XFX Geforce 8300

[Nashsafc]

I want to know peoples opinions on this motherboard. Is this a bad motherboard for micro atx? Is it worth £50? Is it a major flaw that it only accepts processors with a TDP of 95 watts? It is an AM2+ motherboard. What about the overall quality of the board.

 

[badge]

I wouldn't recommend an XFX MB, maybe a better supported ASUS with AM BIOS and an onboard 8300 graphics chip. The MB will have a single PCIe expansion slot for one PCIe card of your choice. THe 790FX chipset would offer better OCing capabilities and greater graphics capability if that is what you are after.

 

[Nashsafc]

How would the graphics be better? They both accept PCI-e. Surely it depends completely on the discrete gpu that you add? Also, is there any advantage to having a 95 watt processor limitation on the board? Don't motherboards for am2 usually go from 65 watt to 95 watt to 125 and so on? Would you say i made a poor buy paying £50 for this motherboard? it does accept 1066 mhz ram though but i'm thinking that should be taken for granted?

 

[badge]

How would the graphics be better? They both accept PCI-e. Surely it depends completely on the discrete gpu that you add?

Quote:

"The 790FX chipset would offer better OCing capabilities and greater graphics capability if that is what you are after."

The 790FX has four PCIe slots. (dual X16, triple X16/X8/X8, or Quad X8)

 

[Nashsafc]

for me i have a micro atx gaming system. Obviously if i had gone for full size atx i would have chosen something fancy. But i'm thinking could i have gone for a better motherboard for £50. Since i already have this motherboard i'm asking if you think it is reasonable value. It looks good quality, apart from that i want to know if any other micro atx boards which are cheaper and allow for 125 watt cpus. Will make me feel embaraced but go ahead.

 

[badge]

Actually the onboard 8300 chip is good as onboard video chips go. I have the 780G running in native crossfire onboard 3200 with PCIe 3450. I use the PII 940. I would like to have the 790FX. The 780G is a micro and doen't have the good voltage regulators like the 790FX does. Also, my particular micro board, even with the latest BIOS, has issues with the RAM data transfer rate at 1066MHz. I'm sure a better quality board like an ASUS 790FX would be much more capable when Ocing. I didn't say there is anything wrong with you're MBother than I would not buy an XFX. I would buy ASUS specifically for superior support and the enhanced AM BIOS.

 

[Nashsafc]

i know asus is a better company for motherboards. They have more avialable. It's just at the time i was looking for something from ebuyer. I don't overclock much i overclocked my phenom ii 720 to 3.2ghz from 2.8. I thought that the 8300 was typical to other boards at that price; that others would have a 95 watt maximum TDP. i saw an asus micro atx with 4 ram slots, everything i liked, am3 motherboard for £60 and takes 125 watt processors and i felt gutted. Lol are there any advantages to the motherboard i have, at least justifies buying it?

 

[badge]

I prefer the AM (American Megatrends) BIOS ASUS offers. Their ROG (Republic of gamers) editions are enthusiast oriented enhanced BIOS versions. So, the GeForce 8300 is a fine board and should serve you well. The ASUS Geforce 8300 does not offer the xtreme Phase 8+2 Phase Power Design the 790FX offers. Their 790FX model has enhanced voltage regulation which works well with OCing as I tried to point out in my original statement. You mentioned something about the processor wattage support on the XFX 8300. Probably a VR thing.

 

[badge]

Xtreme Phase 8+2 Phase Power Design.

A little more information if you are interested in MB voltage regulation.

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=217752

EDIT: I read most of these posts, but not all. Not sure some of these guys know what they are talking about. I usually go for the short, to the point definition.

 

[Nashsafc]

the 8300 has "am" american megatrends on it. So your saying this is a positive? It says FGBG on it, representing "made by gamers, for gamers" official approval. but i just thought it's xfx putting stuff on it to look good. Wouldn't a better overclocking board be one that accepts a higher watt cpu. Or you can have a board that accepts 125 watts but may not be soo good with overclocking than the xfx 8300 is with it? The board seems to have a massive heatsink and cooling pipe for a matx board.

 

[badge]

So the XFX has the AM Bios. I wasn't aware. Plus for me if I was ever to consider one of their boards. Made For Gamers indicates the BIOS may have some added controls enthusiasts would like. A plus. Not sure what the corect answer is regarding the wattage spec for the CPU. Just check the online web page, CPU support list for CPU support and what BIOS is needed for support. mATX boards generally have lesser VR's than premium line full ATX boards. But, that may not be such a problem for you. My 780G has issues with 1066MHz. RAM speed. Specific BIOS updates have apparently not fised it. I just run my RAM at 800MHz. and can OC the processor well that way. BIOS updates addressing issues like RAM speed support are called 'soft' revisions. Release of a second version of a board or chipset by the Mfg. to address issues like you are reffering too (VR upgrade or higher wattage CPU support) are called 'hard' revision. Gigadud does a lot of 'hard' revision releasing revision after revision. ASUS tends to issue 'soft' BIOS software revision.

 

[Nashsafc]

I don't know what you mean by VR. Also why would it not be a problem for me concerning my motherboard? Hard revision, which is just an update, allows for a more powerful cpu to be put in a computer? But is not a motherboard replacement. But i was thinking most asus boards have am on them and they allow up to 140 watt cpus. This board only allows a 95 watt cpu ok it has am but sounds very inferior. I bought it for £50, is it possibly overpriced?

 

[badge]

VR =voltage regulator(s) on the MB. The voltage regulator controls the voltages present on the MB.

Not a problem meaning you said you didn't plan to do any exteme Ocing.

Hard revision is a 're-release' of a MB (rev 2) that has for example better VR's to support better CPU's.

mATX MB normally have inferior VR's than premium enthusiast full ATX MB's. That is the likely reason for the CPU wattage limitation with your mATX board. VR limitation. Until recent years mATX was specifically for low power workstations.

 

[Nashsafc]

So the higher wattage motherboards are better? I have seen cheaper motehrboards than mine which have higher cpu wattage allowances. Could it be that some motherboards allow for high wattage cpus but aren't soo good at overclocking. So mine could be a good overclocker but doesn't allow for higher wattage cpus? Or is that rubbish?

 

[badge]

As long as your MB/BIOS support the CPU it's fine. Unless of course you are trying to reach high OC'ed processor speeds, then the VR's will likely come in to play at some point. Sounds like with the 'enhanced' AM BIOS your board will do pretty well if OC'ed. My ASUS 780G mATX is very good with OCing for a micro. ASUS has released probab;y more than a dozen BIOS updtaes for the board. That's what I was sying about ASUS offering better support. Check XFX online product page for updated BIOS/drivers/utilities.

 

[Nashsafc]

i have updated my bios to it's latest edition. xfx support are quite reasonable, they reply quickly sometimes. The bios update just gave mee unlocked multiplier for cpu, and to chose the ht clock. the motherboard also has automatic overcloking features.

 

[badge]

Might want to stay away from the auto overclocing features. So, the board should have adjustment for voltages. Not only CPU, but all the MB chips plus RAM voltage. PC2 8500 1066MHz. RAM requires 2.0-2.1v to run at that speed. The MB BIOS will default the RAM voltage to 1.8v SPD standard. The RAM voltage would have to be adjusted to 2-2.1v manually to run the RAM at 1066MHz. transfer rates. 1.8v is the PC2 6400 800MHz. standard. Anyway, your board should allow voltages adjustment to some extent. Perhaps not to the precision of a Premium top of the line more expensive enthusiast full ATX MB. I have a couple of mATX boards running that allow zero voltage adjustment. They are old and a pain.

 

[Nashsafc]

it allows up to 1.55v from 1.35 which is stock. Is that reasonable? Or hopeless? I'm guessing it has given me all the safest voltages available? I can't manually edit the voltages though as in it gives me a list to chose from, possibly to my advantage?

 

[badge]

1.55v would be Vcore or CPU voltage, right. Try reading the MB manual under BIOS. Should be an explanation there on how to adjust the different voltages including RAM.