Question about Elite Group (ECS) Motherboards.

[Televideoguy]

Hello,

Does anyone know where I can find a review or two about ECS Mainboards, for AMD Processors?

The only things I have found are reviews on their Pentuim MoBo's and their Shuttle PC's, anything beyond that is from 2001 and before.

The reason I ask is, that Fry's electronics is almost giving these Mainboards away. They seem to have some kind of deal with ECS to saturate the Market with these things.

How are ECS MoBo's for OC?

Anyway, if you have an opinion either way it would be helpful as well.

Thanks in advance for any assistance you can provide.

I think this post may need to go to the other Motherboard Forum. Sorry.

 

[Scout]

I've purchased a few of the Fry's specials and I know what you mean... they basically give you a free motherboard when you buy the CPU.

I've never thought much of ECS, but I have to admit, every one of these I've purchased has run just fine. They don't have a lot of overclocking options but most ECS boards allow you to set the FSB speed. Unfortunately, most don't have any CPU voltage control, so you're stuck with relatively modest overclocks.

The three I have tried are;
848-P with Celeron D 335 - Overclocked to 3.2 GHz.
915P-A with P4 630 - Overclocked to 3.4 GHz.
SiS 755 with Sempron 3000+ Socket 754 - Overclocked to 2.0 GHz.

(These aren't absolute overclock limits, just where I'm running the chips now)

 

[amboran]

Hello,
I have found a few reviews of ECS boards on newegg.com. I have built 2 systems so far with ECS(all from Fry's). First one worked perfect-2nd build had a few driver issues,but was figured out after I disabled the IDE drivers on motherboard cd. So far-so good

 

[Crashman]

Find ECS Socket 939 reviews at www.sysopt.com/features/mboard

Here's a recently archived one

 

[Televideoguy]

Thanks for all your reply's, I am going through the reviews right now.

I guess I could just get the deal with the processor, and get a better motherboard, when I have the money.

 

[vois2]

I've spent most of the period of last week researching ECS motherboards because of a pending first timer system build that I am doing later this month. It ... uhh, *was* ... going to be based around an ECS motherboard, granted not the same class as your are probably looking at. (Mine is a socket 478 supporting P4 533fsb, model L4VXA2.) I saw *your* post because I just happen to come here today to ask for help in getting a different motherboard and avoiding the ECS -- and I haven't even yet started to build the system. By the way, I found tons of results using Google by searching only two words (replace your model here): "build L4VXA2". There were just far too many more negative experiences with ECS compared to positive ones. I don't think I even want to mess with it on my first build. Also hilarious are many horror stories with ECS tech support and manuals which read things like: "If you be have been option PC3200 DDR optional, see BIOS." Guess what that "translates" as ... the mobo doesn't support that speed of RAM!

Good luck and see my post above if you know of recommendations for my new mobo! Thanks

 

[Crashman]

It's not just that ECS boards are cheap, but that VIA chipsets are the worst on the market. SiS makes better chipsets than VIA, but VIA made MORE chipsets back when SiS was struggling, so VIA sells on brand recognition as people don't seem to remember that their fame is actually infamy.

Another thing that got VIA famous, besides making crappy chipsets, is that for nearly two years there weren't any really competitive brands in the AMD market. So a lot of AMD guys associate VIA with AMD and, since they love AMD, they think they should love VIA.

But VIA is the one who tarnished AMD's reputation in the first place, so such "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" logic continues to hurt AMD slightly.

 

[vois2]

Thanks to everyone for their help!

 

[Televideoguy]

Thanks again to everyone who responded, I appreciate all the help on this. ECS is out.