ASRock Designs Six Core-Ready AM3 Motherboard Based on AMD 480X Chipset (circa 2007)

[btarunr]

ASRock is known for innovations in the motherboard industry that are borderline-wacky and defy the norm. For example, the socket AM2 motherboard based on the six year old NVIDIA nForce 3 chipset that supports Phenom II series (read here), or a socket 939 motherboard based on the more recent AMD 780G chipset (originally meant for AM2+/AM3 platforms) called the 939A785GMH-128M, or the numerous examples of older Intel 900 series chipsets supporting Core 2 processors. Perhaps this is ASRock's way of clearing new old-stock chipsets from manufacturers, by giving them a lease of life. The latest such creation is the M3A UCC.

This socket AM3 motherboard supports all AM3 processors including six-core ones, and DDR3 memory at speeds of up to 1800 MHz, is based on the AMD 480X, one of AMD's first discrete graphics chipsets after it took over ATI. The 480X was meant to be a value discrete graphics chipset with dual x8 lane CrossFire support. It is paired with the SB600 southbridge that gives out four SATA 3 Gb/s ports. Expansion slots include PCI-Express 1.1 x16, two PCI-E x1, and three PCI. Six channel audio, Gigabit Ethernet, USB 2.0, serial and parallel ports, make the rest of it. The UCC chip lets you unlock disabled cores on X3 and Phenom II X2 processors. The idea behind this product could be to deliver an inexpensive motherboard that just works. This further validates the point that any AMD chipset since nForce 3 can support any AMD desktop processor with IMC made till date, if motherboard vendors fine-tune their business interests to think more like ASRock.



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[MohawkAngel]

That seems to be good. But other than the DDR3 other specs are more tha normal. With my Asus M4A785-M I got better specs in slots, connectors and chipset and also able to handle the 6 cores. For under 100$ . Good review but little bit outdated by some other motherboards.

 

[btarunr]

That seems to be good. But other than the DDR3 other specs are more tha normal. With my Asus M4A785-M I got better specs in slots, connectors and chipset and also able to handle the 6 cores. For under 100$ . Good review but little bit outdated by some other motherboards.

This is more like a $40~$75 motherboard if not more. It almost completely makes use of new-old-stock components. You still get to unlock cores, and get ASRock's "instant boot" feature.

 

[1Kurgan1]

Very... interesting, wonder how many will really buy this. If the price is right, it should be nice.

 

[MohawkAngel]

Auss have the same boot feature with Express Gate. Never used Asrock tought.

 

[GSquadron]

Stupid idea

 

[MohawkAngel]

Stupid idea

Ok but what is a stupid idea? Be more specific when you leave comments lol

 

[Esse]

Stupid idea

I think its a great idea.

Make a motherboard that is inexpensive and still works with today's hardware. Sure its not for everyone but it'll suite the budget conscious.

 

[filip007]

6-core support
unlock core support

I had Crossfire version of 480x but those chips are not that fast, maybe with new 45nm, maybe good for Linux and cost about the same than new chips so what's the point. It's support unlocking the core, how can this be?, than all supports that but blocked from BIOS, maybe can someone write a software for that.

 

[HillBeast]

On first look it seems like a stupid ideas, but it's actually a pretty clever way of getting rid of old stock. I sure hope it doesn't spark AMD to start reproducing the chipset though, but I doubt they'd be dumb enough to do that.

Nice work AsRock thinking of ways to not fill our landfills with unused chips.

 

[brandonwh64]

UCC "Unlock CPU Core" is a thing ASRock has implemented in here 8xx series boards that is there own design of the orginal ACC but from what i herd it has better coding and indexing to make the unlocked core more stable. from what i herd, AMD took out the ACC function with 8xx series boards but companys like ASRock have there own system of unlocking which is still a huge PLUS!

ASRock has really stepped it up from the AM2/775 days. There newer 780 and up boards are really solid and can do impressive OCs. The ASRock board i have in my HTPC will Unlock and OC the Phenom II 720 chip i got from cadavea just as much as his crosshair III did.

 

[Mussels]

sounds like a good way to make cheap OEM systems for AM3

 

[AlienIsGOD]

AsRock is always thinking outside the box.

 

[_JP_]

Forgot to mention my board, btarunr.
This one seems to be better designed, in terms or connector placement, than other ASRock "special" boards. But it's definitely a good idea for a budget board.
Might just get one if the price is right.

 

[xtremesv]

There are a lot of people out there who don’t know anything about the chipset they have right now. They’re more worried about the CPU and memory support. Certainly, the target market of this kind of motherboard is not the performance or the enthusiast consumers but for people on a budget is a good deal.

 

[JrRacinFan]

I like this ALOT! If t's up to the task of keeping any of the Phenom II/Athlon II line of cpu's @ 3.4Ghz or above, I may migrate back and use one of these.

 

[MilkyWay]

If its reliable why not use it for a lower end or OEM system? It has a lot of features sure.

Im pretty sure i had a crossfire MSI board with those chipsets years ago.

 

[t77snapshot]

These boards with be great for budget crunchers.

 

[Gjohnst4]

Good Idea AsRock!

 

[GSquadron]

Because the idea totally depends on the price and asrock wont make a lot of money with this "invention"

 

[Robert-The-Rambler]

But they already have this board

I think it is also AMD 6 core ready and has a full speed 16x 2.0 graphics slot. (It also supports 140 watt CPUs) I don't get the whole back to the future approach. This board is only $60 based on the Geforce 8200 and is sold out at Newegg. I love the board and will use it in the future probably with one of my 4850 X2s when I no longer need them in my more gaming oriented rigs.

ASRock K10N78 AM2+/AM2 NVIDIA GeForce 8200 ATX AMD...

Anyhow there are other choices from Asrock which I really like that also offer better potential and a similar price.

 

[mastrdrver]

So wait, they give you half the HT Link speed you get with any 7 series chipset and throw in the SB600 and everyone thinks this is good?

Really, how many people would buy this over some other board based on a 7xx/710 setup? There is no way that board will be cheap enough to justify it over any 7xx board (in the States at least).

 

[Mussels]

So wait, they give you half the HT Link speed you get with any 7 series chipset and throw in the SB600 and everyone thinks this is good?

Really, how many people would buy this over some other board based on a 7xx/710 setup? There is no way that board will be cheap enough to justify it over any 7xx board (in the States at least).

because the half speed HT link wont mean squat if its just going to be used as an office computer on the cheapest AM3 chips you can find.

 

[mastrdrver]

Even office pcs need speed! lol

 

[H82LUZ73]

They are just proven what AMD said in 07 all new cpus will be supported on AM2/AM2+/AM3 boards,Hell my M3A79-t Deluxe just got 6core support.Along with the Am32MVP-WIFI Deluxe which uses SB600.