Motherboard Revisions Query

[AngelfireUk83]

Hi

I am looking to upgrading to AM3 from AM2+ I have seen a new Gigabyte Motherboard the GA-880GA-UD3H AMD 880G having been to the official website there's 3 different revisions 2.0, 2.1 & 2.2. Why do they release new revisions when the specs are the same do they just update certain tech parts say the onboard audio chip with a better version etc I mean it just makes it a little harder to get the latest revision dosnt it.

For example my board below it the 1st revision 1.0 yet theres a 2.0 version out and before I bought it the 2.0 was out for over a year yet I still got the 1.0 version I find it odd sometimes.

 

[DocClock aka MadClocker]

Newer revisions usually have some bug fix, or some added bios feature that the originals don't have...given the choice, I would always go for the latest revision.


Edit: I should add that the only time an earlier revision is desirable is if they remove a feature in future models. Edit:

 

[trents]

The trouble with trying to purchase the latest revision is that the vendors don't always specify which one you're getting. If it's on sale, it is likely the earlier revision before the bug fixes, if you get what I mean.

 

[QuietIce]

It is odd but, generally, I agree with what's been said so far. Sometimes it's a simple switch of some basic piece of hardware, like the sound chip. Sometimes it's a minor design change to maybe the power circuitry or something. Maybe a heatsink change if they were having problems with those. Could be anything they feel is a big enough change to warrant a revision number but may be almost nothing to the common end user.

Newer revisions usually have some bug fix, or some added bios feature that the originals don't have...given the choice, I would always go for the latest revision.


Edit: I should add that the only time an earlier revision is desirable is if they remove a feature in future models. Edit:

As a general rule the newer versions are better but there are exceptions. Having several A8N32's around I tested the two different versions of those and it turned out the older ones would clock considerably higher than the newer ones. I've had the old boards well above 350 MHz on the clock but all the newer ones tended to stall out around 325-330 MHz. Never knew what they changed but there were some heat problems when overclocking the first version - maybe their answer was to simply limit the clock somehow ...?

 

[=XAF=AfterShock]

I think they did limit the clocks on the 2nd revision, 300 was the highest I could go. Did the 1st rev have the mounting holes on the mobo? I remember checking out the compatible mobos for a zalman HSF and it only showed rev 2 for that mobo. I didn't think rev changes involved physical board changes like mounting holes or relocated mosfets or anything like that.

 

[QuietIce]

I think they did limit the clocks on the 2nd revision, 300 was the highest I could go. Did the 1st rev have the mounting holes on the mobo? I remember checking out the compatible mobos for a zalman HSF and it only showed rev 2 for that mobo. I didn't think rev changes involved physical board changes like mounting holes or relocated mosfets or anything like that.

Which post is that in reference ...?

 

[AngelfireUk83]

If I buy it I could always e-mail ebuyer the site I will order from and see if they would send out latest revision, heck you can even leave a note on the order to maybe ask for the latest revision so I could try that no harm in asking.

Thaks for the replies.