GA-8I915ME-GL is a feature-rich platform geared to meeting the demands of cost-effective platforms. With the latest LGA 775 Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor with Hyper-Threading Technology, you can experience next-generation processing! The GA-8I915ME-GL supports DDR 400 / 333 and can be used in a wide range of applications, from high-performance to low-cost systems. With USB 2.0 for high-speed data transfer and high-speed Serial ATA for mass storage devices, the GA-8I915ME-GL offers a wide range of peripheral connectors.

The GA-8I915ME-GL also features Intel® GMA 900 technology for exceptional graphics output, as well as GIGABYTE's revolutionary G.E.A.R expansion slot for traditional AGP graphics cards, which adds to the gaming and movie entertainment options. It has a 10/100 LAN connection with a lightning-fast network connection speed for networking. The GIGABYTE Shieldware is included in addition to the top-of-the-line hardware. Shieldware comes with a robust set of unique software features that are simple to use and designed to make computing simple and straightforward. Finally, the GA-8I915ME-GL features better multi-channel audio, improved voice and communication input capability, and home theater-quality sound with your PC.

With a variety of new generation architectures, such as dual-channel DDR main memory, PCI-Express interface, revolutionary graphics experience with Intel® Media Accelerator 900 Technology, and Serial-ATA interface for improving storage performance, the new Intel® 915GL Express chipset with Hyper-Threading Technology delivers significant performance gains. Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor with HT Technology (LGA 775) is supported. Through a mix of lower-power transistors, strained silicon, high-speed copper interconnects, and a novel low-k dielectric material, it enables considerable performance benefits with new 90nm technology, the world's most advanced chip-making process. DDR 400 Dual-Channel Memory Architecture With twice the bandwidth of your system memory, it enhances system performance and outperforms any other memory solution on the market. You can easily manage memory-intensive operations with the GA-8I865PE775-G-RH.

The revolutionary PCI Express interface offers expandable bandwidth for multi-purpose applications. The PCI-E x16 interface doubles the bandwidth of the previous generation's graphics interface, providing the best possible gaming experience. For new generation I/O peripheral devices, the PCI-E x1interface provides twice the bandwidth of the PCI interface, up to 250MB/s. ShieldWare by GIGABYTE A powerful collection of one-of-a-kind software features aimed at speeding up and simplifying the execution of critical system functions. Discover what these fantastic features can do for your computer!

Onboard – The Intel GMA (Graphics Media Accelerator) 900 chipset includes an Intel GMA (Graphics Media Accelerator) 900. This reduces the need for a video card because you can just connect your monitor to the motherboard's video port. The advantage is that you won't have to buy an external video card, and the Intel GMA 900 should consume less power than an external video card, putting less strain on your PSU and saving you money on your electricity bill. The disadvantages are as follows: 1) While fantastic for desktop/business use, the GMA 900, like most other onboard solutions, does not perform well in gaming. 

If you play the latest and finest, expect choppy framerates. 2) The GMA 900, like other onboard solutions, uses a portion of your system RAM as video memory, decreasing the amount of RAM available. 3) The performance of your computer will be affected by the speed of your processor. A slower processor will result in poor video quality. Again, this is primarily applicable to video games. In desktop programs, you're unlikely to detect a difference.

PCI-Express (PCIe) — If you plan on playing a lot of games, this slot should be used with a PCI Express video card. Although it's a PCI-Express x16 slot, it only has "PCIe x 4 bandwidth." On Gigabyte's website, there is a graphics card compatibility list.

AGP via the "G.E.A.R" slot (Gigabyte Enhanced AGP Riser) – AGP via the "G.E.A.R" slot (Gigabyte Enhanced AGP Riser) – This supports AGP 4x and 8x cards, albeit they suggest that it's only a "temporary solution" while you migrate to PCI-Express. It appears to use the PCI interface, and the AGP card will most likely be out of spec for whatever technical reasons. According to Gigabyte, using this AGP G.E.A.R. slot may damage or shorten the life of the card linked to it. I wouldn't recommend plugging in a brand new $300+ card into this slot. It sounds like using an AGP card you already have on hand, or a card you're planning to upgrade would be preferable.

DDR400/333 DIMMS can only be installed in two slots. Dual-channel should be used if both slots are occupied by DIMMS of similar capacity. These slots only support conventional DDR, not the newer DDR2.

At the 4-pin 12V connector, there is also a 24-pin connector. Connecting a 20-pin power supply to the 24-pin connector (leaving four pins vacant) appeared to operate perfectly. On the motherboard, there are two power headers: a 4-pin connector for the CPU and a 3-pin connector for a case fan.

It was relatively simple to set up. Nothing was at an unusual location that would make entry difficult. It also helps that the board is a Micro-ATX board in a mid-sized casing, as there is enough of space above and below for long CD-ROM drives and hard drives. The SATA drive was identified during the Windows XP SP2 installation (for the first time without the requirement for a driver DVD). The network card was also detected, which is useful for individuals who want to acquire updated drivers directly after installation.

Overclockers Beware! On this board, there are no overclocking options. The most you can do is use CTRL-F1 in the BIOS to access the additional options and alter the memory timings and multiplier. If overclocking or tweaking isn't on your immediate to-do list when purchasing a motherboard, the BIOS is well-designed and offers a good selection of settings. To see a larger version of any of the thumbnails, simply click on it (these were taken after pressing CTRL-F1 to open the extra options).

When it comes to motherboards, Gigabyte is a good "name brand" firm. This board is aimed primarily at the low-cost market. The only things that jumped out to me were the "just" 2 DIMM slots, 2 SATA ports, and 1 IDE port, but for most people, that will be enough. Those with AGP cards who want to switch to PCIe soon will like the G.E.A.R. slot, and if they're not game-crazy, they can always use the onboard video in the meantime. The Gigabyte software is great, and overall, you get a decent bundle for the money. Unfortunately, tweakers and overclockers are left out this time, and anyone trying to construct a low-cost server should look elsewhere for something with a little more future expandability. The GA-8I915ME-GL, on the other hand, is a superb value for the average user.

Download