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Whats Wrong With the IS7?

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whoever

Member
Joined
Aug 11, 2004
Location
Orange County
I was woundering. Whats wrong with the IS7? I ran a search and looked though all 17 threads and most responses went

user 1: Whats the diffrence
user 2: I am woundering too
user 1 : I bought the IC7
user 3: I agree

but I can't find out why. I could afford the IC7 but i'd rather not, the IS7 is right in my price range. So whats wrong with it? and I don't care about gigabit ethernet. I can't find the diffrence. So what's the deal.

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=13-127-152&depa=0
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=13-127-156&depa=0
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=13-127-155&depa=0


or

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=13-127-152&depa=0

and whats the best is7 they all seem pretty much the same to me.
 
whoever said:
I was woundering. Whats wrong with the IS7? I ran a search and looked though all 17 threads and most responses went

user 1: Whats the diffrence
user 2: I am woundering too
user 1 : I bought the IC7
user 3: I agree

but I can't find out why. I could afford the IC7 but i'd rather not, the IS7 is right in my price range. So whats wrong with it? and I don't care about gigabit ethernet. I can't find the diffrence. So what's the deal.

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=13-127-152&depa=0
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=13-127-156&depa=0
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=13-127-155&depa=0
or
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=13-127-152&depa=0

and whats the best is7 they all seem pretty much the same to me.
It is the 865 chipset(IS7) vs the 875 chipset (IC7). Although there have been some mem performance enhancements to the 865, it is still arguably not as well implimented as the Intel native PAT on the 875 chipset. Also, although the IS7 has SATA ports, you cannot use them in RAID. You may not think that is important now, but my RAID really helps me load large programs.

Here are two alternatives. The first is the IC7 without the gigabit lan. Just go buy a $10.00 lan card and you are set.
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=240119

Or this one. It is 865, but PAT works on some mem settings. Plus it has built in lan and RAID. Some ppl consider it a better mobo than the IC7 or IS7.
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=13-127-164&depa=0
 
Of the three you linked (IC7-G, IS7-E, and IS7), the IS7-E has the least features. Only 2 SATA channels and no RAID. The IS7 is the same except it has RAID. The IC7 uses the i875 chipset, has Gigabit LAN, 4 SATA channels, and RAID. Like Bigstan said, if you decide to get one of the i865 chipset mobos, consider the AI7. It's a good overclocker and has higher vdimm settings... up to 3.2v.
 
I hated my AI7, it was very finnicky about memory. I have one of the handful of IS7's that have gigabit LAN, but it doesn't make any difference with my DSL connection over a 10/100 adaptor. My IS7 is a smoking overclocker. Much better than my AI7 ever was.
 
okay first off, Im limited on PCI ports, also, I use a PCI sS-ATA RAID card to releive my poor cpu.

5800 Ultra (newegg refurb $110) (2 slots)
Raid Card
PCI vid carpture card
Sound Card
and then I havee a WC pump that blocks off the last slot

So there is no room for pci ethernet. Plus I don't need gigabit. I don't do LAN, and the net isn't even close. i just need 10/100

So its picky with Memory, but what about OC? I have dual channel DDR400 from Mushkind, Im not running Generic.


I'd say that the A17 is my max budget, if thats going to make the diffrence on an OC, then great, but other wise the Is7, I do now thing that the AC7 is out of my price range, but I could do the IS7 or the A17.
 
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I never had a IS7. I've heard mostly good and a little bad about them. But, that's about the same with any mobo. I've had 2 AI7 mobos and still have one. Both have been good overclockers. Even though both IS7 and AI7 are i865 chipsets, the AI7 has been slightly redesigned. The CPU socket is turned 45 degrees for better trace alignment and there were several other minor improvements.

What I love about the AI7 is that it has true working and stable vdimm up to 3.2v. The IS7 is limited to 2.8v. Extra vdimm allows higher RAM overclocks and tighter RAM timings. One thing with the AI7 and Mushkin, the default vdimm is really low and sometimes with Mushkin when you first boot, it don't like the low voltage. Either first boot with one stick and up the vdimm a little, or start out with different RAM at first and up the vdimm.
 
If you're looking to save money on components, I recommend you look at NewEgg's refurbished dept. I got both my IC7-Max3 and AI7 there, and they're both good boards. When they have them (you have to look often, stock changes), the AI7 should be about $80 or less. I think that's a good deal. My AI7 is my fastest board (not by FSB), mostly due to working vdimm settings to 3.2v and the ability to tweak memory settings for my Mushkin BH5s (which is one type of memory GAT settings actually work with). Good luck with whatever you choose.
 
Okay so looking at the Is7 and the A17, they are exaclty the same and they both have the same chipsets. Is the only diffrence RAM voltage? What about MOSFETS?

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=13-127-174&depa=0
IS7-E2 this one has no spdif and onlyu two ram slots-865E + ICH5 =$76

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=13-127-156&depa=0
IS7-E this one has 4 ram slots and a spdif, 865PE + ICH5 = $76

So I really don't know why those two are the same price but whatever.

And then besides the edition of FIreWire, I guess the A17 is them same except that it allows higher VDIMM?

and if so then I will probably buy the IS7!
 
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there isn't much difference between the S-7 and C-7 I have 1 S-7 and three C-7's tow max 2's and one max3........Depending on what kind of memory you run and your setting.will set the pack for any of these boards. I say for my onw oppion that the
S-7 holds up just as good as the max 2's.
By the way all of my boards are modded with southbridge h/s and fans,mosfets heatsinked along with the clock gen.......... They all preform flawless............
 
Thats kind fo the conclusion I've come to, Im really not into overclocking ram since I've only tried it once and then burned it out, but I might want to OC the ram a year from now, so i don't know. I will see how my $$ flow ends up,


if im low on cash?
3.0E and a is7

Just right on Case
3.2E and a A17

To much cash?
It doesn't happen
 
I was looking at these boards to as a replacement for my dfi infinity 865pe and I think I would go with the IS7. The IS7 G seems to be discontinued b/c I cant seem to find it new anywhere. The IS7 is cheaper than the AI7 but you dont get the uGuru and the jack sensing audio ports, I could live without those.
 
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