SUMMARY: With the advent of the Intel i845D chipset, the Pentium 4 motherboards have been sprouting up like weeds, and from the most unlikely of sources. Gigabyte, who has been known for OEM type boards for quite some time, has stepped up to the place and offered a board based on this new Wonder-chip, and have even loaded it up with some intersting options. So come join Cameron "Sov" Johnson as he takes you on a tour of the Gigabyte GA-8IRXP Motherboard.
Gigabyte has been in the business of making motherboards for quite some time now; since 1986 to be exact. They weren’t really a name that was held in high regard by Power Users. Gigabyte have made themselves a reputation for delivering OEM quality boards, more designed for stability and integration into workstation and business environments rather than an overclocked rig.
While this is a very good thing to make any real headway in the motherboard department, you need to be focused to the market that spends the most money on PC components, hardcore gamers and overclockers. For some 5-6 years now, overclockers have become a major influence in the motherboard industry. Passed off as a fad by the major hardware vendors like Intel, it has now grown to be a full blown event recognized by just about every motherboard manufacturer who wants to make themselves a reputation and some good capital. ASUS, MSI and Abit have done it, once known for stable platforms have now added to their successes with superb overclocking features.
Gigabyte have recently gone the way of the overclockers with their K7 line and now with Gigabyte’s main draw towards Intel, we have ourselves a new product to clock the hell out of. Meet the Gigabyte GA-8IRXP I845D motherboard.
