MSI motherboard questions

[JBravo]

Hi guys

I'm looking to buy a MSI mboard for my brother, but it is very much a budget mobo.

I'm looking at the following board : MSI Intel G31M3-F, 8CH Audio, Gb LAN, VGA Intel GMA 3100


http://www.directron.com/g31m3f.html ( won't be buying here! )

The reason I want to go for the G31 chip is after the review that was done on one a while ago on tpu showed that it's good for low budget oc'ing. I'll be using it with a E6300 and a MSI 8600gt on this board.

I would like to know if anyone has a MSI board and how easy to use are their bios and so on.

Any help on this would be great!

 

[King Wookie]

I'm currently using a MSI mb. (see specs)

Bios is not too bad, but their software is not really worth installing.
DO NOT use the windows based bios update utility! It has a tendency to brick your mb. The dos based updating seems to work reasonably well.

As for overclocking, I can't speak on that board, but mine does very well.

I'd just google that mb and wade through whatever forums get thrown up.

 

[JBravo]

I'm currently using a MSI mb. (see specs)

Bios is not too bad, but their software is not really worth installing.
DO NOT use the windows based bios update utility! It has a tendency to brick your mb. The dos based updating seems to work reasonably well.

As for overclocking, I can't speak on that board, but mine does very well.

I'd just google that mb and wade through whatever forums get thrown up.

Thanks King Wookie

Is it fairly easy to OC in the bios or do I really have to search around for the settings?

 

[King Wookie]

Thanks King Wookie

Is it fairly easy to OC in the bios or do I really have to search around for the settings?

If I can remember, MSI tend to keep all their ocing settings together.

Have you looked for any reviews on that board? Often they can give you far more insight.

EDIT: The net's pretty dry on reviews, but hopefully this might help:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductReview.aspx?Item=N82E16813130177

 

[AddSub]

I have a MSI P6N Diamond motherboard. Pretty decent build quality and feature packed. No outstanding issues so far. I agree with King Wookie, the software included is pretty useless. The overclocking utility they including was pretty outdated and it didn't fully support all the features of the motherboard, including some of the sensors, even though third-party utilities like Lavalys Everest do.

BIOS options are decent and straightforward. Not too complex yet enough potential to do some great overclocking. Recently I helped a friend build a gaming machine based on a MSI P45 motherboard and it was a completely trouble free-experience.

Both my motherboard and my friend's had the "Cell Menu" in the BIOS which is the access point for all the overclocking options and tweaks. Pretty straightforward stuff once you are inside with all the options listed and sorted in plain english with no confusing terms (unlike some DFI motherboads which throw 100's of options and tweaks at you per page)

 

[oli_ramsay]

Screw the G31, get this instead http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=161618. Has loads of OC potential, very cheap, runs cool and has an excellent BIOS. Should be ablt to get one in the states for about $100 I reckon (or less).

 

[King Wookie]

Screw the G31, get this instead http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=161618. Has loads of OC potential, very cheap, runs cool and has an excellent BIOS. Should be ablt to get one in the states for about $100 I reckon (or less).

Hey, that's my mb!

It has been a pleasure to use, and currently sitting at 500FSB. I still haven't found max overclock yet.

In truth, if you can squeeze a P35 mb in the budget, it's a good idea.

 

[JBravo]

Thanks

I think however I'll be going for the ASUS Intel G31, LGA775, 1600(O.C)FSB, 2xDual DDR2 1066(O.C) Board. I 've got the P35 Asus board and I'm very happy with it. I'm sure this one will work well to.

500fsb is excellent by the way!! I'm only on 315...= E7200 @ 3ghz. Good enough.For now

 

[catarinamary]

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