• ECS TIGT-I

    ECS TIGT-I

    Jayesh Limaye, Jul 05, 2010 1230 hrs IST

    This motherboard-processor combo is good for anyone who wants to use it for basic computing

    Low power consumption, silent, decent performance for a basic system

    Sluggish with 1GB, not for HTPC, not for gaming, CPU may heat up a bit

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When Intel introduced the Atom processor based on 45 nm fabrication process a couple of years ago, it was known that they would eventually end up in low-power desktops or nettops rather than remaining confined to netbooks. Now, Intel has brought out the newest iteration of the Atom processors D410 and D510 - manufactured using the same fabrication process. However, the difference is that the memory controller, DMI link and graphics core have been moved to the same die as the processor core(s). While the D410 is a single core Atom, the Atom D510 is dual core with hyperthreaded cores.



ECS has sent us the TIGT-I motherboard-processor combo, which sports the Intel Atom D510 on the NM10 chipset. As you may already know, Elitegroup Computer Systems (ECS) has over the years been known for their motherboards which are affordable and also come with features found in motherboards that are generally more expensive. We tested this sample of the Pinetrail platform, so read on to find out whether it is worth going for.

Bundle



  • ECS TIGT-I
  • 2 SATA cables
  • Back plate
  • Driver disc
  • Quick Start Guide
  • User manual

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Related Links
Intel Slashes Processor Prices
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Tag keywords
ECS TIGT-I motherboard processor dual-core Pineview Pine Trail platform Intel Atom D510 NM10 chipset 45nm Atom architecture



Discussion Board
(9) Comments
Rahul Jawale
,Hyderabad, on Jul 05, 2010 08:38 PM
Dear Jayesh, I was expecting a little more focus on its strengths. But all I saw was weaknesses being highlighted. Intel made this chip to suit certain needs which go beyond gaming. I was expecting more details on 1. overall power consumption 2. BIOS features 3. Realworld usage scenarios (e.g . Winrar tests). Also, it was unfair to equip 1 GB of RAM when it's a known fact that Win 7 recommendation is 2 GB and higher. It's one of few Atom boards to provide two RAM -slots. Your tests completely negate this point. I am not so sure how much Win 7 is suited for these boards. But it would definitely be fun to watch Ubuntu 10.04 running on this board. I believe that a Linux OS will be able to do justice here.So will you be able to run more tests with Ubuntu 10.04?
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Mahesh
,Mumbai, on Jul 06, 2010 12:22 AM
I think you didn't really read the review. It is clearly mentioned that 2x1GB memory or 2GB is used. Secondly, WinRar benchmark is still synthetic and not realworld. It is never mentioned that this is for gaming. You must read the conclusion to understand that this platform has its strong points. Frankly, I think this is an honest review where the reviewer avoids becoming a fanboy
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Rahul Jawale
,Mumbai, on Jul 06, 2010 12:59 PM
My bad Mahesh. But I am still not able to find it. Can you please point me to Test Rig details please? Rather it's a good point that a reviewer should keep in mind. Test Rig details and choices made should clearly be discussed under a bulletpoint. A choice of SSD or Low latency RAM can improve performance in the range of 10-40% at the least. Realworld Tests : Sandra tests do not prove a point. We already know that Atoms are inferior to its big bros (Core/Celeron series). It's only tests like Winrar or MS Word or OpenOffice which will help users to decide if the platform is good enough for an average consumer. Gaming : It's mentioned as a weakness. I believe that it's implicit that the platform isnt for gaming. Conclusion : Why should a reader be waiting for conclusion to understand the purpose of tests. I bet there is not even an apparent relation of tests and conclusion. IF you are saying that the reviewer has mentioned the strengths in conclusion, then why do I fail to find any tests which prove its strengths? For me, I am not convinced if this board really has any strengths. I believe readers should be able to draw conclusions by themselves by just looking at the test figures. Jayesh, no hard feelings. I have seen better reviews from you and this review didnt stand up to the expectations set by previous ones. My background : I have an Ubuntu/XbMC HTPC setup based on Intel D945GCLF2. It's Atom 330 (dual Core). And I have plans to build another atom based machine which will serve as NAS for Home network.
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Rahul Jawale
,Mumbai, on Jul 06, 2010 01:01 PM
TT, when are you going to give us Comment Formatting? It's been more than 7 yrs now.
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x-gamer
,Pune, on Jul 05, 2010 03:14 PM
Jayesh, what will happen If I add some gpu like ATI radeon 5450 to this system? Will it be able to play some newer games at low resolution without lags? I am not adding a HD monitor, that means it may be a 17'' LCD.
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Rahul Jawale
,Hyderabad, on Jul 05, 2010 08:14 PM
dude, that's not possible. These CPUs are not meant for gaming. You will end up watching Slide-Show instead. These boards better suited for Download rigs/NAS/Surfing
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Chandra
,Chennai, on Jul 05, 2010 10:26 PM
That's more like combining a horse and a bull to draw the cart. However, general multimedia applications and tasks like video viewing, 3d rendering software, graphical desktop, etc. will run be handled superbly.
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chris27
,mumbai, on Jul 05, 2010 09:56 PM
By installing Win7 ultimate on intel atom motherboards (which are proven to be fatal after 2 months by my experiment ) is a wrong example to test. U should have only tested Win xp instead of Win7 since that will eat up 1 GB ram. Its not even cheap too at Rs.4,550, instead u can get Gigabyte G31 motherboard for less than Rs 4000.
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Syed S
,Hyd, on Jul 05, 2010 02:18 PM
Jayesh Limaye, none of the benchmark screenshots are easily readable!! I felt they may be clickable (to enlarge), but they weren't. Btw, i'm using latest version of Firefox.
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