ASRock ConRoe 1333-DVI/H & Intel E2140 Budget System Review

Motherboards/Intel S775 by SidneyWong @ 2007-08-17

Today, we take a look at ASRock´s latest ConRoe-1333-DVI/H micro ATX board aimed at the budget minded and put in the lowest priced Intel Pentium Dual-Core E2140 for a test drive. Hopefully, we can get some free performance by overclocking!

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BIOS & Test Bed

BIOS :

To adjust BIOS, press F2 key. The ConRoe 1333 DVI/H does not provide much BIOS adjustment. Overclocking becomes limited to default CPU voltage. As notes on the specifications, the increase of FSB will also increase PCIe bus speed with which the use of SATA HDD and PCIe graphic card could be affected when too high of PCIe bus speed is used.

After better than a good one half day I found that the 120 PCIe bus speed is pretty much the maximum if PCIe graphic card is used while 120Mhz is attainable for onboard graphic. Any high will result to no boot or corrupted graphic during games.


Madshrimps (c)

The sample board came with BIOS M1.1EA version that is not listed at ASRock website where the latest BIOS P1.70 dated August 10th is listed.

Madshrimps (c)

Under CPU Configuration is where CPU overclocking could be set.

Madshrimps (c)

There are three options; Auto, CPU PCIe Sync and CPU PCIe Async. Choosing the later two will prompt to FSB change in 1 Mhz increment. CPU PCIe Sync will automatically raise the PCIe bus speed while CPU PCIe Async does not. At the end, I found out it was better to follow the CPU PCIe Sync auto loaded PCIe bus speed, otherwise the OC won't post. Some memory will not get SPD correctly. I my case I have to set the timings manually using G.SKILL.

Madshrimps (c)

If you use DDR2 667 and CPU overclocking, choose DDR2 667 here. The board will not go over much of the rated memory speed. In another word, if you use DDR2 800, the max this board will work is a bit over 333Mhz. DDR2 800 is pretty much a waste.

Madshrimps (c)

Chipset VCCM can be set to Auto, High, Middle or low

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Memory VDDQ can be set to Auto, High or low


Madshrimps (c)

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The rest of the setups are pretty much standard and esasy to follow.


Madshrimps (c)


Madshrimps (c)


ASRock website offers BIOS flash/update via Windows and Windows Vista. Download the latest BIOS version, users could flash the BIOS without the need for floppy or CD, and without the unnecessary risks associated with on-line live update.
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Comment from Sidney @ 2007/08/19


I have no question that this E2140 will hit 400FSB or 3.2Ghz. 355 is the max as PCIe bus speed is now at 122, vcore fefault. At 123, the SATA HDD is lost.
Comment from Sidney @ 2007/08/20
Did not quite like the S-bridge passive heatsink getting as high as >54°C, the N-bridge is okay at ~45-48°C. I added my own specially wired 2x 40x10mm ~5,000 rpm to a single 4-pin molex on them.

Comment from jmke @ 2007/08/20
Same 40mm that comes with Chill Vent?
Comment from Sidney @ 2007/08/20
Yes
Comment from jmke @ 2007/08/20
silent then
Comment from Sidney @ 2007/08/20
Read ION HTPC case review on sound test
Comment from smilingcrow @ 2007/08/26
I was interested to read about the method of pin modding the E2140; any chance of loading a photo to the forums? There are loads of photos of people using a conductive pen but this mod is unusual. Cheers.
Comment from Sidney @ 2007/08/26
Sure thing, will post them on upcoming E4400 review in a few days.
Comment from Sidney @ 2007/08/27
Here we go
sorry for one of them is out of focus slightly.


1066 FSB mod

Alum foil folded back to HS

1.4 Volt mod with two pieces of alum foil
Comment from smilingcrow @ 2007/08/27
Thanks for the pics. Is there any danger of damaging the CPU or board if you make a short-circuit? The volt mod looks dangerously close to shorting something!
Comment from Sidney @ 2007/08/27
Yes, so does driving Indy Car at 230 MPH close to hitting the wall in every turn
Comment from jmke @ 2007/08/27
nice comparo
Comment from Sidney @ 2007/08/29
Been running Speedstep enable for a few days; min vcore 1.15 and multi 6x. Total system power consumption drops about 10% to 12%. I have not seen overclockers report on C2D the use of Speedstep during ocing.
Comment from jmke @ 2007/08/29
OC and power saving, don't go well hand in hand
Comment from nuuk25 @ 2007/09/24
Hi there
- has anyone tried the E2180 on this MB ? Or any other newer MB from Asrock ? - details are welcome !! ;o)
Comment from Sidney @ 2007/09/24
Quote:
Originally Posted by nuuk25 View Post
Hi there
- has anyone tried the E2180 on this MB ? Or any other newer MB from Asrock ? - details are welcome !! ;o)
Check our recent reviews, two more new ASRock boards are listed.
Comment from Sidney @ 2007/09/24
Quote:
Originally Posted by jmke View Post
OC and power saving, don't go well hand in hand
No difference than using fan controller, with Notebook Hardware Control +SpeedStep enble in BIOS, switching between "Dynamic", "Max Performance", "Max Battery" (Auto, Max, Min) within Windows is one click away. If you leave your PC on 24/7 and play game for one hour, there is a lot of savings not to mention less noise.
Comment from Sidney @ 2007/11/06
The best this E2140 could do is 390FSB ...... 95% overclocked

Comment from jort @ 2007/11/06
Quote:
This is all aluminum heatsink; the low thermal characteristic of this CPU prompted Intel to do way with the copper core.
Don't understand that sentence... is it correctly ?
Comment from Sidney @ 2007/11/06
s/b

to do away with the copper core

Are you picking on me two months later?
Comment from jort @ 2007/11/06
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sidney View Post
s/b

to do away with the copper core

Are you picking on me two months later?
I dunnow i read the article only today.
I spot the smallest details moastly
Comment from Ibrihim @ 2013/05/05
Just read this article and it's good. Amazed jort took two months to comment.

 

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