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EVGA nForce 650i Ultra Review - Page 5 of 5

CONCLUSION

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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Last Updated on April 25, 2007


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