Quiet Intel C2D MB with onboard video

echang2 · Post by **echang2** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 1:48 pm

I'm looking for a quiet Intel Core 2 Duo based motherboard with on board video. This system will be for general use. Nothing fancy. I'll probably get a E4300 CPU with the Ninja heatsink. I know the E4300 might be overkill, but I'd rather have the system last a few years than to continually replace the computers.

I've already ordered an Antec Solo case. The system won't be overclocked. I'm just trying to build a silent system.

Thanks,
Ed

ck8-04 · Post by **ck8-04** » Tue Jun 26, 2007 3:12 am

Intel DG965RY or DG965WH. Can't beat the stability of Intel boards and they are passively cooled.

echang2 · Post by **echang2** » Tue Jun 26, 2007 9:52 am

Wonderful. Thanks for the tip!

line · Post by **line** » Wed Jun 27, 2007 8:27 am

Another option is Intel DG33TL which is based on the newer G33 chipset. It should be included in AnandTech's long awaited mATX roundup.

+ Silent and plentiful Northbridge cooler
+ Firewire by a Texas Instruments controller (presumably better than VIA)
+ GbE by Intel 82566DC (best in class)
+ DVI
+ Optical SPDIF out
+ eSATA

- No undervolting in BIOS
- No legacy PS/2, serial, parallel & floppy connectors
- DVI can do only up to 1600x1200, according to the manual

? 8-ch audio by SigmaTel STAC9271D
? Power consumption is unknown

Max Slowik · Post by **Max Slowik** » Wed Jun 27, 2007 8:47 am

I'm not sure why stability keeps coming back as the convenient plus for Intel boards; their boards are no more stable than others' and tend to be expensive for their feature set.

And when you take a look at their performance under extreme overclocking and all that, they are less stable than their competitors. There are plenty of other companies who have better warranties, too.

Add to it the fact that you can find motherboards of the same form factor, socket, and chipset with solid aluminum capacitors and other better power regulation hardware, it starts painting a picture of that hardware being priced because of the name.

There are two major motherboard manufacturers. Foxconn and Chen something. Even Intel buys their hardware from other people; there's nothing special under the logo.

Jeff Cutsinger · Post by **Jeff Cutsinger** » Wed Jun 27, 2007 8:56 am

line wrote: - No legacy PS/2, serial, parallel & floppy connectors

This doesn't bother me as much as the two PCI express x1 slots (useless) but only one standard PCI slot. Actually, I don't really care about the other connectors at all. I'd rather see them gone.

chienpourri · Post by **chienpourri** » Wed Jun 27, 2007 11:30 am

I just finished setting up a system with an ASRock Conroe1333-DVI/H. You might take a look at this board, it's quite interesting mainly because of the free DVI-HDCP car thrown in and, of course, passive cooling. It's up and running on a Core 2 Duo E6420 @ 1333 FSB, Ninja REV.B with SCURK1 and 4 GB of TWIN2X2048-5400C4 1:1 4-4-4-12. So far so good!

arbiter · Post by **arbiter** » Wed Jun 27, 2007 11:40 am

I'm an fan of Intel chipsets on ASUS or Gigabyte boards.

I'm running a E4300 on the now discontinued P5PE-VM. It's cheap, but it works, and allowed me to recycle my DDR400 RAM and AGP card.
The E4300 only has a 800MHz FSB, so it runs well on this older chipset.
I think there's some kind of automagical overclock built in to support the 1066 FSB C2D chips. It is passively cooled.

ck8-04 · Post by **ck8-04** » Wed Jun 27, 2007 12:08 pm

Max Slowik wrote: And when you take a look at their performance under extreme overclocking and all that, they are less stable than their competitors. There are plenty of other companies who have better warranties, too.

Since when do Intel boards allow overclocking (excluding 975X)?

Max Slowik · Post by **Max Slowik** » Wed Jun 27, 2007 4:17 pm

Well, if you're not going to allow the boards that overclock, I suppose that means Intel boards don't overclock. . .

Still, historically, even with the unlocked Extreme processors, other boards achieved higher speeds.

echang2 · Post by **echang2** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 12:34 pm

Hi,

I don't know if I should start a new thread or just continue this one. Veterans, please let me know.

It doesn't have to have an Intel motherboard. I'm just looking for a quiet motherboard that can handle a E4300 when the prices drop on July 22nd. I'd like to have a motherboard with onboard video so I don't have to buy a separate video card. These computers will not be overclocked or doing any gaming. I know the E4300 might be overkill, but I'd like to keep these computers for a few years.

The only other requirement might be a voltage issue with the memory that I've purchased. I bought Crucial Ballistix 2GB DDR2 800 that runs at 2.2v and the Kingston 2GB DDR2 800 KVR800D2K2/2GR that runs at 1.8v. I think most motherboards can handle the 1.8v without a problem, but some run into problems with the 2.2v.

So, I'm looking for the following qualities in a motherboard
1. Quiet
2. Handles the E4300
3. Has onboard video (or if it's a cheap board, a cheap solution to a passively cooled vga video card)
3. Handles DDR2 800 2.2v memory

Thanks,
Ed

Max Slowik · Post by **Max Slowik** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 1:20 pm

Any board with an Intel G33 chipset or AMD 690 chipset, like these:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6813130120

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6813127023

jackylman · Post by **jackylman** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 2:02 pm

I don't know if I should start a new thread or just continue this one. Veterans, please let me know.

Just continue this one.

For "general use", I'd recommend an AMD X2 (Brisbane core) on an AMD 690G chipset, though you can make a fast, quiet, and inexpensive system with either platform.

AMD
-already slashed its prices, so you can buy it right now
-better onboard video than Intel
-can easily be undervolted to draw less power at idle than a C2D
-mobos are generally cheaper
-AM2 socket is forward compatible (at least this is what AMD claims) so you can slap in a new CPU in a few years should you need more processing power

Intel
-CPU's are generally faster at a given price point
-draws less power under load
-future upgradeability only with G33 chipset

If I was in your position, I would go with an X2 4800 Brisbane and this mobo from MSI, because it has DVI and 3 PCI slots.

BTW, The Crucial Ballistix should be able to POST and run at CL5 with 1.8V. It's also possible that you could bump the mem voltage to 2.2V and coax the Kingston's into running CL4.