iXBT Labs - Computer Hardware In Detail

Platform

Video

Multimedia

Mobile

Other

Gigabyte 7VKML (VIA KM266) Mainboard



  • VIA KM266 chipset

The PCB is not traditionally blue, but yellow - the company uses this color for boards meant for OEM partners; and this integrated board of the mATX format is primarily designed for assemblers. That is why this model comes without a box, only in an OEM package.

Accessories:

  • Documentation: a user manual in English;
  • Cables: 1 ATA66/100/133, and 1 FDD;
  • CD with software including:
    • drivers;
    • Adobe Acrobat Reader 5.0;
    • Norton Antivirus 2002;
    • Norton Personal Firewall 2002;
    • Several utilities for the smart-card reader;
    • System monitoring programs;
    • Gigabyte EasyTune III;
    • Gigabyte Face Wizard;
    • Gigabyte Management Tool.

There is nothing to find fault with, though the connectors and switches are so close to each other that it makes operation with the board not very convenient (but it's typical of all mATX solutions). It can be difficult to reach some jumpers when the board is already installed. Their functions are shown on the textolite.

The 2-channel switching voltage regulator incorporates 6 capacitors of 3300 uF and several less capacious ones.

The following controllers are integrated:

  • audio controller based on the Avance Logic ALC201A AC'97 codec with connectors for front audio-outs and SPDIF;
  • network controller based on the Realtek RTL8100L chip supporting 10BaseT/100BaseTX.

Non-unsoldered connectors: several connectors (for the smart-card reader as well).

The system monitoring is supported by the ITE IT8705F chip. What is controlled:

  • processor voltage (+3.3, +5 and +/-12 V), VBAT and +5V Standby;
  • speed of 2 fans;
  • temperatures of the processor (a built-in sensor) and the board (a built-in sensor).

There are 2 connectors for adjustable connection of fans.

Brief characteristics of the board: memory slots - 2 DDR SDRAM; expansion slots - AGP/ 3 PCI/ CNR; I/O ports - 2 COM/ LPT/ 2 PS/2/ 4 USB 1.1; dimensions - 245x215 mm.

Adjustment can be carried out with:

jumpers and switches Jumper to clear up the CMOS
Jumper to choose a FSB frequency 100/133 MHz
BIOS based on the 2.00 version from AMI Setup of memory timings + CAS Latency, Bank Interleave, DDR Command Rate
Setup of memory frequency + Auto, 200 and 266 MHz
Setup of AGP bus +
Setup of PCI bus +
Changeable scaler of AGP and PCI buses -
Manual assignment of interrupts +
Changeable FSB frequency + 100-200 MHz in 1 MHz steps
Changeable CPU multiplier -
Changeable core voltage + +5%, +7.5%, +10%
Changeable memory voltage -
Changeable chipset voltage -
Changeable AGP bus voltage -

We used the latest available version of the BIOS - F3f.

Like many other boards of this form-factor the Gigabyte 7VKML will excellently suit an office PC or any other close in functions which doesn't require great power and extending capabilities.

Test results:


Write a comment below. No registration needed!


Article navigation:

blog comments powered by Disqus

  Most Popular Reviews More    RSS  

Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Surround 5.1

An external X-Fi solution in tests.
September 9, 2008 · Sound Cards

ASUS M5A97 EVO, ASUS M5A99X EVO Motherboards

Mainstream Socket AM3+ boards from the new M5 series.
November 1, 2011 · Motherboards

71 CPU Roundup

Summing up the year 2011.
January 25, 2012 · General Platform

ASRock P67 Pro3 (B3) Motherboard

A mid-end model with USB 3.0, eSATA 6Gbps and UEFI.
March 29, 2011 · Motherboards

Gigabyte GA-890FXA-UD7 Motherboard

AMD 890FX chipset in tests.
May 17, 2010 · Motherboards
  Latest Reviews More    RSS  

i3DSpeed, February 2012

Retested all graphics cards with NVIDIA Drivers 295.52 and AMD CATALYST 12.1, added test results of AMD Radeon HD 7970/7950/7770/7750/6930.
Mar 05, 2012 · 3Digests

Palit GeForce GTX 560 Ti Twin Light Turbo 1024MB GDDR5, KFA2 GeForce GTX 560 Ti LTD OC 1024MB V2.0 Graphics Cards

A couple of interesting custom cards, one heavily overclocked.
Mar 01, 2012 · Video cards: NVIDIA GPUs

i3DSpeed, January 2012

Retested all graphics cards with NVIDIA Drivers 295.52 and AMD CATALYST 12.1, added AMD Radeon HD 7950 test results.
Feb 14, 2012 · 3Digests

71 CPU Roundup

Summing up the year 2011.
Jan 25, 2012 · General Platform

i3DSpeed, December 2011

Retested all graphics cards with NVIDIA Drivers 290.36 and AMD CATALYST 11.12. Added test results of AMD Radeon HD 7970.
Jan 03, 2012 · 3Digests
  Latest News More    RSS  
  Useful Links Get listed  

Wholesale Computers & Networking

Get great Dell Coupons at CouponSnapshot.com

Saving more with great Lenovo coupon codes

Cut your budget with Coupon codes

Great HP vouchers

Platform  ·  Video  ·  Multimedia  ·  Mobile  ·  Other  ||  Feedback  ·  About us & Privacy policy  ·  Twitter  ·  Facebook


27

Copyright © Byrds Research & Publishing, Ltd., 1997–2011. All rights reserved.