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Originally published at Internet.comAs Core 2 Duo prices drop within reach of the lowest-budget builders, it's high time we consider the accompanying motherboards that fit within tight margins. Quality and stability are still important at this price level, as home builders often lack the skill to keep enthusiast "high-maintenance" systems running while commercial builders would prefer not to drop ten times their cost savings into the first maintenance call. 
Offering an Intel chipset on a full ATX board, Gigabyte's GA-945PL-S3 focuses on only those few onboard features required to get volume sales in a market where reliability, instead, is the chief concern. Can it perform well enough to keep up with Core 2 Duo expectations and provide good value, or is it simply a low-cost part in a market full of high expectations of reliability?
Layout and Features
The GA-945PL-S3 is tiny, reminding us of days gone by when limited onboard features allowed most boards to occupy less than half the depth of a full ATX chassis. Another positive feature from a previous era is Gigabyte's use a full seven expansion slots, all of them useful with a wide variety of expansion cards. Why so few manufacturers offer this type of flexible configuration on midrange boards is anybody's guess. 
While practical measures at cost savings divert your attention, a small detail may have gone unnoticed: Though the board is compatible with Intel's latest core technology, Intel's 945PL Express chipset does not officially support the 1066MHz FSB common to all E6300 through X6800 Core 2 Duo processors. Intel has promised low-end 800MHz-bus Core 2 Duos in the future, but until then, most builders will consider this a Pentium 4/Pentium D/Celeron D motherboard.
Cost savings efforts continue on the Southbridge: Intel's ICH7 supports four Serial ATA and two Parallel ATA drives, but without the RAID option that few of the board's target owners will use anyway. The Southbridge still supports Intel HD audio via a Realtek ALC883 8-channel codec, and Gigabyte adds the RTL8111B PCI Express Gigabit LAN controller. 
The rear panel supports not much more than a few legacy connections. The empty spot is meant to hold a VGA output when this PCB is paired with an integrated chipset. An internal header next to the three analog audio connections allows additional analog ports, but finding the appropriate breakout adapter might be more than just a little difficult. An S/PDIF I/O header on the bottom of the motherboard is similarly unlikely to see use. 
Documentation is above par, including Intel's CPU installation sheet, a guidebook for installing the motherboard into a case, and a full manual. Gigabyte carries this level of support into the driver CD by including Symantec's Norton Internet Security suite. 
Finishing out the package are a case badge and sticker sheet, port cover plate, two Serial ATA cables, a floppy cable, and an 80-conductor Parallel ATA cable.
BIOS and Overclocking
Unlike many previous Gigabyte boards, a wide array of settings are available to all users, while those with knowledge to use the "CTL-F1" key combo gain additional access to memory timings. 
For the majority of overclockers unwilling to use Gigabyte's C.I.A. 2 automatic overclocking utility, manual controls are abundant. The CPU Host Clock can be adjusted between 100 and 600MHz, PCI Express Clock from 90 to 150MHz, and available DRAM-to-CPU ratios include 1:1, 4:3, 3:2, and 2:1 (for DDR2-800 coupled with an 800MHz-bus processor).
Voltage settings are also very generous, with VDIMM ranging from 1.80V to 2.40V in 0.10V increments, PCI Express and FSB over-voltage to +0.30V in 0.10V increments, and CPU VCore from 0.51250v to 1.59375V in 0.00625V steps. Additional VCore settings of 1.60/1.70/1.80V are available but not likely useful.
We found the GA-945PL-S3 stable up to 289MHz FSB clock (1156FSB), which is more than enough to guarantee stability when used with 1066 bus processors at full rated speed. On the other hand, 3:2 and 2:1 DRAM:CPU ratios were unusable even with the board clocked down to 133MHz bus clock (533 FSB). And while clocking down to 133MHz was possible, the 100MHz bus setting didn't boot.
Performance
Gigabyte had formerly impressed us in the low-cost market with its GA-945GM-S2, so we brought it into the GA-945PL-S3 comparison. Also back for this review is the high-end Asus P5B Deluxe WiFi/AP Edition. Testing System Configuration Motherboards GA-945PL-S3
Gigabyte GA-945GM-S2
Asus P5B Deluxe WiFi-AP Edition Video cards EVGA 7600GT CO SuperClocked Edition RAM Super Talent T800UX2GC4 PC2-6400 CPU Intel Core 2 Duo E6300, 1.86GHz Hard Drive Hitachi Deskstar T7K250 SATA 3.0Gb Optical Torisan CD-ROM Floppy Samsung 1.44GB 3.5" PSU Antec Phantom 500W OS Windows XP Service Pack 2 Drivers Intel INF 8.0.1.1002
nVidia ForceWare 91.31
Even though the 945PL chipset supports only 533MHz- and 800MHz-bus processors, we performed our benchmarks using the 1066MHz-bus E6300 at full speed, thanks to the board's ability to overclock to 266MHz FSB with 100 percent stability.
The official 945PL memory support limit of DDR2-533 (PC2-4300) at FSB800 allows 709MHz at 1066FSB using the same ratio. The 945GM officially supports DDR2-667, while the P965 officially supports DDR2-800, so these settings form the basis of our memory performance comparison. 
Sandra 2005's memory bandwidth benchmark unexpectedly shows the "expected" results. We're not accustomed to such predictability! 
Nearly a dead heat, Sandra Arithmetic hands only tthe slightest win to the high-end P965 motherboard from Asus. 
More similarities in Sandra Multimedia Benchmark again hand an unimpressive lead to the most expensive product in our lineup. 
The oldest Direct 3D benchmarks show the greatest benefit from fast memory access, while newer versions show a dead heat between the cheapest and most expensive motherboards. 
Give a little, get a little: SPECviewperf swaps positions for each configuration, depending on the specific viewset. Though the GA-945PL-S3 does stand out in Pro-E and Solidworks using the strange 709MHz memory data rate, it's unlikely that engineers would be interested in such configurations.
Conclusion
The GA-945PL-S3 is more than a stable platform without a processor: It supports already-available Pentium 4, Pentium D, and Celeron D cores, and it's perfectly happy at the overclocked bus speed needed to use current E6300-X6800 cores at full speed. Performance comparable to more expensive P965 solutions means that this might just be the perfect platform for penny pinchers, as Web pricing around $85 makes the GA-945PL-S3 approximately $15 cheaper.
The actual market for this platform will be small- to medium-sized build-to-order system vendors, where multiplying any cost savings across tens to hundreds of systems can provide a significant competitive advantage. When the 1.80GHz/800Mhz FSB Core 2 Duo E4300 finally becomes available, this board will already be there to fill the need.
Additionally, gamers who keep asking for a board with lots of slots and few onboard features may overlook such low-end parts, but the GA-945PL-SE is really is what they've asked for.
One more niche use for the board, considered by few reviewers, can be found in underclocking for reduced heat, noise, and power consumption. This paves the way for applications including home theater PC, manufacturing controls, and transportable media devices. With fine adjustments down to 0.51250V, getting the least out of your processor becomes easy, and we can attest to this board's capability below three quarters of a volt.
Pros: * Stable at bus speeds exceeding FSB1066 * Low-cost alternative to P965 motherboards * On-par performance with P965 chipset * Seven expansion slot for great flexibility * Reduced depth eases fitment in shallow cases * Compatible with "next-generation Core 2 Duo" (E4300) processors...
Cons: * ... but not officially compatible with current-generation Core 2 Duo (full speed requires overclocking chipset) * No digital and few analog audio connections for 8-channel HD controller * Onboard device set typical of sub-$100 motherboard market
The Verdict: The GA-945PL is a stable platform well-suited to current and future FSB800 desktop processors. Reasonable overclocking allows use with FSB1066 Core 2 Duo's, but specifications will restrict its primary market to B.T.O. manufacturers. SysOpt Product Info
Product:
GA-945PL-S3
Category:
Motherboard
Avg. Price:
$85
Manufacturer:
Gigabyte Technology
U.S. Headquarters
17358 Railroad St.
City of Industry, CA 91748
(626) 854-9338
Availability:
Now
Ratings: (Best of four stars)
Features: 
Performance: 
Value:
Best for:
Build-to-order system makers
Author: Thomas Soderstrom
Read article at Internet.com site