Pricey Foundations: 9 Boards For The Pentium 4 – THG.RU

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9 Boards For The Pentium 4″ –>

Pricey Foundations: Boards With An Intel 850 Chipset

Anyone who’s ready to blow lots of money on a PC system would be well-advised to invest in a board with an Intel 850 chipset. After all, you’d be hard-pressed to spend more on a simple board these days. The juicy price tag attached to the chipset also explained the high average price for the nine boards we tested – around $140. Not exactly cheap when you consider that boards for the relatively common and popular AMD Athlons only cost $125. Computer dealers are willing to part with an Athlon 1333 for a little over $100. No doubt about it, boards equipped with Intel 850 chipsets aren’t about to be snatched up by student with puny wallets – the customers are bound to be more professional users with refined tastes. The dangers of being careless with your AMD Athlon have already been discussed in our article “Hot Spot: How Modern Processors Cope with Heat Emergencies”. This includes a video demonstration, which you can download from Streamgate, one of our partner web sites.

The number of consumers willing to purchase one of these boards is pretty small, as you might well imagine. In addition to the high initial payment, don’t forget that you still have to shell out quite a bit for the Rambus memory and the Pentium 4 CPU itself. The sky-high prices for RDRAM (128 MB currently sets you back about $45) can be very simply explained by the fact that Rambus is only available from brand name manufacturers such as Samsung. Unlike DDR-SDRAM and SDRAM, there’s no such thing as a no-name module. But Rambus does have some advantages, too -these models spare you all the headache of searching for the ideal settings for the best performance. And our test demonstrates beyond the shadow of a doubt that one of the main reasons to buy an 850 board is its infallible stability. We’ve come across few boards that are as stable as these nine test candidates.

Pricey Foundations: Boards With An Intel 850 Chipset, Continued

The Intel 850 chipset consists of two chips.

* Depends on clock generator
Comparison of chipsets that are currently available for Pentium 4.

Comparison of the chipsets currently available for the Intel Pentium 4.

These boards aren’t exactly an overclocker’s dream come true. Most of the candidates allow you to change only a handful of CPU settings. In addition to these inherent limitations, the Pentium 4 can only be underclocked – it’s impossible to use the multiplier to overclock it. Those switching from a Pentium III/Socket 370 system will have additional costs to reckon with – using an Intel 850 board will probably also require investing in a new power supply to ensure that the voltage supply is stable enough for Pentium 4 CPUs running at higher clock speeds.

A Look at All Nine Test Candidates

All 9 candidates were able to withstand five days of testing in our Munich lab. The common denominator for all boards is the Intel 850 chipset, made up of two chips. Whereas the Intel 845 works with substantially cheaper SDRAM and will soon be compatible with DDR-SDRAM, the Intel 850 leaves you no option other than to use RDRAM. All the test candidates have made room for this high-octane memory in the form of four RIMM sockets that can be supplied with two or four RAM modules. Keep in mind, however, that you have to use pairs of modules, each with the same capacity.

In comparison to other tests, such as for VIA KT266 or Intel 815 boards, the benchmarks of the 850 boards differ only marginally from one another. There is a simple explanation for this – most manufacturers stick closely to Intel’s reference design, thus resulting in only slight differences between them.

Abit TH7: Features Galore

Board revision: 1.0

Bios: TH7ZG (22 March 2001)

After having enjoyed sweeping success due to special overclocking features in its boards, Abit now appears to be resting on its laurels. The company hasn’t had too many boards in our tests lately and only trotted out its latest models long after the competition had launched their products.

Port 80 card integrated into the Abit TH7

View of the extra IDE connectors.

The Abit TH7 makes a good showing among the other boards tested, thanks to its interesting features, which run the gamut from the Port 80 card for diagnosing errors, to the highpoint controller for additional IDE drives. The comprehensive “Soft Menu II,” which offers a heap of features to overclock your processor, is rather unremarkable though. After all, the Pentium 4 runs stably at higher clock speeds without ratcheting up the voltage, if you increase the FSB rate in steps. The front side bus can be adjusted in rather imprecise increments between 90 MHz and 133 MHz. The CPU core voltage can be finely adjusted from 1.100 volts to 1.850 volts. The CNR slot is an utter waste of space since there aren’t any peripheral devices for it. On the other hand, the board’s three USB ports, placed one above the other, are a pleasant surprise. High marks are also awarded for the On and Reset switches on the board. The Abit TH7 concludes the performance chapter with average benchmark results, putting it in the mid range.

It ships with a connector for a game controller.

Aopen AX4T: A Plate Combats Electromagnetic Radiation

Board revision: 1.0

Bios: AX4T R1.05 (02 July 2001)

The Aopen AX4T still includes a host of small components – apparently this manufacturer hasn’t yet reached a particularly high level of integration. Instructions for a quick 18-step installation are provided in a leaflet that comes with the board. A real eye-catcher on Aopen is the shielding plate installed underneath the CPU socket to minimize leakage of electromagnetic radiation. In all other aspects, the board is well-equipped. It has a network chip as well as an AGP Pro slot that also supports high-end graphics adaptors with an additional power supply. The front side bus can be set to a range between 100 MHz and 133 MHz. The clock multiplier can be adjusted between 8.0 and 23.0. Last but not least in the array of hardware features is the endplate, while Norton Antivirus is thrown in for free. A look at the benchmark results reveals that, although Aopen might not be at the head of the pack, it still delivers acceptable performance. Of course, all the motherboards in this test perform in a pretty similar fashion.

The three voltage connectors in accordance with the new standard.

Shielding plate on the rear side of the board beneath the CPU prevents electromagnetic radiation.

Asus P4T: High Performance

Board revision: 1.06

Bios: 1005 Beta 003 (15 July 2001)

First things first – the market leader in motherboards hasn’t done badly with the Asus P4T. In the benchmark disciplines, the board performs head and shoulders above the rest. Not only that, but Asus clocks its FSB relatively low, without its performance suffering in the least. The FSB rate can be set (rather unprecisely) between 100 MHz and 133 MHz – the multiplier is adjustable between 10.0 and 20.0. CPU core voltage can be set between 1.750 V and 1.850 V. As we’ve seen on other boards from this manufacturer, clocking is done either via DIP switch or BIOS. To minimize electromagnetic radiation, Asus has placed the board on a large metal plate that ships with the P4T. This baby comes in different flavors – it’s available with integrated sound chip, LAN controller or FireWire chip. It also comes in the Micro-ATX form for smaller cases. Despite its hefty price tag of over $150, the board provides an extraordinarily stable foundation for fast Intel Pentium 4 processors up to 2000 MHz.

One lonely voltage connector for the Pentium 4.

The remaining power connectors are on the edge of the board.

DFI WT70-EC: No Strengths, No Weaknesses

Board revision: 0.2

Bios: (03 August 2001)

The DFI WT70-EC’s inconspicuous results in the testing group are a real plus. This well-designed arranged board has an integrated AC’97 codec and can be all yours for only $120. There weren’t any problems while testing, so we have no cause for complaint. In the benchmark tests, the DFI WT70-EC scores squarely in the last third. Don’t forget, however, that all the candidates displayed a similar performance level and differ only marginally from one another. Our two cents: for the features and properties offered, the DFI is a tad expensive.

Elitegroup P4ITA: Now Stable, and Faster [Updated]

Board revision: 1.0

Bios: not available

On view: the three voltage connectors on the motherboard.

In our last comparison, there were some problems which have since been resolved. The manufacturer quickly shipped a new board to our lab direct from Taiwan. After extensive testing, we found that the motherboard is fully functional and no longer ranks at the bottom of the pack – our new benchmark results prove this beyond doubt. A few details about the board: it has an AC’97 sound chip and a CNR slot. It also has features for setting the FSB clock and the clock multiplier: the FSB clock can be adjusted between 100 MHz and 130 MHz, while the multiplier can be set from 8.0 to 23.0. The low price for this socket 423 board (approximately $110) certainly makes it a product worth considering.

Epox EP-4T2A: Good Average

Board revision: 1.0

Bios: 03.00.06 (07 April 2001)

It ships with a connector for a game controller.

Looking at the equipment overall, the 3D sound chip on the Epox EP-4T2A is a real plus. Another bright spot is the convenient clip for the AGP port, which effectively prevents the graphics card from slipping out of the socket. The front side bus can be adjusted in small increments between 100 MHz and 133 MHz in BIOS, while the CPU core voltage can be set to between 1.600 V and 1.850 V. Of course, a painless way of overclocking the Intel Pentium 4 is to increase the FSB clock speed. The theoretical range of settings for the clock multiplier runs from 8.0 to 23.0, although for all practical purposes, the processor limits the range somewhat. One of the more impressive features allows you to restore BIOS after a faulty flash process. In terms of performance, the Epox places in the upper third of the range in all disciplines. The bottom line is that this is a stable, yet not exorbitantly priced Socket 423 board.

FSB settings on the Epox.

Gigabyte GA-8TX: Very Costly and Slow

Board revision: 0.4

Bios: 8TX-F6 (10 May 2001)

Gigabyte’s blue PCB design makes this board easy to identify. The PCI sound chip provides acceptable sound quality and does away with the need to buy a sound card. We were baffled by the manufacturer’s decision to install an AC’97 codec in addition to the sound chip. The dual BIOS function is a familiar friend that prevents faulty flashes from turning into nightmares. The FSB clock speed can be set from 100 MHsz to 133 MHz, while the multiplier can be adjusted from 8.0 to 23.0. The CPU core voltage cannot be modified. The benchmark values spell it all out in black and white – the Gigabyte GA-8TX is the slowest board in this comparison. Considering the performance – which, again, hardly differs from that of the other boards tested – $166 is a rather large investment. But if you trust the manufacturer’s good name and are only interested in a stable foundation, Gigabyte is still not a bad pick.

FSB clock speed table for the Gigabyte GA-8TX.

Creative sound chip

A view of the Gigabyte connectors.

MSI MS-6523: Performance Leader, via Overclocking

Board revision: 1.0

BIOS: W6523MS V2.3 (02 August 2001)

It ships with a connector for a game controller.

What’s striking about the MSI is the unusual way its RIMM slots are configured. Whereas three of them have been built vertically, the fourth has been installed at a 90 degree angle to the others. This unusual design is a by-product of the inexpensive construction, which only uses four and not the usual six layers. Weak points: MSI has only furnished the board with four PCI slots! What’s more, the front side bus is heavily overclocked, with the board running at 2030 MHz – definitely too fast! However, BIOS incorrectly lists the speed as 2000 MHz, so that the user doesn’t get worried. Since this board comes factory-overclocked at 2030 MHz, it takes the gold in terms of performance.

A view of the MSI 850 Pro 2 connectors.

Splayed RDRAM slots.

On the positive side, however, the USB cable shipped with the board allows you to connect two PCs directly without needing a network card. A particularly useful feature is the Dr. LEDs, which allows you to diagnose errors using color codes. Conclusion: For about $120, the customer receives a fast board with a vast array of features, although it has been heavily overclocked at the factory. Despite being overclocked, this board is still unlikely to cause system instability!

Cable to connect two PCs directly.

QDI Platinix 4: Reserved Refinement

Board revision: 1.0 (S1.2)

BIOS: P6I850 B1.2SLCP (16 August 2001)

It ships with a connector for a game controller.

Look at the QDI Platinix 4 connectors.

The QDI Platinix 4 is a standard OEM board used in brand-name PCs. The front side bus is limited to 100 MHz, making it impossible to overclock. The clock multiplier ranges from 8.0 to 23.0, although the CPU itself limits this range. On the upside, the integrated LAN controller makes it unnecessary to purchase a network card. Our measurements placed the QDI’s performance in the lower third on the benchmark scale.

The VID pins to adjust CPU core voltage are unused.

Bright spot: The QDI comes with a matched endplate.

Testing Configuration

Benchmark Results [Updated]

All the boards were put through the rigors of 9 different benchmarks, and there wasn’t a single serious problem throughout the entire testing process, which earns kudos for the Socket 423 CPU platform. The following benchmark disciplines will now elucidate all the boards’ various aspects.

Range of CPU Clock Speed: 1980 MHz to 2030 MHz

The testing scenario in this comparison reveals that some manufacturers are still trying to pad their results by overclocking the boards at the factory. For example, the MSI’s 2030 MHz puts it at the top of the heap in several disciplines! We have seen this to be an issue with European users more so than North American users. Whether the issue is being overlooked by some reviewers, or there’s some sort of cultural difference on overclocked mobos, we can’t tell

Office Performance: Sysmark 2000 Patch 5

For the category “Office Performance” the MSI 850 Pro 2 takes the gold in the Sysmark 2000 discipline with 242 points. DFI hobbles along in the rear with 221 points.

OpenGL Performance: Quake 3 Arena

MSI’s high CPU clock speed is still not sufficient to push it to the top in the Quake 3 benchmark. The Asus P4T is somewhat faster.

Direct3D Performance: Unreal Tournament

In the Unreal Tournament benchmark we have the same placing: The Asus P4T is a nose-length ahead of the other candidates.

OpenGL Performance: SPECviewperf 6.1.2

The following SPECviewperf benchmark results examine the performance of all the test candidates. In all the disciplines, the MSI 850 Pro 2 takes the lead.

Awadvs-04

In this test, the results are very similar for all the boards.

DRV-07

A similar story in Design Review.

DX-06

The MSI 850 Pro 2 is in the lead, as is the case in all the other disciplines.

Light-04

The Gigabyte’s somewhat sloppy performance is shown in this benchmark.

MedMCAD-01

The MedMCAD benchmark results are very close , so it is actually a draw.

ProCDRS-03

As plain as day – the MSI 850 Pro 2’s slight lead over the others is wiped out by the ProCDRS benchmark. But this has no impact on its practical use.

Conclusion: Fast, Stable and Expensive – Socket 423 Bites the Dust

The heading says it all about the Intel 850 chipset and the test candidates: There isn’t a more stable platform around. However, we ought to add that it’s virtually impossible to overclock most of the boards. The only loophole that’s left is to crank the multiplier to the CPU limit. At the same time, it ought to be said that the Socket 423 platform is an endangered species. Its successor, the Socket 478, is already available for purchase, and it has the advantage of supporting processors up to and beyond 3000 MHz.

The Socket 423 gives up the ghost at 2200 MHz. Anyone interested in a stable and astoundingly solid system, however, will find a board for the Socket 423 platform to be a good bet. In that case, the exorbitant prices demanded for RDRAM modules and the boards aren’t the decisive factor. To those interested in the bottom line or in hunting down a bargain: stay away from the 850 boards.

Our practical experience has taught us that the more expensive board among the test candidates tends to be the best one: The Asus P4T.

The clock speed settings on the boards we tested indicate that the debate over factory-overclocked front side buses has not yet ended. Factory overclocking settings tend to make a mockery of the specs that you buy into with a system, although they have some obvious appeal. But, at what price to the user?