PC Chips

[Codegen]

How are they? The only motherboard I have is an M598LMR housing a Pentiuum MMX 233. Only problem I have with it is it sucks for keeping time.

The computer is going to be a Sempron 2800+ S754 and going to be used for work, etc.

Mobo in question is an M861G

 

[Peter]

If a mainboard doesn't keep time, then all it takes is a fresh battery.

PC-Chips is the OEM business arm of ECS Elitegroup (or, more exactly, ECS is a retail brand of the PC-Chips group). Nothing wrong with the product, but you need to know that end user support is minimal (drivers, manuals, BIOS updates). That's why their stuff isn't for beginners - and that's also why there's always a certain amount of cursing and swearing about PC-Chips product around.

 

[Codegen]

Actually, I've tried 2 different batteries in this thing. Same result.

But I dunno, I've had bad experiance with ECS (I always say "ESC from ECS")

 

[CraigRT]

I don't like ECS at all, so I assume PC CHIPS must suck equally... but I can't make up your mind for you.

I wouldn't touch it with a 10 foot pole.

 

[Mesaeus]

whoops, double post

 

[Mesaeus]

For what it's worth, the only mb in my career as pc repair that couldn't deal with XP SP2 AT ALL was a PC Chips P3 mb with an ALI chipset. And no bios updates AT ALL except the original. Stay away from them and pay a couple of bucks extra for a "real" manufacturer, PC Chips is for the ultra cheap junk white boxers.

 

[RadiclDreamer]

Junk. Period.

 

[Codegen]

Edit: DP

 

[Codegen]

Ok, well, i ofund an 80$ Epox board. 8HMMI-A.

Anyone have experiance with this board?

 

[mdzapeer]

Epox = good
PC Chips = very cheap budget junk ( something you would not even buy in a garage sale )

 

[Peter]

Ah, this attracts all the clueless bullsh*tters as expected. Guys, get a grip about how this industry works.

PC-Chips builds (and partly designs) mainboards for Abit, Shuttle, and many many others. Companies in the PC-Chips group itself include many you wouldn't think of, including ECS but also renowned server gear makers SuperMicro.

They're second largest behind ASUS, as long as you're not counting what they make for other brands. Being big in OEM business is a matter of manufacturing quality above everything else - and if they'd be making "cheap junk" as you all seem to claim, they wouldn't be anywhere as big.

 

[JEDIYoda]

To be totally honest most mobo manufactureres have a low budget version that they produce under another name.....for example ASRock is made by ASUS!!

Even though I am a big ASUS fan I would never ever touch an ASRock mobo!!

 

[mdzapeer]

I used a PC Chips system for 2 years, and all I can say is that it had HORRIBLE performance but at least it was stable, I would not even give this system to an enemy it was so slow, even simple web browsing was a pain.

 

[BTA]

I've always had good luck with ECS or PC Chips motherboards as long as they werent based on VIA or ALi

 

[justly]

A low end motherboard doesn?t mean it is going to fail, more than likely it just means it will not have as much documentation, firmware/BIOS updates or built in features.

Will one of these satisfy a gamer that overclocks and has benchmarks on the brain? no way.

Will it last and be stable? Probably, but there are other things to consider. A lot of people that choose this type of board also ?cheap out? on memory and power supplies, this will make any board have stability problems and could affect performance and longevity also.

A low end motherboard can give years of faithful service, or be your worst nightmare. It all depends on what you want out of it and how it is set up.

 

[Freejack2]

Actually PC Chips boards are pretty bad. The few I've had the misfortune to deal with have been pretty bad with failures or other issues.
I'd say spend a few dollars more and go for something at least middle of the road. I haven't dealt with Gigabyte, DFI, Soyo, or Biostar past p3 boards but I didn't have any real problems with them.

 

[imported_Kensai]

I wouldn't touch PC Chips or ECS with a 20 foot pole.

 

[Codegen]

Well, if they have to do with ECS, fvck 'em.

I remember my friend's computer she bought from the store. You could only run her 1700+ at 1.1ghz. Bump it up to 133mhz and it crashed.

Wroks just fine with her Biostar M7NCD .

 

[imported_Kensai]

Originally posted by: Codegen
Well, if they have to do with ECS, fvck 'em.

I remember my friend's computer she bought from the store. You could only run her 1700+ at 1.1ghz. Bump it up to 133mhz and it crashed.

Wroks just fine with her Biostar M7NCD .

:laugh:

 

[Steve]

Originally posted by: Codegen
Well, if they have to do with ECS, fvck 'em.

I remember my friend's computer she bought from the store. You could only run her 1700+ at 1.1ghz. Bump it up to 133mhz and it crashed.

Wroks just fine with her Biostar M7NCD .

This coming from someone whose screen name is the name of possibly the worst PSU brand you can buy. Hope your friend didn't use this on her board, they don't forgive you for using crap.

Justly, my sentiments exactly. I think they're just fine boards for anyone who's any good at building a PC.

 

[geecee]

For the most part, the 2 PC Chips boards I've encountered have worked fine if you didn't expect too much out of them. They really are just budget/value OEM boards. If you're going to set up a lower end system once and never touch it again, they're probably fine for most things. If you're going to tinker, OC, whatever, then they're probably not a good choice. I still have one of their Tualatin P3 boards running in a seldom used fileserver. I had the thing running 24/7 for like 6 months and had no problems. One day, I thought to try and set up the thing as a lowend/poor man's movie server so I tried to install a PCI video card that had a TV out (integrated VIA graphics, no AGP slot on the board). The board went crazy. Tried 3 different PCI cards (GF2 mx200, GF4 mx, FX5200) and no go. Tried changing BIOS settings, latest drivers, fresh XP install, emailing their tech "support" (HA!). Found PC Chips forums where people suggested different fixes and tried them all. A few hours of wasted effort later, I just gave up and left the system running on it's integrated video and have continued to have no problems with it since. Like many people, I think the PC Chips boards just dislike change.

 

[justly]

Originally posted by: Codegen
Well, if they have to do with ECS, fvck 'em.

I remember my friend's computer she bought from the store. You could only run her 1700+ at 1.1ghz. Bump it up to 133mhz and it crashed.

Wroks just fine with her Biostar M7NCD .

I know just what you mean.

One of my neighbors has a 266MHz FSB Duron that can only be run using a 200MHz FSB. Of course I don?t blame the cheap power supply, the RAM (probably pulled from a discarded OEM system) or even the processor itself. The blame must be due to the motherboard, by the way did I mention that it?s running on an ASUS motherboard?

What was your point again?

 

[Codegen]

I've never had a problem with Codegen (I was lost for a name when I picked it). It was just too damn loud. Hence why I went back to the Sparkle (Which lived up to it's name shortly after).

I personally wish I kept the Codegen.

She's been running on the Codegen ever since the K7S5A blew the L&C which was ~2 years ago. So it's doing well.

 

[Jank]

I just bought the CPU combo from Fry's - PC Chips m/b with 2800+ Sempron - $69.
This was the easiest system build ever - no problems at all.
Almost as fast as my main system ( AMD 3200+, DFI m/b).

 

[Fenuxx]

My uncle had a PC-Chips Pentium II board, and it was the WORST PILE OF CR@P I've EVER seen! If you so much as TOUCHED the motherboard ANYWHERE while it was running, the damn thing would crash, and take a complete power off to get back. I ended up fvcking it up completely by reseating the processor (NOT while it was on, mind you). It never booted again. Oh darn. I'm sure gonna miss that thing .