IS7 or IC7-MAX3

[SuPrEIVIE]

is the ic7-max3 much better than the is7? i have an ide harddrive is that a good enough reason to get the MAx3 since it comes with secure ide feature?

 

[SpeedFreak03]

The IC7-Max3 is much better than the IS7. But it costs over $100 more...About the secure IDE feature, how important is your data? There are plenty of software security solutions.

 

[Soulkeeper]

I got the max-3 because it had the following stuff:

i875 chipset (dual channel mem setup)
sata raid
gigabit ethernet
sound
otes cooling system
and higher vdimm voltages

if you don't need any of that or could get by without it then get the is7

 

[Sunny129]

yeah but the IC7 max3 has issues above specific fsb speeds and such...which means if you don't need all those goodies that come w/ the IC7 max3, then the IS7 is a great solution. it is still a dual channel memory platform that supports 800mhz fsb, hyperthreading P4 CPU's. and it costs 1/2 the price. however, if you do need a board w/ all those goodies, i'd suggest the ASUS P4C800-E deluxe. its got pretty much everything the IC7-max3 has, its gigabit LAN uses intel's CSA bus, it doesn't have the memory and fsb issues that the IC7 max3 has, and it costs about $30 less than the IC7 max3.

 

[joe2004]

Both IC7 Max 3 and IS7 are good boards. The big advantage of Max 3, beside being Canterwood, is the optional VDIMM adjustments beyond flaky 2.8V that is on IS7. Older IS7 have lousy NB heatsink as well.
Both of these boards have very poorly programmed Bios, which is a "trademark" of Abit, far below the quality of Asus, that is why so much trouble with memory. However they both have many adjustments available manually in Bios so you can, with a proper knowledge, make most of memory work. Newegg had IS7 refurbished for $50 recently, I think that is just red hot when they have it. $200 for Max 3 is a bit steep for me since most of the addons I have no use for anyway.

 

[SuPrEIVIE]

any more info?

 

[lookouthere]

Originally posted by: Sunny129
yeah but the IC7 max3 has issues above specific fsb speeds and such...which means if you don't need all those goodies that come w/ the IC7 max3, then the IS7 is a great solution. it is still a dual channel memory platform that supports 800mhz fsb, hyperthreading P4 CPU's. and it costs 1/2 the price. however, if you do need a board w/ all those goodies, i'd suggest the ASUS P4C800-E deluxe. its got pretty much everything the IC7-max3 has, its gigabit LAN uses intel's CSA bus, it doesn't have the memory and fsb issues that the IC7 max3 has, and it costs about $30 less than the IC7 max3.

P4C800-E almost guaranteed high overclcok while IC7 MAX3 is also too.....but the good side is that Asus has lower price than the Max3.

 

[jiffylube1024]

why not get the IC7 or IC7-MAX2. Most people don't need all the features from the MAX3 anyways, and the aforementioned two boards overlock pretty much the same.

 

[jjlsevil]

Been considering purchasing a max3. Sound, however, is an issue. The otes fan....how loud is it?

 

[Corporate Thug]

its better, but certainly not twice as good, yet it costs twice as much

therefore the IS7 is a better buy

 

[beatle]

The IS7 also has onboard sound w/optical in/out, dual channel memory and SATA RAID, though not as many channels as the IC7-MAX3. If the OTES system is anything as loud as the OTES on Abit's Ti4200, I wouldn't want that in my case! The NB cooler can be replaced inexpensively as well. I don't have a gigabit ethernet switch, much less another computer with a gigabit ethernet port on it, so that feature would go to waste. It'd be nice to run more vdimm on my board, but it's not worth the price increase.

 

[Insomniac]

Originally posted by: beatle
The IS7 also has onboard sound w/optical in/out, dual channel memory and SATA RAID, though not as many channels as the IC7-MAX3. If the OTES system is anything as loud as the OTES on Abit's Ti4200, I wouldn't want that in my case! The NB cooler can be replaced inexpensively as well. I don't have a gigabit ethernet switch, much less another computer with a gigabit ethernet port on it, so that feature would go to waste. It'd be nice to run more vdimm on my board, but it's not worth the price increase.

Even if you don't have Gigabit ethernet, it uses the CSA bus instead of the PCI bus.

 

[Boyne7]

i have a max3 and i absolutely love it. a few things to mention
1. i didnt notice the otes being loud at all, in fact i didnt even notice it at all.
2. the bios may allow vdimm adjustments above 2.8v but they are worthless as the vtt is completely messed up. The board overclocks great
but if you try to use anything above 2.8v vdimm it wont work. this is due to the mosfets not the bios as previously mentioned afaik

if you will be wanting to put a lot of volts through your ram then you should definately wait for a new revision of the board
otherwise it will work great

all in all its a pretty good board but as i said abit is fixing the voltage problems for the next revision so just wait for rev 1.1 to come out if you want ddr voltages higher than 2.8v

 

[Boyne7]

there is a mod that is being worked on that fixes the vdimm and vtt for any voltages above 2.8v but it screws up the ones below it.

 

[jjlsevil]

as far as sound.....you said that you didn't notice the otes fan at all....can you hear it? or do you have louder fans? I'm trying to find a balance of performance and noise

 

[drewdogg808]

Originally posted by: jjlsevil
as far as sound.....you said that you didn't notice the otes fan at all....can you hear it? or do you have louder fans? I'm trying to find a balance of performance and noise

i tested the ic7-max3 for a little bit...the otes is very quiet...i had to put my ear up to it to make sure it was running...but then again, judging quietness is very subjective.

hth...

 

[Boyne7]

if your using a standard hs/f on ur cpu it will most likely dround out the otes fan easily. it is very quiet, IMO

 

[jjlsevil]

i will be water cooling, and i'm buying a fortron psu....which idles around 28-29dba....that's why i'm curious as to how "loud" the otes fan is

 

[Boyne7]

well as said in my sig i have watercooling and i dont notice it at all

 

[Slogun]

Originally posted by: jjlsevil
as far as sound.....you said that you didn't notice the otes fan at all....can you hear it? or do you have louder fans? I'm trying to find a balance of performance and noise

The reviews I have seen stated that the otes was inaudible.

 

[jjlsevil]

what about the 4sata raid adapter by silicon imaging. does it support pata dvdrw/dvdr/cdr/etc with an adapter? the manual says to only use ata 100 devices