925X Express and Intel 925XE Express.


Intel 945 Express with ICH7, with or without graphics media accelerator GMA 950

The 2nd generation of Express chipset family launched in June 2005. Supports the higher FSB 1066MTps and the higher DRAM frequency DDR2-667. There are two extreme versions, Intel 955X Express (enhanced memory controller) and Intel 975X Express (two PCI Express graphics controllers supporting ATI CrossFire Technology).


Intel 965 Express with ICH8, with or without graphics media accelerator GMA X3000/GMA 3000

The 3rd generation of Express chipset family launched in June 2006. Supports Core 2 Duo/Quad/Extreme processors, DDR2-800 and has an integrated Gb LAN controller. Intel 946 Express, launched at the same time, is considered as its value segment.


Intel 3 Series with ICH9, with or without graphics media accelerator GMA 3100/GMA X3500

The 4th generation of Express chipset family released in June/August 2007. Supports FSB1333 and Penryn processors and supports both DDR2 and DDR3 SDRAM. PCI Express 2.0 is introduced in the high-end chipset.
Northbridge of each family usually includes

xxxG or Gxxx: an integrated graphics chipset
xxxP or Pxxx: a discrete graphics chipset
xxxX or Xxxx: an extreme edition, discrete graphics
where xxx is a three-digit number like 965 (two-digit number for 3 Series) and G = "graphics", P = "performance" (perhaps because it is coupled with a performance external graphics). Southbridge comes in four flavors

ICHx: ICHx Base
ICHxR: ICHx RAID
ICHxDH: ICHx Digital Home
ICHxDO: ICHx Digital Office
where x is the generation number like 7, 8. All of ICHxR, ICHxDH and ICHxDO support RAID. More details come in later sections.

Mobile Chipsets

Mobile processors are used in the notebook PC. However Intel also chose them instead of desktop processors for digital entertainment center (Intel Mobile on Desktop, MoDT (http://www.intel.com/cd/channel/reseller/asmo-na/eng/264378.htm)) combined with Intel Viiv technology (http://www.intel.com/products/viiv/index.htm) because of low power consumption and heat dissipation and hence reduced system noise. Although high power consumption and heat dissipation do not apply to the new desktop processors Core 2 any longer, Intel is pushing this trend further in the next year. So I have included Intel mobile chipsets and motherboards.

A new mobile chipset family is usually introduced half a year later than the latest desktop chipset family. It is a low power consumption version of the desktop chipset (that implies lower FSB, lower frequency of internal graphics and lower SATA speed). Recent mobile chipsets are:

Mobile Intel 855 with ICH4-M, with or without graphics media accelerator Mobile Extreme Graphics 2

Part of the 1st-generation Centrino platform Carmel launched in March 2003. FSB 400MTps.


Mobile Intel 915 Express with ICH6-M, with or without graphics media accelerator Mobile GMA 900

Part of the 2nd-generation Centrino platform Sonoma launched in January 2005. FSB 533MTps.


Mobile Intel 945 Express with ICH7-M, with or without graphics media accelerator Mobile GMA 950

Part of the 3rd-generation Centrino platform Napa launched in January 2006. Supports Core Duo/Solo (Yonah), Celeron M (Yonah), Core 2 Duo (Merom). FSB 667MTps.


Mobile Intel 965 Express with ICH8M, with or without graphics media accelerator Mobile Intel GMA X3100

Part of the 4th-generation Centrino platform Santa Rosa launched in May 2007. New Socket P and supports FSB 800MTps.


Cantiga with ICH9M

Part of the 5rd-generation Centrino platform Montevina to be launched in Q2 2008. Supports Penryn processors. FSB 1066MTps.
Northbridge of each family includes

xxxGM or GMxxx: an integrated graphics chipset
xxxPM or PMxxx: a discrete graphics chipset
where M = "mobile" obviously. Mobile southbridge comes in three flavors except for ICH8M:

ICHx-M: Mobile ICHx Base
ICHx-M DH: Mobile ICHx Digital Home
ICHx-M DO: Mobile ICHx Digital Office
ICH8M comes in two flavors:

ICH8M: ICH8 Mobile Base
ICH8M-E: ICH8 Mobile Enhanced
Integrated Graphics Device (IGD)

Intel is the largest graphics manufacturer because most Intel systems come with integrated graphics. However the performance of Intel IGDs has been poorer than IGDs from ATI and NVIDIA. Besides that, one needs to note the following facts:

The current Intel IGD provides


1 x VGA (Video Graphics Array)
2 x SDVO (Serial Digital Video Out)

An SDVO port can support a variety of display types including DVI, HDMI, Analog CRT, TV-Out, but requires a third-party SDVO device such as ADD2 (http://support.intel.com/support/graphics/intel915g/sb/CS-013296.htm) (Advanced Digital Display 2) card that occupies the x16 PCI Express connector and TMDS transmitter. You may find a retail ADD2 DVI or HDMI card. Other than that implementation of SDVO ports is up to the motherboard's manufacturer. Several motherboards have an integrated DVI and/or HDMI transmitter. Please see the motherboard spreadsheet for a list of such motherboards.


An external PCI Express x16 graphics card cannot work concurrently with IGD. This is in marked contrast to NVIDIA and ATI IGPs.

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NVIDIA
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NVIDIA entered the chipset business with the nForce (http://www.nvidia.com/page/mobo.html) chipset series for the AMD platform in June 2001. However NVIDIA chipsets came into the Intel platform only lately when NVIDIA and Intel signed a cross-license agreement in November 2004.

Chipsets with Discrete Graphics

nForce4 for Intel (codenamed Crush 19 or simply C19)

The first NVIDIA chipset family for the Intel platform released first in April 2005 for SLI x8 and then SLI x16. Later versions with a new southbridge were released for SLI x8 and non-SLI.


nForce 500 Series for Intel

Released in June 2006. Full support for Core 2 Duo along with a bunch of new features. SLI x8 and SLI x16 versions are available.


nForce 600i Series (codenamed C55)

Released in November 2006. Support for Kentsfield. Overclocking abilities are greatly improved. SLI x16, SLI x8 and non-SLI versions are available.


nForce 700i Series (codenamed C72 and C73)

To be released in Q4 2007. Support for 45 nm processors and PCI Express 2.0. Two SPPs are planned, one featuring FSB 1333MTps and DDR2-1066 and the other featuring FSB 1600MTps and DDR3-1600, each has SLI x8 and SLI x16 variants.
Chipsets with Integrated Graphics

GeForce 7-Series GPU and nForce 6-Series MCP (codenamed MCP73)

Released September 25, 2007. NVIDIA's first integrated graphics chipset for Intel. A single-chip solution with single-channel memory controller. NVIDIA was once developing an IGP for the Intel platform, codenamed C60 (AnandTech (http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/showdoc.aspx?i=2430)), but canceled it later (the Inquirer (http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=28587)). NVIDIA resumed the project as customer demand was increasing and the merged AMD-ATI was leaving the IGP market for the Intel platform, thus creating a void to be filled. However, due to poor specs of the chipset (single-channel memory controller and the lack of PureVideo HD), MCP73 has not been highly sought after by mainboard manufacturers.


GeForce 8-Series mGPU (codenamed MCP7A)

To be released in April 2008. An upgraded version of MCP73, with dual-channel memory controller and support for PureVideo HD Gen 3.
Just like Intel chipsets, every NVIDIA chipset for Intel, except for MCP73 and MCP7A, consists of

SPP = System Platform Processor (northbridge)
MCP = Media and Communications Processor (southbridge)
This is in contrast to the single chipset solution for AMD. As the Athlon 64 chip includes a memory controller, the only functions of the northbridge was the CPU and graphics interface. So NVIDIA chose to combine the northbridge and the southbridge into a single chip in nForce3 and nForce4. This trick has not worked for the Intel chips that have no memory controller and NVIDIA had to go back to the traditional solution and developed a northbridge codenamed C19 that is used in all of nForce4 and nForce 500 Series chipsets. C19 had been aging with limited support for newer DRAM and poor overclockability. Hence an SPP codenamed C55 was developed and used in the latest nForce 600i Series chipsets. Further two new SPPs, C72 and C73 are planned supporting higher FSB and higher DDR2 memory speed or DDR3 memory. On the other hand southbridge is common to both AMD and Intel, CK804 (nForce4), MCP51 (nForce 430), MCP55 (nForce 500 Series) or MCP72 (nForce 700 Series). Unlike Intel chipsets, NVIDIA northbridge and southbridge are called only by codename that makes it difficult to see what chips are actually used. I will explain NVIDIA chipset codenames later.

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ATI
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ATI entered the PC chipset market in 2002 with the integrated graphics chipset family called Radeon IGP & IXP (http://www.ati.com/products/radeonigp/index.html) for value to mainstream desktop and notebook PCs both for AMD and Intel, where

IGP = Integrated Graphics Processor (northbridge)
IXP = Integrated Communications Processor (southbridge)
They were geared toward the OEM market. A shift occurred in late 2004 with the release of ATI Radeon Xpress 200 Series (http://www.amd.com/us-en/Processors/ProductInformation/0,,30_118_14603_14616,00.html) for AMD K8 processors. The current chipsets for the Intel desktop platform (http://ati.amd.com/products/integratedintel.html) are:

Northbridge

ATI 400 Series with integrated Radeon X300 graphics core


ATI Radeon Xpress 200 for Intel Processors (codename RS400/RC400/RC410), first released on March 11, 2005
There is no discrete graphics version.


ATI 600 Series with or without integrated Radeon X700 graphics core


ATI Radeon Xpress 1250 (codename RS600), the integrated graphics version featuring HDMI and partial HD hardware decode, was released on August 29, 2006. This is the equivalent of RS690 for AMD.
ATI CrossFire Xpress 3200 (codename RD600), the discrete graphics version featuring dual PCI Express x8 graphics, was released on September 27, 2005. This is the equivalent of RD580 for AMD.
Southbridge

Each northbridge can be coupled with southbridge

ATI SB400 (IXP 400)
ATI SB450 (IXP 450)
ATI SB460 (IXP 460)
ATI SB600 (IXP 600)
via A-Link Xpress (PCI Express x2) or A-Link Xpress II (PCI Express x4). As A-Link Xpress (II) is backward compatible with PCI Express links, they can also be coupled with any third-party southbridge that relies on PCI Express links to connect to northbridge such as

ULi M1573
ULi M1575
Because of the acquisition of ATI by AMD in 2006, these chipsets will be the last ATI products supporting Intel platform.

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SiS
¯¯¯

Silicon Integrated Systems Corp. (SiS) has been producing chipsets for Intel since 1990 and for AMD since 1999 (?). The current desktop chipsets (http://www.sis.com/products/product_000001.htm) for the Intel platforms are

Northbridge SiS6xx with southbridge SiS96y
where xx = 48, 49,...,72, y = 2,3,...,8. They come with/without integrated graphics. They are considerably cheaper than Intel chipsets with less features. SiS662 or above supports Core 2 Duo. SiS will soon release chipsets supporting FSB 1333MTps and quad-core processors.

___
VIA
¯¯¯

VIA has been producing chipsets (http://www.via.com.tw/en/products/chipsets/#) for AMD and Intel for a long time. The current VIA chipset series for the Intel platform is

P4 Series northbridges with VIA southbridges
They are considerably cheaper than Intel chipsets with less features. However they support Core 2 and they are unique in that some of them support both DDR and DDR2 and both AGP and PCI Express graphics.

VIA switched its focus from third party chipsets (i.e. for Intel and AMD) to chipsets for its own C7 processor platform in Q4 2007 (source (http://www.digitimes.com/mobos/a20080103PB203.html)).

_________
References
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯

The Tech Report – Core 2 chipsets compared (975X Express, P965 Express, nForce4 SLI X16, nForce 570 SLI) (September 21, 2006) (http://techreport.com/reviews/2006q3/core2-chipsets/index.x?pg=1)

____________________________
2. Intel 865 Chipset Motherboards
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
______
Chipset
¯¯¯¯¯¯

Models

Intel 865G (http://www.intel.com/products/chipsets/865g/index.htm) for mainstream users, released on May 21, 2003
Intel 865PE (http://www.intel.com/products/chipsets/865pe/index.htm) for mainstream users, released on May 21, 2003
Intel 865GV (http://www.intel.com/products/chipsets/865GV/index.htm) for corporate users, released on August 11, 2003
Intel 865P (http://www.intel.com/products/chipsets/865p/index.htm) for corporate users, released on May 21, 2003
Intel 875P (http://www.intel.com/products/chipsets/875P/index.htm) for performance users, released on April 15, 2003
Northbridge

865G/865PE (G)MCH
FSB 800/533/400MTps
DDR-400/333/266, 4 DIMMs, 4GB max
AGP 8X/4X, no PCI Express x16
TDP 12.9W/11.3W (GMCH/MCH)
865GV GMCH
The same as 865G sans AGP
TDP 12.6W
865P MCH
FSB 533/400MTps
DDR-333/266, 4 DIMMs, 4GB max
AGP 8X/4X, no PCI Express x16
TDP 10.3W
Southbridge

ICH5
2 x PATA, 2 x SATA at 1.5Gbps
No RAID, no NCQ, no Hot-Plug
No PCI Express support
Integrated 10/100Mbps LAN controller, AC'97 Audio, 8 x USB 2.0
TDP 2.4W
ICH5R
The same as ICH5 except for:
RAID 0
Integrated Graphics

Extreme Graphics 2 (865G/865GV only)
266MHz core clock, 64MB video memory
Vertex Shader/Pixel Shader/Texture Mapping/Render Output Units: 0/1/2/?; DirectX 8.0 Pixel/Vertex Shader Model: —/1.1
VGA: 2048 x 1536, DVI/TV via an ADD (AGP Digital Display) card
References

Intel 865PE/865P Chipset Datasheet (http://www.intel.com/design/chipsets/datashts/252523.htm)
Intel 865G/865GV Chipset Datasheet (http://www.intel.com/design/chipsets/datashts/252514.htm)
Intel 865G/865GV/865PE/865P Chipset Thermal Design Guide (http://www.intel.com/design/chipsets/designex/252519.htm)
Intel ICH5/ICH5R Datasheet (http://www.intel.com/design/chipsets/datashts/252516.htm)
Intel ICH5/ICH5R Thermal Design Guide (http://www.intel.com/design/chipsets/designex/252673.htm)
Intel – Extreme Graphics 2 Brochure (http://www.intel.com/products/chipsets/eg2/index.htm)
AnandTech – Sneak Peek at 800MHz FSB Performance (March 25, 2003) (http://www.anandtech.com/showdoc.aspx?i=1806)
AnandTech – Intel 875P (Canterwood) Chipset - The New Flagship (April 14, 2003) (http://www.anandtech.com/showdoc.aspx?i=1811)
AnandTech – Intel 865 (Springdale) Chipset: Mainstream Dual DDR (May 21, 2003) (http://www.anandtech.com/showdoc.aspx?i=1823)

The Tech Report – Intel's 875P chipset and Pentium 4 3.0GHz processor (April 14, 2003) (]Digit-Life – i865 (Springdale) Family - a reasonable substitute for i875P (May 23, 2003)[/URL)
The Tech Report – Intel's 865PE and 865G chipsets (May 21, 2003) (http://www.techreport.com/reviews/2003q2/intel-865)


______________
ATX Motherboard
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯

ASRock

ASRock ConRoe865PE (]X-bit labs – Intel’s Nearest Plans: FSB 800MHz and Springdale. Details and First Benchmarks (March 10, 2003)[/URL)


[U]Specs: 865PE + ICH5. Passive/None. FSB 1066/800/533MTps. DDR-400/333/266, 4 DIMMs, 4GB max. AGP/PCI: 1/5*, no PCI Express. PATA/SATA: 2/2, SATA at 1.5Gbps, no RAID, 10/100Mbps LAN, AC'97 Audio, no S/PDIF, no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: 300MHz, CPU: —, DRAM: High, NB: Low–High, Max FSB: 300MHz (E6600, x9, a user)

__________________
MicroATX Motherboard
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯

ASRock

ASRock 775i65G (R2.00) (http://www.asrock.com/mb/overview.asp?Model=775i65G&s=775)


[U]Specs: 865G + ICH5. Passive/None. FSB 1066/800/533MTps (FSB 1066 MTps with external graphics). DDR-400/333/266, 2 DIMMs, 2GB max. 1 x VGA. AGP/PCI: 1/3*, no PCI Express. PATA/SATA: 2/2, SATA at 1.5Gbps, no RAID, 10/100Mbps LAN, CMI9761A 5.1 Ch. AC'97 audio, no S/PDIF, no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: 300MHz, CPU: —, DRAM: High, NB: Low–High, Max FSB: 278MHz (E4300, x9, a user here (http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview.aspx?catid=28&threadid=1989561&frmKeyword=&STARTPAGE=3&FTVAR_FORUMVIEWTMP=Linear))
Reviews: AnandTech (http://www.anandtech.com/mb/showdoc.aspx?i=2814)
Availability: Yes. ZipZoomfly.com: $54.99 (http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=245015) (Check PCB version)


ASRock ConRoe865GV (http://www.asrock.com/mb/overview.asp?Model=ConRoe865GV&s=775)


Specs: 865GV + ICH5. Passive/None. FSB 800/533MTps. DDR-400/333/266, 2 DIMMs, 2GB max. 1 x VGA. AGI/PCI: 1/3*, no PCI Express. PATA/SATA: 2/2, SATA at 1.5Gbps, no RAID, 10/100Mbps LAN, CMI9761A 5.1 Ch. AC'97 audio, no S/PDIF, no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: ?, CPU: —, DRAM: High, NB: Low–High, Max FSB: ?
Notes: AGI (ASRock Graphics Interface) slot supports compatible AGP video cards.
ASUS

ASUS P5PE-VM (http://www.asus.com/products4.aspx?l1=3&l2=11&l3=0&model=1276&modelmenu=1)


Specs: 865G + ICH5. Passive/None. FSB 1066/800/533MTps (FSB 1066 MTps with external graphics). DDR-400/333/266, 2 DIMMs, 2GB max. 1 x VGA. AGP/PCI: 1/3*, no PCI Express. PATA/SATA: 2/2, SATA at 1.5Gbps, no RAID, PCI Gb LAN, AD1888 5.1 Ch. AC'97 audio, no S/PDIF, no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: —, CPU: —, DRAM: —, NB: —, Max FSB: —
Forums: AnandTech Forums (http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview.aspx?catid=29&threadid=1914181&enterthread=y)
Availability: Yes. Newegg.com: $69.99 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813131029)

______________________________________
3. Intel 945/946 Express Chipset Motherboards
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
______
Chipset
¯¯¯¯¯¯

Models

Intel 955X Express (http://www.intel.com/products/chipsets/955x/index.htm) for performance users, released in May 18, 2005


Intel 945G Express (http://www.intel.com/products/chipsets/945g/index.htm) for mainstream users, released on May 27, 2005
Intel 945P Express (http://www.intel.com/products/chipsets/945p/index.htm) for mainstream users, released on May 27, 2005


Intel 945GZ Express (http://www.intel.com/design/chipsets/945GZ/documentation.htm) for corporate users, released on January 6, 2006
Intel 945PL Express (http://www.intel.com/products/chipsets/945p/index.htm) for corporate users, released in October 2005


Intel 946GZ Express (http://www.intel.com/products/chipsets/946PL_946GZ/index.htm) for corporate users, released on June 6, 2006
Intel 946PL Express (http://www.intel.com/products/chipsets/946PL_946GZ/index.htm) for corporate users, released on June 6, 2006


Intel 945GC Express, released in Q1 2007
Intel 945GC Express (A2), released in Q2 2007
Currently the 945 Express chipset family is defined as model for entry level. In addition to simplify the product line, there has been released a 945GC chipset to replace the 945G/P, 945GZ/PL and 946GZ/PL chipsets. The A2 stepping supports up to FSB 1066MT/s processors. It will be eventually replaced by the 3 Series chipset family for 45 nm CPU support.

955X —› 975X —› X38
945G/945P —› 945GC —› G33
945GZ/945PL —› 946GZ/946PL —› 945GC —› G31/P31
Northbridge

955X MCH
FSB 1066/800MTps
DDR2-667/533, 4 DIMMs, 8GB max, ECC or Non-ECC
1 x PCI Express x16 Graphics
TDP 13.5W
945G/945P (G)MCH
FSB 1066/800/533MTps
DDR2-667/533/400, 4 DIMMs, 4GB max
1 x PCI Express x16 Graphics
TDP 22.2W/15.2W (GMCH/MCH)


945GZ/945PL (G)MCH
FSB 800/533MTps
DDR2-533/400, 4 DIMMs, 2GB max
1 x PCI Express x16 Graphics for 945PL
No PCI Express x16 Graphics for 945GZ
TDP 22.2W/15.2W (GMCH/MCH)


946GZ/946PL (G)MCH
FSB 800/533MTps
DDR2-667/533, 4 DIMMs, 4GB max
1 x PCI Express x16 Graphics
TDP 26W/16W (GMCH/MCH)


945GC GMCH
FSB 800/533MTps
DDR2-533/400, 2 DIMMs, 2GB max
1 x PCI Express x16 Graphics
945GC GMCH (A2)
FSB 1066/800/533MTps
DDR2-667/533/400, 2 DIMMs, 4GB max
1 x PCI Express x16 Graphics
Southbridge

ICH7
1 x PATA, 4 x SATA at 3.0Gbps
No RAID, no AHCI
4 PCI Express lanes (1 of them is usually reserved for Gb LAN)
Integrated 10/100Mbps LAN controller, HD Audio, 8 x USB 2.0
TDP 3.3W
ICH7R/ICH7DH
1 x PATA, 4 x SATA at 3.0Gbps
RAID (0/1/10/5, up to 4 drives), AHCI (NCQ, Hot-Plug, but no eSATA)
6 PCI Express lanes (1 of them is usually reserved for Gb LAN)
Integrated 10/100Mbps LAN controller, HD Audio, 8 x USB 2.0
TDP 3.3W
Intel Viiv and Quick Resume Technology (QRT, ICH7DH only)
Integrated Graphics

GMA 950 (945G, 945GZ, 945GC only)
400MHz core clock, 224MB video memory
Vertex Shader/Pixel Shader/Texture Mapping/Render Output Units: 0/4/4/?; DirectX 9.0c Vertex/Pixel Shader Model: 3.0 (sw)/2.0 VGA: 2048 x 1536, DVI/TV (1080i/p) via an ADD2 card
MPEG-2/VC-1/H.264: hw/sw/sw
GMA 3000 (946GZ only)
667MHz core clock, 256MB video memory
Vertex Shader/Pixel Shader/Texture Mapping/Render Output Units: 0/?/?/?; DirectX 9.0 Vertex/Pixel Shader Model: 3.0 (sw)/2.0
VGA: 2048 x 1536, DVI/TV (1080i/p) via an ADD2 card
MPEG-2/VC-1/H.264: hw/sw/sw
Remarks

945G suffers from incomplete PCI Express lock (that is related to the existence of IGP). Because of this the maximum FSB of 945G is limited to around 350 MHz.
References

Intel 945G/945GZ/945P/945PL Express Chipset Family Datasheet (http://www.intel.com/design/chipsets/datashts/307502.htm)
Intel 945G/945GZ/945P/945PL Express Chipset Family Thermal and Mechanical Design Guidelines (http://www.intel.com/design/chipsets/designex/307504.htm)
Intel 946 Express Chipset Family Datasheet (http://www.intel.com/design/chipsets/datashts/313083.htm)
Intel 946 Express Chipset Family Thermal Mechanical Design Guide (http://www.intel.com/design/chipsets/designex/313085.htm)
Intel ICH7 Family Datatsheet (http://www.intel.com/design/chipsets/datashts/307013.htm)
Intel ICH7 Thermal Design Guide (http://www.intel.com/design/chipsets/designex/307015.htm)
Intel GMA 950 Product Brief (http://www.intel.com/products/chipsets/gma950/index.htm)
AnandTech – Intel 925X/915: Chipset Performance & DDR2 (June 19, 2004) (http://www.anandtech.com/showdoc.aspx?i=2088)
AnandTech – Integrated Graphics: Xpress 200 vs. GMA 950 (May 26, 2005) (http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=2427)
Digit-Life – R-r-revolutionary Intel 915/925 Express Family for Socket 775 (May 24, 2004) (http://www.digit-life.com/articles2/roundupmobo/i915-i925-chipsets.html)
Digit-Life – Intel 945/955 Express Chipsets — Brief Specifications (May 27, 2005) (http://www.digit-life.com/articles2/mainboard/i945-i955-chipsets-specs.html)
HKEPC Hardware – New Intel 945GC chipset for entry level market (September 26, 2006) (http://www.hkepc.com/bbs/itnews.php?tid=675369)
The Tech Report – Intel's 915G and 925X chipsets (June 21, 2004) (http://www.techreport.com/reviews/2004q2/intel-9xx/)
The Tech Report – Intel's Pentium 4 Extreme Edition 3.46GHz processor and 925XE chipset (October 31, 2004) (http://www.techreport.com/reviews/2004q4/pentium4-xe-3.46/)
X-bit labs – Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 900 and Intel 915G: New Generation of Integrated Graphics (July 12, 2004) (http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/chipsets/display/i915g.html)
X-bit labs – Fastest Pentium 4 Platform: Performance of i925, i915, i875 and i865 with DDR2-533, DDR2-400, DDR533 and DDR400 SDRAM (August 4, 2004) (http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/chipsets/display/p4-fastest.html)

______________
ATX Motherboard
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯

abit

abit IL9 Pro (Global site) (http://www.abit.com.tw/page/en/motherboard/motherboard_detail.php?pMODEL_NAME=IL9+Pro&fMTYPE=LGA775) or abit IL9 Pro (USA site) (http://www.abit-usa.com/products/mb/products.php?categories=1&model=330)


Specs: 945P + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533/400, 4 DIMMs, 4GB max. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 2@(16,4)/1*/3, supporting ATI CrossFire. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, PCI Gb LAN, optical S/PDIF out, no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: —, CPU: —, DRAM: +0.45V, NB: +0.15V, Max FSB: —
Reviews: Club Overclocker (http://www.cluboverclocker.com/reviews/motherboards/abit/IL9_Pro/index.htm), Motherboards.org (http://www.motherboards.org/reviews/motherboards/1680_1.html), Noticias 3D (http://www.noticias3d.com/articulo.asp?idarticulo=658), Pro-Clockers.com (http://pro-clockers.com/review.php?id=186), Virtual-Hideout (http://www.virtual-hideout.net/reviews/ABIT_IL9-Pro/index.shtml)
Availability: Yes. Newegg.com: $84.99 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813127015)
Albatron

Albatron PX945P (V2.0) (http://www.albatron.com.tw/English/product/mb/pro_detail.asp?rlink=Overview&no=227)


Specs: 945P + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533/400, 4 DIMMs, 4GB max. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/2*/3. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, 10/100Mbps LAN, 5.1 Ch. AC'97 Audio, no S/PDIF (need an optional bracket), no IEEE 1394 BIOS: FSB: ?, CPU: ?, DRAM: ?, NB: ?, Max FSB: ?


Albatron PX945P (V3.0) (http://www.albatron.com.tw/English/product/mb/pro_detail.asp?rlink=Overview&no=237)


Specs: 945P + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533/400, 2 DIMMs, 2GB max. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/2*/3. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, 10/100Mbps LAN, AC'97 Audio, coaxial S/PDIF in & out, no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: ?, CPU: ?, DRAM: ?, NB: ?, Max FSB: ?
Notes: The PCB design is completely different from V2.0.


Albatron PX945PL (V3.0) (http://www.albatron.com.tw/English/product/mb/pro_detail.asp?rlink=Overview&no=238)


Specs: 945PL + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 800/533MTps. DDR2-533/400, 2 DIMMs, 2GB max. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/2*/3. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, 10/100Mbps LAN, AC'97 Audio, coaxial S/PDIF in & out, no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: ?, CPU: ?, DRAM: ?, NB: ?, Max FSB: ?
Notes: The board is the same as PX945P (V3.0) apart from the northbridge.
ASRock

• CrossFire

ASRock 775XFire-eSATA2+ (http://www.asrock.com/mb/overview.asp?Model=775XFire-eSATA2%2b&s=775)


Specs: 945PL + ICH7R. Passive/Passive. FSB 800/533MTps. DDR2-533, 4 DIMMs, 2GB max. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 2@(16,4)/1*/3, supporting ATI CrossFire. PATA/SATA/eSATA: 1/4/2 (eSATA sharing controller with SATA), RAID 0/1/10/5, 10/100Mbps LAN, no S/PDIF (need an optional bracket), no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: ?, CPU: —, DRAM: High (1.90V?), NB: High, Max FSB: ?
Reviews: Motherboards.org (non +) (http://www.motherboards.org/reviews/motherboards/1696_1.html), OCWorkBench (non +) (http://www.ocworkbench.com/2006/asrock/775XFire-eSATA2/g1.htm), PCSTATS (non +) (http://www.pcstats.com/artvnl.cfm?articleID=1976), Phoronix (non +) (http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=article&item=379&num=1), techPowerUp! (non +) (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ASRock/775XFire-eSATA2)


ASRock ConRoeXFire-eSATA2 (http://www.asrock.com/mb/overview.asp?Model=ConRoeXFire-eSATA2&s=775)


Specs: 945P + ICH7R. Passive/Passive. FSB 1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533/400, 4 DIMMs, 4GB max. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 2@(16,4)/1*/3, supporting ATI CrossFire. PATA/SATA/eSATA: 1/4/2 (eSATA sharing controller with SATA), RAID 0/1/10/5, no S/PDIF (need an optional bracket), IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: 350MHz, CPU: —, DRAM: 1.9V, NB: 1.50–1.70V, Max FSB: 300MHz (E6400, x8, VR-Zone)
Notes: This is an improved version of 775XFire-eSATA2+ with the same PCB. Supports higher FSB, memory, LAN, and IEEE 1394.
Reviews: Hardware Zone (http://www.hardwarezone.com/articles/view.php?cid=6&id=2054), OCWorkBench (http://www.ocworkbench.com/2006/asrock/ConRoeXFire-eSATA2/g1.htm), OCWorkBench (Vcore mod guide) (http://www.ocworkbench.com/2006/asrock/ConRoeXFire-eSATA2%20voltage%20mod/ConRoeXFire-eSATA2_Vcore_mod.htm), Pro-Clockers.com (http://www.pro-clockers.com/review.php?id=171), VR-Zone (http://www.vr-zone.com/index.php?i=3779)
Forums: Hardware Upgrade Forum (Thread Ufficiale AsRock ConRoeXFire-eSATA2) (http://www.hwupgrade.it/forum/showthread.php?t=1250851)
Availability: Yes. Newegg.com: $81.99 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813157096)


ASRock ConRoe1333-eSATA2 (http://www.asrock.com/mb/overview.asp?Model=ConRoe1333-eSATA2&s=775)


Specs: 945P/945G + ICH7R. Passive/Passive. FSB 1333/1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533/400, 4 DIMMs, 4GB max. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 2@(16,4)/1*/3, supporting ATI CrossFire. PATA/SATA/eSATA: 1/4/2 (eSATA sharing controller with SATA), RAID 0/1/10/5, no S/PDIF (need an optional bracket), IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: ?, CPU: —, DRAM: High, NB: High, Max FSB:
Notes: This is a higher FSB version of ConRoeXFire-eSATA2 with a small revision of the PCB.
• Non-CrossFire

ASRock ConRoe945PL-GLAN (http://www.asrock.com/mb/overview.asp?Model=ConRoe945PL-GLAN&s=775)


Specs: 945PL + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 800/533MTps. DDR2-533, 2 DIMMs, 2GB max. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/2*/3. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, no S/PDIF (need an optional bracket), no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: ?, CPU: —, DRAM: High (1.90V?), NB: High, Max FSB: ?
Availability: Yes. Mwave.com: $62.00 (http://www.mwave.com/mwave/skusearch.hmx?SCriteria=BA23932)


ASRock ConRoe1333-GLAN (http://www.asrock.com/mb/overview.asp?Model=ConRoe1333-GLAN&s=775)


Specs: 945GC (A2) + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 1333/1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533/400, 2 DIMMs, 4GB max. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/2*/3. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, no S/PDIF (need an optional bracket), no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: ?, CPU: —, DRAM: High, NB: High, Max FSB: ?
Notes: This is an improved version of ConRoe945PL-GLAN with the same PCB, supporting higher FSB and memory speed.
ASUS

• Standard Series

ASUS P5LD2 (R2.0) (http://www.asus.com/products4.aspx?l1=3&l2=11&l3=185&model=515&modelmenu=1)


Specs: 945P + ICH7R. Passive/Passive. FSB 1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533/400, 4 DIMMs, 4GB max. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/3/3*. PATA/SATA: 3/4, RAID 0/1/10/5, coaxial & optical S/PDIF outs, no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: 450MHz, CPU: 1.7V, DRAM: 2.3V, NB: 1.50–1.65V, Max FSB: 345MHz (Newegg.com Customer Reviews)
Reviews: Tom's Hardware (R1.02) (http://www.tomshardware.com/2005/09/01/the_value_connection_of_6_intel_945p_motherboards/page7.html)
Availability: Yes. Newegg.com: $86.99 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813131048)
ASUS P5LD2 SE (R2.0) (http://www.asus.com/products4.aspx?l1=3&l2=11&l3=185&model=1022&modelmenu=1)


Specs: 945P + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533/400, 4 DIMMs, 4GB max. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/2*/3. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, AD1986A 5.1 Ch. HD Audio, coaxial S/PDIF out, no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: 450MHz, CPU: 1.55V, DRAM: 2.0V, NB: 1.50–1.6V, Max FSB: ?
Reviews: IT-review.net (Core 2 Duo MBO Round-up: Part 3) (http://it-review.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=685&Itemid=91&limit=1&limitstart=1)


ASUS P5L 1394 (http://www.asus.com/products4.aspx?l1=3&l2=11&l3=185&model=1297&modelmenu=1)


Specs: 945P + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533/400, 4 DIMMs, 4GB max. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/2*/3. PATA/SATA/eSATA: 1/4/1, no RAID, Attansic L1 PCI-E Gb LAN, 5.1 Ch. HD Audio, coaxial S/PDIF out, IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: 450MHz, CPU: 1.60V, DRAM: 2.0V, NB: 1.50–1.6V, Max FSB: ?


ASUS P5PL2-E (http://www.asus.com/products4.aspx?l1=3&l2=11&l3=194&model=1478&modelmenu=1)


Specs: 945PL + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-533/400, 4 DIMMs, 2GB max. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/2*/3. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, AD1986A 5.1 Ch. HD Audio, coaxial S/PDIF out, no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: 450MHz, CPU: 1.55V, DRAM: 2.0V, NB: 1.50–1.6V, Max FSB: ?
• X Series

ASUS P5LD2-X (http://www.asus.com/products.aspx?l1=3&l2=11&l3=185&l4=0&model=1650&modelmenu=1)


Specs: 945P + ICH7R. Passive/Passive. FSB 1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533/400, 2 DIMMs, 4GB max. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/2/3*. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, coaxial l S/PDIF out, no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: —, CPU: ?, DRAM: —, NB: —, Max FSB: —


ASUS P5LD2-X/1333 (http://www.asus.com/products.aspx?l1=3&l2=11&l3=498&l4=0&model=1811&modelmenu=1)


Specs: 945GC + ICH7R. Passive/Passive. FSB 1333(OC)/1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533/400, 2 DIMMs, 4GB max. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/2/3*. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, coaxial l S/PDIF out, no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: —, CPU: ?, DRAM: —, NB: —, Max FSB: —
Notes: Apart from FSB 1333 support with 945GC, this board is identical with P5LD2-X.
BIOSTAR

• Revision A

BIOSTAR 945P-A7A (8.x) (http://www.biostar.com.tw/app/en-us/mb/content.php?S_ID=81)


Specs: 945P + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533/400, 4 DIMMs, 4GB max. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/2*/3. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, 10/100Mbps LAN, 5.1 Ch. AC'97 Audio, no S/PDIF (need an optional bracket), no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: ?, CPU: 1.6V, DRAM: 2.0V, NB: —, Max FSB: ?
Availability: Yes. Newegg.com: $78.99 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813138034)


BIOSTAR 945PL-A7A (8.0) (http://www.biostar.com.tw/app/en-us/mb/content.php?S_ID=87)


Specs: 945PL + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 800/533MTps. DDR2-533/400, 2 DIMMs, 2GB max. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/2*/3. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, 10/100Mbps LAN, 5.1 Ch. AC'97 Audio, no S/PDIF (need a bracket), no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: ?, CPU: ?, DRAM: ?, NB: ?, Max FSB: ?
• Revision B

BIOSTAR 945P-A7B (6.0) (http://www.biostar.com.tw/app/en-us/mb/content.php?S_ID=82)


Specs: 945P + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533/400, 4 DIMMs, 4GB max. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/2*/3. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, 10/100Mbps LAN, 5.1 Ch. HD Audio, no S/PDIF (need an optional bracket), no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: ?, CPU: 1.6V, DRAM: 2.0V, NB: —, Max FSB: ?
Notes: This is identical with 945P-A7A (8.0) except that the audio is HD.


BIOSTAR 945PL-A7B (1.0) (http://www.biostar.com.tw/app/en-us/mb/content.php?S_ID=88)


Specs: 945PL + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-533/400, 2 DIMMs, 2GB max. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/2*/3. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, 10/100Mbps LAN, 5.1 Ch. HD Audio, no S/PDIF (need a bracket), no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: ?, CPU: ?, DRAM: ?, NB: ?, Max FSB: ?
Notes: This is identical with 945PL-A7A (8.0) except that it supports FSB1066MTps and the audio is HD.
• T-Series

BIOSTAR TForce 945P (http://www.biostar.com.tw/app/en-us/t-series/content.php?S_ID=193)


Specs: 945P + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533/400, 4 DIMMs, 4GB max. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/2*/3. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, PCI Gb LAN, 5.1 Ch. AC'97 Audio, no S/PDIF (need an optional bracket), no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: 400MHz, CPU: 2.0V, DRAM: 2.2V, NB: 1.50–1.8V, Max FSB: ?
Availability: Yes. Newegg.com: $80.99 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813138035)


BIOSTAR TForce 945P SE (http://www.biostar.com.tw/app/en-us/t-series/content.php?S_ID=194)


Specs: 945P + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533/400, 4 DIMMs, 4GB max. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/2*/3. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, PCI Gb LAN, 5.1 Ch. HD Audio, no S/PDIF (need an optional bracket), no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: 400MHz, CPU: 2.0V, DRAM: 2.2V, NB: 1.50–1.8V, Max FSB: ?
Notes: The only difference between the vanilla and the SE is AC'97 vs. HD Audio codec.
ECS

ECS 945P-A (V3.0) (http://www.ecs.com.tw/ECSWebSite/Products/ProductsDetail.aspx?DetailID=672&DetailName=Feature&MenuID=44&LanID=9)


Specs: 945P + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533/400, 4 DIMMs, 4GB max. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 2@(16,4)/1*/3, supporting SDGE (Scalable Dual Graphics Engine) and ATI CrossFire. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, 10/100Mbps LAN, 5.1 Ch. AC'97 Audio, no S/PDIF, no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: 500MHz, CPU: 1.6V, DRAM: 1.9V, NB: 1.50–1.65V, Max FSB: ?
Reviews: Digit-Life (http://www.digit-life.com/articles2/mainboard/ecs-945p-a-i945p.html)
Availability: Yes. Newegg.com: $72.99 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813135034)


ECS 945PL-A (V3.0) (Intel PAT V2.0) (http://www.ecs.com.tw/ECSWebSite/Products/ProductsDetail.aspx?DetailID=694&DetailName=Feature&MenuID=44&LanID=9)


Specs: 945PL + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 800/533MTps. DDR2-533/400, 2 DIMMs, 2GB max. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 2@(16,4)/1*/3, supporting SDGE (Scalable Dual Graphics Engine). PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, PCI Gb LAN, 5.1 Ch. AC'97 Audio, no S/PDIF, no IEEE 1394. Support for Intel Platform Administration Technology
BIOS: FSB: ?, CPU: ?, DRAM: ?, NB: ?, Max FSB: ?


ECS 945PL-A (V5.0) (http://www.ecs.com.tw/ECSWebSite/Products/ProductsDetail.aspx?DetailID=697&DetailName=Feature&MenuID=44&LanID=9)


Specs: 945PL + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 800/533MTps. DDR2-533/400, 2 DIMMs, 2GB max. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 2@(16,4)/1*/3, supporting SDGE (Scalable Dual Graphics Engine). PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, 10/100Mbps LAN, 5.1 Ch. AC'97 Audio, no S/PDIF, no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: ?, CPU: ?, DRAM: ?, NB: ?, Max FSB: ?
Foxconn

• Revision D

Foxconn 945P7AD-8EKRS2H (http://www.foxconnchannel.com/product/Motherboards/detail_overview.aspx?ID=en-us0000230)


Specs: 945P + ICH7R. Passive/Passive. FSB 1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533/400, 4 DIMMs, 4GB max. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/2*/3. PATA/SATA/eSATA: 2/4/1, RAID 0/1/10/5, coaxial S/PDIF out, IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: ?, CPU: —, DRAM: —, NB: —, Max FSB: ?


Foxconn 945P7AD-8KS2H (http://www.foxconnchannel.com/product/Motherboards/detail_overview.aspx?ID=en-us0000229)


Specs: 945P + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533/400, 4 DIMMs, 4GB max. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/2*/3. PATA/SATA/eSATA: 2/4/1, no RAID, coaxial S/PDIF out, no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: ?, CPU: —, DRAM: —, NB: —, Max FSB: ?
Notes: The board is the same as 945P7AD-8EKRS2H except for RAID and IEEE 1394.


Foxconn 945P7AD-8EKRS2HV (http://www.foxconnchannel.com/product/Motherboards/detail_overview.aspx?ID=en-us0000258)


Specs: 945P + ICH7R. Passive/Passive. FSB 1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533/400, 4 DIMMs, 4GB max. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/2*/3. PATA/SATA/eSATA: 2/4/1, RAID 0/1/10/5, coaxial S/PDIF out, IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: ?, CPU: —, DRAM: —, NB: —, Max FSB: ?


Foxconn 945P7AD-8KS2HV (http://www.foxconnchannel.com/product/Motherboards/detail_overview.aspx?ID=en-us0000259)


Specs: 945P + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533/400, 4 DIMMs, 4GB max. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/2*/3. PATA/SATA/eSATA: 2/4/1, no RAID, coaxial S/PDIF out, no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: ?, CPU: —, DRAM: —, NB: —, Max FSB: ?
Notes: The board is the same as 945P7AD-8EKRS2HV except for RAID and IEEE 1394.
• Revision E

Foxconn 945P7AE-8KRS2HV (http://www.foxconnchannel.com/product/Motherboards/detail_overview.aspx?ID=en-us0000293)


Specs: 945P + ICH7R. Passive/Passive. FSB 1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533/400, 2 DIMMs, 4GB max. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/2*/3. PATA/SATA: 1/4, RAID 0/1/10/5, optical S/PDIF out, no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: ?, CPU: —, DRAM: —, NB: —, Max FSB: ?
Notes: 945P7AE is a stripped version of 945P7AD, with only 2 memory slots and no additional storage controller.


Foxconn 945P7AE-KS2H (http://www.foxconnchannel.com/product/Motherboards/detail_overview.aspx?ID=en-us0000245)


Specs: 945P + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533/400, 2 DIMMs, 4GB max. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/2*/3. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, 5.1 Ch. AC'97 Audio, coaxial S/PDIF out, no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: ?, CPU: —, DRAM: —, NB: —, Max FSB: ?


Foxconn 945PL7AE-8KRS2HV (http://www.foxconnchannel.com/product/Motherboards/detail_overview.aspx?ID=en-us0000295)


Specs: 945PL + ICH7R. Passive/Passive. FSB 800/533MTps. DDR2-533/400, 2 DIMMs, 2GB max. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/2*/3. PATA/SATA: 1/4, RAID 0/1/10/5, optical S/PDIF out, no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: ?, CPU: ?, DRAM: ?, NB: ?, Max FSB: ?


Foxconn 945PL7AE-8KS2HV (http://www.foxconnchannel.com/product/Motherboards/detail_overview.aspx?ID=en-us0000296)


Specs: 945PL + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 800/533MTps. DDR2-533/400, 2 DIMMs, 2GB max. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/2*/3. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, coaxial S/PDIF out, no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: ?, CPU: ?, DRAM: ?, NB: ?, Max FSB: ?
Notes: The board is the same as 945PL7AE-8KRS2HV except for RAID and S/PDIF out.


Foxconn 945PL7AE-KS2H (http://www.foxconnchannel.com/product/Motherboards/detail_overview.aspx?ID=en-us0000228)


Specs: 945PL + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 800/533MTps. DDR2-533/400, 2 DIMMs, 2GB max. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/2*/3. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, 5.1 Ch. AC'97 Audio, coaxial S/PDIF out, no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: ?, CPU: ?, DRAM: ?, NB: ?, Max FSB: ?
GIGABYTE

There are 8 types of PCB design for GIGABYTE 945/946 Express chipset motherboards:

S3 (rev. 1.0)-type: 3 phase power with semi-open inductors, 1 system fan header, no heatsink on the southbridge, ALC883 5.1 Ch. HD Audio
S3 (rev. 2.0)-type: 6 phase power with shielded inductors, 3 system fan header, ALC888 7.1 Ch. HD Audio
S3 (rev. 3.3)-type: Identical with rev. 2.0 except that it is able to boot with FSB 1333MTps processors (but runs at a lower speed).
S3 (rev. 6.6)-type: Identical with rev. 2.0 except that it supports FSB 1333MTps processors (by overclocking).


DS3 (rev. 2.0)-type: 3 phase power with shielded inductors, all solid capacitor design, 3 system fan header, ALC888 7.1 Ch. HD Audio
DS3 (rev. 3.3)-type: Identical with rev. 2.0 except that it is able to boot with FSB 1333MTps processors (but runs at a lower speed).


S3E (rev. 2.0)-type: 3 phase power with shielded inductors, 1 system fan header, 2 DIMMs, PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/1/5*, ALC888 7.1 Ch. HD Audio


946-S3-type: 6 phase power with shielded inductors, 3 system fan header, ALC889A 7.1 Ch. HD Audio
• S3 (rev. 1.0)-type

GIGABYTE GA-945P-S3 (rev. 1.0) (http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Products/Motherboard/Products_Overview.aspx?ProductID=2324)


Specs: 945P + ICH7. Passive/None. FSB 1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533/400, 4 DIMMs, 4GB max. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/3*/3. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, 5.1 Ch. HD Audio (need an optional bracket for 7.1 Ch.), no S/PDIF (need an optional bracket), no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: 600MHz, CPU: 2.0V, DRAM: 2.4V, NB: —, Max FSB: 350MHz (E6700, x10, hardCOREware.net)
Reviews: hardCOREware.net (http://www.hardcoreware.net/reviews/review-341-1.htm), IT-review.net (Core 2 Duo MBO Round-up: Part 5) (http://it-review.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=719&Itemid=91), matbe.com (http://www.matbe.com/articles/lire/335/gigabyte-ga-945p-s3/)
Availability: Yes. Newegg.com: $79.99 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813128015)


GIGABYTE GA-945PL-S3 (rev. 1.0) (http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Products/Motherboard/Products_Overview.aspx?ProductID=2325&ModelName=GA-945PL-S3)


Specs: 945PL + ICH7. Passive/None. FSB 800/533MTps. DDR2-533/400, 4 DIMMs, 2GB max. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/3*/3. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, 5.1 Ch. HD Audio (need an optional bracket for 7.1 Ch.), no S/PDIF (need an optional bracket), no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: 600MHz, CPU: 2.0V, DRAM: 2.4V, NB: —, Max FSB: ?
Reviews: PCSTATS (http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=2047), SysOpt.com (http://www.sysopt.com/features/mboard/article.php/3638746)
Availability: Yes. Newegg.com: $70.99 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813128025)
• S3 (rev. 2.0)-type

GIGABYTE GA-945P-S3 (rev. 2.0) (http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Products/Motherboard/Products_Overview.aspx?ProductID=2432&ModelName=GA-945P-S3)


Specs: 945P + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533/400, 4 DIMMs, 4GB max. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/3*/3. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, no S/PDIF (need an optional bracket), no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: 600MHz, CPU: 2.0V, DRAM: 2.5V, NB: —, Max FSB: ?


GIGABYTE GA-945PL-S3 (rev. 2.0) (http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Products/Motherboard/Products_Overview.aspx?ProductID=2431&ModelName=GA-945PL-S3)


Specs: 945PL + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 800/533MTps. DDR2-533/400, 4 DIMMs, 2GB max. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/3*/3. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, no S/PDIF (need an optional bracket), no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: 600MHz, CPU: 2.0V, DRAM: 2.5V, NB: —, Max FSB: ?
• S3 (rev. 3.3)-type

GIGABYTE GA-945P-S3 (rev. 3.3) (http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Products/Motherboard/Products_Overview.aspx?ProductID=2475&ModelName=GA-945P-S3)


Specs: 945P + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533/400, 4 DIMMs, 4GB max. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/3*/3. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, no S/PDIF (need an optional bracket), no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: 600MHz, CPU: 2.0V, DRAM: 2.5V, NB: —, Max FSB: ?


GIGABYTE GA-945PL-S3 (rev. 3.x) (http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Products/Motherboard/Products_Overview.aspx?ProductID=2536&ModelName=GA-945PL-S3)


Specs: 945PL + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 800/533MTps. DDR2-533/400, 4 DIMMs, 2GB max. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/3*/3. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, no S/PDIF (need an optional bracket), no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: 600MHz, CPU: 2.0V, DRAM: 2.5V, NB: —, Max FSB: ?
• S3 (rev. 6.6)-type

GIGABYTE GA-945PL-S3P (rev. 6.6) (http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Products/Motherboard/Products_Overview.aspx?ProductID=2541&ModelName=GA-945PL-S3P)


Specs: 945GC (A2) + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 1333(OC)/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533/400, 4 DIMMs, 2GB max. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/3*/3. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, no S/PDIF (need an optional bracket), no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: 600MHz, CPU: 2.0V, DRAM: 2.5V, NB: —, Max FSB: ?
Notes: Despite the chipset, the board lacks a VGA out.
• DS3 (rev. 2.0)-type

GIGABYTE GA-945P-DS3 (rev. 2.0) (http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Products/Motherboard/Products_Overview.aspx?ProductID=2404&ModelName=GA-945P-DS3)


Specs: 945P + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533/400, 4 DIMMs, 4GB max. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/3*/3. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, no S/PDIF (need an optional bracket), no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: 600MHz, CPU: 2.0V, DRAM: 2.5V, NB: —, Max FSB: ?


GIGABYTE GA-945PL-DS3 (rev. 2.0) (http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Products/Motherboard/Products_Overview.aspx?ProductID=2409&ModelName=GA-945PL-DS3)


Specs: 945PL + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 800/533MTps. DDR2-533/400, 4 DIMMs, 2GB max. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/3*/3. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, no S/PDIF (need an optional bracket), no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: 600MHz, CPU: 2.0V, DRAM: 2.5V, NB: —, Max FSB: ?
• DS3 (rev. 3.3)-type

GIGABYTE GA-945P-DS3 (rev. 3.3) (http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Products/Motherboard/Products_Overview.aspx?ProductID=2474&ModelName=GA-945P-DS3)


Specs: 945P + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533/400, 4 DIMMs, 4GB max. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/3*/3. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, no S/PDIF (need an optional bracket), no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: 600MHz, CPU: 2.0V, DRAM: 2.5V, NB: —, Max FSB: ?
• S3E (rev. 2.0)-type

GIGABYTE GA-945PL-S3E (rev. 2.0) (http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Products/Motherboard/Products_Overview.aspx?ProductID=2509&ModelName=GA-945PL-S3E)


Specs: 945PL + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 800/533MTps. DDR2-533/400, 2 DIMMs, 2GB max. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/1/5*. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, no S/PDIF (need an optional bracket), no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: 600MHz, CPU: ?, DRAM: 2.2V, NB: —, Max FSB: ?
• 946-S3-type

GIGABYTE GA-946-S3 (http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Products/Motherboard/Products_Overview.aspx?ProductID=2571&ModelName=GA-946-S3)


Specs: 946GZ + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533, 4 DIMMs, 4GB max. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/3*/3. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, no S/PDIF (need an optional bracket), no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: ?, CPU: ?, DRAM: 2.5V, NB: +0.3V, Max FSB: ?
Notes: Despite the chipset, the board lacks a VGA out.
Jetway

Jetway 945P4-G (Global site) (http://www.jetway.com.tw/jetway/system/productshow2.asp?id=331&proname=945P4%2DG)


Specs: 945P + ICH7. No/None. FSB 1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533/400, 4 DIMMs, 4GB max. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 2@(16,4)/1*/2. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, PCI Gb LAN, 7.1 Ch. AC'97 no S/PDIF, no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: ?, CPU: ?, DRAM: 2.15V, NB: ?, Max FSB: ?


Jetway 945PCAP (Global site) (http://www.jetway.com.tw/jetway/system/productshow2.asp?id=323&proname=945PCAP)


Specs: 945P + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533/400, 2 DIMMs, 2GB max. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/2*/3. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, 10/100Mbps LAN, AC'97 Audio, coaxial S/PDIF in & out, no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: ?, CPU: 1.6V, DRAM: 2.15V, NB: —, Max FSB: ?


Jetway 945PLCAP (Global site) (http://www.jetway.com.tw/jetway/system/productshow2.asp?id=318&proname=945PLCAP)


Specs: 945PL + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 800/533MTps. DDR2-533/400, 2 DIMMs, 2GB max. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/2*/3. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, 10/100Mbps LAN, AC'97 Audio, coaxial S/PDIF in & out, no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: 350MHz, CPU: 1.6V, DRAM: 2.15V, NB: —, Max FSB: ?
MSI

• Neo

MSI 945PL Neo-F (PCB 2.2) (Global site) (http://global.msi.com.tw/index.php?func=proddesc&prod_no=227&maincat_no=1&cat2_no=170)


Specs: 945PL + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 1066(OC)/800/533MTps. DDR2-533/400, 2 DIMMs, 2GB max. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/1*/4. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, PCI Gb LAN, AC'97 Audio, no S/PDIF (need an optional bracket), no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: 500MHz, CPU: —, DRAM: ?, NB: ?, Max FSB: ?
• Neo3


MSI 945P Neo3-F (Global site) (http://global.msi.com.tw/index.php?func=proddesc&prod_no=1041&maincat_no=1&cat2_no=170) or MSI 945P Neo3-F (USA site) (http://www.msicomputer.com/product/p_spec.asp?model=945P_Neo3-F&class=mb)


Specs: 945P + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533/400, 4 DIMMs, 4GB max. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/1*/4. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, PCI Gb LAN, AC'97 Audio, no S/PDIF , no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: 500MHz, CPU: —, DRAM: ?, NB: ?, Max FSB: ?
Availability: Yes. Newegg.com: $76.99 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813130059)


MSI 945PL Neo3-F (PCB 2.3) (Global site) (http://global.msi.com.tw/index.php?func=proddesc&prod_no=1173&maincat_no=1&cat2_no=170)


Specs: 945PL + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 1066(OC)/800/533MTps. DDR2-533/400, 4 DIMMs, 2GB max. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/1*/4. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, PCI Gb LAN, AC'97 Audio, no S/PDIF (need an optional bracket), no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: 500MHz, CPU: —, DRAM: ?, NB: ?, Max FSB: ?
Notes: The only difference from 945PL Neo-F is 4 DIMM slots.
• Neo5

MSI 945P Neo5-F (Global site) (http://global.msi.com.tw/index.php?func=proddesc&prod_no=1151&maincat_no=1&cat2_no=170)


Specs: 945P + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533/400, 4 DIMMs, 4GB max. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/2*/3. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, PCI Gb LAN, no S/PDIF (need an optional bracket), no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: 500MHz, CPU: —, DRAM: ?, NB: ?, Max FSB: ?
Notes: The PCB design is completely different from the 945P Neo3.


MSI 945PL Neo5-F (Global site) (http://global.msi.com.tw/index.php?func=proddesc&prod_no=1155&maincat_no=1&cat2_no=170)


Specs: 945PL + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 1066(OC)/800/533MTps. DDR2-533/400, 4 DIMMs, 2GB max. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/2*/3. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, PCI Gb LAN, no S/PDIF (need an optional bracket), no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: 500MHz, CPU: —, DRAM: ?, NB: ?, Max FSB: ?
Notes: The same PCB design as 945P Neo5.


MSI 945 Neo5-F (Global site) (http://global.msi.com.tw/index.php?func=proddesc&prod_no=1323&maincat_no=1&cat2_no=170)


Specs: 945GC + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 1333/1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533, 4 DIMMs, 4GB max. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/2*/3. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, PCI Gb LAN, no S/PDIF (need an optional bracket), no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: 500MHz, CPU: —, DRAM: ?, NB: ?, Max FSB: ?
Notes: The same PCB design as 945P/PL Neo5.

_____________________
ATX Motherboard with IGP
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Foxconn

• Revision D

Foxconn 945G7AD-8EKRS2H (http://www.foxconnchannel.com/product/Motherboards/detail_overview.aspx?ID=en-us0000209)


Specs: 945G + ICH7R. Passive/Passive. FSB 1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533/400, 4 DIMMs, 4GB max. 1 x VGA. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/2*/3. PATA/SATA/eSATA: 2/4/1, RAID 0/1/10/5, coaxial S/PDIF out, IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: ?, CPU: ?, DRAM: ?, NB: ?, Max FSB: ?


Foxconn 945G7AD-8KS2HV (http://www.foxconnchannel.com/product/Motherboards/detail_overview.aspx?ID=en-us0000257)


Specs: 945G + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533/400, 4 DIMMs, 4GB max. 1 x VGA. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/2*/3. PATA/SATA/eSATA: 2/4/1, no RAID, optical S/PDIF out, no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: ?, CPU: ?, DRAM: ?, NB: ?, Max FSB: ?
GIGABYTE

• S3 (rev. 1.0)-type

GIGABYTE GA-945G-S3 (rev. 1.0) (http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Products/Motherboard/Products_OverView.aspx?ProductID=2357)


Specs: 945G + ICH7. Passive/None. FSB 1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533/400, 4 DIMMs, 4GB max. 1 x VGA. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/3*/3. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, 5.1 Ch. HD Audio (need an optional bracket for 7.1 Ch.), no S/PDIF (need an optional bracket), no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: 600MHz, CPU: ?, DRAM: 2.4V, NB: —, Max FSB: ?
Reviews: OCWorkBench (http://www.ocworkbench.com/2006/gigabyte/GA-945G-S3/g1.htm)
• DS3 (rev. 2.0)-type

GIGABYTE GA-945G-DS3 (rev. 2.0) (http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Products/Motherboard/Products_Overview.aspx?ProductID=2403&ModelName=GA-945G-DS3)


Specs: 945G + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533/400, 4 DIMMs, 4GB max. 1 x VGA. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/3*/3. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, no S/PDIF (need an optional bracket), no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: 600MHz, CPU: ?, DRAM: 2.5V, NB: —, Max FSB: ?


GIGABYTE GA-946GZ-DS3 (rev. 2.0) (http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Products/Motherboard/Products_Overview.aspx?ProductID=2416&ModelName=GA-946GZ-DS3)


Specs: 946GZ + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533, 4 DIMMs, 4GB max. 1 x VGA. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/3*/3. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, no S/PDIF (need an optional bracket), no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: 700MHz, CPU: ?, DRAM: 2.5V, NB: +0.3V, Max FSB: ?
Jetway

Jetway 946GZDAG (Global site) (http://www.jetway.com.tw/jetway/system/productshow2.asp?id=326&proname=946GZDAG)


Specs: 946GZ + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533, 4 DIMMs, 4GB max. 1 x VGA. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 2@(16,4)/2*/2. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, PCI Gb LAN, AC'97 Audio, coaxial S/PDIF in & out, no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: ?, CPU: 1.60V, DRAM: 2.15V, NB: —, Max FSB: ?


Jetway 946GZDAP-OC (USA site) (http://www.jetwaycomputer.com/spec/946GZDAP.pdf)


Specs: 946GZ + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533, 4 DIMMs, 8GB max. 1 x VGA. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 2@(16,4)/2*/2. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, 10/100Mbps LAN, AC'97 Audio, coaxial S/PDIF in & out, no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: ?, CPU: ?, DRAM: ?, NB: —, Max FSB: ?
MSI

MSI 946GZ Neo-F (Global site) (http://global.msi.com.tw/index.php?func=proddesc&prod_no=1088&maincat_no=1&cat2_no=&cat3_no=)


Specs: 946GZ + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533, 2 DIMMs, 2GB max. 1 x VGA. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/2*/3. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, no S/PDIF (need an optional bracket), no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: ?, CPU: ?, DRAM: ?, NB: ?, Max FSB: ?

__________________
MicroATX Motherboard
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abit

abit LG-95 (Global site) (http://www.abit.com.tw/page/en/motherboard/motherboard_detail.php?pMODEL_NAME=LG-95&fMTYPE=LGA775) or abit LG-95 (USA site) (http://www.uabit.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=32&Itemid=48&page=1&model=337)


Specs: 945G + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667, 2 DIMMs, 2GB max. 1 x VGA. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/1*/2. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, PCI Gb LAN, no S/PDIF, no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: ?, CPU: ?, DRAM: ?, NB: ?, Max FSB: ?
Availability: Yes. Newegg.com: $69.99 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813127024)


abit LG-95Z (Global site) (http://www.abit.com.tw/page/en/motherboard/motherboard_detail.php?pMODEL_NAME=LG-95Z&fMTYPE=LGA775) or abit LG-95Z (USA site) (http://www.abit-usa.com/products/mb/products.php?categories=1&model=336)


Specs: 945GZ + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 800/533MTps. DDR2-533, 2 DIMMs, 2GB max. 1 x VGA. No PCI Express x16, PCIe x1/PCI: 1/2. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, 10/100Mbps LAN, no S/PDIF, no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: ?, CPU: ?, DRAM: ?, NB: ?, Max FSB: ?
Availability: Yes. Newegg.com: $56.99 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813127021)


abit LG-95C (Global site) (http://www2.abit.com.tw/page/en/motherboard/motherboard_detail.php?pMODEL_NAME=LG-95C&fMTYPE=LGA775) or abit LG-95C (USA site) (http://www.uabit.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=32&Itemid=48&page=1&model=388)


Specs: 945GC (A2) + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-533, 2 DIMMs, 2GB max. 1 x VGA. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 2@(16,4)/0/2. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, 10/100Mbps LAN, no S/PDIF, no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: ?, CPU: ?, DRAM: ?, NB: ?, Max FSB: ?
Availability: Yes. Newegg.com: $61.99 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813127032)


abit I-45CV (Global site) (http://www.abit.com.tw/page/en/motherboard/motherboard_detail.php?pMODEL_NAME=I-45CV&fMTYPE=LGA775)


Specs: 945GC (A2) + ICH7. Passive/None. FSB 1333(OC)/1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533/400, 2 DIMMs, 4GB max. 1 x VGA. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/1/2*. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, 10/100Mbps LAN, 5.1 Ch. HD Audio, no S/PDIF, no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: ?, CPU: ?, DRAM: ?, NB: ?, Max FSB: ?


abit I-45C (Global site) (http://www2.abit.com.tw/page/en/motherboard/motherboard_detail.php?pMODEL_NAME=I-45C&fMTYPE=LGA775)


Specs: 945GC (A2) + ICH7. Passive/None. FSB 1333(OC)/1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533/400, 2 DIMMs, 4GB max. 1 x VGA. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/1/2*. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, 5.1 Ch. HD Audio, no S/PDIF, no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: ?, CPU: ?, DRAM: ?, NB: ?, Max FSB: ?
Notes: The only difference between I-45C and I-45CV is that I-45C comes with Gb LAN, while I-45CV comes with 10/100Mbps LAN.
Albatron

Albatron PM945GZ (http://www.albatron.com.tw/English/product/mb/pro_detail.asp?rlink=Overview&no=228)


Specs: 945GZ + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 800/533MTps. DDR2-533/400, 2 DIMMs, 2GB max. 1 x VGA. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1@4/0/3*. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, 10/100Mbps LAN, 5.1 Ch. AC'97 Audio, no S/PDIF (need an optional bracket), no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: ?, CPU: ?, DRAM: ?, NB: ?, Max FSB: ?


Albatron PM945GZ (V2.0) (http://www.albatron.com.tw/English/product/mb/pro_detail.asp?rlink=Overview&no=240)


Specs: 945GZ + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 800/533MTps. DDR2-533/400, 2 DIMMs, 2GB max. 1 x VGA. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1@4/0/2*. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, 10/100Mbps LAN, no S/PDIF, no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: ?, CPU: ?, DRAM: ?, NB: ?, Max FSB: ?
Notes: The PCB design is completely different from the original version.
AOpen

AOpen i946GZm-DF (http://global.aopen.com/products_detail.aspx?Auno=2384)


Specs: 946GZ + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533, 2 DIMMs, 4GB max. 1 x VGA. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/1*/2. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, PCI Gb LAN, no S/PDIF, FW3226-100 IEEE 1394 controller
BIOS: FSB: ?, CPU: ?, DRAM: ?, NB: ?, Max FSB: ?
ASRock

• DVI Support

ASRock ConRoe945G-DVI (http://www.asrock.com/mb/overview.asp?Model=ConRoe945G-DVI&s=775)


Specs: 945G + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533/400, 4 DIMMs, 4GB max. 1 x VGA, 1 x DVI-D with the bundled DVI Graphics-SI card. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/1*/2. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, no S/PDIF, no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: 350MHz, CPU: —, DRAM: 1.95V, NB: Low–High, Max FSB: 300MHz (E6300, x7, AnandTech)
Reviews: AnandTech (http://www.anandtech.com/mb/showdoc.aspx?i=2826), Legit Reviews (http://www.legitreviews.com/article/419/1/), OCWorkBench (http://www.ocworkbench.com/2006/asrock/ConRoe945G-DVI/g1.htm), Pro-Clockers.com (http://www.pro-clockers.com/review.php?id=193), Vitual-Hideout (http://www.virtual-hideout.net/reviews/Asrock_945G/index.shtml)
Availability: Yes. ZipZoomfly.com: $81.99 (http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=245018&prodlist=pricegrabber)


ASRock ConRoe1333-DVI/H R1.0 (http://www.asrock.com/mb/overview.asp?Model=ConRoe1333-DVI/H&s=775)


Specs: 945G + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 1333/1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533, 4 DIMMs, 4GB max. 1 x VGA, 1 x DVI-D (HDCP-compliant) with the bundled DVI Graphics-HDCP card. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/1*/2. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, no S/PDIF, no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: 500MHz, CPU: —, DRAM: 1.95V, NB: Low–High, Max FSB: 350MHz (X6800, x7, OCWorkBench)
Reviews: Legit Reviews (http://www.legitreviews.com/article/512/1/), OCWorkBench (http://www.ocworkbench.com/2007/asrock/ConRoe1333-DVI-H/g1.htm)
Notes: This is an improved version of ASRock ConRoe945G-DVI, with the same PCB, but the support of FSB 1333MTps CPU and DVI is HDCP-compliant. It overclocks better than ConRoe945G-DVI. The PCI Express bus runs at 115MHz (safe enough for SATA) with FSB 1333MTps at the "CPU, PCIE Async." mode.
Availability: Yes. Newegg.com: $79.99 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157111)


ASRock ConRoe1333-DVI/H R2.0 (http://www.asrock.com/mb/overview.asp?Model=ConRoe1333-DVI/H%20R2.0&s=775)


Specs: 945G (A2?) + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 1333/1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533, 4 DIMMs, 4GB max. 1 x VGA, 1 x DVI-D (HDCP-compliant) with the bundled DVI Graphics-HDCP card. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/1*/2. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, no S/PDIF, no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: 500MHz, CPU: —, DRAM: 1.95V, NB: Low–High, Max FSB: 353MHz (E6400, x8, Pro-Clockers.com)
Notes: The only difference between R1.0 and R2.0 is the northbridge.
Reviews: Pro-Clockers.com (http://www.pro-clockers.com/review.php?id=234)
• No DVI Support

ASRock ConRoe1333-D667 R1.0 (http://www.asrock.com/mb/overview.asp?Model=ConRoe1333-D667%20R1.0&s=775)


Specs: 945GC (A2) + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 1333/1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533/400, 2 DIMMs, 4GB max. 1 x VGA. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/1*/2. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, 10/100Mbps LAN, no S/PDIF, no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: 500MHz, CPU: —, DRAM: High, NB: High, Max FSB: 355MHz (E6300, x7, OCWorkBench)
Notes: This is a stripped-down version of ConRoe1333-DVI/H with 2 DIMM slots, no DVI Graphics-HDCP card bundled, and 10/100Mbps LAN.
Reviews: OCWorkBench (http://www.ocworkbench.com/2007/asrock/conroe1333-D667/g1.htm)
Availability: Yes. Newegg.com: $56.99 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157113)


ASRock ConRoe1333-D667 R2.0 (http://www.asrock.com/mb/overview.asp?Model=ConRoe1333-D667%20R2.0&s=775)


Specs: 945GC (A2) + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 1333/1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533/400, 2 DIMMs, 4GB max. 1 x VGA. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/1*/2. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, no S/PDIF, no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: 500MHz, CPU: —, DRAM: High, NB: High, Max FSB:
Notes: R2.0 comes with Gb LAN. PCB is the same as ConRoe1333-DVI/H.


ASRock 775i945GZ (http://www.asrock.com/mb/overview.asp?Model=775i945GZ&s=775)


Specs: 945GZ + ICH7R. Passive/Passive. FSB 800/533MTps. DDR2-533, 2 DIMMs, 2GB max. 1 x VGA. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1@4/0/3*. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, 10/100Mbps LAN, no S/PDIF, no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: ?, CPU: —, DRAM: High (1.90V?), NB: High, Max FSB: ?
Availability: Yes. Newegg.com: $59.99 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813157095)
ASUS

• Standard Series

ASUS P5LD2-VM (R2.0) (http://www.asus.com/products4.aspx?l1=3&l2=11&l3=194&model=536&modelmenu=1)


Specs: 945G + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533/400, 4 DIMMs, 4GB max. 1 x VGA. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/1/2*. PATA/SATA: 2/4, no RAID, no S/PDIF (need an optional bracket), no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: 400MHz, CPU: 1.7V, DRAM: 1.904V, NB: 1.50–1.70V, Max FSB: ?
Reviews: X-bit labs (Contemporary Platforms with Integrated Graphics) (http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/chipsets/display/ig965-gf6150_6.html)
Availability: Yes. Newegg.com: $102.99 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813131044)


ASUS P5LD2-VM SE (http://www.asus.com/products4.aspx?l1=3&l2=11&l3=194&model=1251&modelmenu=1)


Specs: 945G + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533, 2 DIMMs, 2GB max. 1 x VGA. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/1/2*. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, no S/PDIF (need an optional bracket), no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: 400MHz, CPU: 1.7V, DRAM: —, NB: —, Max FSB: ?
Notes: P5LD2-VM SE differs from P5LD2-VM in smaller memory capacity and 1 PATA controller.


ASUS P5L-VM 1394 (http://www.asus.com/products4.aspx?l1=3&l2=11&l3=194&model=1324&modelmenu=1)


Specs: 945G + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533/400, 4 DIMMs, 4GB max. 1 x VGA. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/1/2*. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, Attansic PCI-E Gb LAN, 5.1 Ch. HD Audio, no S/PDIF (need an optional bracket), IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: 450MHz, CPU: 1.6V, DRAM: —, NB: —, Max FSB: ?
Availability: Yes. Newegg.com: $82.99 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813131046)


ASUS P5GC-VM (http://www.asus.com/products.aspx?l1=3&l2=11&l3=498&l4=0&model=1817&modelmenu=1)


Specs: 945GC (A2) + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533, 4 DIMMs, 4GB max. 1 x VGA. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/0/3*. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, 5.1 Ch. HD Audio, no S/PDIF (need an optional bracket), no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: —, CPU: —, DRAM: —, NB: —, Max FSB: —
• Digital Home Series

ASUS P5LD2-VM DH (R2.0) (http://www.asus.com/products4.aspx?l1=3&l2=11&l3=194&model=1146&modelmenu=1)


Specs: 945G + ICH7DH. Passive/Passive. FSB 1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533/400, 4 DIMMs, 4GB max. 1 x VGA. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/1/2*. PATA/SATA: 2/4, RAID 0/1/10/5, no S/PDIF (need an optional bracket), no IEEE 1394. Support for Intel Viiv
BIOS: FSB: 400MHz, CPU: 1.7V, DRAM: 1.904V, NB: 1.50–1.70V, Max FSB: ?
Reviews: PC Pro (http://www.pcpro.co.uk/reviews/97739/asus-p5ld2vmdh-rev2.html)
• X Series

ASUS P5L-MX (http://www.asus.com/products4.aspx?l1=3&l2=11&l3=194&model=1320&modelmenu=1)


Specs: 945G + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533/400, 2 DIMMs, 4GB max. 1 x VGA. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/1/2*. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, Attansic L1 PCI-E Gb LAN, AD1986A 5.1 Ch. HD Audio, no S/PDIF (need an optional bracket), no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: 450MHz, CPU: —, DRAM: 2.0V, NB: 1.50–1.65V, Max FSB: 325MHz (E4300, x9, several users)
Notes: This is one of the few microATX motherboards that overclock well with Core 2 Duo E4300 (~2.9GHz).
Availability: Yes. Newegg.com: $74.99 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813131041)


ASUS P5L-MX/IPAT (http://www.asus.com/products.aspx?l1=3&l2=11&l3=194&l4=0&model=1681&modelmenu=1)


Specs: 945G + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533/400, 2 DIMMs, 4GB max. 1 x VGA. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/1/2*. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, Attansic L1 PCI-E Gb LAN, AD1986A 5.1 Ch. HD Audio, no S/PDIF (need an optional bracket), no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: 450MHz, CPU: —, DRAM: 2.0V, NB: 1.50–1.65V, Max FSB: 325MHz (E4300, x9, several users)
Notes: Supports Intel Platform Administration Technology (IPAT) (a specialized BIOS). Instead several features of P5L-MX are removed (EZ Flash, CrashFree BIOS 2, My Logo 2, C.P.R. and Q-Fan).


ASUS P5GZ-MX (http://www.asus.com/products4.aspx?l1=3&l2=11&l3=348&model=1374&modelmenu=1)


Specs: 945GZ + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 800/533MTps. DDR2-533/400, 2 DIMMs, 2GB max. 1 x VGA. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1@4/1/2* (PCIe x16 runs @1 when the PCIe x1 slots is used). PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, PCI Gb LAN, 5.1 Ch. HD Audio, no S/PDIF (need an optional bracket), no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: 450MHz, CPU: —, DRAM: 1.95V, NB: —, Max FSB: ?
Availability: Yes. Newegg.com: $59.99 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813131088)


ASUS P5GC-MX (http://www.asus.com/products4.aspx?l1=3&l2=11&l3=498&model=1574&modelmenu=1)


Specs: 945GC + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 800/533MTps. DDR2-533/400, 2 DIMMs, 2GB max. 1 x VGA. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/1/2*. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, 10/100Mbps LAN, 5.1 Ch. HD Audio, no S/PDIF (need an optional bracket), no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: —, CPU: —, DRAM: —, NB: —, Max FSB: —
Availability: Yes. Newegg.com: $64.99 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131176)


ASUS P5GC-MX/1333 (http://www.asus.com/products.aspx?l1=3&l2=11&l3=498&l4=0&model=1768&modelmenu=1)


Specs: 945GC (A2) + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 1333(OC)/1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533, 2 DIMMs, 4GB max. 1 x VGA. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/1/2*. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, 10/100Mbps LAN, 5.1 Ch. HD Audio, no S/PDIF (need an optional bracket), no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: —, CPU: —, DRAM: —, NB: —, Max FSB: —
Notes: An improved version of P5GC-MX with the A2 stepping supporting FSB 1333 and 4GB max memory.


ASUS P5G-MX (http://www.asus.com/products.aspx?l1=3&l2=11&l3=498&l4=0&model=1771&modelmenu=1)


Specs: 945GC + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 1066/800MTps. DDR2-667/533, 2 DIMMs, 2GB max. 1 x VGA. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/1/1. PATA/SATA: 1/2, no RAID, 10/100Mbps LAN, 5.1 Ch. HD Audio, no S/PDIF (need an optional bracket), no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: —, CPU: —, DRAM: —, NB: —, Max FSB: —
Notes: A cut-down version of P5GC-MX (apart from higher FSB and DRAM frequency) with 2 phase power and only 6 USB 2.0 ports.


ASUS P5B-MX (http://www.asus.com/products.aspx?l1=3&l2=11&l3=182&l4=0&model=1670&modelmenu=1)


Specs: 946GZ + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533, 2 DIMMs, 4GB max. 1 x VGA. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/1/2*. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, Attansic L1 PCI-E Gb LAN, wireless LAN, 5.1 Ch. HD Audio, no S/PDIF (need an optional bracket), no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: 400MHz, CPU: —, DRAM: —, NB: —, Max FSB: ?
Availability: Yes. Newegg.com: $69.99 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131186)


ASUS P5B-MX/WiFi-AP (http://www.asus.com/products4.aspx?l1=3&l2=11&l3=182&model=1494&modelmenu=1)


Specs: 946GZ + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533, 2 DIMMs, 4GB max. 1 x VGA. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/1/2*. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, Attansic L1 PCI-E Gb LAN, wireless LAN, 5.1 Ch. HD Audio, no S/PDIF (need an optional bracket), no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: 400MHz, CPU: —, DRAM: —, NB: —, Max FSB: ?
BIOSTAR

BIOSTAR I945G-M7 (2.x) (http://www.biostar.com.tw/app/en-us/mb/content.php?S_ID=76)


Specs: 945G + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533/400, 4 DIMMs, 4GB max. 1 x VGA. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/1*/2. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, 10/100Mbps LAN, 5.1 Ch. AC'97 Audio, no S/PDIF (need an optional bracket), no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: 300MHz, CPU: ?, DRAM: ?, NB: ?, Max FSB: ?
Availability: Yes. Newegg.com: $78.99 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813138040)


BIOSTAR I945G-M7C (1.0) (http://www.biostar.com.tw/app/en-us/mb/content.php?S_ID=77)


Specs: 945G + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533/400, 4 DIMMs, 4GB max. 1 x VGA. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/1*/2. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, PCI Gb LAN, 5.1 Ch. HD Audio, no S/PDIF (need an optional bracket), no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: ?, CPU: ?, DRAM: ?, NB: ?, Max FSB: ?
Notes: This is nearly identical with I945G-M7 (V2.x) except that LAN is PCI Gb and audio is HD.


BIOSTAR 945G Micro 775 SE (1.0) (http://www.biostar.com.tw/app/en-us/mb/content.php?S_ID=73)


Specs: 945G + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533/400, 2 DIMMs, 2GB max. 1 x VGA. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/1*/2. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, 10/100Mbps LAN, 5.1 Ch. AC'97 Audio, no S/PDIF (need an optional bracket), no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: ?, CPU: ?, DRAM: ?, NB: ?, Max FSB: ?
Availability: Yes. Newegg.com: $59.99 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813138048)


BIOSTAR 945G Micro 775 TE (1.0) (http://www.biostar.com.tw/app/en-us/mb/content.php?S_ID=74)


Specs: 945G + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533/400, 2 DIMMs, 2GB max. 1 x VGA. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/1*/2. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, 10/100Mbps LAN, 5.1 Ch. HD Audio, no S/PDIF (need an optional bracket), no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: ?, CPU: ?, DRAM: ?, NB: ?, Max FSB: ?
Notes: The only difference between SE and TE is audio codec, AC'97 vs. HD.


BIOSTAR 945GZ Micro 775 (1.0) (http://www.biostar.com.tw/app/en-us/mb/content.php?S_ID=78)


Specs: 945GZ + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 800/533MTps. DDR2-533/400, 2 DIMMs, 2GB max. 1 x VGA. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1@4/0/3*. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, 10/100Mbps LAN, 5.1 Ch. AC'97 Audio, no S/PDIF (need an optional bracket), no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: ?, CPU: ?, DRAM: ?, NB: ?, Max FSB: ?


BIOSTAR 945GZ Micro 775 SE (6.x) (http://www.biostar.com.tw/app/en-us/mb/content.php?S_ID=79)


Specs: 945GZ + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 800/533MTps. DDR2-533/400, 2 DIMMs, 2GB max. 1 x VGA. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1@4/0/3*. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, 10/100Mbps LAN, 5.1 Ch. HD Audio, no S/PDIF (need an optional bracket), no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: ?, CPU: ?, DRAM: ?, NB: ?, Max FSB: ?
Notes: The only difference between the vanilla and SE is audio codec, AC'97 vs. HD.
Availability: Yes. Mwave.com: $44.99 (http://www.mwave.com/mwave/skusearch.hmx?SCriteria=BA23728)
ECS

ECS 945G-M2 (V5.0C) (http://www.ecs.com.tw/ECSWebSite/Products/ProductsDetail.aspx?DetailID=721&DetailName=Feature&MenuID=44&LanID=9)


Specs: 945G + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533/400, 4 DIMMs, 4GB max. 1 x VGA. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/1/2*. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, PCI Gb LAN, no S/PDIF (need an optional bracket), no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: ?, CPU: —, DRAM: —, NB: —, Max FSB: ?


ECS 945G-M3 (V3.0) (http://www.ecs.com.tw/ECSWebSite/Products/ProductsDetail.aspx?DetailID=680&DetailName=Feature&MenuID=44&LanID=9)


Specs: 945G + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533/400, 2 DIMMs, 2GB max. 1 x VGA. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/1*/2. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, PCI Gb LAN, no S/PDIF (need an optional bracket), no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: ?, CPU: —, DRAM: —, NB: —, Max FSB: ?
Reviews: DriverHeaven.net (V1.0) (http://www.driverheaven.net/reviews/ECS/index.htm), GruntvillE.com (V1.0B Viiv) (http://gruntville.com/reviews/motherboards/ecs945g_m3/), Gamepyre (V1.0) (http://www.gamepyre.com/reviewsd.html?aid=749&p=1), hardCOREware.net (V1.0B Viiv) (http://www.hardcoreware.net/reviews/review-342-1.htm), HardwareLogic (http://hardwarelogic.com/news/129/ARTICLE/1188/2006-06-09.html), Hot Hardware (V1.0) (http://www.hothardware.com/viewarticle.aspx?articleid=815&cid=3), Motherboards.org (V1.0) (http://www.motherboards.org/reviews/motherboards/1614_1.html), PCSTATS (V1.0) (http://www.pcstats.com/artvnl.cfm?articleID=1939), The Tech Zone (V1.0B Viiv) (http://www.thetechzone.com/?m=show&id=593), Viper Lair (V1.0B Viiv) (http://www.viperlair.com/reviews/cpu_mobo/other/lga775/ecs945/index.shtml)
Availability: Yes. Newegg.com: $59.99 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813135032)


ECS 945GCT-M (V1.0) (http://www.ecs.com.tw/ECSWebSite/Products/ProductsDetail.aspx?DetailID=727&CategoryID=1&DetailName=Feature&MenuID=44&LanID=9)


Specs: 945GC + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 800/533MTps. DDR2-533/400, 2 DIMMs, 2GB max. 1 x VGA. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 2@(16,4)/0/2. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, 10/100Mbps LAN, 5.1 Ch. HD Audio, no S/PDIF (need an optional bracket), no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: ?, CPU: —, DRAM: —, NB: —, Max FSB: ?


ECS 945GCT-M3 (V3.0) (http://www.ecs.com.tw/ECSWebSite/Products/ProductsDetail.aspx?DetailID=719&DetailName=Feature&MenuID=44&LanID=9)


Specs: 945GC + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 800/533MTps. DDR2-533/400, 2 DIMMs, 2GB max. 1 x VGA. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/0/2. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, PCI Gb LAN, no S/PDIF (need an optional bracket), no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: ?, CPU: —, DRAM: —, NB: —, Max FSB: ?


ECS 945GZT-M (V1.0) (http://www.ecs.com.tw/ECSWebSite/Products/ProductsDetail.aspx?DetailID=725&DetailName=Feature&MenuID=44&LanID=9)


Specs: 945GZ + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 800/533MTps. DDR2-533/400, 2 DIMMs, 2GB max. 1 x VGA. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1@4/0/2. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, 10/100Mbps LAN, 5.1 Ch. HD Audio, no S/PDIF (need an optional bracket), no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: ?, CPU: —, DRAM: —, NB: —, Max FSB: ?
Availability: Yes. Newegg.com: $43.99 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813135046)


ECS 946GZT-M2 (V1.0) (http://www.ecs.com.tw/ECSWebSite/Products/ProductsDetail.aspx?DetailID=709&DetailName=Feature&MenuID=44&LanID=9)


Specs: 946GZ + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533, 2 DIMMs, 4GB max. 1 x VGA. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/1*/2. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, 10/100Mbps LAN, 5.1 Ch. HD Audio, no S/PDIF (need an optional bracket), no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: ?, CPU: ?, DRAM: ?, NB: ?, Max FSB: ?
EQS

EQS AA9GZL-945GZAS7 (http://www.eqscomputers.com/products/mobo/motherboard.php?model=AA9GZL-945GZAS7)


Specs: 945GZ + ICH7. Passive/None. FSB 800/533MTps. DDR2-533/400, 2 DIMMs, 2GB max. 1 x VGA. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1@4/0/2. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, 10/100Mbps LAN, no S/PDIF (need an optional bracket), no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: ?, CPU: ?, DRAM: ?, NB: ?, Max FSB: ?
Foxconn

• Revision C

Foxconn 945G7MC-KRS2H (http://www.foxconnchannel.com/product/Motherboards/detail_overview.aspx?ID=en-us0000199)


Specs: 945G + ICH7R. Passive/Passive. FSB 1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533/400, 2 DIMMs, 4GB max. 1 x VGA. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/1*/2. PATA/SATA: 1/4, RAID 0/1/10/5, PCI Gb LAN, 5.1 Ch. HD Audio, no S/PDIF (need an optional bracket), no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: ?, CPU: ?, DRAM: ?, NB: ?, Max FSB: ?


Foxconn 945G7MC-KRS2HV (http://www.foxconnchannel.com/product/Motherboards/detail_overview.aspx?ID=en-us0000250)


Specs: 945G + ICH7R. Passive/Passive. FSB 1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533/400, 2 DIMMs, 4GB max. 1 x VGA. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/1*/2. PATA/SATA: 1/4, RAID 0/1/10/5, PCI Gb LAN, 5.1 Ch. HD Audio, no S/PDIF (need an optional bracket), no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: ?, CPU: ?, DRAM: ?, NB: ?, Max FSB: ?
Notes: The "V" means that the audio codec is ALC861-VD-GR instead of ALC861.


Foxconn 945GC7MC-KRS2H (http://www.foxconnchannel.com/product/Motherboards/detail_overview.aspx?ID=en-us0000305)


Specs: 945GC + ICH7R. Passive/Passive. FSB 800/533MTps. DDR2-533/400, 2 DIMMs, 2GB max. 1 x VGA. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/1*/2. PATA/SATA: 1/4, RAID 0/1/10/5, PCI Gb LAN, 5.1 Ch. HD Audio, no S/PDIF (need an optional bracket), no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: 265MHz, CPU: —, DRAM: —, NB: —, Max FSB: —


Foxconn 945GZ7MC-KRS2H (http://www.foxconnchannel.com/product/Motherboards/detail_overview.aspx?ID=en-us0000244)


Specs: 945GZ + ICH7R. Passive/Passive. FSB 800/533MTps. DDR2-533/400, 2 DIMMs, 2GB max. 1 x VGA. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1@4/1*/2. PATA/SATA: 1/4, RAID 0/1/10/5, PCI Gb LAN, 5.1 Ch. HD Audio, no S/PDIF (need an optional bracket), no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: 265MHz, CPU: —, DRAM: —, NB: —, Max FSB: —
Reviews: Technic3D (http://www.technic3d.com/?site=article&action=article&a=396)


Foxconn 945GZ7MC-KS2H (http://www.foxconnchannel.com/product/Motherboards/detail_overview.aspx?ID=en-us0000220)


Specs: 945GZ + ICH7R. Passive/Passive. FSB 800/533MTps. DDR2-533/400, 2 DIMMs, 2GB max. 1 x VGA. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1@4/1*/2. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, NCQ?, Hot-Plug?, PCI Gb LAN, 5.1 Ch. HD Audio, no S/PDIF (need an optional bracket), no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: ?, CPU: ?, DRAM: ?, NB: ?, Max FSB: ?
Notes: The board is the same as 945GZ7MC-KRS2H except for RAID.


Foxconn 945GZ7MC-KS2HV (http://www.foxconnchannel.com/product/Motherboards/detail_overview.aspx?ID=en-us0000256)


Specs: 945GZ + ICH7R. Passive/Passive. FSB 800/533MTps. DDR2-533/400, 2 DIMMs, 2GB max. 1 x VGA. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1@4/1*/2. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, NCQ?, Hot-Plug?, PCI Gb LAN, 5.1 Ch. HD Audio, no S/PDIF (need an optional bracket), no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: ?, CPU: ?, DRAM: ?, NB: ?, Max FSB: ?


Foxconn 945GZ7MC-RS2H (http://www.foxconnchannel.com/product/Motherboards/detail_overview.aspx?ID=en-us0000201)


Specs: 945GZ + ICH7R. Passive/Passive. FSB 800/533MTps. DDR2-533/400, 2 DIMMs, 2GB max. 1 x VGA. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1@4/1*/2. PATA/SATA: 1/4, RAID 0/1/10/5, 10/100Mbps LAN, 5.1 Ch. HD Audio, no S/PDIF (need an optional bracket), no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: ?, CPU: ?, DRAM: ?, NB: ?, Max FSB: ?
Notes: The board is the same as 945GZ7MC-KRS2H except for LAN.
Availability: Yes. Newegg.com: $64.99 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813186103)


Foxconn 945GZ7MC-RS2HV (http://www.foxconnchannel.com/product/Motherboards/detail_overview.aspx?ID=en-us0000255)


Specs: 945GZ + ICH7R. Passive/Passive. FSB 800/533MTps. DDR2-533/400, 2 DIMMs, 2GB max. 1 x VGA. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1@4/1*/2. PATA/SATA: 1/4, RAID 0/1/10/5, 10/100Mbps LAN, 5.1 Ch. HD Audio, no S/PDIF (need an optional bracket), no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: ?, CPU: ?, DRAM: ?, NB: ?, Max FSB: ?
• Revision D

Foxconn 945G7MD-8EKRS2H (http://www.foxconnchannel.com/product/Motherboards/detail_overview.aspx?ID=en-us0000226)


Specs: 945G + ICH7R. Passive/Passive. FSB 1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533/400, 4 DIMMs, 4GB max. 1 x VGA. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/1*/2. PATA/SATA/eSATA: 2/4/1, RAID 0/1/10/5, PCI Gb LAN, ? S/PDIF out, IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: ?, CPU: ?, DRAM: ?, NB: ?, Max FSB: ?
Notes: The main difference from 945G7MC is that the number of DIMM slots increased to 4.


Foxconn 945G7MD-8EKRS2HV (http://www.foxconnchannel.com/product/Motherboards/detail_overview.aspx?ID=en-us0000251)


Specs: 945G + ICH7R. Passive/Passive. FSB 1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533/400, 4 DIMMs, 4GB max. 1 x VGA. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/1*/2. PATA/SATA/eSATA: 2/4/1, RAID 0/1/10/5, PCI Gb LAN, ? S/PDIF out, IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: ?, CPU: ?, DRAM: ?, NB: ?, Max FSB: ?


Foxconn 945G7MD-8KS2H (http://www.foxconnchannel.com/product/Motherboards/detail_overview.aspx?ID=en-us0000231)


Specs: 945G + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533/400, 4 DIMMs, 4GB max. 1 x VGA. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/1*/2. PATA/SATA/eSATA: 2/4/1, no RAID, PCI Gb LAN, ? S/PDIF out, no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: ?, CPU: ?, DRAM: ?, NB: ?, Max FSB: ?
Notes: The board is the same as 945G7MD-8EKRS2H except for RAID and IEEE 1394.


Foxconn 945G7MD-8KS2HV (http://www.foxconnchannel.com/product/Motherboards/detail_overview.aspx?ID=en-us0000254)


Specs: 945G + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533/400, 4 DIMMs, 4GB max. 1 x VGA. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/1*/2. PATA/SATA/eSATA: 2/4/1, no RAID, PCI Gb LAN, ? S/PDIF out, no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: ?, CPU: ?, DRAM: ?, NB: ?, Max FSB: ?


Foxconn 945G7MD-KS2H (http://www.foxconnchannel.com/product/Motherboards/detail_overview.aspx?ID=en-us0000232)


Specs: 945G + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533/400, 4 DIMMs, 4GB max. 1 x VGA. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/1*/2. PATA/SATA/eSATA: 2/4/1, no RAID, PCI Gb LAN, 5.1 Ch. AC'97 Audio, ? S/PDIF out, no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: ?, CPU: ?, DRAM: ?, NB: ?, Max FSB: ?
Notes: The board is the same as 945G7MD-8EKRS2H except for RAID, audio and IEEE 1394.


Foxconn 945G7MD-S2H (http://www.foxconnchannel.com/product/Motherboards/detail_overview.aspx?ID=en-us0000236)


Specs: 945G + ICH7. Passive/Passive. FSB 1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533/400, 4 DIMMs, 4GB max. 1 x VGA. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/1*/2. PATA/SATA/eSATA: 2/4/1, no RAID, 10/100Mbps LAN, 5.1 Ch. AC'97 Audio, ? S/PDIF out, no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: ?, CPU: ?, DRAM: ?, NB: ?, Max FSB: ?
Notes: The board is the same as 945G7MD-8EKRS2H except for RAID, LAN, audio and IEEE 1394.
• Revision E

Foxconn 945G7ME-8EKRS2H (http://www.foxconnchannel.com/product/motherboard_detail.aspx?ID=en-us0000267)


Specs: 945G + ICH7DH. Passive/Passive. FSB 1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533/400, 4 DIMMs, 4GB max. 1 x VGA. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/0/3*. PATA/SATA: 1/4, RAID 0/1/10/5, PCI Gb LAN, optical S/PDIF in & out, IEEE 1394. Support for Intel Viiv
BIOS: FSB: ?, CPU: ?, DRAM: ?, NB: ?, Max FSB: ?
• 946GZ Revision A

Foxconn 946GZ7MA-8KRS2H (http://www.foxconnchannel.com/product/Motherboards/detail_overview.aspx?ID=en-us0000206)


Specs: 946GZ + ICH7R. Passive/None. FSB 1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533, 2 DIMMs, 4GB max. 1 x VGA. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/1*/2. PATA/SATA: 1/4, RAID 0/1/10/5, PCI Gb LAN, no S/PDIF (need an optional bracket), no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: ?, CPU: ?, DRAM: ?, NB: ?, Max FSB: ?


Foxconn 946GZ7MA-8KS2H (http://www.foxconnchannel.com/product/Motherboards/detail_overview.aspx?ID=en-us0000227)


Specs: 946GZ + ICH7. Passive/None. FSB 1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533/, 2 DIMMs, 4GB max. 1 x VGA. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/1*/2. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, PCI Gb LAN, no S/PDIF (need an optional bracket), no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: ?, CPU: ?, DRAM: ?, NB: ?, Max FSB: ?
Notes: The board is the same as 946GZ7MA-8KRS2H except for RAID.


Foxconn 946GZ7MA-KRS2H (http://www.foxconnchannel.com/product/Motherboards/detail_overview.aspx?ID=en-us0000213)


Specs: 946GZ + ICH7R. Passive/None. FSB 1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533, 2 DIMMs, 4GB max. 1 x VGA. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/1*/2. PATA/SATA: 1/4, RAID 0/1/10/5, PCI Gb LAN, 5.1 Ch. AC'97 Audio, no S/PDIF (need an optional bracket), no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: ?, CPU: ?, DRAM: ?, NB: ?, Max FSB: ?
Notes: The board is the same as 946GZ7MA-8KRS2H except for audio.


Foxconn 946GZ7MA-KS2H (http://www.foxconnchannel.com/product/Motherboards/detail_overview.aspx?ID=en-us0000238)


Specs: 946GZ + ICH7. Passive/None. FSB 1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533, 2 DIMMs, 4GB max. 1 x VGA. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/1*/2. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, PCI Gb LAN, 5.1 Ch. AC'97 Audio, no S/PDIF (need an optional bracket), no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: ?, CPU: ?, DRAM: ?, NB: ?, Max FSB: ?
Notes: The board is the same as 946GZ7MA-8KRS2H except for RAID and audio.
• 946GZ Revision A V1.1

Foxconn 946GZ7MA-1.1-8KRS2H (http://www.foxconnchannel.com/product/Motherboards/detail_overview.aspx?ID=en-us0000301)


Specs: 946GZ + ICH7R. Passive/None. FSB 1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533, 2 DIMMs, 4GB max. 1 x VGA. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/1*/2. PATA/SATA: 1/4, RAID 0/1/10/5, PCI Gb LAN, no S/PDIF (need an optional bracket), no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: ?, CPU: ?, DRAM: ?, NB: ?, Max FSB: ?
Notes: The only difference between V1.0 and V1.1 is the additional support for Pentium 4PXE.


Foxconn 946GZ7MA-1.1-8KS2H (http://www.foxconnchannel.com/product/Motherboards/detail_overview.aspx?ID=en-us0000302)


Specs: 946GZ + ICH7. Passive/None. FSB 1066/800/533MTps. DDR2-667/533/, 2 DIMMs, 4GB max. 1 x VGA. PCIe x16/PCIe x1/PCI: 1/1*/2. PATA/SATA: 1/4, no RAID, PCI Gb LAN, no S/PDIF (need an optional bracket), no IEEE 1394
BIOS: FSB: ?, CPU: ?, DRAM: ?, NB: ?, Max FSB: ?