EPoX 8RDA+
(NVIDIA nForce2) Mainboard
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EPoX remains true to itself bringing out an inexpensive board even on the most
up-to-date and dear chipset in its class. But such a solution has a negative side:
its functionality and accessory pack are not impressive compared to the competitors.
Accessories: - Package of a new, catchy design;
-
Documentation: user manual, installation manual for the Magic Flash and USDM utilities
- in English;
- Cables: 1 ATA66/100 and FDD;
-
Bracket with a Game port;
- Bracket with 2 USB ports;
-
Bracket with 2 IEEE 1394 ports;
- Bracket for the rear computer panel;
-
CD containing:
- drivers;
- DirectX 7.0a;
-
several system monitoring utilities;
- Boostek;
- Adobe
Acrobat Reader;
- Norton Ghost 7.0;
- PC-Cillin 2002.
The layout has drawbacks typical of all modern highly integrated boards: The
IDE connectors are behind the PCI slots, while the audio-ins are in front of them,
the cables connected to the FDD and to some other connectors on the left edge
will complicate ventilation, and the cables stretching toward the power supply
connector will hang right above the CPU's cooler. When a video card is installed
it's difficult to handle the memory modules in the DIMM slots. It's not difficult
to reach the only jumper when the board is already installed. Its functions are
shown on the textolite. The 3-channel switching voltage regulator
incorporates 6 capacitors of 3300 uF and 4 of 2200 uF. The following
controllers are integrated: - audio controller based on the chipset's
capabilities and Avance Logic ALC650 AC'97 codec supporting 5.1 audio systems
and having connectors for front audio inputs/outputs and for SPDIF;
-
network controller based on the chipset's capabilities and supporting 10BaseT/100BaseTX;
-
IEEE 1394 bus controller based on the chipset's capabilities.
The
POST procedure is monitored with two 7-segment LEDs. Non-unsoldered connectors:
none. The system monitoring is supported by the Winbond W83627HF-AW chip. What
is controlled: - processor voltage, memory, AGP bus, +-5 and +-12
V, VBAT and +5 V Standby;
- speed of 3 fans;
- temperatures
of the processor (a built-in sensor) and the board (a built-in sensor).
There
are 3 connectors for adjustable connection of fans. Brief characteristics
of the board: memory slots - 3 DDR SDRAM; expansion slots - AGP/ 6 PCI; I/O
ports - 2 COM/ LPT/ 2 PS/2/ 6 USB 2.0 / 2 IEEE1394 (the controller supports up
to 3 ports); dimensions - 305x245 mm.
Adjustment
can be carried out with:
| jumpers and switches | Jumper
to clear up the CMOS | | | BIOS based on the
AwardBIOS 6.00PG of Phoenix | Setup of memory timings | + | CAS
Latency, T (RAS), T (RCD), T (RP) | | Setup of memory frequency | + | By
SPD, Sync, 50%, 60%, 66%, 75%, 80%, 83%, 120%, 125%, 133%, 150%, 166% and 200%
of FSB | | Setup of AGP bus | - | |
| Setup of PCI bus | - | | | Changeable
scaler of AGP and PCI buses | + | AGP (PCIx2) = Auto,
50, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84,
85, 86, 87, 90, 93, 95, 97 and 100 MHz | | Manual assignment of
interrupts | - | | | Changeable FSB frequency | + | 100-200
MHz in 1, 2, 3 and 5 MHz steps | | Changeable CPU multiplier | + | x1-x24 |
| Changeable core voltage | + | 1.4-2.2 V in 0.025V
steps | | Changeable memory voltage | + | 2.5,
2.63, 2.77, 2.9 V | | Changeable chipset voltage | - | |
| Changeable AGP bus voltage | + | 1.5-1.8 V in
0.1V steps | We used the latest available version of the BIOS
of 28.10.2002. The board misses a Serial ATA controller which is so fashionable
today, as well as some other accessories, but still, its functionality is acceptable;
there are traditional multiple adjustable settings and overclocking parameters,
and the price is promised to be a match. Test results:
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