ECS sold a K7SEM combo board with attached CPU that stated it was a 1200, but as you point out really wasn't. This board is still available at very low price but is not even fully compatible with the true K7SEM board (bios issues). You can easily tell this board because it doesn't have an PCI slots and the color of the board is red! I was not aware of PC Chips selling such a creature.
The MB and CPU I ordered from EconPC were ordered together, but weren't a combo. The CPU is an actual boxed set Duron 1200, so unless AMD has started to ship and label them otherwise, I'm pretty sure it is a true 1200 (note, there was a design change in Durons greater than 1Ghz that vastly improves performance). The MB takes Duron through XP CPUs, so I don't think it's overclocking a slower chip to make up the speed difference. My understanding of the ECS board was that it was a custom configuration for a low end OEM. What is now available through the supply chain is over stock (these are the very, very low price ECS/Duron 1200 combos on PriceWatch). Again, the easiest way to tell is to ask if there are PCI slots and if the board is red (or can the CPU be replaced). If the answers are no, yes and no, then it is the suspect board. I always buy from a reputable dealer and make sure I know what I'm getting (and it's returnable) before ordering. Thanks for the info, though. Joeb -------Original Message------- From: Charlie <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: 12/30/02 01:38 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [newbie] PC Chips 810LR motherboard results > > On December 29, 2002 07:11 pm, Joeb wrote: <snip> > > In short, I would like to say that if you are looking for a low-cost system > board/cpu and don't require a lot of expansion slots, you may want to check > out the PC Chips 810LR. > > Joeb Joe; I've had a few "run-ins" with a local shop regarding this SIS730 chip-set motherboard and a "Duron 1200+" or "Duron 1200 Pro" label. What I found was a bit aggravating. It also reaffirmed my personal conviction never to own anything by ECS or PC Chips. YMMV. Background; A friend was also in upgrade mode; but being on a fixed (low) income he bought the parts he could afford, then called me to "help him make a computer" out of it. The motherboard is an ECS K7SEM, it uses the same chip-set and 'advertising philosophy' that PC Chips uses on labelling. The upshot of the whole thing was that what he thought was a Duron 1200 was actually a Duron 850 running the default core clock timing but a slightly faster bus speed for an actual clock speed of 892 MHz. This pissed me (and him I suppose) off so I did some checking. Both ECS and PC Chips were doing this until (maybe still are) recently and it ain't right IMHO. From ECS Support in reference to my queries: "The BIOS posted on the ECS web site shows the real CPU ID which is a Duron/850MHZ, you need to contact your vendor regarding the old BIOS because they might have modified it showing the performance rating of 1200 instead of the real CPU ID. The BIOS release date: 2002/08/01 will give you an option to select the CPU speed but since the Duron CPU is 200MHZ base, you need to setup the CPU clock to 100 not 133." >From AMD re.: my queries: "Hello, Thank you for contacting AMD. Yes, AMD is aware of ECS, and PC Chips bundling Duron 850's with these boards and listing them as " "1200's. Please not that the Model #ing methodology was not intended to be applied to the Duron processors. We are currently looking into the issue. However, at this point your concern would be best aimed at ECS, for clarification on why they are misleading their customers. Please stay posted to our website for the latest information. Regards, Ryan Gardner CPU Specialist AMD TSC" So I guess my question is did they get you too? Did you actually get what was advertised or is it a "performance rated" CPU? Don't misinterpret what I've been saying here please. I'm glad you have a higher performance machine now and that the transition was so smooth. An 850 Duron still cooks versus a K62 500, but I'm always a bit suspicious of budget brand hardware with delusions of performance added by advertising drones. In the market the way it stands today (or any other day) there's no reason to outright _lie_ to customers, is there? I hope you enjoy the new machine. Regards; -- Charlie Edmonton,AB,Canada Registered user 244963 at http://counter.li.org We are stronger than our skin of flesh and metal, for we carry and share a spectrum of suns and lands that lends us legends as we craft our immortality and interweave our destinies of water and air, leaving shadows that gather color of their own, until they outshine the substance that cast them. >
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