TweakTown's Editorials content from our Motherboards category for 2002 - Page 1

Since the rocky inception of Intel's Pentium 4 processor, we have seen a lot of solid chipsets and products from most manufacturers who have extracted everything out of the processor and given us an array of wonderful workings. The newest chipset to come from Intel is the codename Granite Bay E7205 which adds AGP 8x and dual channel DDR to an already very workable platform. Come join Cameron "Sov" Johnson as he takes a look at Gigabyte's 8INXP motherboard which is based on this very chipset! | Dec 18, 2002 at 11:00 pm CST

After a rocky start, it looks as though the KT400 based motherboards are here to stay. But with so many brands and models to choose from, how in the world can we decide what rocks and what doesn't? Come join Tio Chaharbaghi as he helps answer this question by taking a look at the Shuttle AK37GTR Motherboard. It uses this very chipset, so let's see if it has anything that can set it apart from the crowd! | Dec 7, 2002 at 11:00 pm CST

After some early trials and tribulations, the new KT400 seems to have most of the bugs worked out of it. But just what can this new chipset mean to the hungry AMD enthusiast? Come join Tio Chaharbaghi as he takes a look at the FIC AN19E and tries to answer this very question. Is it worthy of an upgrade? Come see for yourself! | Nov 18, 2002 at 11:00 pm CST

The Pentium 4 processor line has been with us for sometime now and has matured into quite the profitable making product for Intel after its rather shaky inception. Now we have the Top 3 chipset manufacturers creating chipset solutions for the processor. One which has begun to stand out in the crown is SiS with their solid 648 chipset. Today Cameron "Sov" Johnson presents us with a roundup of three budget motherboards based on this very chipset from MSI, Gigabyte and ECS! | Nov 8, 2002 at 11:00 pm CST

With so many chipsets battling for market share of the Intel enthusiast crowd, it can sometimes be difficult to choose the right motherboard. Come join Tio Chaharbaghi as he takes a peek at the Shuttle AS45GTR Motherboard. It uses the new SiS 846 chipset and offers several features that aren't all that common. Let's see if it can handle the stresses of an enthusiast rig! | Nov 4, 2002 at 11:00 pm CST

It's always hard to make a decision on what motherboard you will spend your hard earned dollars on once a new chipset or processor is released to the highly competitive motherboard market. Assisting you as best as possible, today Asher "Acid" Moses presents us with a mini roundup of four VIA KT400 based motherboards for the Athlon series of processors from Abit, MSI and Soyo! | Oct 23, 2002 at 11:00 pm CDT

Asus has long made motherboards with the enthusiast in mind. No matter the chipset or processor being supported, they have been there. Come join Tio Chaharbaghi as he delves into one of their latest offerings; the Asus P4S8X Motherboard. Using the new SiS 648 chipset, we will look at a number of areas to see if this newcomer can stand up to the Asus reputation. Come find out! | Oct 17, 2002 at 11:00 pm CDT

With the SiS 648 chipset taking the enthusiast market by storm, how is a person to know which manufacturer to choose? Come join Cameron "Sov" Johnson as he takes a look at the EPoX 4SDA5+ Motherboard which uses this very chipset. It has a few surprises in store for us and may be just what the doctor ordered for your next Pentium 4 rig! | Oct 1, 2002 at 11:00 pm CDT

We've been hearing rumors about a new SiS chipset hitting the streets. That's right, the SiS648 chipset is out prowling around in some of the newer motherboards. Come join Asher "Acid" Moses as he delves into the Abit SR7-8X Motherboard that uses this very chipset. After hearing all the stories about how good this new chipset is, its time to see if it can live up to the hype! | Sep 22, 2002 at 11:00 pm CDT

The new breed of Athlon board has been making it's way into the marketplace. Based on the VIA KT400 chipset, there has been a lot of talk about some of the future possibilities in the Athlon line. Come join Cameron "Sov" Johnson as he takes a look at the Gigabyte GA-7VAXP Motherboard. It uses this very chipset and we need to find out if it will make a worthy addition to our own systems. | Sep 6, 2002 at 11:00 pm CDT

Chaintech, from the minute they started selling motherboards, were all about one thing; overclockers. Chaintech came into the motherboard industry rather late and are a relatively small and young company. Yet this hasn't stopped them from producing some very interesting motherboards. One of these boards Cameron "Sov" Johnson has taken a look at today and it is their Apogee series 9EJL1 for the Pentium 4 platform! | Sep 2, 2002 at 11:00 pm CDT

With so many choices in the Pentium 4 i845 market, the decision can leave you nearly staggered. Come join Asher "Acid" Moses as he takes a hard look at yet another entry into this particular field; namely the Albatron PX845E Pro II Motherboard. It has some features that may be just what the doctor ordered. Does it have what it takes to compete in an already crowded market? Let's find out! | Aug 30, 2002 at 11:00 pm CDT

Though the KT333 chipset isn't brand new, there are a couple of companies out there that have been adding some spice to an already proven chipset. To see just what I mean, come join Cameron "Sov" Johnson as he takes a look at the EPoX 8K5A3+ Motherboard. It uses the KT333 chipset and adds in some very sweet capabilities that will make your mouth water! | Aug 12, 2002 at 11:00 pm CDT

We were informed that the results we obtained from the DFI NB76 motherboard when we first published our review were faster than any others on the Internet. So we set about double checking to see if our results were correct by getting the motherboard tested by a different reviewer and doing all of the testings again from scratch. Sorry for any inconvience, we thought it was only right we updated our review, even at this late stage. Check out the updated review with updated benchmark results! | Jul 28, 2002 at 11:00 pm CDT

With all the new KT333 based Athlon boards hitting the market, how can we know for sure what is hot... and what is not? Come join Cameron "Sov" Johnson as he takes a look at the Chaintech Apogee 7VJL Motherboard. It has some very innovative features, but can it hang with the big boys? Let's find out! | Jul 26, 2002 at 11:00 pm CDT

Soyo have been rising through the motherboard ranks like a thief in the night. One minute you've never heard of them, the next thing their name is everywhere and it's good things we are hearing about the Taiwanese company. Today Cameron "Sov" Johnson takes a look at the feature-packed, KT333 powered Dragon Ultra Platinum Edition motherboard from Soyo for the AMD Athlon platform. | Jul 21, 2002 at 11:00 pm CDT

Gigabyte's line of motherboard in the past have been questionable and plagued with problems. Some people have had success with them, while others have had nothing but problems. In the last 6 months they have tried to improve their PR and success records to 100% and are doing a good job at it, by listening to what we really want. Today Cameron "Sov" Johnson takes a look at two new Pentium 4 motherboard solutions from Gigabyte - Namely the feature packed 8IEXP and the more value based 8IGX. | Jul 10, 2002 at 11:00 pm CDT

With all the choices out there for motherboards, it can be a tough decision as to which one to get. Well the choice just got a little harder. Come join Cameron "Sov" Johnson as he takes a look at the Albatron KX400+ Motherboard. This company hasn't been in the motherboard market for long, but they're looking to start making some boards that are aimed at the enthusiast crowd. Lets see if they have what it takes to earn our trust, our respect, our money! | Jun 28, 2002 at 11:00 pm CDT

Abit. When you hear this name you think of a manufacturer that has brought out some great motherboards in the past. But when they introduced the AT7 board with it's Legacy-Free packaging, some folks had second thoughts. Come join Asher "Acid" Moses as he takes a look at the new Abit KX7-333R Motherboard. It takes the KT333 chipset, the newest Highpoint RAID controller, and then adds back in the legacy support that many feel they still need. Can it live up to the Abit tradition? Let's find out! | Jun 10, 2002 at 11:00 pm CDT

As Weird Al Yankovic would say, "It's all about the Pentiums baby...", and this comment would be no more appropriate than right now. The market is currently being flooded with new and even multiple chipsets from companies like Intel, VIA and SiS and as a result flocks of new motherboards are being released on a regular basis. Today Cameron "Sov" Johnson takes a look at one of these new motherboards from Soyo in the form of the P4S 645DX Dragon Ultra which is based on the new SiS 645DX chipset which supports the new 533MHz FSB Pentium 4 processors Does it make the cut? Read on and find out! | May 27, 2002 at 11:00 pm CDT

Motherboards, motherboards, motherboards... So many of them are being released on what almost seems like a daily basis these days. Both Intel and AMD processor platforms, at late, have gone through a load of chipset changes, one of the latest chipsets for the AMD Athlon is VIA's KT333, which brings us to today's review. Cameron "Sov" Johnson checks out the MSI KT3 Ultra ARU motherboard which is based on the KT333, bringing DDR-333 to the Athlon. Does it carry the usual tradition of MSI quality and overclockability? The answer is only a click away. | May 7, 2002 at 11:00 pm CDT

With so many VIA KT333 motherboards on the market today, or ones which are about to be released, for the buyer it could be a hard task to choose which board to go with. These days there is not a great deal of real-world performance difference between motherboards using the same chipsets, which means manufactures are having to be more clever with the features they include and things which count, like software bundles. Today Asher "Acid" Moses takes a look at one of these new KT333 boards, the feature-packed Soyo KT333 Dragon Ultra to be exact. Does it have the stuff to seat your AMD processor? Read on, as that is the only way you're going to find out! | May 6, 2002 at 11:00 pm CDT

With the recent addition of so many motherboards into the current market, there are just too many to choose from. And with all of this newfound technology, many manufacturers have made the prices about the same across the board to remain competitive. Come join Cameron "Sov" Johnson as he takes a look at the Gigabyte GA-8SIML Motherboard. It is a value board that actually costs less than many of the competitors and is based on the new SiS650 chipset. Can this low-cost board be considered in the same league as so many others? Lets find out. | Apr 17, 2002 at 11:00 pm CDT

The motherboard industry is all about innovation. Due to the fact that most boards that are based on the same chipset perform virtually identically, it is up to the manufacturer to include something that makes their board stand out from the rest. Abit have gone along way to improve innovation with their release of their MAX series of motherboards, which are legacy free. Abit's first MAX motherboard is their AT7 which is based on the VIA KT333 chipset for the Athlon platform. Follow Asher "Acid" Moses as he tells us if all this innovation is worth it, maybe it will be something we will see in the near future from other manufacturers, or maybe it isn't. | Apr 14, 2002 at 11:00 pm CDT

When nVidia first came out with the news that they would be entering the AMD chipset market, the world waited with baited breath. The idea of a solid player in the performance arena plus decent graphics built onto the mainboard itself was an eagerly anticipated event. But then the board came out and it was a near disaster. But that hasn't stopped nVidia from plowing on and coming up with something better. Join Asher "Acid" Moses as he takes a look at the Abit NV7-133R Motherboard. It uses the new nVidia nForce 415 chipset to come up with a new player in the motherboard market. Can they do a better job this time around? Let's see for ourselves. | Apr 9, 2002 at 11:00 pm CDT

More and more manufacturers are coming out with motherboards based on the KT333 chipset. Can Asus offer us anything special enough to sway us over to their product? Come join Cameron "Sov" Johnson as he takes us on a tour of the Asus A7V333 Motherboard and see if we can find some answers to this very question. | Apr 9, 2002 at 11:00 pm CDT

With Intel and VIA battling it out over the high-end chipset market, many folks have missed a sleeper coming into the picture. SiS has brought into being a Pentium 4 chipset that supports most of today's top tier capabilities and makes for some very surprising (and pleasing) results in the benchmarking department. Come join Asher "Acid" Moses as he takes a hard look at the DFI NS70-EL featuring the SiS645DX chipset. The results just may turn your head. | Mar 27, 2002 at 11:00 pm CST

Compared to some of the main players in the motherboard industry, Soltek is a relatively new company, being founded just six years ago. Their main offices are in Taipei, Taiwan and during the last year or two, Soltek have been developing quite a name for themselves amongst hardware enthusiasts due to their high performing, stable products that are sold at prices most people can afford. The latest addition to Soltek's SocketA motherboard line-up is the 75DRV5 based on the KT333 chipset. Can it live up to the standards set by Soltek's previous products? Join Asher "Acid" Moses as he attempts to find out! | Mar 23, 2002 at 11:00 pm CST

What do you think about when you here the name Gigabyte? A low-end OEM manufacturer of motherboards? To most of us, this hits the nail right on the head, but it looks as though things may be changing rather dramatically. Come join Cameron "Sov" Johnson as he takes a hard look at the Gigabyte GA-7VRXP Motherboard. Do the Gigabyte folks finally have something to bring to the table for those who proudly call themselves Overclocking Enthusiasts? Let's find out! | Mar 19, 2002 at 11:00 pm CST

By now, most of us are aware of the new KT333 chipset that is hitting the streets in force. But what can it do that the KT266A can't? Come join Cameron "Sov" Johnson as he takes a look at the EPoX 8K3A+ Motherboard. It features this very same chipset, and we'll let you know just what it can do... and what it can't. | Mar 17, 2002 at 11:00 pm CST

With so many KT266A based motherboards to choose from, how are you supposed to come up with a winner? To help clear up some of the confusion, Mike "Darthtanion" Wright has taken a look at the Shuttle AK35GTR Motherboard. It has some features that will make your jaw drop, and performance levels that are at the top of the class. Come see for yourself why this little gem earned an Editors Choice Award. | Mar 5, 2002 at 11:00 pm CST

Since the use of DDR became an option with the Pentium 4 processors, they have become a viable option for the Power User. Strong performance at a reasonable price is an easy way to gain attention, so come join Cameron "Sov" Johnson as he takes a look at the Gigabyte GA-8SRX Motherboard. It uses the SiS 645 chipset, and we want to know if it can compete with the likes of Intel and VIA for sheer power. | Feb 14, 2002 at 11:00 pm CST

We've heard about it, but now its time to see what the story really is. What am I talking about? Well the new Pentium 4 chipset put out by VIA of course. Come join Cameron "Sov" Johnson as he tells us all about the VIA P4XB-RA Motherboard that uses the brand new P4X266A chipset. The original was a good buy, but can VIA keep up with that tradition? Come find out for yourself! | Jan 30, 2002 at 11:00 pm CST

Pentium 4 processors teaming up with DDR memory have been a huge hit of late. But there is more than just Intel and SiS making these possibilities a reality. Come join Jon "Albinus" Albiez as he delves into the workings of the Shuttle AV40R Motherboard that uses the VIA P4X266 chipset and see if it's worth your hard-earned dollars. | Jan 23, 2002 at 11:00 pm CST

The SiS 645 chipset seems to be taking the Pentium 4 world by storm. With support for DDR memory and an official license from Intel, it looks like a very viable chipset to say the least. Will the Pentium 4 processor finally make it's way into the Enthusiast crowd? Come join Cameron "Sov" Johnson as he takes a closer look at the ASUS P4S333 Motherboard and helps answer that question. | Jan 16, 2002 at 11:00 pm CST

The Pentium 4 processor is getting a huge boost lately with the advent of chipsets that support the more cost-effective DDR memory modules. Add to this the fact that Intel isn't the only authorized player on the field, and you have the makings of some good old-fashioned power wars. So come join Cameron "Sov" Johnson as he takes a look at the EPoX 4SDA+ Motherboard that utilizes the SiS 645 chipset. You may just like the results. | Jan 15, 2002 at 11:00 pm CST

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, but with the AMD Thunderbird striking with such force, they have risen to the challenge and mass-produce several different varieties of motherboard for it. Come join Mike "Darthtanion" Wright as he delves into the workings of the Gigabyte GA-7VTXE motherboard. It uses the VIA KT266A chipset coupled with DDR memory, so let's see what it has to offer. | Jan 5, 2002 at 11:00 pm CST

P4X266 Shootout: Shuttle vs. ACorp. | Jan 1, 2002 at 11:00 pm CST