Hardware ECS A785GM-M Black Series Review

We check out an ECS micro-ATX AMD motherboard to see if this "Black Series" budget board buys you a decent backbone to a new PC.



http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/mo...ecs-785gm-m-black-series-motherboard-review/1

 

the first thing I thought was: "is that a DFI nf4 SLI-DR?"

 

Only 700MHz on the GPU? 785 can easily fly to 1100 with no extreme cooling, I've got a 780G (MA78GM-DS2H) which works on 1050 with stock heatsing (with a silent fan).

 

Imagine it in a Lego-mod case...

 

do 785GM boards support AMD BEMP?

 

I've not had much luck with any I've used to be honest. The four Ive used completely crap out at 800MHz, 750MHz is OK, but even the MSI I used recently didnt want to OC at all

I've... never checked to be honest. I've only ever heard it associated with 790FX parts, and even then - only Corsair has ever shown us one compatible part.

 

still wouldn't touch ecs with a ten foot pole...

 

My current ecs board is AWESOME for the price I paid brand new so maybe this will be my am3 upgrade? Unless somebody comes out with a cheap m-atx crossfire board

 

To be fair to ECS, my Asus M4A785D-Pro also has a northbridge heatsink held on with pushpins and springs, and it too was easy to accidentally push over when I was building it into a tight case. An Abit 780G board I built also had a crappy pushpin/spring arrangement. It seems to be the new fashion for all MB manufacturers to not secure these properly.

I wouldn't buy ECS. I may buy cheap ECS for someone else, who I'll never see again, and I'll never have to do tech support, but not for family/friends without a signed release waver!

As for the POST readout, I bought a cheap Chinese PCI card that does it. Another edge is also suitable for ISA slots if I want to break out a 486 computer for a play.