Gigabyte Slips in Atom-Powered GA-GC330UD ITX Motherboard

[btarunr]

Gigabyte added its entry to the league of Intel Atom-embedded mini-ITX motherboards, the GA-GC330UD. This motherboard features the typical combination of dual-core Atom 330 paired with Intel i945GC, with a pinch of the manufacturing technologies Gigabyte is known for. The Atom 330 dual-core is clocked at 1.60 GHz, and features 512 KB of cache. It remains passively cooled as against the northbridge which uses a fan-heatsink. A single DDR2 memory slot will accept up to 2 GB of DDR2 533/667 MHz memory, although 533 MHz is as far as the memory controller can support.

Storage is care of an IDE and two SATA connectors, supporting four storage devices in all. Basic 6-channel audio and 10/100 Mbps Ethernet make for the rest of the mix. Gigabyte used a 2 oz copper bi-layer PCB, and an all solid-state capacitor design that ups durability. Gigabyte looks to target the grass-root of the market, with this motherboard targeting businesses and internet kiosks.



View at TechPowerUp Main Site

 

[Necrofire]

Why, oh why, can't they pair an awesome low-power cpu with an equally awesome passively-cooled chipset. What inside that chipset requires cooling that a high-end nvidia or amd chipset doesn't have?

"Here's a nice hybrid, gets over 70mpg. Oh wait, we put that in a hummer, so it gets to a top speed of 20mph in about 2 minutes of flooring it."

 

[BazookaJoe]

Agreed.

Gripe 2.) WHY'TF cant there be a PCIx slot on these things.. c'mon guys! FFS!

Final note : Over all still a nice thing - Make a good torrent PC or media player.. or both... I'm definitely in the market for one if they cheap enough.

Still a pity about the active cooler / no PCIx

 

[Shou Miko]

old chipset and no pci-e

 

[tkpenalty]

Guys the reason why they use intel chipsets + atom instead is probably because this motherboard has been in development for quite a while.

But anyway the reason for a PCI insead of PCI-E is because this board is not really targeted at the enthusiast, or average consumer but the corporate market; datacentres. I've heard of some people adopting such systems, replacing the aging P4s systems and offering the same, or better performance. PCI means compatability.

I'm just waiting for Gigabyte to make an Ion board which doesnt have the stupid PCI-E and RAM slot limitations. That would be epic win >=D. Low profile 9600GT + Intel + Ion system. That'd make one tiny box.

 

[Esse]

Gripe 2.) WHY'TF cant there be a PCIx slot on these things.. c'mon guys! FFS!

Because Intel said so.

 

[Static~Charge]

The Atom 330 dual-core is clocked at 1.60 GHz, and features 512 KB of cache. It remains passively cooled as against the northbridge which uses a fan-heatsink.

I find it ironic that the CPU can be passively cooled, yet the northbridge requires active cooling. :shadedshu Perhaps Intel should spend more time improving the power consumption of their chipsets....

 

[PCpraiser100]

Wow, not bad for a media PC.

 

[snakeoil]

wow crippled cpu + crippled chipset, buy one then

 

[Hayder_Master]

intel before now gigabyte , it is look like new atom tiny compo mobo's series

 

[lemonadesoda]

This board is rubbish. It offers nothing new, and there are better Atom 330 options out there. This doesnt come close.

 

[extrasalty]

Since Atom's TDP is so low, they had to add 2 oz. of copper to cool the 945