Question about an AMD MOBO

[redvette]

Hi Gang

Has any one out there seen or used a AMD MOBO called "Annapurna" It is one strange MOBO.

Just curious a friend of mine has one.

Thanx....Gunny

[David M]

Dat's one MOFO MOBO?

That seems to be the code name for one of their two new APU Trinity chipsets, Annapurna and Pumori

http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?pag...ty_early&num=2

[redvette]

Hi David M

Is that meaning good or bad.?????

Thanx....Gunny

[David M]

Neither...just some stupid humor of mine.

It sounds like AMD is doing a bang up job of incorporating faster graphics into their processors doesn't it?

[jdeb]

That brings back memories. What is the make and model of the board. Let me guess... a gold plated ECS board?

It should be good as the manufacturer that makes the board. AMD Annapurna reference design is basically a code name of the chipset for a FM2 motherboard. There was another one called Pumori.

AMD Trinity Devastator will have Dedicated Graphics Memory too Lensfire

[redvette]

Hi All

Ok let me ask you this, if a person could get this MOBO for a decent price with CPU and Ram, would you advise it. Remember I am not a gamer, but I do a lot of downloading of movies, etc. From what you are saying I think this MOBO is aimed at gamers. And yes it does have a lot of gold. ha ha ha

Thanx...Gunny

[jdeb]

Originally Posted by redvette Hi All Ok let me ask you this, if a person could get this MOBO for a decent price with CPU and Ram, would you advise it. Remember I am not a gamer, but I do a lot of downloading of movies, etc. From what you are saying I think this MOBO is aimed at gamers. And yes it does have a lot of gold. ha ha ha Thanx...Gunny

Depends on the manufacture and the price. If it is that gregarious gold ECS board, run as fast as you can away from it. Flaky board. Most Trinity setups are for budget gaming builds or home theatre pc's.

[David M]

I don't think that APU graphics are quite there yet for hard core gamers. The most graphics intensive games require a pretty decent dedicated graphics card. For movies or YouTube or much less demanding games, sure it would work.

[redvette]

Hi All

Well it seems I have 1 for it and 1 against it,

Thanx....Gunny

[jdeb]

It would help if you listed the manufacture and model numbers of those things considered for purchase.

[redvette]

Hi jdeb

I do but this one does not have a Mod #and I did list the manufacturer as AMD

Thanx....Gunny

[Jbc223456]

That can't be the manufacturer can it? AMD may make the chipsets, but I'm pretty sure that they don't manufacture the boards.

[redvette]

Hi JBC

Now would I lie to you, that is what it says, and that is what I am told by the guy that has it.

Thanx....Gunny

[MaxRat]

how cheap is cheap?

[redvette]

H max

He wants $125 for it and the CPU and some DDR 3 ram

Thanx....Gunny

[glc]

Pass. Sounds shady.

[Jbc223456]

Originally Posted by redvette Hi JBC Now would I lie to you, that is what it says, and that is what I am told by the guy that has it. Thanx....Gunny

I meant no disrespect or offence in your word, I just found it odd that AMD would manufacture an entire board.

On another note, I'd agree with glc.

[jdeb]

My guess .... It is an engineering sample. I received a kit back in 2010. The motherboard had a lot of gold plating on it and made by ECS and it was not marked. It came with a A10 Trinity, generic HD6670, closed loop cooler, and various AMD ram kits. I was supposed to test and fill out included report and send back. I could not send it back fast enough. Flakey, unstable, lots of BIOS adjusting to get it to run correctly. Flashed 4 Times. Junk, well truthfully it was decent after the 4th flash but I had to overclock the heck out of it per instruction. The board probably thought I was an Iraqi interegater. Poor thing...

I don't do that stuff anymore. Used to be able to keep stuff or have an article published. To many guys in The fight.

[David M]

Originally Posted by jdeb My guess .... It is an engineering sample. I received a kit back in 2010. The motherboard had a lot of gold plating on it and made by ECS and it was not marked. It came with a A10 Trinity, generic HD6670, closed loop cooler, and various AMD ram kits. I was supposed to test and fill out included report and send back. I could not send it back fast enough. Flakey, unstable, lots of BIOS adjusting to get it to run correctly. Flashed 4 Times. Junk, well truthfully it was decent after the 4th flash but I had to overclock the heck out of it per instruction. The board probably thought I was an Iraqi interegater. Poor thing... I don't do that stuff anymore. Used to be able to keep stuff or have an article published. To many guys in The fight.

It's no wonder you had such a hard time. You weren't supposed to waterboard it.

[redvette]

Hi All

JDEB you hit it right on the head that is what they call this MOBO an engineering sample. I don't know how someone comes to get one of these either, but this friend of mine has one.

I know getting one of these is taking a big chance, and might require more messing with then I have time to give it. The more I think about it the more I think I will pass on this.

Thanx....Gunny

[David M]

Your'e not going to try it just for the fun of it? That's not very geek like.

I would take it for free but would not pay for it.

[redvette]

Hi David

I must say I am tempted to get it, that is the geek in me but the non geek in me says why bother. Could this be a collectors item.? Probably better used as a door stopper. Does being a geek have an age limit.

Thanx....Gunny

[Jbc223456]

I don't think being a geek has an age limit. Just so long as you are proud to carry that title!

I don't think that board would be considered "collectible", but could easily become a very expensive door stopper.

[redvette]

Hi JBC

Being a geek use to mean you was an outsider a weirdo, etc. Now you are proud of being one. WOW that is a switch. And it being a title too. WOW.

Ya I am hanging on by my fingertips with this buying it, he has said he paid $150 for it, no ram, just the MOBO and the CPU. And he has all the literature, etc. And will pass on all that he has learned about it.

Thanx....Gunny

[David M]

Originally Posted by redvette Hi JBC Being a geek use to mean you was an outsider a weirdo, etc. Now you are proud of being one. WOW that is a switch. And it being a title too. WOW.

I know. How definitions change. What used to be a geek is now defined as a nerd or a kook (surfer lingo).

[MaxRat]

Originally Posted by redvette Hi All JDEB you hit it right on the head that is what they call this MOBO an engineering sample. I don't know how someone comes to get one of these either, but this friend of mine has one. I know getting one of these is taking a big chance, and might require more messing with then I have time to give it. The more I think about it the more I think I will pass on this. Thanx....Gunny

Tech-site Reviewers commonly get Engineering samples to review before products are released...

The good thing is you get to play with new hardware... the bad part is you do most all the R&D for the company for free in terms of doing a published review...

I work at one of these tech sites and the reviewers get stuff like this all the time... the bad part is to make a living they count of selling the stuff to make money for their time doing the review... on the other hand their are some products like motherboards than can be a headache... you do the BIOS teething... meaning if things are right you're getting BETA BIOSs and flashing them in hopes of getting a flaky board in working condition.

Not every thing is an Engineering Sample but a Pre-Retail Sample.... no harm in playing with them but most are Warranty VOID...

I get boards like this when i can to play with... best I got was an Abit X38

my other was a ECS Black Edition P55 that worked very well and was a great clocker...but nothing like the retail version....

[redvette]

Hi max

I think you helped making up my mind on this. Nothing beats talking to the actual people that have used it or have a history of using things very similar to it. I understand what you are saying. I think this guy that has it has done a lot of this pre bios changing/testing already and is ready to pass the headache on to me.

I like new and strange computer gear, but if it takes a lot of dealing with to even be able to get some use of it what good is it. I will do a certain amount of this if I can see the end of the tunnel along the way. More or less just to say I did it, and wind up with a good operating thing.

Thanx....Gunny

[MaxRat]

Some of it isnt bad.... I've gotten some FM1 boards like the ASRock A55 and Gigabyte A75 and a Zotac A75 (mini-itx) that were more than fine with the final release BIOS...

The Gigabyte was the flakiest of the bunch until then....

The ECS P55 with the Enhanced BIOS was/is the most stable

[redvette]

Hi max

Ya I know what you are saying, about not all of them being bad. I am willing to take risks, to a point. And I like to learn from doing things like this. I love working with computer gear to see what makes it tic and why it don't tic. PCmech has rescued me so many times, with things like this it is not funny. Just like this thing we are talking about now. All of you are so knowledgeable about computers it never ceases to amaze me.

Thanx....Gunny

[jdeb]

It is not legal to sell engineering samples. They make you sign a legal document.