Multitude of storage options and a red PCB.CLONESROBOTS
Problems with 512MB Corsair Micro modules.$135, http://www.msicomputer.comMAXIMUMPC 6%2DI#T 7
MSI K8T Neo-FIS2RMARCH 2004 MAXIMUMPC 67
ready when you install XP. With
boards using the Intel southbridge,
Serial ATA drives can be used as
seamlessly as a parallel drive. Count
this as a negative in the VIA chipset
column.
In our roundup, the K8X800 ProII
solidly beat the MSI and AOpen
boards. Granted, we’re talking small
percentages—but the K8X800 clearly
led the field in most of our tests.
The only snag we ran into with
the K8X800 ProII was when we
filled all its DIMM slots. It choked
on three 512MB modules but mys-
teriously ran fine when we put
256MB modules in their place. We
initially suspected a defective mobo,
but later came to believe that the
K8T800 chipset is far more finicky
with memory then we expected.
It appears that three 512MB mod-
ules are more than it can handle.
Interestingly, MSI’s K8T Neo had
similar, albeit more severe, problems.
More on that later.
Of the three boards here, the
K8X800 ProII has the most sophis-
ticated audio. Using an Envy24PT
chip, the board supports up to 7.1
audio. The board is also the first
we’ve seen to offer partial 24-bit
audio. We say partial because the
24-bit only works on the SPDIF-out
via a Wolfson CODEC. The multi-
channel analog is handled by a VIA
VT1616 CODEC which caps at 18-
bit audio. Bummer. This means no
24-bit 7.1 sound. We still haven’t
seen a full 24-bit audio implementa-
tion from a motherboard vendor
but expect to later this year when
Intel’s next-generation audio tech-
nology, code-named Azalea, hits the
streets.
Based on performance and the
inclusion of FireWire, 24-bit SPDIF
output, and dual BIOS, the Albatron
wins this roundup.MSI +T NEo
&IS2
MSI’s K8T Neo was the first board
to arrive when AMD released the
Athlon 64, so its teething pains
don’t surprise us. The first board
we received suffered from a nasty
little booting problem. When we
shut down, it would restart only
after we cut all power to the board
for five seconds.
We attributed the problem to
early engineering samples that
sometimes go out to reviewers
before they’re ready for prime time.
The replacement board we received
didn’t exhibit any of the power-on
problems, so hopefully it’s a bug
confined to early builds that the
public will never see.
However, MSI was able to repro-
duce the problems we encountered
when running 512MB Corsair Micro
DDR400 modules. With two 512MB
modules, the board wouldn’t POST.
We also tried various other 512MB
modules, including Corsair’s Pro
Series and a set of the company’s
new XMS4400 modules, with no
luck. We could only POST the
board running 256MB modules
or 512MB modules from Buffalo
Technology. MSI told us it has
replicated the problem and is
talking with Corsair about the
issue.
Given the on-die memory
controller, do-it-yourselfers will
definitely want to pay extra
attention to memory con-
figurations in the Athlon 64
series. We assumed that all
three DIMMs on the mobos
reviewed here could be run
with DDR400 modules, but
we were wrong. Technically, the
A64 can only run DDR400 mod-
ules when just two of the DIMM
slots are used. If all three slots are
filled, you’re limited to DDR333or lower. This is an unexpected
weakness of the Athlon 64: Anyone
hoping to run 3GB of memory will
have to notch their speeds down to
333MHz.
Once we got past these initial
problems, we experienced smooth
sailing. Performance-wise, this board
places snugly between the Albatron
and AOpen. Of the three boards,
the K8T Neo has the most stor-
age options, thanks to a secondary
Promise controller that gives you
another Serial ATA RAID option or
the ability to run another parallel
ATA device. This means you can run
up to six parallel ATA drives plus
four Serial ATA drives off this puppy.
FireWire is present in spades
thanks to a six-pin and four-pin
port running out the rear. Gigabit
LAN and audio is handled by
RealTek silicon.
MSI boards usually rate as our
top picks, but the Corsair memory
issue and the problems with the
early board gave us a case of the
willies and consequentially cost
the board a few points. That’s too
bad, because we otherwise like the
board’s features and configuration.modules, including Corsair’s Pro
Series and a set of the company’s
new XMS4400 modules, with noor 512MB modules from Buffalowe were wrong. Technically, the
A64 can only run DDR400 mod-
ules when just two of the DIMM The MSI mobo has the most storage
options, but its finicky way with RAM
spooked us.MAKER AOpen Albatron MSI
Model AK86-L K8X800 Pro II K8T Neo
SiSoft Sandra 2004 RAM 2971 3061 3037
3DMark2001 SE Overall 19914 20278 20048
QIIIA Demo 1 “Normal” 435 446 447
ViewPerf 3dsmax 12.19 12.54 12.29
ViewPerf Light-05 13.8 14.29 14.01Partial 24-bit audio and dual BIOS.BATTLESTAR GALLACTICABUCK ROGERS
Not as compatible with memory as AOpen motherboard,
and lacks a socketed BIOSMAXIMUMPC 6%2DI#T
Albatron K8X800 Pro II
9$130, http://www.albatron.com.tw