Alexey Shobanov

After expansion model range Intel Core 2 Duo and the subsequent sharp drop in prices for processors of this family, today prices for some of them are less than $ 100, which made them a very attractive solution for creating not only high-performance and gaming stations, but also inexpensive computer systems focused on mass user, and even budget PCs. This, in turn, led to a demand for low-cost motherboards that could serve as the basis for such budget systems. In response to market needs, Hon Hai Precision Industry, which produces components under the Foxconn trademark, has introduced a new Foxconn 45CM-S motherboard, the capabilities of which we will tell our readers.

The Foxconn 45CM-S motherboard is made in the microATX form factor (size - 24.4x22.4 cm) on a dark blue textolite traditional for Foxconn products (Fig. 1). It was based on the Intel 945GС Express chipset (Intel 945GС Express + ICH7), the capabilities of which are complemented by the ITE IT8718F I/O controller. Although, according to official specifications by Intel, this chipset is limited in its capabilities, being a stripped-down version of the popular Intel 945G Express integrated chipset (maximum frequency system bus 800 MHz, and the memory bus frequency is limited to 667 MHz), Hon Hai Precision Industry specialists our ability to use its hidden reserves. Yes, this motherboard supports the entire range of LGA775- Intel processors, including both single-core processor series Intel Celeron D and Intel Pentium 4 5xx and 6xx, as well as dual-core Intel Pentium D 8xx and 9xx, and in addition, processors of the new Intel Core 2 Duo processor family, and provides the ability to operate the system bus at a frequency of 533, 800 or 1066 MHz. To install system memory modules (it is assumed that unbuffered memory modules of the DDR2 SDRAM 400/533 or 667 standard will be used), the board provides two DIMM slots. The memory subsystem can operate in both single- and dual-channel modes. The maximum amount of system memory supported by the board is 2 GB.

Rice. 1. Foxconn 45CM-S

The Foxconn 45CM-S motherboard features an Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950 (Intel GMA950) integrated graphics core that fully supports the DirectX 9 API. It has a 256-bit architecture and runs at 400 MHz. Integrated for your needs GPU uses system memory, and thanks to Dynamic Video Memory Technology (DVMT), the amount of video memory dynamically changes and can reach 192 MB. This graphical solution provides the ability to display images from maximum resolution 2048x1536 pixels and a color depth of 32 bits, that is, it meets the requirements for working with the rapidly gaining popularity of HD-video (High Definition), which has a resolution of 720 or 1080 horizontal lines. It is also worth noting here that this integrated graphics core supports the so-called High Definition Hardware Motion Compensation technology, which implements hardware acceleration of playback of MPEG-2 video files, which is especially important when playing HD video recorded with a high bitrate. In addition, using the Advanced Digital Display 2 (ADD2) card installed in the slot PCI Express x16, Intel GMA950 graphics core supports optional GUI(it can be a DVI or S-Video TV Out interface). If the possibilities graphics core still not enough, then the user can always install a discrete graphics card in the already mentioned PCI Express x16 slot. By the way, in addition to this slot for installing additional cards that expand the capabilities motherboard, two more PCI slots and one PCI Express x1 slot are provided.

For organization network connection Foxconn 45CM-S provides the user with a Realtek RTL8100C 100 Mbit Ethernet controller. The audio system here is implemented by a combination of the HDA (High Definition Audio) controller integrated into the ICH7 and the Realtek ALC883 audio codec, which provides the ability to play 5.1 sound. There are three audio connectors on the motherboard output panel for connecting external audio devices.

In addition to the mentioned audio connectors, the output panel of the board contains two PS / 2 connectors (for connecting a mouse and keyboard), parallel (LPT) and serial (COM) ports, a VGA connector, an RJ-45 connector, and four USB port 2.0 (Fig. 2).

Rice. 2. FOXCONN 45CM-S motherboard output board

All in all, Foxconn 45CM-S supports eight USB ports - four more, in addition to the four available on the output panel, can be implemented using additional expansion brackets, for which the board has two connectors (two ports per connector).

To build a disk subsystem, the board provides four SATA II ports, one PATA connector that supports connecting up to two devices with an ATA 100 or ATAPI interface, and an FDD connector.

The system components are powered by a three-channel VRM unit.

To cool the microcircuits of the north and south bridges, plate aluminum radiators. In addition, this motherboard has two fan headers: a four-pin CPU fan header (CPU FAN) and a three-pin system fan header (SYS FAN). By the way, the company's Smart Fan Commander technology is used to control the rotation speed of the cooling fans. In addition to it, the Foxconn 45CM-S motherboard supports a number of proprietary features, including CPU Protection (comprehensive protection CPU and systems that provide automatic shutdown power supply when the processor temperature reaches a critical value) and BIOS Rescue (recovery of a damaged BIOS code using a rescue floppy disk).

Today we will get acquainted with motherboards that have recently appeared on the retail market under the Foxconn trademark. So far, the Foxconn name itself means little to the vast majority of ordinary users. Perhaps someone even thought that this is just a new small company that decided to conquer the motherboard market. However, this is not at all the case. Foxconn, founded in 1974, this moment is the largest contract supplier of components for leading computer manufacturers such as HP / Compaq, Dell, Gateway, Apple, IBM, etc. In addition, Foxconn is also the leader in terms of supplies of a number of components for motherboard manufacturers, such as slots and connectors. The company's turnover is gigantic, as are the volumes of deliveries. However, the Foxconn name was not well known to the general public until recently because the company was not consumer-oriented, and all Foxconn products ended up being sold under other names. Now the situation is changing. As profits rise, Foxconn is expanding into new markets as well. This year, the company began to focus its efforts on capturing the retail market for motherboards, thanks to which products under the Foxconn brand began to appear on store shelves.

Foxconn intends to position its products as inexpensive but high-quality solutions for productive computers, and this category of motherboards is in high demand on the market. We won't make specific claims to some motherboard manufacturers, but it's no secret that lately many motherboards in the middle and lower price categories are sometimes distinguished by rather low quality and reduced capabilities. But, despite this, they continue to enjoy great popularity due to the low price and promoted brand. The appearance of alternative products from Foxconn is capable of making a revolution in this market sector: the products of this manufacturer promise to combine low cost and good quality. However, these conclusions are based on the assurances of Foxconn itself, and we will be able to express our attitude towards them only after a detailed study of the products of this manufacturer. Therefore, without further ado, let's move on to examining a pair of motherboards provided to us for testing by representatives of Foxconn. These boards turned out to be two LGA775 products based on i925X Express and i915P Express chipsets: Foxconn 925A01-8EKRS2 and Foxconn 915A01-8EKRS2.

Specifications and scope of delivery

Since Foxconn 925A01-8EKRS2 and Foxconn 915A01-8EKRS2 motherboards are very similar to each other, despite the fact that they are based on different sets of logic, we will consider them together.

Foxconn 925A01-8EKRS2

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The similarity of the boards can be traced not only in the photographs. The features of the boards also differ little:

As can be seen from the table, the Foxconn motherboards under consideration are relatively simple: they do not have a large number of additional controllers that many other manufacturers prefer to install. At the same time, it cannot be said that 925A01-8EKRS2 and 915A01-8EKRS2 turned out to be deprived of any features, the boards have everything you need, but no more.

It should be noted that Foxconn also has a number of other modifications of these boards in its arsenal: with a 10/100 Mbps network controller, without IEEE1394 support, and with six-channel sound. The specific configuration of the board is determined by the letters appearing in the name. Their meaning is as follows:

• L - 100Mbps network controller;
• K - Gigabit network controller;
• 6 - six-channel sound;
• 8 - eight-channel sound;
• E - IEEE1394 support;
• S - Serial ATA support;
• R - RAID support.

If for expensive motherboards the support of obsolete interfaces can hardly act as a competitive advantage, then in the "starter" category it is not a sin to use this argument. It is no secret that corporate users do not at all seek to upgrade office equipment for aesthetic reasons, so organizations retain a huge fleet of equipment that works properly, but requires obsolete COM, LPT, IDE ports, etc. for its connection. There are also components , for example, hardware keys for professional software and specific devices assembled by local kulibins (without which, however, work is impossible), transferring which to USB / FireWire buses is almost impossible.

The developers of WinFast 6100M2MA-RS2H clearly pursued the goal of making a board with functionality, albeit somewhat conservative, but meeting the needs of the mentioned user group. Contrary to the current trend, IDE connectors are left in the amount of two pieces, while the number of soldered SATA connectors is also reduced to two, and the board itself has a connector for connecting a second COM port in addition to the standard COM and LPT installed on the rear panel.

For the umpteenth time, considering the board in the microATX format, we have practically no reason to even complain about the design. All peripheral connectors and power connectors are located along the edges of the board, the only jumper (for clearing CMOS) is also easily accessible and equipped with a "knob". And even the FDD connector is not locked at the bottom of the last PCI slot, but is placed next to the IDE connectors.

Both bridges of the chipset heat up very sensitively during active work, while the power converter, despite the absence of any cooling, heats up only in a series of protracted tests with a high load on the processor. Characteristically, the heating of the heatsink of the southbridge is higher than that of the northbridge, which is especially noticeable in the active network traffic mode. Observations show that you can check whether the NVIDIA chipset is cooled well enough by copying large files from a local FTP server or by loading the built-in network adapter in another way (this is especially true for chipsets from the nForce4 family). IN this case the file-sharing network client launched for a day did not cause instability.

The three-channel switching voltage regulator of the processor power supply uses 3 field-effect transistors per channel, 5 capacitors of 3300 uF from United Chemi-Con and 4 of 1500 uF from Rubycon, the memory voltage regulator is reinforced with inductive elements and is also assembled exclusively on capacitors of elite brands ( from the same two episodes). The selection is just great! Partly surprising, since we are talking about the cheapest model in all other respects: the board has a wiring for a FireWire controller installed in a more expensive version labeled 6100M2MA-8EKRS2H, which also features an 8-channel HDA codec and a gigabit network adapter. Board size - 245×245 mm (standard microATX), fastening to the case with 9 screws.

System monitoring (ITE IT8712F-S, according to BIOS Setup)

• Processor core voltage, batteries, +3.3, +5, +12 V and +12 V Standby;
• Speed ​​of 2 fans;
• Temperature of the processor (by the built-in sensor of the processor) and the board (by the built-in sensor of the board);
• Smart Fan - fully automatic speed control mode CPU cooler. The control scheme provides for operation at half speed until the processor temperature exceeds 55 degrees, then the speed jumps up to 75%, and if, nevertheless, the temperature rise continues and it reaches 65–67 degrees, the speed increases to maximum.

Smart Fan has a fairly logical algorithm, which is especially successful when using an inexpensive or "out of the box" cooler, which usually cannot boast of a smooth noise spectrum over the entire speed range. And, therefore, several fixed speeds while striving to keep the minimum frequency for the most "demanded" temperature range are the best option automatic adjustment. However, it is also possible to manually set the desired rotation speed, up to a complete stop, using the Tiger One utility that comes with the board.

It is very pleasant that at Foxconn, at the same time as ECS, they thought about introducing Smart Fan modes, which were previously absent not only from the younger ones, but also from expensive models these manufacturers.

Ports, connectors and connectors on the board surface

• Processor socket (Socket AM2, support for all processors is declared AMD Athlon 64/X2/FX/Sempron released for this connector);
• 4 slots for DDR2 SDRAM DIMM (up to 4 GB DDR2-400/533/667/800, dual-channel mode);
• 1 PCIEx16 slot for video accelerator;
• 1 PCIEx1 slot;
• 2 PCI slots;
• Power connectors: standard ATX 2.2 (24 pins), 4-pin ATX12V for processor power;
• FDD connector;
• 2 IDE (Parallel ATA) connectors for 4 ATA133 devices - "chipset";
• 2 SATA-II (Serial ATA II) connectors for 2 SATA300 devices - "chipset", drives connected to them can be combined into a RAID array of levels 0 or 1;
• 2 bracket connectors for 4 additional USB ports;
• Output connector sound signal from CD/DVD drive;
• Connector for connecting the output of an additional audio signal AUX-In;
• Block of connectors for connecting analog inputs and audio outputs on the front panel of the computer;
• Connector for digital audio output S/PDIF-Out;
• Connector for connecting bracket with COM2 output;
• Connector for connecting a standard IrDA module;
• Connector for connection of the case opening sensor;
• 2 connectors for connecting fans with the ability to control the number of revolutions, for the processor, "intelligent" speed control from the BIOS is also available.

The back panel of the board (from left to right, block by block)

according to the link - 3/4 view of the board from the rear panel

• PS / 2 connectors for connecting a mouse and keyboard;
• 1 COM, 1 VGA, 1 LPT;
• 2 USB ports;
• 2 USB ports and 1 RJ-45 (Fast Ethernet);
• 3 analog audio connectors (Line-In, Line-Out, Mic-In).

Contents of delivery

• Packing: small size box, same design for WinFast series. It is noteworthy that no mention of Foxconn itself was found on the box, although Leadtek, a co-owner of the WinFast brand (which sells video cards under this brand), does not hesitate to give its name on the boxes;
• Documentation: instruction poster with illustrated board specification and assembly instructions, and detailed guide(only in English) available on the manufacturer's website;
• Cables: 1 SATA with a power adapter for 1 device, 1 ATA66 and a cable for connecting a floppy drive;
• Plug for back panel boards for the output of the corresponding connectors;
• CD with Foxconn drivers and proprietary utilities.

A set of proprietary utilities includes Tiger One - a utility for monitoring system parameters (with the ability to signal when values ​​go beyond the specified ranges), overclocking (in addition to those available in the BIOS, there is a frequency setting PCI bus express), manual control CPU fan speed. SuperLogo provides a replacement for the graphical logo displayed on the screen at system startup. fox live update automatic update BIOS with the ability to search for the latest version on the manufacturer's website. Also included is the antivirus package Norton Internet Security 2006.

Integrated controllers

• Audio, based on the "chipset" support for AC'97 and the Realtek ALC653 codec, with the ability to connect 5.1 audio systems, connectors for connecting front audio inputs/outputs and S/PDIF-Out;
• Network, based on the Marvell 88E3016-MNC1 controller, supporting 10/100 Mbps (Fast Ethernet) modes.

The quality of the integrated sound solution we evaluated in 16bit, 44kHz mode with a test program and sound card Terratec DMX 6fire :

The board is provided for testing by the manufacturer

This review will be devoted entirely to such a computer component as the Foxconn N15235 motherboard. It is on the example of this component that strong and weak sides products of this manufacturer. This will allow you to make recommendations regarding the purchase of his products.

Brief introduction about Foxconn

Assembly of various electronic devices Made to order is Foxconn's core business. Motherboards, graphics adapters, smartphones, mobile phones- this is not a complete list of equipment that is manufactured at the production facilities of this company. Moreover, the list of Foxconn clients includes Apple, Asus, Gigabyte, and MSI. With such rich assembly and testing capabilities for the equipment produced, this company I decided to expand the scope of my business. So there was a series of motherboards under the Foxconn brand. One of them is N15235.

What kind of PC is this motherboard suitable for building?

At the time of its release, the Foxconn N15235 motherboard was focused on installing the most productive processors. It was also possible to supplement such a computer system with a high-performance graphics adapter. All this together made it possible to create the most productive personal computers on the basis of this solution. It could also be work station, and graphics station, and gaming computer capable of running any of the most demanding toys in existence at the time. The same motherboard could successfully act as a link in a PC of medium and entry level. Only in this case, the use of such an expensive and functional computer component. Its main purpose is the creation of high-performance computer systems.

The location of the elements of the system board

The Foxconn motherboard of this model is manufactured in the microATX form factor. Its dimensions are 9.6 inches by 8.0 inches. Almost in the middle of the top of the product is the processor socket LGA 775. To the left of it is the CPU, which consists of several solid capacitors and semiconductor stabilizers. Even further, at the very edge of the board, there are interface wired ports. To the right of the socket, 2 slots for installing RAM are grouped, behind which are the power connectors and IDE drives. Directly under the processor socket for installing the CPU is the chipset. Slightly below it, expansion slots are displayed. To the right of them are the south bridge, the BIOS battery and the ports for connecting SATA drives. Here, on the very edge, there is a connector for switching the front panel of a personal computer case.

Chipset and its characteristics

The Foxconn N15235 motherboard is based on a set of two chips. The description of this product indicates that the G31 from Intel acts as the northbridge in this case. Its key component is the memory controller. The TDP of this silicon chip was 17 W, and the system bus frequencies in this situation could be 800 MHz/1066 MHz/1333 MHz. In this case, ICH7 takes the role. Its main task is to connect peripheral devices and controller boards in expansion slots.

socket. What processors can be installed in it?

An impressive list of CPUs is supported by the Foxconn N15235 motherboard. The description of this product indicates that this list contains all chips intended for installation in this processor socket. The most productive solutions of this platform are the quad-core Core 2 Quad. A step lower from the standpoint of performance is Core 2 Duo, in which the number of computing units is reduced to two. The CPU of the Pentium Dual Core line had an even lower level of performance. They had exactly the same number of cores, but the frequencies were reduced and the cache memory was cut. The most affordable dual compute chips for the LGA 775 were the Celeron Dual Core. They had even less cache than older CPU models. Yes, and the frequency has been further reduced. The segment of single-core processors was occupied by Pentium 4 and Celeron. Any of the above models with an Intel chip could be installed in such a motherboard. But still, taking into account its positioning and level of functionality, it was preferable to use it in combination with 2 and 4-core CPU models of this platform.

Peripheral set

The list of wired interface ports on this motherboard was as follows:

2 PS / 2 ports for connecting a manipulator to a PC (it was green) and a keyboard (purple port was used for these purposes).

One COM port (its second name is serial) and one LPT port (or, as it is also called, parallel). They could be used to switch various devices input / output to a computer system (plotter, scanner, printer).

4 ports of the USB format, if necessary, could replace the COM port or LPT port for connecting similar input / output devices to a computer system.

Also, this product was equipped with one RJ-45 port for connecting a PC to a computer network.

Expansion slots

An excellent set of expansion slots was included with the Foxconn N15235 motherboard. Its characteristics indicate the presence of such of them:

PCI Express 16 X is the only and main slot for installing a discrete graphics accelerator that processes images displayed on the display.

Also, this motherboard was equipped with one PCI Express 1 X slot. The latest modifications of additional controllers (for example, a TV tuner) should be installed in it.

But to install outdated controller modifications, this product was equipped with 2 PCI expansion slots at once.

Regarding the expansion slots of this board, one important feature should be noted: if you use a high-performance video card in such a computer system that occupies 2 expansion slots at once, then it will no longer be possible to install additional controller extensions.

RAM

Just modules of the same type random access memory supported Foxconn N15235 motherboard. The characteristics indicated support for DDR2. Moreover, it was possible to install only the strips "DDR2-667" and "DDR2-800". It was preferable to use the latest modification of the RAM, which allowed in practice to obtain a certain increase in performance. The maximum amount of RAM that can be installed in such computer system was 4 GB. This limitation was primarily imposed by the CPU, which could address the maximum amount of RAM. The RAM controller itself was a key component of the northbridge of the chipset. It was dual channel. Accordingly, the use of two 512 MB sticks instead of 1 1 GB module made it possible to obtain an even greater increase in performance, which could reach 15 percent.

Connecting the front panel of the system unit

As noted earlier, the front panel of the case system block personal computer connects to the lower right corner of the motherboard. All necessary designations are marked next to the corresponding connectors. So, this Foxconn motherboard cannot stand out with something unusual against the background of similar products. Connection is provided for the following elements of the front panel:

Speaker (system event signaling speaker).

Power Switch (PC power button).

Power LED (indication of turning on the PC).

Reset Switch (button for forced reboot of the computer system).

HDD LED (Indication work hard disk or solid state drive).

Power supply and system board power supply

The Foxconn N15235 motherboard is connected to the power supply by two connectors at once. One of them is ATX12V which has 24 pins. The second one in this case provides extra food the central processing unit and consists of only eight pins. Also, when equipping a PC with a high-performance graphics accelerator, it was necessary to connect a third power connector to it.

For assembly personal computers of various levels of complexity within the LGA775 computing platform, the Foxconn N15235 motherboard was targeted. Characteristics this component Computers pointed to its versatility and multifunctionality. It is about this device that will be discussed in this material.

Motherboard positioning

As noted earlier, the Foxconn N15235 motherboard boasts a high degree of versatility. Its technical characteristics indicate that it is perfect for creating both the ultimate, high-performance PCs and budget office system units. The key factor that contributes to this unification is the G31 chipset from Intel. It is through the use of such element base and this solution turned out to be the most universal. Also, its cost is quite democratic, and this board is very, very affordable for this reason alone.

Chipset. List of processors

Intel's G31 chipset underpins the Foxconn N15235. The characteristics of this kit indicate that it is made in a 2-chip layout. The northbridge is the G31 itself. It is responsible for interacting with RAM, peripherals, and the processor. The Southbridge is the ICH7 developed by Intel. Its area of ​​responsibility includes expansion slots, various drives and an indication and control system on the front panel. This motherboard is equipped with an LGA775 processor socket. The following CPU models can be installed in its socket:

• Budget Celeron for creating office systems.
• Improved Pentium 4 and Penrium D. These chips were great for entry-level gaming PCs.
• Advanced Core 2Duo, which already made it possible to implement a mid-range PC.
• Premium Core 2Quad. In the latter case, the speed of a personal computer made it possible to solve all problems, and such computing systems still continue to be relevant to this day.

Memory

The RAM subsystem in the Foxconn N15235 was organized according to the layout that is outdated today. The characteristics of this component of the computing system indicated that the RAM controller was included in the north bridge of the system logic set. To date, it is integrated into the central processing unit, and this arrangement of the latter can significantly increase the speed of the PC. There were 4 RAM slots on the motherboard, which had 16GB of fast memory. That is 4 modules on 4 Gb. The memory type in this case is DDR2. The recommended operating frequencies for fast memory are 400, 533, 667 or 800 MHz.

Communication set

In terms of communication set, the Foxconn N15235 board is practically in no way inferior to modern analogues. Its characteristics are simply excellent and allow you to connect any modern peripherals or internal expansion controllers. The list of expansion slots in this case includes:

• PCI Ex rev. 16X - 1 pc., in which a discrete video card is installed. In this case, an integrated adapter is not provided, and in this case one cannot do without a discrete graphics accelerator. Taking into account the fact that there is only one such slot, the performance margin of the video subsystem should be solid.
• PCI Express rev. 16X - 1 pc. This expansion slot is intended for installation of modern models of built-in expansion controllers. This can be a TV Tuner, and a network adapter, and even an additional board with ports.
• PCI slots - 3 pcs. In this case, already outdated controller modifications are used.

The list of ports built into the board consists of:

• 2 x PS/2 to implement the connection to the keyboard and manipulator.
• 4 x USB rev. 2.0 for switching with various peripheral devices.
• One RJ-45 network port for LAN connection.
• One LPT and one COM socket each. With their help, you can connect outdated versions of peripheral devices to your PC.
• Audio ports - 3pcs for connecting speakers and a microphone.

The only thing missing from this list is a MIDI port. But it is used extremely rarely today, and this decision of the manufacturer is fully justified.

Relevance. Reviews. Price

The Foxconn N15235 motherboard is a truly versatile product for creating various personal computers within the LGA775. She has the right features. She has virtually no significant flaws. But on this moment the LGA775 platform itself is completely outdated. Therefore, it is unacceptable to consider it as the basis for assembling a new system unit. But to repair a PC based on such a socket, it is quite possible to apply it. This is how specialists now characterize it in reviews.

Conclusion

Within the framework of this review material, the motherboard of the Foxconn N15235 model is considered. Its characteristics are given, recommendations for use are given. There are no significant downsides to this solution. The conditional disadvantages can only be attributed to the fact that the computing platform that underlies it is outdated. But this is natural for the reason that the LGA775 socket debuted on sale more than 10 years ago.