abit & Foxconn (Intel G31)
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Date: 20.10.2008 |
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The chipset Intel G31 is aimed at moderately priced office computers. Motherboards built on its base normally offer the MicroATX form factor and basic expansion options. The integrated graphic core Intel GMA 3100 is designed solely to handle office applications as well as simple 3D programs. We also note that entry motherboards do not offer overclockinig tools, while the few exceptions out of this rule are not successful among the PC enthusiasts.
In this review, we are examining two motherboards based on the Intel G31 chipset. One of these is made by Foxconn which has strong enough positions in the entry sector. The other motherboard is developed by abit whose products have almost vanished from retail stores. However sad that may seem, abit I-G31 is most likely to be the last motherboard of the formerly eminent company.
Specifications
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abit I-G31 |
Foxconn G31MG-S |
| CPU |
- Intel Pentium 4 (Prescott (2M)/Gallatin/CedarMill) with the bus speeds 1066/800 MHz
- Dual-core Intel Pentium D / EE (Smithfield/Presler) with the bus speeds 1066/800 MHz
- Intel Celeron-D (Conroe-L/Prescott) with the bus speed 800 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 G31 (GMCH)
- South bridge Intel ICH7
- Interbridge communication: DMI |
| System memory |
- Two 240-pin slots for DDR2 SDRAM DIMM
- Maximum memory capacity 4 GB
- Supported memory DDR2 667/800
- Dual-channel memory access |
| Graphics |
- One PCI Express x16 slot;
- Integrated graphic core Intel GMA 3100 |
| Expansion options |
- Two 32-bit PCI Bus Master slots
- One PCI Express x1 slot
- Eight USB 2.0 ports (4 integrated + 4 additional)
- Integrated High Definition Audio 5.1
- Gigabit Ethernet LAN controller |
- Two 32-bit PCI Bus Master slots
- One PCI Express x1 slot
- Eight USB 2.0 ports (4 integrated + 4 additional)
- Integrated High Definition Audio 7.1
- Gigabit Ethernet LAN controller |
| Overclocking options |
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- FSB adjustable within (200) 333 to 600 MHz in 1 MHz increments
- Adjustable voltages on the CPU, memory |
| Disk subsystem |
- 1 link for UltraDMA133/100/66/33 Bus Master IDE ( ICH7; with support for up to 2 ATAPI devices)
- Support for SerialATA II (4 links - ICH7)
- Support for LS-120 / ZIP / ATAPI CD-ROM |
| BIOS |
- 4 Mbit Flash ROM
- Award BIOS Phoenix with support for Enhanced ACPI, DMI, Green, PnP Features and Trend Chip Away Virus |
| Misc |
- One port for FDD, ports for PS/2 mouse and keyboard
- STR (Suspend to RAM)
- SPDIF Out
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- One port for FDD, one serial, one parallel port, ports for PS/2 mouse and keyboard
- STR (Suspend to RAM)
- SPDIF Out
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| Power management |
- Wake-up on modem, mouse, keyboard, LAN, timer, and USB
- Main 24-pin ATX power connector
- Additional 4-pin power connector |
| Monitoring |
- Monitoring the temperatures of the CPU, system, PWM, voltage levels, rotational speeds of the three
- FanEQ |
- Monitoring the temperature of the CPU, system, voltages, rotational speeds of the two fans
- Smart Fan |
| Dimensions |
- ATX form factor, 244x210 mm (9.62" x 8.27") |
- ATX form factor, 240x208 mm (9.6" x 8.2") |
Retail boxes
Package design for the Foxconn's board:
We received the Foxconn's product in a make fully ready for batch production, but the abit's board arrived at our test lab in the test make - only the board in the package, so we can't rate its package bundle yet.
Foxconn G31MG-S, package bundle
- motherboard;
- User's Manual in English + brief usage guide;
- Software & drivers CD;
- ATA133 and FDD cables;
- 2x SerialATA cables + two power supply adapters (2 connectors);
- a cap for the rear panel of the housing.
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The package bundle of Foxconn G31MG-S can't be referred to as rich, however for its price $45 it includes all the required items.
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