ECS Readies LGA1155 Motherboard with Lucid Hydra

[btarunr]

ECS is designing an upper-mid range socket LGA1155 motherboard based on the Intel P67 Express chipset, ready with upcoming Sandy Bridge processors, called the P67H2-A. A pre-release version was shown to the press. The highlight here is ECS' use of the LucidLogix Hydra Engine chip that lets the motherboard mix and match graphics cards of different makes and types. The CPU is powered by a 14-phase VRM, it is wired to four DDR3 DIMM slots for dual-channel memory, speeds of up to 2600 MHz are supported by overclocking. Expansion slots include three PCI-Express 2.0 x16 (likely x16, x16, NC / x16, x8, x8, thanks to the Hydra chip), and two each of PCI-E x1 and PCI. Four out of six of the SATA 3 Gb/s ports from the P67 PCH are assigned as internal ports (color-coded orange), two SATA 6 Gb/s controllers give out two ports internal (color-coded red). Connectivity includes 8-channel HD audio, dual gigabit Ethernet, two NEC USB 3.0 controllers that give out two ports on the rear panel and two for the front-panel via header, eSATA 6 Gb/s, and a number of USB 2.0 ports. The final version may look slightly different, of course those jumper wires won't be there.



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[RejZoR]

ECS is really pushing it to become a big motherboard player. I mean, they used to be very passive back then, but today they are making some pretty decent boards.

 

[entropy13]

I've seen motherboards with 3 colors used for slots (RAM, PCI-E, etc.), but 4? lol

 

[_JP_]

Wohoo! Loose wires!

I've seen motherboards with 3 colors used for slots (RAM, PCI-E, etc.), but 4? lol

Well, it certainly doesn't look dull.

 

[BUCK NASTY]

Wohoo! Loose wires!

Well, it certainly doesn't look dull.

Apparently they have had to employ some jumper wires. At least we know it functional.

 

[theonedub]

The black series boards look nice, this one is a little busy

 

[scaminatrix]

this one is a little busy

Does look a little cramped doesn't it? At first glance I thought it was a micro ATX, probably because the heatsinks dwarf the bottom half of the board.

Looks functional, though.

 

[bear jesus]

I have to agree, ECS is really making a push for the enthusiast market with better and better products and i would hope with better support.

 

[FreedomEclipse]

ECS is really pushing it to become a big motherboard player. I mean, they used to be very passive back then, but today they are making some pretty decent boards.

I have to agree, ECS is really making a push for the enthusiast market with better and better products and i would hope with better support.

IMO theres plenty of room on the motherboard market. with the decline of DFI and the Demise of BFGtech theres a huge gap to fill. but Im guessing they also have a little motivation from FOXCONN - a brand that until the last year or so mainly focused on OEM market so werent that well known and as poplular as some of the bigger names out there.

they have big boots to fill

 

[bear jesus]

IMO theres plenty of room on the motherboard market. with the decline of DFI and the Demise of BFGtech theres a huge gap to fill. but Im guessing they also have a little motivation from FOXCONN - a brand that until the last year or so mainly focused on OEM market so werent that well known and as poplular as some of the bigger names out there.

they have big boots to fill

I would hope that everyone will agree there is room for more as more high end compition will push other companys to try and one up the other top end boards but also push down prices (i hope lol).

 

[FreedomEclipse]

I would hope that everyone will agree there is room for more as more high end compition will push other companys to try and one up the other top end boards but also push down prices (i hope lol).

Ive read previews of up n coming ECS boards, theres a lot of talk about the boards being fairly good but let down by a really really really bad bios's - so theres still room for improvement for ECS before they can run with the rest of the pack

 

[bear jesus]

Ive read previews of up n coming ECS boards, theres a lot of talk about the boards being fairly good but let down by a really really really bad bios's - so theres still room for improvement for ECS before they can run with the rest of the pack

Yea the one major complaint i have heard from users is the lack of bios updates but i would hope that part of the push for the high end includes better bios support and hopefully customer support (if they need it, i can't comment on that myself).

 

[xaira]

it would be soo funny if these come out and intel announces that they are actually compatible with 1156

 

[_JP_]

it would be soo funny if these come out and intel announces that they are actually compatible with 1156

Too bad Intel has already officially announced that LGA 1156 and LGA 1155 are not compatible with each other due to number of pins and socket notches.
Those kind of ideas come from AMDs department, pal.

 

[cool_recep]

Ive read previews of up n coming ECS boards, theres a lot of talk about the boards being fairly good but let down by a really really really bad bios's - so theres still room for improvement for ECS before they can run with the rest of the pack

Totally agreed. They suck at updating BIOS...mmm they don't update Proof: Check their X58B-A high end board...it was not even able to boot properly...

 

[pantherx12]

Crappy bioses on nice loooking mother-boards, wow they really are trying to be like foxconn!

 

[WarEagleAU]

Loving ECS boards lately but agreed with their BIOS. And also, what happened with DFI?

 

[bear jesus]

Loving ECS boards lately but agreed with their BIOS. And also, what happened with DFI?

DFI is gone

I have had a few of their boards over the years and loved them, a shame to see them go but i really hope ECS can catch up with the other top board makers but right now it looks like bios support is the major thing they need to work on as they keep showing off some very nice looking boards.

 

[FreedomEclipse]

Loving ECS boards lately but agreed with their BIOS. And also, what happened with DFI?

DFI is gone

I have had a few of their boards over the years and loved them, a shame to see them go but i really hope ECS can catch up with the other top board makers but right now it looks like bios support is the major thing they need to work on as they keep showing off some very nice looking boards.

DFI isnt gone - they have decided to withdraw from the general consumer market and focus on the Industry/OEM side of the market instead.

in most interviews with tech websites that have sent reporters over to find out what happend to them, they have been very vague about whats going on with DFI,

but one thing I am certain about is that the whole market withdraw spawned from one of the head/lead designers leaving DFI - but overall i think they have lost a fair few staff but they wont admit to it openly. but who knows - if they manage to pick up the right people in the future - their mobo's may well be on the shelves again

 

[cheezburger]

i thought ECS is just some random little flies that only make some crappy OEM board for dell and HP....

but this board look just sexy........

 

[bear jesus]

DFI isnt gone - they have decided to withdraw from the general consumer market and focus on the Industry/OEM side of the market instead.

in most interviews with tech websites that have sent reporters over to find out what happend to them, they have been very vague about whats going on with DFI,

but one thing I am certain about is that the whole market withdraw spawned from one of the head/lead designers leaving DFI - but overall i think they have lost a fair few staff but they wont admit to it openly. but who knows - if they manage to pick up the right people in the future - their mobo's may well be on the shelves again

Oh i never realised, i had just seen a lot of people on other forums saying DFI is dead, but im still sad about it as if they are focusing on OEM then no more boards for me.

 

[bear jesus]

i thought ECS is just some random little flies that only make some crappy OEM board for dell and HP....

but this board look just sexy........

ECS has made a lot of OEM boards for quite a while but they have also been making retail boards for a while yet they always seamed to be lower end/cheap boards, they have recently been making a push into the higher end market and i think they will be there very soon with more and more boards like this being made, i have to admit i never would have considered an ECS before recently and now i am looking at each of their new releases/upcoming boards to see what they offer and hopefully they will get better wit their bios support as if they do i would definatly consider them for a future motherboard.

 

[FreedomEclipse]

Oh i never realised, i had just seen a lot of people on other forums saying DFI is dead, but im still sad about it as if they are focusing on OEM then no more boards for me.

Its just FUD - not everyone knows what happend to DFI - its anybodys guess what happend to DFI and it pretty much seems like they died as they werent too open about sharing what was going on with the company. their not dead - more like in limbo. they planned to make more mobos but when the chief mobo designer left it kinda bought DFI back down to earth with a big thump. I dont know why they didnt bother trying to hire another lead designer or have one of the other designers step up and fill the chiefs shoes. but maybe they tried all that and they just couldnt find anyone suitable for the position.

they'l still be lurking around - but making boards for enterprise server units n anything else that fits under the industry label.

thats all i know unfortunately, thats all ive read as DFi werent willing to share anymore info

 

[Kantastic]

Since we're speaking of Foxconn, ECS, DFI, and OEM motherboards, how come Foxconn doesn't just sell motherboards to OEM's themselves rather than to companies like DFI/ECS/ASUS? I recall Foxconn being a major motherboard manufacturer who makes motherboards for DFI/ECS/ASUS and a handful of other brands like Gigabyte & MSI.

 

[FreedomEclipse]

Since we're speaking of Foxconn, ECS, DFI, and OEM motherboards, how come Foxconn doesn't just sell motherboards to OEM's themselves rather than to companies like DFI/ECS/ASUS? I recall Foxconn being a major motherboard manufacturer who makes motherboards for DFI/ECS/ASUS and a handful of other brands like Gigabyte & MSI.

they did - back in the old days when windows 98 was new and bios's for OEM branded machines had their bios's locked down to the most basic options. I dont know if they still do now though as those days are over and bigger brands in PC hardware have emerged meaning that people have some savvy about what their getting, and would rather their pre-built machine be shipped with an Asus motherboard then some brand thats less heard of among consumers n teckheads. either that or OEM companys just got used to shipping systems with better quality/more reliable hardware