The motherboard from ASRock - N68-S - was introduced in 2010. It focuses on the use of processor devices that are related to the platforms AM2, AM2 + and AM3. At the moment, it is impossible to assemble a new personal computer based on any of them. They are simply not on sale. But to restore the functionality of an existing such computer system in the event of a breakdown of the motherboard is not difficult. It is about its capabilities that will be discussed later.
Which PCs is this board focused on?
The technical parameters and equipment of the ASRock N68-S were focused on the use in the middle and entry-level PCs. In the first case, it was possible to create a gaming computer or graphic station on its basis . In this case, the system had to be supplemented without fail with a productive discrete graphics accelerator. Also, a semiconductor crystal, which belongs to the Phenom or even Phenom II line, should act as a CPU in such a situation. The second use case for this product is entry-level solutions, such as an office PC or a print server. In this case, it was possible to install any central processor of the Septron rulers or slightly improved compared to them in terms of Athlon performance without an additional graphics accelerator, that is, use an integrated video card for image output.
Equipment
ASRock N68-S was equipped as follows:
- Actually, the motherboard itself.
- Metal plate for installation in a PC case.
- A set of interface IDE cords. But the SATA cable was not supplied, and had to be purchased separately. And this was one of the main disadvantages of this decision.
- A disk with software (specialized utilities and a set of drivers).
Design
The motherboard ASRock N68-S was made in the form factor called "MicroATX". Because of this, it can be installed in a compact computer case, as well as in any other. In the center of its upper half, there is a seat for the CPU, that is, a socket. To the left of it are the slots for installing random access memory. There are 4. in this case. Two of them are for DDR2 standard strips, and 2 are for DDR3. Immediately behind them is the place to connect the connector from the power supply and the only IDE connector for the corresponding drive. In the center of the board, under a passive heat sink system, a system logic chip was hidden. Under it, as expected, are expansion slots, and to the right of it are SATA ports for connecting new modifications of storage devices.
System logic
In this case, the system logic chips were the solutions developed by NVidia. The north bridge was based on the GeForce 7025, and the south - on the NForce 630A. In 2010, the technical specifications of these semiconductor crystals were relevant. Now they are completely out of date.
Socket. List of supported processor devices
The hybrid processor socket was equipped with ASRock N68-S. BIOS it was originally supported only by AM2 chips. But as you know, in the same socket it is physically possible to install processor solutions that related to AM2 + or even AM3. But in order to make this possible at the program level, it was necessary to update the BIOS. And the list of processors in this case is as follows:
Entry-level solutions are Septron or slightly improved Athlon.
The middle segment in this case was represented by chips of the Phenom families and, of course, Phenom II.
Built-in ports. Types of expansion slots
The maximum amount of RAM that could be installed in such a PC was equal to only 8 GB. Moreover, the user was given a choice: either the more affordable DDR2 straps, or the faster DDR3. There were 4 slots, as noted earlier. But 2 of them were designed for DDR2, and 2 - for DDR3. The maximum size of one RAM bar was 4 GB. One expansion slot in ASRock N68-S UCC was designed to install an external video accelerator - this is PCI Express format 16X. There was also one PCI Express slot, already in 1X format, for installing new modifications of external controllers. Well, 2 PCI slots were focused on using outdated versions of additional controllers. The list of built-in ports for this product was as follows:
2 familiar round sockets for mouse and keyboard switching.
4 universal bus ports called USB. Their version is 2.0.
1 graphic output - VGA. If necessary, you could connect a DVI adapter to it and already display the image on the monitor using this more advanced digital format. But to use HDMI as part of such a computer system, it was necessary to additionally purchase an external graphics accelerator.
3 audio ports allowed using this board to implement different configurations of speakers.
1 port of the RJ-45 format (sometimes called LAN) was designed to connect a PC to a computer network and the Internet.
One COM port was universal. It allowed you to connect a mouse, printer or scanner to a PC.
Reviews of the owners of this model of the motherboard. Price. Product relevance
The ASRock N68-S motherboard had virtually no drawbacks. Its only drawback is the lack of a SATA-wire in the basic configuration, which, in the presence of such a drive in a computer configuration, had to be purchased separately. In the rest, it had only pluses: a good degree of functionality, relatively low cost and an impressive list of supported modifications of the central processors. In the new state, such a computer solution is now impossible to purchase, but a supported such board on various trading floors can be bought for 2000-3000 rubles. It is not practical to assemble a new computer based on it: this hardware is outdated. But when resuscitating a PC, this motherboard can be very useful.
Summary
At the time of its release, ASRock N68-S was a relevant solution. Now you can only buy it in the case when you need to urgently restore the PC with components that are compatible with it. In other cases, it is impractical to consider its acquisition.