Best cost-vs-performance ratio AMD mobo presently available.
Written: Oct 07 '02
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Product Rating:
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Pros: SIS 735 chipset, stable, good as some motherboards twice as expensive
Cons: None for me.
The Bottom Line: I can only repeat myself: I believe the ECS K7S5A to be the best cost-vs-performance ratio AMD motherboard presently available.
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| JohnDechon's Full Review: EliteGroup K7S5A Motherboard |
I got my first ECS K7S5A around last Christmas (2001) because I was looking to upgrade my Tyan Trinity 400 S1854 mobo to one with more "headroom" (upgrade potential): My 99PON version S1854 mobo maxxed-out with a PIII-866 and the last version of this mobo -- the 99PONA -- only takes a 1GHz PIII). Having checked various computer websites which positively reviewed the ECS K7S5A mobo, I decided to get one for myself. I bought it from the well-rated (at Resellerratings.com) online vendor NewEgg.com partly because they are good about RMAs...in case I had trouble with it and had to return the item!
I needn't have worried on that account.
When it arrived, I installed it in the case, connected everyting up and it booted the first time I turned it on...no black screen, no beeps (more than the good-news one beep), no error messages...it worked right out of the box.
At first, on the very first bootup screen, I saw my 1GHz AMD T-Bird/266 running at 750 MHz instead of 1000MHz, but that wasn't really a problem: I found that you need to set the BIOS for YOUR proper CPU/SDRAM bus speed (it is set to 100/100 by default, IIRC) so if you are using a 133/266 bus CPU and PC-133 or PC-2100, you need to set it to 133/133. If YOUR CPU only shows at 75% of its rated speed, this is very likely the reason.
After this, I installed the OS (Win XP Pro) and other software and used the computer for a few months before I bought a second K7S5A mobo: I wanted to make up a computer for my mother so I put my first K7S5A -- a known/working no-problems mobo already burnt-in -- into a case for her, then put the new mobo into my case to see if it worked as well as the first one. It did. Same story...it worked right out of the box.
What I like about this mobo is:
1. In my view, this has got to be the BEST -- considering the cost-vs-performance ratio -- AMD Duron/Athlon/XP-2xxx+ mobo available presently. My second K7S5A cost only $53.99 with FREE FedEx shipping (presently at NewEgg.com) which is like getting the board for around $43...how can you beat that? I believe they must fly out of the door over there at NewEgg!
2. The SIS 735 chipset -- which combines the Northbridge and Soutbridge chips into ONE chip -- is by that fact alone faster than mobos that have two separate N and S chips.
3. There are LOTS of these mobos (millions) out there! Consequently, LOTS of people in various newsgroups can help you if you have trouble. This is NOT some obscure mobo! And AT LEAST one website is dedicated solely to the ECS K7S5A mobo.
4. This mobo takes either SDR SDRAM (PC-100 or PC-133) or, it takes DDR SDRAM (PC-2100). The performance difference between the two IS there -- on paper and in the test lab -- but in real life it won't be noticed, so use your old PC-133 SDR if you wish...get PC-2100 DDR when the price is right for you.
5. The latest BIOS of this mobo will take up to and inlcuding the AMD XP-2600+. I presently am using a 1GHz T-Bird as I said, but October 15 will order a XP-2000+...as was the plan all along: Get the K7S5A mobo and run a less expensive T-Bird/266 in it, then upgrade it to a XP-2xxx+ when those XP CPU prices came down. They have. I probably won't go higher than 2000+ and then in a year or two, get another mobo, AMD or Intel, depending upon what the technology scene is then. Because that varies almost everyday -- like the stock market -- you have to be open to all options.
6. Because this is an AMD platform, some AMD XP CPUs are about half the price of a similar P4, so not only does the mobo cost half as much as most mobos, the CPU does, too!
7. Onboard LAN works fine...am using it with RoadRunner Internet but not with any networked home computers (I am not conversant in networking yet).
8. Onboard sound is LOW -- as per most mobos with onboard sound -- so you need AMPLIFIED speakers/headset for good volume levels.
9. It is not an overclocker's mobo, but I never do that so it's not an issue for me. Further, I am not a gamer so I don't care about gaming issues, either. All I want is a mobo that is stable and that will WORK when I turn it on...and this one does.
I was hesitant to buy a "cheap" mobo like ECS (EliteGroup) because they are supposed to be low-end "POS" products...only one notch above their parent company PC Chips -- which acquired ECS within the last year -- but my two experiences with ECS have been very positive.
PC Chips makes an IDENTICAL mobo, even down to the same BIOS (the PC Chips model 830L mobo, IIRC) it's been reported, but because the poorly done PC Chips website and the fact that there isn't even a PC Chips newgroups as there is for Elitegroup products, I would get the ECS version -- the K7S5A -- instead of anything from PC Chips.
In short, I plan to hang with the "cheap" mobos for a while.
In fact, were I to look for an Intel CPU mobo -- the P4 -- I'd probably get the ECS P4S5A/DX mobo (presently $63 with free shipping at NewEgg) without any hesitation whatsoever...but that's another topic.
If money IS an issue, go with ECS. If money is not an issue but you want to spend frugally/efficiently, go with ECS. If money is NO issue and you want a "quality" mobo, then go ahead and pay 2-3 times as much...then read about problems THAT particular brand has in its own newgroup. ALL brands have problems and you don't always get more quality for more money.
As stated above, I just wanted a reliable mobo that works each day and every day.
The ECS K7S5A does it for me.
John Dechon
El Paso, TX
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): $53.99
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JohnDechon
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Member: John Dechon
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