The EVGA nForce 650i Ultra motherboard proved to be a reliable and stable motherboard during the
short testing period while owning up to my limited experiences with the chipset this board
is based on. I can recommend this board to the gamer/enthusiast who is not looking
for all the whistles and bangs that come with the high-end models.
The person who
just wants something straight-forward and dependable, simple, but can perform
to expectations that are not too high. Combined with a good Intel Duo processor
and with the price drop in PC6400 ram those expectations can be realized for not
a lot of money. The Ultra is for the value seeker with an entry price of $99 that
hopefully will drop even lower.
ADDENDUM
I could not resist providing some sort of cooling after taking several temperature
readings of the naked SB NF-430 chip just setting uncovered on the board hot to
the touch.
Southbridge w/Installed Heatsink
In my collection I found a heatsink that I acquired from somewhere unknown complete
with spring-loaded push-pins of correct dimensions to line up with the pre-drilled
holes in the motherboard. I dabbed a spot of AS5 to the core of the chip and set
the heatsink on top and snapped the push-pins in place.
NB Heatsink Modded with Fan
Next, I rummaged through another parts bin and came up with a small discarded Akasa
40mm fan that I installed on top of the stock NB heatsink with four screws. It's
a lighted fan but what the heck, no one will notice as the P180 does not have a
window. What are the results? How about a 10-12C drop on the NB temps at full throttle.
That puts the temps in the low 40C range for the NB. Now measuring the temps of
the SB off the base of the newly installed heatsink gives a reading of 48C at the
end of 17 minutes of running Super PI, a drop of approximately 10C. What does that
equate to? Only time will tell but lets say preliminary results have indicated the
overclock may be at a level that would rival some considerably more expensive motherboards
and I still have the stock Intel cooler on the CPU which is now holding me back.
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