MSI P35 Neo3 и Gigabyte EP35-DS4
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Gigabyte EP35-DS4
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| Chipset |
Intel P35 |
| CPU |
LGA775 Pentium 4 FSB 1066/800/533 MHz
Celeron Conroe-L/Prescott FSB 800/533 MHz
Dual-Core Pentium4
Yorkfield, Wolfdale FSB 1333/1066/800MHz
Quad-Core Kentsfield, Dual-Core Conroe/Allendale
HyperThreading |
| Memory |
DDR2 533/667/800/1066/1200* |
| HDD |
1x UltraDMA/133
8x SerialATA(2xRAID)
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| Extras |
3 IEEE-1394a
Audio Intel HDA
12 USB 2.0
Gigabit Ethernet |
| Price: |
$~170~180 (Price.ru) |
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MSI P35 Neo3
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| Chipset |
Intel P35 |
| CPU |
LGA775 Pentium 4 FSB 1066/800/533 MHz
Celeron Conroe-L/Prescott FSB 800/533 MHz
Dual-Core Pentium4
Yorkfield, Wolfdale FSB 1333/1066/800MHz
Quad-Core Kentsfield, Dual-Core Conroe/Allendale
HyperThreading |
| Memory |
DDR2 533/667/800/1066 |
| HDD |
1x UltraDMA/133
6x SerialATA(RAID)
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| Extras |
Audio Intel HDA
12 USB 2.0
Gigabit Ethernet |
| Price: |
$~105~110 (Price.ru) |
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Once the Intel X38 chipset has been released, the assortment of the manufacturer acquired a rather distinct structure: X38 is used to manufacture high-end products, whereas P35 - for the manufacture of mid-end motherboards. So, when the information appeared that the top-end X48 chipset would be released soon, many (including ourselves) assumed that its release would be accompanied by the release of P45 for the mainstream products (as a replacements of P35). That is why we promptly published a huge roundup review of motherboards based on P35 and X38, and were anxiously waiting for new products to appear.
However, although new information revealed various details of X48, there was not a word stated regarding P45. On receiving the first motherboard based on X48 (see the review of Gigabyte X48-DQ6), we were somehow disappointed to see the south bridge ICH9R on it. Absolutely the same chip is there on most motherboards based on P35 and X38. In fact, that is a hint to that the release of P45 is not going the happen soon - at least not earlier than the forthcoming summer (although, we suspect that in three weeks to come, at Cebit, a great number of P45-based motherboards will be displayed). Perhaps, this fact made some manufacturers start a release of new models on the already "outdated" P35. In particular, Gigabyte presented its rather powerful model EP35-DS4, and MSI - the inexpensive P35 Neo3 motherboard.
Specifications
 Gigabyte EP35-DS4
 MSI P35 Neo3
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Gigabyte EP35-DS4 |
MSI P35 Neo3 |
| CPU |
- Intel Pentium 4 (Prescott (2M)/Gallatin/ CedarMill) with the bus speeds 1066/800/533 MHz
- Dual-core Intel Pentium D / EE (Smithfield/Presler) with the bus speeds 800/1066 MHz
- Intel Celeron-D (Conroe-L/Prescott) with the bus speeds 800/533 MHz
- Support for Intel Core 2 Duo (Kentsfield (4 cores), Conroe/Allendale (2 cores)) with the bus speeds 1066/800 MHz
- Support for Intel Yorkfield, Wolfdale with the bus speeds 1333/1066/800 MHz
- Socket LGA775
- Support for HyperThreading |
| Chipset |
- North bridge Intel 82P35 Memory Controller Hub (MCH)
- South bridge Intel ICH9R
- Interbridge communication: DMI
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- North bridge Intel 82P35 Memory Controller Hub (MCH)
- South bridge Intel ICH9
- Interbridge communication: DMI
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| System memory |
- Four 240-pin slots for DDR2 SDRAM DIMM
- Maximum memory capacity 8 GB
- Supported memory - DDR2 533/667/800/1066/1200*
- Dual-channel memory access
- Power indicator |
- Four 240-pin slots for DDR2 SDRAM DIMM
- Maximum memory capacity 8 GB
- Supported memory - DDR2 533/667/800/1066
- Dual-channel memory access
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| Graphics |
- Two PCI Express x16 slots
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- One PCI Express x16 slot |
| Expansion options |
- Two 32-bit PCI Bus Master slots
- Three PCI Express x1 slots
- Twelve USB 2.0 ports (8 integrated + 4 additional)
- Three IEEE1394 ports (Firewire; 2 integrated + 1 additional)
- Integrated High Definition Audio 7.1
- Gigabit Ethernet LAN controller
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- Four 32-bit PCI Bus Master slots
- One PCI Express x1 slot
- Twelve USB 2.0 ports (4 additional + 8 additional)
- Integrated High Definition Audio 7.1
- Gigabit Ethernet LAN controller
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| Overclocking options |
- FSB adjustable within 100 to 700 MHz in 1 MHz increments; adjustable multiplier
- Adjustable voltage on the CPU, memory, FSB, PCI-E, and the chipset (MCH)
- Gigabyte C.I.A. 2
- EasyTune 5, EasyTune Center
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- FSB adjustable within 200/266/333 to 600 MHz in 1 MHz increments; adjustable multiplier
- Adjustable voltage on the CPU, memory, FSB, and the chipset (MCH+ICH)
- MSI D.O.T.
- Dual CoreCell
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| Disk subsystem |
- One link for UltraDMA133/100/66/33 Bus Master IDE (JMB363; with support for up to 2 ATAPI devices)
- Support for SerialATA II (6 links - ICH9R, with support for RAID)
- Support for SerialATA II (2 links - JMB363, with support for RAID 0,1, JBOD)
- Support for LS-120 / ZIP / ATAPI CD-ROM |
- One link for UltraDMA133/100/66/33 Bus Master IDE (JMB363; with support for up to 2 ATAPI devices)
- Support for SerialATA II (4 links - ICH9)
- Support for SerialATA II (2 links - JMB363, with support for RAID 0,1, JBOD)
- Support for LS-120 / ZIP / ATAPI CD-ROM |
| BIOS |
- 2? 8 Mbit Flash ROM
- Award BIOS Phoenix with support for Enhanced ACPI, DMI, Green, PnP Features, and Trend Chip Away Virus
- Gigabyte Q-Flash
- @BIOS and Face-Wizard
- Gigabyte Virtual Dual BIOS
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- 16 Mbit Flash ROM
- AMI BIOS with support for Enhanced ACPI, DMI, Green, PnP Features
- MSI D-LED
- MSI LiveUpdate
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| Misc |
- One port for FDD, one serial and one parallel port, ports for PS/2 mouse and keyboard
- STR (Suspend to RAM)
- SPDIF In/Out |
- One port for FDD, two serial and one parallel ports, ports for PS/2 mouse and keyboard
- STR (Suspend to RAM)
- SPDIF Out |
| Power management |
- Wake-up on modem, mouse, keyboard, LAN, timer, and USB
- Main 24-pin ATX power connector
- Additional 8-pin power connector
- Additional 4-pin Molex power connector
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- Wake-up on modem, mouse, keyboard, LAN, timer, and USB
- Main 24-pin ATX power connector
- Additional 4-pin power connector
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| Monitoring |
- Monitoring the temperatures of the CPU, system, voltages, measurement of the rotational speed of the 4 fans
- Smart Fan
- EasyTune Center
- Gigabyte Dynamic Energy Saver |
- Monitoring the temperatures of the CPU, system, voltages, rotational speeds of the 2 fans
- Smart Fan
- Dual CoreCenter
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| Dimensions |
- ATX form factor, 245x305 mm (9.63" x 12") |
Retail boxes
The package of the Gigabyte board looks a bit bigger and more attractive.
Package bundle
- motherboard;
- User's Manual in English + brief usage guide;
- 1x software & drivers CD;
- one ATA133 cable, one FDD cable;
- four SerialATA cables;
- a cap for the rear panel of the housing;
- a bracket for two external SerialATA ports;
- one eSATA cable with a matching power supply adapter.
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- motherboard;
- User's Manual in English + brief usage guide;
- Software & drivers CD;
- one ATA133 cable, one FDD cable;
- 4x SerialATA cables + 2x power supply adapters (2 connectors);
- a cap for the rear panel of the housing.
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The twp boards are very much different in price. While MSI P35 Neo3 is priced at about $100 and its package bundle is up to the mark, the Gigabyte EP35-DS4 costs about $180 with its package bundle being really scanty for its price. In fact, Gigabyte is making a huge saving on the package bundles of even high-end products.
Here are the bundled items: both the motherboards offers a kit of PATA and FDD cables, a mandatory cap, and 4 SerialATA cables. However, the MSI board has the required power supply adapters, whereas the Gigabyte's product doesn't.
However, the Gigabyte's board has a bracket for two external SerialATA, as well as a single eSATA cable with a matching power supply adapter.
Now, regarding the user's manual and the software. We had nothing to complain about the main documentation of both motherboards, nor about the CDs with drivers, utilities and third-party software (antivirus software). The Gigabyte's board also offers a brief assembly and system setup guide.
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