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Gigabyte GA-P35-DQ6 Review
[Abstract]
IntroductionWhen Intel first launched their P965 (Broadwater) chipset, the first motherboard we managed to get our hands on was the Gigabyte GA-965P-DQ6, an over-engineered motherboard with a v...
[Content] PCDigitalMobileGame
Introduction
When Intel first launched their P965 (Broadwater) chipset, the first motherboard we managed to get our hands on was the Gigabyte GA-965P-DQ6, an over-engineered motherboard with a very heavy marketing clout on some questionable features touted as the 6-Quad technologies (Read the original review here). Still, we found it to be an impressive example of an enthusiast motherboard with great overclockability. Of course, motherboard overclocking expectations have been completely changed since then, but when Intel launched their new generation P35 chipset, Gigabyte followed suit with a full refresh of their Ultra Durable series, aptly named the Ultra Durable 2.
The Gigabyte GA-P35-DQ6 motherboard. |
Just as how the GA-965P-DQ6 was the flagship of the Ultra Durable series, a new 'DQ6' board would take the helm of the Ultra Durable 2 line. However, due to the nature of the P35 chipset, Gigabyte has two models in production, the DDR2-only GA-P35-DQ6 and the DDR3 variant, GA-P35T-DQ6. This review covers the DDR2 board. Ironically, the GA-P35-DQ6 was also the very first P35 motherboard we previewed here on www.hardwarezone.com, but after a string of P35 reviews, including both the mainstream Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3R and GA-P35C-DS3R, it is only now that we are actually able to bring you a full review of this updated flagship.
Gigabyte GA-P35-DQ6 Technical Specifications
| CPUSupport | - Supportsall 90nm/65nm Intel LGA775processors
- 45nm ready (Wolfdale & Yorkfield)
- Quad-CoreOptimized
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| Chipset | - Northbridge:Intel P35
- 533 / 800 /1066 / 1333MHz front side bus
- PCI Express x16 forgraphics
- Southbridge:IntelICH9R
- Intel HighDefinition Audio
- Supports six PCIExpress x1 lanes
- Supports up to twelve USB 2.0ports
- Supports six SATA 3.0Gbps ports (with Matrix StorageTechnology)
- Integrated 10/100/1000Mbps MAC
| | Memory | - Supports fourunbuffered DIMM of 1.8 Volt DDR2 SDRAM
- Supports1066/800/677/533dual channel DDR2 memoryarchitecture
| | Storage | - Intel ICH9RSouthbridge
- 6 x SATA 3.0Gbpsinterface
- Intel MatrixStorage Technology
- Supports RAID 0,RAID 1, RAID 0+1, RAID 5, RAID 10
- GigabyteSATA2 (JMicronJMB363)
- 1 x UltraATA33/66/100/133 (data transfer rate up to133MB/sec.)
- 2 x SATA 3.0Gbps interface(eSATA)
- SATA RAID 0, RAID1 and JBOD
| | Audio | - Intel High DefinitionAudio (Azalia)
- Realtek ALC889A HDAudio CODEC
- Protected path contentencryption/decryption (Microsoft WLP 3.0 compliant)
- Opticaland coaxial S/PDIF
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| Networking | - RealtekRTL8111B PCIe Gigabit Ethernet
| | IEEE 1394 (FireWire) | - TexasInstrument TSB43AB23 FireWire controller
- 3 x 1394aports @ 400 Mbps speed
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| I/O Interface | - 1x Floppy connector
- 1 x Ultra ATAIDE connectors
- 8 x SATAconnectors
- 12 x USB 2.0ports (4 x rear, 8 x header)
- 1 xRJ45 LANport
- 1 x FireWire-400 port
- 1 xOptical S/PDIFOutput
- 1 x Coaxial S/PDIFOutput
- 8-Channel Audio I/Oports
- 1 x Parallel port
- 1 x COMport
- 1 xmini-DIN-6 PS/2keyboard port
- 1 x mini-DIN-6 PS/2 mouse port
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| Expansion Slots | - 2 xPCIe x16slots,PCI Express Bus specification v1.1compliant
- 3 x PCIe x1slots, PCIExpress Bus specification v1.1compliant
- 2 x 32-bitPCI slots,PCI 2.3 compliant
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| Special Features | - Gigabyte6-Quad Design
- GigabyteUltra Durable 2
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| PCB | - ATX Form Factor, 12"x9.6"(30.5cm x 24.4cm)
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Rear I/O panel is packed to the brim with legacy PS/2 keyboard and mouse ports, parallel and serial ports, optical and coaxial S/PDIF jacks, FireWire, RJ-45, USB 2.0 and a full set of surround analog jacks. |
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