• i875P chipset 

This is the most expensive board on this chipset, and one more example of a High-End solution sporting perfect functionality and pretty good performance. 

Accessories: 

• Package of a new design laminated with plastic with a holographic effect; 
• Documentation: user manual, installation manual for IDE RAID, installation manual for SCSI RAID, poster with brief installation steps - all in English; 
• Cables: FDD, SCSI for 5 devices, 2 SATA, 3 ATA66/100/133; 
• 2 brackets with 2 USB ports each; 
• Bracket with Rear, Center/Sub and S/PDIF-Out (Coaxial and TosLink); 
• DPS2 module; 





• Blank bracket; 
• CD with: 
• drivers; 
• DirectX 9.0; 
• Adobe Acrobat Reader; 
• Norton Internet Security 2003; 
• Gigabyte @BIOS; 
• Gigabyte DMIView; 
• Gigabyte EasyTune4; 
• Gigabyte FaceWizard; 
• Gigabyte Windows Utility Manager; 
• Gigabyte IA Panel Utility. 

In spite of a great number of integrated components, the layout is well arranged, though it was impossible to avoid placing all of three RAID (IDE, SATA and SCSI) behind the PCI slots, and 6 memory slots left almost no space around, that is why it can be difficult handle the memory. Besides, the audio-ins are in front of the PCI. It's also uneasy 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 4 capacitors of 3300 uF and several less capacious ones. With the external DPS2 module used, the processor gets a 6-channel voltage regulator of 6 capacitors of 3300 uF and several less capacious ones. Also, there are voltage regulators for the AGP bus (1 1000 uF) and memory bus (8 of 1000 uF).

Integrated controllers: 

• audio controller based on the chipset and Analog Devices AD1985 AC'97 codec; 5.1 audio system supported, front audio inputs/outputs and SPDIF connectors provided 
• network controller based on Intel 82547EI (Kenai II CSA) chip supporting 10BaseT/100BaseTX/1000BaseT (Gigabit Ethernet); 
• IDE RAID controller based on the ITE IT8212F chip supporting RAID 0, 1 and 0+1 on the ATA133 protocol; 





• SCSI RAID controller based on the Adaptec AIC-7902W chip supporting RAID 0 and 1 on the Ultra320 protocol. 

Technologies: 

• DualBIOS (Flash EEPROM backup chip with the BIOS copy); 
• DPS2 (external VRM module ensuring more stable operation of the processor). 

If a video card not supporting +1.5 V is inserted the respective LED will warn you about it. Another LED let you know whether voltage is supplied to the memory modules. 

Non-unsoldered connectors: none. 

System monitoring is supported by ITE IT8712F-A chip. It controls: 

• processor voltage, +3.3, +5 and +12 V; 
• speed of 3 fans; 
• temperatures of the processor (built-in sensor) and the board (built-in sensor).  

There are 2 connectors for adjustable and 2 for unadjustable connection of fans (one of them is connected to a fan on the north bridge's heatsink). 

Brief board's characteristics: memory slots - 6 DDR SDRAM; expansion slots - AGP Pro/ 5 PCI; I/O ports - 2 COM/ LPT/ 2 PS/2/ 8 USB 2.0; dimensions - 305x245 mm. 
 

Settings: 
 

We used the F5 and M8 BIOS versions.

I hope the new BIOS version will boost its performance, and then we will have nothing to find fault with. However, even now I can recommend this board for those who need a rich and even unique functionality. It's not a king of overclocking, though you may use its richest overclocking settings to get better scores. 

Test results: 

• i865 Family (Springdale) replaces i875P 
• 6 i875P Mainboards Roundup

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