ASRock N68C-S UCC Motherboard Review: Features, Features and Feedback

The functional motherboard for assembling compact computing systems with high speed is the ASRock N68C-S UCC. Its characteristics really allowed both to organize a usual office workplace, and to assemble a high-performance gaming computer, which even now would continue to be relevant.

For the assembly of which personal computers is this motherboard?

ASRock N68C-S UCC. ASRock N68C-S UCC has very small dimensions . MicroATX с размерами 244 х 208 мм и нацелен на нишу ультракомпактных систем. The characteristics of this product indicate that it is made in the form factor MicroATX with dimensions of 244 x 208 mm and is aimed at the niche of ultracompact systems. But at the same time, its hardware allows it to be assembled as an entry level computer for the implementation of office and most simple tasks, as well as a high-performance system unit that can easily become a working or graphic station, a gaming system or even an initial class server. As a result, it can be noted that the niche of this product is compact miniature computers with an acceptable level of functionality and democratic value.

Contents of delivery

This motherboard is shipped in a green box, which details the characteristics of ASROCK N68C-S UCC. The description of this computer component is detailed in the user guide. Also in the list of supplied documentation is a corporate warranty card. The number of interface cords is only 2, which are designed to perform the switching of hard drives or optical drives. Without fail, the list of equipment includes a metal plug for the back side of the system unit.

Arrangement of elements on the system board

As noted earlier, this computer component has a very small size. But at the same time, the level of functionality is quite acceptable. Most of the top half of the board is the processor socket. , а слева — периферийная панель с портами. To the right of it there are RAM slots with a power connector and a hard drive IDE connection place, and to the left there is a peripheral panel with ports. A chipset of system logic is located under the processor socket. And under them - expansion slots. ASRock N68C-S UCC. Also, it is possible to connect to the front panel of the ASRock N68C-S UCC. портов и аудиоразъемов указывают на возможность подключения к лицевой панели системного блока. The characteristics of the USB ports and audio connectors indicate the possibility of connecting to the front panel of the system unit. It is at the very bottom edge of the motherboard.

Chipset

а от компании NVidia построена материнская плата ASRock N68C-S UCC. On the set of GeForce 7025 & nForce 630 chips and from the company NVidia the motherboard ASRock N68C-S UCC is built. Their characteristics at the moment look very modest. But there is a simple explanation for this. This set of system logic was released simultaneously with the launch of the AM2 platform, and since then it has been quite a long time. The chipset itself proved to be quite functional and flexible and for this reason the products based on it are still successfully sold. DDR3. The only thing that was added in the future is support for new CPU models and a new version of DDR3 RAM. процессоров АМ2, АМ2+ и даже АМ3. As a result, this chipset can boast support for AM2, AM2 + and even AM3 processors. Theoretically, it is compatible with the most recent AM3 + chips, but it is in the framework of this motherboard model that the most recent and most advanced CPUs from AMD are not supported.

Socket

As you can guess from all the above, this motherboard is equipped with a universal processor socket, into which any semiconductor crystal of AMD company can be installed, starting from AM2 and ending with AM3. Physically, a chip of the AM3 + family can be installed in the socket of this board, but the lack of support for it in the BIOS will not allow even such a computer system to start. And this approach has a completely logical explanation: there are more recent motherboards on the same set of system logic from this manufacturer and they initially support AM3 +. была вынуждена отказаться от обновления «БИОСа» в целом ряде своих решений, в том числе и в системной плате, рассматриваемой в рамках этого обзора. In order not to create competition within its products, ASRock was forced to refuse to update BIOS in a number of its solutions, including the motherboard considered in this review.

List of supported CPU models

An impressive list of supported models of processor devices boasts ASRock N68C-S UCC. The characteristics of the motherboard itself point to the full support of three generations of AMD processors, and this list includes such a model of chips:

• eptron для АМ2 и АМ3 с одним или двумя вычислительными блоками. S eptron for AM2 and AM3 with one or two computational units. The clock frequencies they are in the range from 1600 to 2800 MHz, and the heat package - from 35 to 65 W.

• Athlon Х2, Athlon Х2 64 и Athlon II Х2, Х3 и Х4. Athlon 64, Athlon X2, Athlon X2 64 and Athlon II X2, X3 and X4. к лючать от 1 до 4 блоков обработки кода, имели частоты от 2,2 ГГц и до 3,2 ГГц. These CPUs could connect from 1 to 4 code processing blocks, had frequencies from 2.2 GHz to 3.2 GHz. The thermal package for them was within the limits of 45 W to 95 W. Septron, в этом случае обеспечивалось увеличенным объемом кеша и повышенной тактовой частотой. Higher performance, in comparison with Septron, in this case was provided by an increased cache volume and increased clock speed.

• Phenom. All processors of the Phenom range . 1,8 до 3,3 ГГц. They could include from 2 to 6 cores, had clock speeds from 1.8 to 3.3 GHz. The thermal package of them was limited to a value of 95 watts. The key feature of these semiconductor chips was that they were equipped with a 3-level cache and it was due to this engineering solution and their higher performance was provided within this computing platform.

Memory subsystem

In total there were 4 slots for this motherboard for installing the RAM slots. и имели обозначение DDRII_1 и DDRII_2, а 2 — для DDR3 и имели маркировку DDR3_A1 и DDR3_B1. 2 of them were intended for installation of DDR2 and had the designation DDRII_1 and DDRII_2, and 2 for DDR3 and were labeled DDR3_A1 and DDR3_B1. The controller itself is integrated into the microprocessor. For AM2 chips, only the use of the first type of RAM was allowed, and the second type for AM3. In turn, AM2 + were universal and could work with both the first type of RAM and the second. The maximum amount of RAM within this computer system could reach 8 GB (2 modules of 4 GB). ограничивались значениями 533-1066 МГц, а для DDR3 – 800-1600 МГц. The clock rates for DDR2 were limited to 533-1066 MHz, and for DDR3 - 800-1600 MHz.

Expansion slots and peripheral connectors

All the characteristics of the ASRock N68C-S UCC motherboard indicate the presence of such expansion slots:

• PCI для возможности установки в ПК устаревших внешних контроллеров. 2 PCI slots for the possibility of installing outdated external controllers in the PC.

• PCI – Е версии 1х для новых модификаций контроллеров расширения. 1 PCI slot - E version 1x for new modifications of expansion controllers.

• PCI – E версии 16Х. 1 slot for graphics adapter PCI-E version 16X.

абор же периферийных портов в данном случае такой: The selection of peripheral ports in this case is as follows:

• PS/2 для получения информации с манипулятора и клавиатуры. 2 PS / 2 ports for receiving information from the manipulator and keyboard.

• USB ревизии 2.0. 4 USB 2.0 revision ports.

• 1 serial COM port.

• VGA интегрированной графической карты. 1 video output VGA integrated graphics card.

• RJ-45. 1 RJ-45 network connector .

• 3 acoustic ports of 3.5 mm.

Built-in graphics

The built-in graphics subsystem is equipped with the ASRock N68C-S UCC motherboard. GeForce 7025 от компании — разработчика набора системной логики NVidia. The characteristics of the same product indicate that this is a video card GeForce 7025 from the company - developer of the set of system logic NVidia. Outstanding technical specifications, this product certainly can not boast. Unlike modern integrated accelerators, which are included in the semiconductor chip of the central processor, this video card is included in the set of system logic. It does not have a separate video buffer, and it uses the computer's RAM to store the processed graphic information. 256 Мб. The maximum size of RAM, which can reserve this card for its needs, is 256 MB. DX 9.0. Also at the software level, DX 9.0 support is declared . The maximum resolution for this accelerator is 1920x1440. But, again, high performance from such a graphic subsystem should not be expected, its capabilities are limited only by the list of the simplest and least demanding hardware tasks: office, video viewing, web surfing and simple toys.

Software features of the product

Several important features at the software level is the motherboard ASRock N68C-S UCC. UCC. Its characteristics indicate the support of UCC technology . Its essence boils down to the fact that AMD company often blocked at the level of software additional computing resources (cache and cores). The same utility allowed to unlock them. UCC уже в 4-ядерный. As a result, you can buy a 3-core chip and turn it using UCC already into 4-core. Athlon при благоприятном стечении обстоятельств преобразовать в Phenom. It was also possible to convert Athlon under favorable circumstances to Phenom.

Results and feedback

The balanced computer solution is ASRock N68C-S UCC. Its characteristics now, of course, do not look as solid as they were a few years ago. But even now, this motherboard continues to be relevant and allows you to organize very productive computers that are still able to solve the most resource-intensive tasks. The key advantage of this product is its form factor - MicroATX, which allows it to be widely used in the ultracompact systems. And this is exactly what the user reviews about this solution indicate at the moment.