EVGA nVidia nForce ATX Motherboard Review
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Written To Better Inform Our Visitors Regarding These Deals: • EVGA nVidia nForce ATX Motherboard Rebate [MAIL IN REBATES] |
There are a lot of different motherboards on the market and although this isn’t a common purchase for the average user, there is a core market that is interested in upgrading their motherboards on a consistent basis. In addition, for anyone that has ever fried their computer after the warranty expired, finding a new motherboard can be a bit complicated.
Since this is a limited market, there are a few top contenders that are the usual go-to manufacturers when it comes to motherboards. EVGA is a well known company that has quite a following. Interestingly enough, this motherboard isn’t actually built by the company, although they do market it. The actual manufacturer is nVidia, another well respected company.
If you’re in the market for a new motherboard, the selection can be a little bit limited, especially if you have an older system. However, for those that are simply trying to upgrade a newer computer, there will be a few more options. Let’s take a look at the EVGA nVidia nForce ATX model and see what it has to offer.
This was a nice motherboard at first glance. The company does include everything you’re going to need in the way of cables and drivers to make installing it easier. One of the first things that caught our attention about this model was the POST system, which is basically an onboard diagnostic tool. Other than that, it’s pretty unremarkable visually and we would have liked to have seen a better heatsink system and some heat pipes to help balance the internal temperatures a little more.
While it may not be much to look at, there is a lot of power here, and it should appeal to users that really need a lot of internal features, extra speed and the ability to overclock.
As with any in-CPU installation, if you have never done it before, now is probably not the best time to start. There are a few things that can go wrong when you are installing a new motherboard and if you are not experienced, it’s best to have someone help you. If you are a pro, installing the motherboard should be a piece of cake.
We found that the process was very quick and easy. They did do a good job of making sure that the instructions were easy to understand and follow. Within a short time we had everything installed and were able to fire up the computer and install the drivers. Nothing too complicated here, at least if you’ve done it before, and everything worked as it should.
This model includes the standard ports that you’ll need, including a PS/2 mouse and keyboard connection, Ethernet port, audio ports, and USB ports. Missing were serial connectors, which could be a big issue for users that still rely on devices that are serial only. However, they make up for this by including 10 USB ports, which was very nice to see.
The socket is a 775, and the chipset is the nVidia nForce 780i SLI. Two PCIe2.0 card slots are included, as well as one PCI Express 1.0x16. We were pleased to see that option, since it is not common on newer motherboards. You can expand the memory of your computer up to 8 gigs, which was also a nice addition. This should be plentiful for most users.
The audio features were actually outstanding and we appreciated the fact that they actually included two Firewire ports. If you’re sick of dealing with just one Firewire port, this will be a nice addition. One last feature that caught our eye was the use of aluminum capacitors, which is a big difference from other similar models.
The warranty on this model was a little disappointing. It only comes with a one year limited parts and labor warranty. Similar products carry a three year warranty, so this motherboard definitely lost out in this area. The support options on the EVGA website were decent, but a little lacking overall.
We always like to see a longer warranty on any electronics, especially when it comes to motherboards since they do have a tendency to overheat in strenuous conditions. If you have a serial problem with overheating or other technical issues with your machine, you would probably be better served by going with a model that offered a longer warranty period.
Otherwise, since the support is pretty good, if you’re not overly concerned about issues with this model, it would be a good buy. We did think however that the price was a little high, compared to other similar motherboards. Even with a discount, you’re going to be paying more than $300 and for this kind of money, you would expect a better warranty. If this is something that truly concerns you, you may want to consider adding on an additional warranty from the seller, to protect your investment.
While there are a lot of nice features with this card, there are a few problems. First and foremost, the price is a bit steep given the warranty and the lack of some heat distribution features. However, you do get what you pay for when it comes to the other features. There is always a trade-off when you’re dealing with computer components, so it will pretty much be up to the individual user to decide whether or not the motherboard is a good value for them.
Considering the card’s capabilities, it managed to squeak by our value tests, but we still recommend searching for the lowest price possible. Despite the problems we had with their warranty and support options, this is still a solid motherboard that is perfect for the advanced user, or for those that need a lot of extra power from their motherboard.
Given that it does include more USB ports than the average motherboard and that installation was so easy, we can still recommend this model, particularly to gamers and those that need to take advantage of overclocking for their machine.
Since this is a limited market, there are a few top contenders that are the usual go-to manufacturers when it comes to motherboards. EVGA is a well known company that has quite a following. Interestingly enough, this motherboard isn’t actually built by the company, although they do market it. The actual manufacturer is nVidia, another well respected company.
If you’re in the market for a new motherboard, the selection can be a little bit limited, especially if you have an older system. However, for those that are simply trying to upgrade a newer computer, there will be a few more options. Let’s take a look at the EVGA nVidia nForce ATX model and see what it has to offer.
In the Box
This was a nice motherboard at first glance. The company does include everything you’re going to need in the way of cables and drivers to make installing it easier. One of the first things that caught our attention about this model was the POST system, which is basically an onboard diagnostic tool. Other than that, it’s pretty unremarkable visually and we would have liked to have seen a better heatsink system and some heat pipes to help balance the internal temperatures a little more.
While it may not be much to look at, there is a lot of power here, and it should appeal to users that really need a lot of internal features, extra speed and the ability to overclock.
Installation
As with any in-CPU installation, if you have never done it before, now is probably not the best time to start. There are a few things that can go wrong when you are installing a new motherboard and if you are not experienced, it’s best to have someone help you. If you are a pro, installing the motherboard should be a piece of cake.
We found that the process was very quick and easy. They did do a good job of making sure that the instructions were easy to understand and follow. Within a short time we had everything installed and were able to fire up the computer and install the drivers. Nothing too complicated here, at least if you’ve done it before, and everything worked as it should.
nForce Motherboard Features
This model includes the standard ports that you’ll need, including a PS/2 mouse and keyboard connection, Ethernet port, audio ports, and USB ports. Missing were serial connectors, which could be a big issue for users that still rely on devices that are serial only. However, they make up for this by including 10 USB ports, which was very nice to see.
The socket is a 775, and the chipset is the nVidia nForce 780i SLI. Two PCIe2.0 card slots are included, as well as one PCI Express 1.0x16. We were pleased to see that option, since it is not common on newer motherboards. You can expand the memory of your computer up to 8 gigs, which was also a nice addition. This should be plentiful for most users.
The audio features were actually outstanding and we appreciated the fact that they actually included two Firewire ports. If you’re sick of dealing with just one Firewire port, this will be a nice addition. One last feature that caught our eye was the use of aluminum capacitors, which is a big difference from other similar models.
Support
The warranty on this model was a little disappointing. It only comes with a one year limited parts and labor warranty. Similar products carry a three year warranty, so this motherboard definitely lost out in this area. The support options on the EVGA website were decent, but a little lacking overall.
We always like to see a longer warranty on any electronics, especially when it comes to motherboards since they do have a tendency to overheat in strenuous conditions. If you have a serial problem with overheating or other technical issues with your machine, you would probably be better served by going with a model that offered a longer warranty period.
Otherwise, since the support is pretty good, if you’re not overly concerned about issues with this model, it would be a good buy. We did think however that the price was a little high, compared to other similar motherboards. Even with a discount, you’re going to be paying more than $300 and for this kind of money, you would expect a better warranty. If this is something that truly concerns you, you may want to consider adding on an additional warranty from the seller, to protect your investment.
Overall Opinion
While there are a lot of nice features with this card, there are a few problems. First and foremost, the price is a bit steep given the warranty and the lack of some heat distribution features. However, you do get what you pay for when it comes to the other features. There is always a trade-off when you’re dealing with computer components, so it will pretty much be up to the individual user to decide whether or not the motherboard is a good value for them.
Considering the card’s capabilities, it managed to squeak by our value tests, but we still recommend searching for the lowest price possible. Despite the problems we had with their warranty and support options, this is still a solid motherboard that is perfect for the advanced user, or for those that need a lot of extra power from their motherboard.
Given that it does include more USB ports than the average motherboard and that installation was so easy, we can still recommend this model, particularly to gamers and those that need to take advantage of overclocking for their machine.
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