Available motherboards that support Pentium-M

spiffy102 · Post by **spiffy102** » Fri Aug 12, 2005 3:02 pm

Hi

Having saddled myself with an noisy, difficult to upgrade laptop, if I've decided to take the plunge and build myself a near-silent desktop.

Looking through the site it seems like the best way to go is Pentium-M, pretty powerful, low wattage. I'm finding it hard to find which motherboard/cases are available for this - there certainly aren't very many.

The only I've found so far are:

AOpen i855
DFI's 855GME-MGF

They're both pretty expensive, and difficult to get in the UK. Are there any better suggestions?

Thanks

spiffy102 · Post by **spiffy102** » Fri Aug 12, 2005 3:49 pm

Looking into it, the ASUS CPU UPGRADE KIT CT-479 FOR INTEL PM seems like a good option? A whole load of Socket 478 cheap motherboards - and hopefully no effect on running temperature?

SpHeRe31459 · Post by **SpHeRe31459** » Fri Aug 12, 2005 4:20 pm

A couple of caveats to the ASUS adapter.

1. You need a board with BIOS support for the Pentium-M. Which basically means 3 specific ASUS models.

2. SpeedStep doesn't work since the desktop chipsets in the mobos aren't able to work with the P-M to clock itself down/up on demand.

cotdt · Post by **cotdt** » Fri Aug 12, 2005 4:20 pm

CT-479 is your best option. it's cheaper and has top performance.

skj · Post by **skj** » Fri Aug 12, 2005 4:36 pm

The AOpen i915GMm-HFS is on the front page right now. It's definitely not cheap, though.

happycoyote · Post by **happycoyote** » Fri Aug 12, 2005 5:44 pm

Two near future ATX solutions are the AOpens's i945Ga-PLF (http://www.aopen.nl/products/mb/) and the ECS PF88 motherboard with A9S (http://www.custompc.co.uk/custompc/revi ... -card.html) sorry about the long url's I'm quiet new to posting.

Shadowknight · Post by **Shadowknight** » Fri Aug 12, 2005 7:22 pm

You don't necessarily need a Pentium M to make an almost silent machine. It's a good idea with SFF or using one of those Home Theater cases, but I get perfectly fine temps in the rig in my signature, and I have the only 2 fans in my system at about 650-750rpm (with an unenclosed Samsung I put in last week, the gently whoosh masks the fan noise to the point where I can turn the fans up to 750rpm without hearing any more noise). Everything else is passive.

You don't even need a P180. My temps were actually a bit lower in my old 3700AMB withe same equipment with the grills punched.

spiffy102 · Post by **spiffy102** » Sat Aug 13, 2005 11:03 am

Which Asus boards can be used?

I got the impression that you needed to perform a BIOS upgrade on the mobo to get it to work, resulting in a ridiculous situation in which you needed a socket 478 chip before you could use the 479 adapter. Is this the case, or are specific mobo's already upgraded.

Which ones?

Thanks.

spiffy102 · Post by **spiffy102** » Tue Aug 16, 2005 1:31 am

SpHeRe31459 wrote:A couple of caveats to the ASUS adapter.

1. You need a board with BIOS support for the Pentium-M. Which basically means 3 specific ASUS models.

2. SpeedStep doesn't work since the desktop chipsets in the mobos aren't able to work with the P-M to clock itself down/up on demand.

Unfortunately the Asus website doesn't make clear which boards come BIOS upgraded. For example, they state that supported boards are the:

P4P800 SE BIOS 1008
P4P800-VM BIOS 1016
P4C800-E Deluxe BIOS 1021
P4GD1 BIOS 1005
P4GPL-X BIOS 0205

But are very specific about BIOS number - surely it is possible to buy an Asus mobo without the need for BIOS upgrades to make PentiumM work?

Mats · Post by **Mats** » Tue Aug 16, 2005 4:19 am

There's a very useful thread at xtremesystems.org about all compatible mobos and how to flash BIOS to make them work. There's also a thread about how to mount heatsinks. The site has been down for a couple of days now, don't know why.

I guess it's all about getting a mobo that's so new that it got the right BIOS. If you buy in a store maybe the staff can help you. Otherwise you just have find out which BIOS you need for the model you're looking at. Sometimes it's printed on the CMOS IC.

Asus motherboards together with an adapter is the most inexpensive solution by far, and the most overclocking friendly. I don't think it's too difficult finding a S478 CPU for flashing the BIOS.

SpeedStep doesn't work, but I think CrystalCPUID works on some models such as the P4P800 SE. You should read the thread I'm referring to, but it's still unavailable...

hmsrolst · Post by **hmsrolst** » Tue Aug 16, 2005 4:45 am

I have a number of systems running with the CT-479 adapters as well as two with the 855 AOPEN board. The ASUS solution is much less expensive, as well as more flexible (except with regard to using standard S478 HSF's).

I picked up a used S478 Celeron at Anandtech's For Sale forum to be able to flash boards. It cost $35 shipped. I suspect you could buy one there for a similar price and sell it after you flashed your board, if necessary.

Mikael · Post by **Mikael** » Tue Aug 16, 2005 4:45 am

Having built a desktop system with an Athlon64 Venice 3000+ the other day, I just have to recommend you to take a look at this awesome CPU. I couldn't believe how cool it ran! Even better, it runs at stock frequency on 1.1-1.2V and doesn't break 40C under load with a Zalman 7000AlCu on lowest RPM.

I don't think that an A64 3000+ on 1.8GHz and 1.2V uses much more power than a comparable Pentium-M. In other words, for a simple and cheap solution, this is definately the way to go.

I own a Pentium-M laptop, so I have some experience with them. Even so, this A64 really blew my mind with it's thermal characteristics! Heck, you can hardly feel the heatsink warm up...

Sorry, if this feels a little off topic.

EDIT: Forgot to add, the CPU is now overclocked to 2.25GHz on 1.3V. At this frequency (and with the Zalman still at lowest RPM), the CPU hasn't been higher than 42C during load. This is also with quite weak case ventilation, since we were aiming for a pretty quiet system.

~El~Jefe~ · Post by **~El~Jefe~** » Tue Aug 16, 2005 5:29 am

yeah i agree with the venice 1.8 ghz for a silent machine. it is SOOOO much cheaper.

if you really want to go silent, get a VIA k8t800 pro chipset board and a 1.8 venice. that thing wont use any power to run and be very stable. Buy the asus one and undervolt it .2, kinda standard for this machine, youll be happy im sure. Of course, a 2.13ghz PM would be much more powerful than this thing for most things considered but cost about 600 dollars at least more in total costs. shrugs.

also the venice can use the crappiest of ram and perform at the same level as great ram. really the cheap/cool way out.

Mats · Post by **Mats** » Tue Aug 16, 2005 4:51 pm

~El~Jefe~ wrote:yeah i agree with the venice 1.8 ghz for a silent machine. it is SOOOO much cheaper.

if you really want to go silent, get a VIA k8t800 pro chipset board and a 1.8 venice. that thing wont use any power to run and be very stable. Buy the asus one and undervolt it .2, kinda standard for this machine, youll be happy im sure. Of course, a 2.13ghz PM would be much more powerful than this thing for most things considered but cost about 600 dollars at least more in total costs. shrugs.

Whoah! Let's look at the facts instead of spreading the myth about PM being expensive. It's not like that anymore. While I'm an AMD fan I think this is unfair. You're comparing the cheapest A64 to the most expensive PM (the 2.26 GHz 780 is not available yet AFAIK)?? Let's look at some real numbers instead.
When checking shopping.com I see that a 3000+ goes for $138 and a 770 for $434. $300 diffeence. Comparable motherboards could be Asus P4P800 SE and Asus A8V, they both cost about $90. Then you need the adapter, $45. The difference is more like $340, not over $600.

Pick a more comparable 730 ($199) instead or a CM 370 ($119, yes, it's multiplier locked and "only" got 1 MB cache, works for me.)
PM used to be an expensive desktop solution until Asus CT-479 showed up. The only thing that has been missing is a PM/CM that matches the 3000+ in price. The new CM 380 (1.6 GHz) does that.

Dothan @ CT-479 - howto and fixes. (The info about Bootblock flashing seems very important.)

hmsrolst · Post by **hmsrolst** » Wed Aug 17, 2005 5:04 am

Mats wrote: Whoah! Let's look at the facts instead of spreading the myth about PM being expensive.

FYI, there's somebody who has 14 755's (2.0GHz/400FSB) on ebay selling them for $236.50 each shipped. So the difference between this and a comparable AMD is ?

Mariner · Post by **Mariner** » Wed Aug 17, 2005 9:20 am

The main problem is mounting the heatsink, I'd guess. The advantage of going with Venice is you can use all of the socket 939 coolers as designed (motherboard caps permitting, of course!). It's a little more tricky fitting a decent heatsink on the Pentium M's at the moment I believe?

mc2wheels · Post by **mc2wheels** » Wed Aug 17, 2005 9:49 am

Celeron M does not support speed step and is in no way comparable to the A64 3000+. And as stated earlier, a motherboard with a CT-479 also does not support speedstep. With an A64 3000+ you have a real chip that can really perform. I like the idea of a pentium-m desktop especially for an HTPC, but it just doesn't make sense yet. As soon as someone makes a board that supports the chips natively, supports speed step, and has a generic cooling system that supports aftermarket coolers, then I will be on that band wagon. Aopen was so close -- ignoring the price of course. Until then, I am afraid that this is a poor solution. Go Venice core right now.

Mats · Post by **Mats** » Thu Aug 18, 2005 9:10 am

mc2wheels wrote:Celeron M does not support speed step and is in no way comparable to the A64 3000+. And as stated earlier, a motherboard with a CT-479 also does not support speedstep.

Told you so...
Who needs lower multiplier on a 1.6 GHz CM? Not really running hot anyway.
For PM, who needs SpeedStep when you've got CrystalCPUID?
Ok, You can't fit all heatsinks easily, but at least Zalman CNPS 7x00 and Thermalright XP series. That's enough for me since I only use one heatsink.

Mariner · Post by **Mariner** » Fri Sep 30, 2005 12:58 am

A competitor for the expensive AOpen board:

An expensive MSI board!

Looks as though it uses the standard P4 mounting mechanism which may give more options as regards a cooler. Just a pity it's so damn expensive.

frostedflakes · Post by **frostedflakes** » Fri Sep 30, 2005 1:54 am

Nice. With a P4 mounting bracket, I'm sure many on here will be able to justify cost.

dago · Post by **dago** » Fri Sep 30, 2005 3:32 am

Here are all the native s479 mainboard I can get on the swiss e-shops, with price tag in euro (incl. local VAT of 7.6%). I guess all those boards should also be available in other european countries.

AOpen i855GMEm-LFS @165€
AOpen i915Ga-HFS @245€
AOpen i915GMm-HFS @230€
DFI 855GME-MGF @210€
DFI-ACP G5M100-N @260€ (mini-ITX)
MSI 915GM Speedster-FA4 @185€

So, it seems the MSI is the most interesting solution, i915, PCI-Express, P4 mounting bracked and lowest price tag.

BTW, I am also now looking at that, but I think I'll stick with AMD to avoid paying too much for few difference.

Bar81 · Post by **Bar81** » Fri Sep 30, 2005 7:43 am

Why don't you just get the Asus P4DG1 and the CT-479 kit. It's the best performing and cheapest option if you want PCI-E

Available motherboards that support Pentium-M

Available motherboards that support Pentium-M

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