A PC motherboard ties together key components.
Dell released the Dimension E310 desktop computer in 2005, touting it as a budget multimedia PC. Reviewers generally rated it a capable computer, but some lamented the limited upgrade options provided by the Dell-branded motherboard. Users had little choice but to settle for the integrated graphics engine since the motherboard lacks a slot for a more powerful add-on video card.
Chipset
The E310's motherboard uses Intel's 915GV Express chipset, which links the computer's Intel 2.8 GHz Pentium 4 processor to devices including the Intel 950 GMA graphics engine and a pair of memory, or RAM, slots. The motherboard had a front-side bus speed of 800 MHz for communication between the processor and components. The processor is mounted in an LGA 775 socket. CNET rated the chipset as good for a budget system, but noted it was not Intel's most recent offering.
Memory
The E310 accommodates a maximum of 2 gigabytes of RAM in its two memory slots, sufficient for many purposes.
Expansion Slots and Connectors
The motherboard includes two 120-pin PCI slots for expansion cards, plus a 1x PCI- Express slot. It does not offer a 16x PCI-Express slot to allow upgrading to a faster, dedicated video card. The motherboard offers two SATA connectors for hard drives and an IDE connector, typically used for a DVD/CD drive.
Audio and Ports
The motherboard supports 2.1-channel audio. Six USB 2.0 ports are available, two at the front of the PC, and the remainder at the rear. Also included are three audio connectors and an RJ45 jack for the integrated network adapter.
Video Output
The motherboard provides a lone VGA port, which yields an analog connection to a monitor. Many add-on graphics cards have dual DVI ports that allow a digital connection to multiple monitors.
Tags: Dimension E310, graphics engine, memory slots, video card