ASROCK is misleading their customers!

[thetom]

Short version:

ASROCK is falsely advertising their motherboard's overclocking capabilities by claiming that they managed to make a 2.5GHz E5200 Intel CPU reach 3.57GHz. But when you enter the bios or run OC Tuner on this motherboard, there is not even an option to adjust CPU voltage:

OC Tuner has not got CPU voltage control either:

Long version:

Recently I went to buy a motherboard for my Intel E5200 CPU. While checking out ASROCK G41C-GS packaging(as seen in picture above) in my hand before purchasing, I noticed it had written on it: "Up to 143% CPU frequency increase is measured with Intel® Pentium Dual Core E5200 CPU". "What a coincidence", I thought, "I have the very same CPU!"

I bought the mobo because I knew that this very E5200 clocked to 3.3GHz without any problems in my old motherboard.

So, I installed the ASROCK mobo, entered the BIOS to mess about the OC settings and what do I see?

There is NO vcore setting!

Wait a minute... they claim they overclocked an E5200 to 143% without changing voltage? My confidence in ASROCK as a professional manufacturer started to deteriorate even further when I saw their "Engrish" skills in same BIOS submenu.

(this is a picture from motherboard manual)

All of the other voltage settings are worthless without vcore, so why are they even there? What is going on?


By the way, the OC capacities are also advertised on their webiste right now:

I am not sure if this classifies as false advertising or is down right misleading, but my advice is:

Stay away from ASROCK! I know I will.

 

[discerning]

I believe ASRock's OC Tuner is software based, so the Vcore setting may be there. Not defending ASRock as that really should be in the BIOS. Sucks if you're going to be running a non-Windows OS.

 

[thetom]

I believe ASRock's OC Tuner is software based, so the Vcore setting may be there. Not defending ASRock as that really should be in the BIOS. Sucks if you're going to be running a non-Windows OS.

Asrock OC Tuner does not have vcore setting either

And just to make sure, I looked into OC Tuner folder and compared iG41CVS.ini file (configuration file for my motherboard) to another motherboard .ini file and in my .ini the CPU voltage paragraph is missing completely.

 

[Sheep221]

Lol dude this is bizzare bug, I have ASrock which works fine, but I noticed some minor grammar mistakes in bios too.

Do you have the newest bios for that board? Maybe you are running some beta/old stuff, and did you try to put OC mode from auto to manual in first place? Maybe then the vcore will be visible.

 

[Rvenger]

This is a legacy motherboard?? They have stopped improving upon these boards for years now.

The 1155 motherboard from Asrock are stellar.

 

[Deders]

It might auto compensate the voltage to suit the CPU, not ideal but I know but it just might work.

 

[thetom]

I am running latest bios version and the picture of BIOS menu I posted is from manual. I don't have my camera around to take picture of my screen.

This is NOT a bug. Like I said, the OC Tuner .ini file of my motherboard is missing CPU Voltage paragraph, which is easily found in .ini files of other motherboards inside the OC Tuner folder.

This is a legacy motherboard?? They have stopped improving upon these boards for years now.

The 1155 motherboard from Asrock are stellar.

It is not a legacy motherboard, but latest and probably last generation of 775 motherboards. It is being listed directly on the website, under "Intel Socket 775" category http://www.asrock.com/mb/index.asp

 

[Bull Dog]

"Up to 143% CPU frequency increase" which basically means that they are actually promising nothing.

This is marketing, everyone does it. Either give 'black marks' to everyone, or no one.

 

[thetom]

This is not the point. I never expected to reach that 143% OC. However, on packaging, a E5200 is mentioned to be OC'd to 143% (3575MHz). Even an overclocking amateur will understand that this implies BASIS of overclocking: vcore.

I feel cheated.

It is blatantly obvious that different ASROCK product have same etiquetted features on the packaging, but it is overlooked whether those features are correct for a specific model.

All in all, VERY unprofessional and misleading.

 

[Sheep221]

This is not the point. I never expected to reach that 143% OC. However, on packaging, a E5200 is mentioned to be OC'd to 143% (3575MHz). Even an overclocking amateur will understand that this implies BASIS of overclocking: vcore.

I feel cheated.

It is blatantly obvious that different ASROCK product packaging share same etiquetted features, but it is overlooked whether those features are correct for that specific model.

All in all, VERY unprofessional and misleading.

if the board is new, you can return it due to misleading product info for sure

 

[thetom]

if the board is new, you can return it due to misleading product info for sure

I have sent an e-mail directly to ASROCK, but I have low expectations 'cause my Engrish is not up to par :biggrin:

 

[JBT]

What happens if you set Overclock Mode to Manual?

 

[Phynaz]

Even an overclocking amateur will understand that this implies BASIS of overclocking: vcore.

Not really.

Just return it.

 

[thetom]

What happens if you set Overclock Mode to Manual?

The picture of BIOS menu I posted is NOT my own(I do not have camera to take a picture of my own BIOS settings)

I have my FSB is set to MANUAL and is currently at 240 MHz. Manual or Auto makes no difference, because there there is NO vcore to be found anywhere.

Not really.

Just return it.

Easier said than done. This is not a faulty motherboard, it is a working product but with misleading advertising.

 

[thetom]

*doublepost*

 

[tcsenter]

Well at least its a budget/value board, not like you paid for a performance/enthusiast level product. I've purchased budget/value boards from practically every manufacturer that advertised overclocking capability and almost all of them lacked CPU VCore adjustment or something. I've come to just expect something to be lacking from this level in terms of overclocking.

 

[JBT]

Where did you buy it Newegg or Amazon would take it back no problem if you said it doesn't offer what the box says.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

Manual doesn't say anything about VCore adjustments. Product page, under BIOS, lists "VCCM, NB, VTT, GTLRef Voltage Multi-adjustment" but not VCore.

Chalk it up to marketing-speak.

Years ago, I learned to download and read product manuals for products I was interested in buying. I really recommend more BYO people do that. No slight intended; I learned that the hard way.

If you hunt around in FS/FT, I'm sure some enthusiast will be getting rid of OC-friendly S775 gear. *cough*me*cough*

 

[max347]

I feel for you, but honestly you should have done a little more research before buying. All that statement means is that the BIOS will allow you to set the frequency 143% of stock. Literally that is all it is saying. I'm sure many others would agree that you can look at that board and just know that is a stock-runner. I wouldn't overclock it even if it had the options.

Also, most of the motherboards have stuff written in language like that, I'm not sure why this is a surprise.

 

[piasabird]

This chipset was launched in Q3 2008. It is like 5 years old.

 

[bryanl]

"Up to 143% CPU frequency increase" which basically means that they are actually promising nothing.

Asrock claims it has achieved a 143% overclock with an E5200. They should be required to prove it.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Asrock claims it has achieved a 143% overclock with an E5200. They should be required to prove it.

They didn't say it wasn't with a vcore pin-mod.

 

[AdamK47]

I'd only buy ASRock for their high end boards.

 

[pauldun170]

I too will stay away from Asrock boards made in 2009 or earlier.

 

[Torn Mind]

A blast from the ancient past, back was Asrock was more pure budget motherboard company and crappier than they are now.

It is a legacy platform now. Just because it is still on the manufactuer's website doesn't change the fact that 775 is a legacy platform. No new CPUs are produced from that era. Hell, Intel isn't producing Sandy Bridge processors anymore.

LGA 775 totally died when Sandy Bridge came with LGA 1155. Before then, it was only the budget sector propping it up. The "high end" already moved on to the Nehalem chips. These motherboards are "new", but they're being built off of the few remaining chipset chips left form that era. Soon, it there will be no more sold brand new.

Asrock stepped up their game with the latest mobos. That BIOS in this motherboard is archaic. Now, the have a BIOS you can navigate with a mouse