For its motherboard, the eMachines W3650 -- a deskop PC package from eMachines that was released in 2008 -- uses the ECS 945GCT-M3. This component is the product of Elitegroup Computer Systems Co., Ltd., an electronics manufacturer based in Taiwan. The 945GCT-M3 also goes on computers from Gateway, which, like eMachines, coincidentally functions as a subsidiary of Acer Inc., another Taiwan-based electronics company.
Size and Architecture
The ECS 945GCT-M3 -- measuring 244 square millimeters, or around 9.6 square inches -- used the Advanced Technology Extended motherboard form factor specification that semiconductor company Intel Corp. developed in 1995. ECS designs it as a four-layer printed circuit board, a device used to hold together chips and other electronic components. This includes an integrated chip used for local area networking called the Realtek RTL8100C. Also included are three Peripheral Component Interconnect interfaces: a conventional PCI slot and two slots that adhere to the standards of its successor, PCI Express.
Memory Support
The eMachines W3650 motherboard has two dual inline memory module slots, which is where the manufacturer places the desktop PC's system memory. Operating on a voltage of 1.8, the slots accommodate memory modules that have an access speed of 400 MHz or 500 MHz and comply with second-generational Double Data Rate Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory architecture, or DDR2 SDRAM. The maximum amount of system memory that a user can install on the ECS 945GCT-M3's dual slots is 2 GB.
Processor/Chipset Support
Each motherboard has a northbridge and southbridge. These are chips, or chipsets, that facilitate its "faster" and "slower" capabilities, respectively. The ECS 945GCT-M3's northbridge has the NG82945GC part number, while its southbridge is named FW82801GB. Both chipsets are from Intel. Additionally, ECS built this motherboard to support Intel processors using the "Prescott," "Tejas" or "Conroe" code name. The eMachines W3650 in particular has the single-core "Conroe"-codenamed Intel Celeron 440 processor, which has a processing speed of 2 GHtz, 800-MHz data transfer speed and a 512-KB Level 2 cache (or secondary bank).
Peripheral Connectors
Next to the eMachines W3650's motherboard are several interfaces. These include an Integrated Drive Electronics interface and four Serial Advanced Technology Attachment interfaces for connecting components such as a hard disk drive or optical drive. Also available are two IEEE 1394 and eight USB ports.
Tags: eMachines W3650, Advanced Technology, eMachines W3650 motherboard, system memory, W3650 motherboard