Computex 2007: Motherboard Mania

Biostar

The TForce 8025-M7 will be a mainstream MicroATX motherboard with Nvidia's new integrated graphics chipset for Core 2 processors. You can expect this little baby to outperform all existing Intel chipsets with an integrated GMA engine.

Biostar doesn't have a booth at Computex, but we were invited to its hospitality suite at the Grand Hyatt hotel. The firm still makes motherboards and graphics cards, and again we found some interesting stuff. On the one hand there is the X38 motherboard TX38-A7 Deluxe, which targets the enthusiasts - you can find it in our photo gallery here[P4]. The prototype did not have the heat pipe cooler, but we're sure that it will be two separate components for the northbridge and southbridge.

On the other hand is the TForce 7025-M7, which will be a Core 2 MicroATX motherboard based on Nvidia's nForce 7025 integrated chipset. Biostar puts a lot of hope into this product, because it considers this the clearly better integrated chipset when compared to G33/G35. From a feature standpoint I'd clearly object, but Intel chipsets have never been really great performers when it comes to integrated 3D graphics performance.

Mars Fights For Foxconn

Foxconn named its latest gaming motherboard after Mars, the Roman God of war. I'm not sure if this helps in the battle with the other motherboard warriors, but at least it's a name nobody will have trouble deciphering. Mars fights with weapons from Earth: there is the P35 chipset, solid capacitors, heat pipe cooling and dual PCI Express slots for graphics (one x16, one x4).