Introduction

Last November Intel finally revealed the long awaited Pentium 4, but it felt more like a product preview than a real competitor to AMD Athlon. As shown in our Intel Pentium 4 review, the 1.5GHz version of the chip was easily outperformed by the 1.2GHz Athlon in most cases, not to mention that the 1.2GHz comes in at a much lower price. With the Pentium 4 not being the right choice yet for the majority of users, people will still have to stick with the Pentium III chips if they want to stick with Intel through the early part of 2001 at least.

However, since the Pentium 4 is Intel's future and what they consider their high-end processor, they don't feel the need to devote significant resources to support the Pentium III anymore, which means that the i815E chipset will remain the top choice for Pentium III users for a good while longer at least.

But the i815E chipset does not hold many advantages over the good old i440BX chipset, and is even more limited in many ways, mainly because of its 512MB memory limitation. That's why we still see quite a bit of the market being controlled by the VIA Apollo Pro133A chipset.

At the same time, VIA has begun to pick up on the DDR market with the release of the Apollo Pro266, which could be another threat to Intel's i815E chipset. Since Intel won't be able to phase out the Pentium III until Q4 at the earliest, they have to do something to stop VIA from stealing too much of the spotlight before then.

In an attempt to make the i815E chipset more competitive with VIA's solution, Intel had to work on the prices, and they did just that by taking removing the integrated i752 video from the 82815 GMCH of the i815E, which isn't exactly a hot performer anyway. That makes the 82815EP just a MCH (Memory Controller Hub) now and they call the "new" chipset i815EP, and it helps to reduce the price of the boards by a noticeable amount, which should allow them to recapture a larger share of the market.

EPoX sent us one of their i815EP samples, the EP-3SPA3, the first i815EP motherboard to make its way into the AnandTech Labs. Let's find out if EPoX has been able to make this board a solid one, while still lowering the price.

EPoX EP-3SPA3
CPU Interface	Socket-370
Chipset	Intel i815EP Intel 82815EP MCH Intel 82801BA ICH2
Form Factor	ATX
Bus Speeds	66 - 250 MHz (1MHz increments)
Core Voltages Supported	Auto Detect +0.05 / +0.10 / +0.15 / +0.20 / +0.25 / +0.30 V
I/O Voltages Supported	Default (3.45V) +0.05 / +0.10 / +0.15 / +0.20 V
AGP Voltages Supported	Default (1.5V) +0.1 / +0.2 / +0.3 / +0.4 V
Memory Slots	3 168-pin DIMM Slots
Expansion Slots	1 AGP Slot 5 PCI Slots (4 full length) 0 ISA Slots 1 CNR Slot
On-board Audio	Analog Device AD1881A AC’97 CODEC
BIOS	Award Modular BIOS 6.00PG

The Layout

Click to Enlarge

The layout of the EP-3SPA3 is very clean and we only have a few minor complaints. The front panel connectors, as it has been the case in quite a number of EPoX boards, are located horizontally by the front edge of the motherboard. Further, the connectors are all in one long row, rather than two short rows that most manufacturers use. The problem with that is they block the placement of longer AGP or PCI devices. In the case of the EP-3SPA3, the connectors block the AGP slot as well as the second PCI slot, so you might run into problems with add-on cards like the 3dfx Voodoo5 5500 series.

The second complaint we have against the EP-3SPA3 is the capacitors around the CPU socket. Some of them are pretty close to the CPU socket, and obviously that might affect the installation of larger HSF units. Moreover, the 2200uF capacitors located behind the CPU socket could block the airflow as they form a "wall" right behind the HSF. It's probably not going to have a major effect on cooling, but if you're at the limit, it could make the difference.

Besides these minor issues, other components are very nicely placed. The power supply connector is found on the right edge of the board, so that power cables won't have to run over the CPU and memory, which could otherwise potentially block airflow. Moreover, there is enough distance between the DIMM slots and the AGP slot so that you should have no problem installing the memory after the AGP video card - a problem we commonly have on other boards. Furthermore, the IDE and floppy connectors are located in front of the DIMM slots, so they will not be in the way of any expansion cards.

Last of all, EPoX uses a compact PCB, measuring only 12 by 8 inches, This is the result of careful planning and, as such, you don't see a lot of wasted space on the board.. Of course, the smaller PCB helps reduce manufacturing costs as well.

The Basics...with a little twist

The heart of the i815EP chipset, the 82815EP MCH (Memory Controller Hub), is located beside the CPU socket, Similar to its older brother, the 82185 GMCH (Graphics and Memory Controller Hub), the 82825EP MCH takes care of the AGP bus and also the memory controller job. The only difference from the 82815EP GMCH is that it does not feature the integrated Intel i752 graphics.

The 82815EP MCH

While on-board video generally provides a cheaper system, we saw in our Intel i815E tests that the integrated video on the i815E chipset seriously hampers the performance of the over system. It does so to such a degree that it makes no sense to use the on-board video for any kind of 3D application, although it is usually sufficient for basic 2D work. The end result is that the majority of i815E users, who bought the chipset mainly for it's official 133MHz FSB and AGP 4X support, that they ended up buying an additional video card and disabled the on-board graphics. Of course, this was just a waste of that integrated graphics. Another minor downside of the integrated video is that the VGA port replaces one serial port on the ATX I/O panel, so if you need to use the second serial port, you will have to use the cable that may or may not be provided.

So what Intel did with the 82815EP MCH was to remove the on-board video, leaving graphics duties to the external AGP slot. That way, you will not have to pay for the unneeded integrated video, while at the same time both serial ports remainright on board in the ATX I/O panel.

The AGP slot on the EP-3SPA3 is a universal slot and is not keyed for 1.5V or 3.3V operation, so you should have no problem putting in almost any AGP video card. Just like other recent EPoX motherboards, they have included a little clip at the end of the slot to help hold the AGP card in place. This is particularly useful for OEM builders, since AGP cards tend to loosen up during delivery sometimes, and the clip ensures that the card is still in place when the system arrives.

The clip at the end of the AGP slot

Like most other i815E boards, there are a total of three DIMM slots on the EP-3SPA3. The 82815 GMCH contains quite a few limitations on memory usage, and that remains with the 82815EP MCH. First of all, you can only install a maximum of 512MB SDRAM. This is still acceptable for most users, but for anyone looking to build a server or high-end workstation, 512MB memory is simply not enough.

Even worse, if you want to run your memory at 133MHz rather than 100MHz to take advantage of the added bandwidth (1.06GB/sec vs. 800MB/sec), you will be limited to using only two of the three slots. If all three slots are populated, the specification from Intel says that you will have to run them at 100MHz to maintain stability. So far the only board that allows three slots to run at 133MHz reliably is the ASUS CUSL2.

In front of the first PCI slot is the 82801BA ICH2 (I/O Controller Hub 2), which features Ultra ATA 100 support, two USB controllers, and the Intel 82559 network controller. The header for the second two USB ports is located on the left side of the motherboard. EPoX also includes the necessary USB bracket to take advantage of those additional USB ports.

The 5/1/0/1 (PCI/AGP/ISA/CNR) expansion slot configuration, while not the best out there, should be enough for most users. Most AnandTech readers will probably not be able to take advantage of the CNR slot, due to a lack of CNR card availability. EPoX keeps it in there for OEM builders, allowing them to provide a cheap network solution with the help of the integrated network controller in the 82810BA ICH2. of the lack of suppliers for CNR cards, is really quite unfortunate because the 82559 network controller is very good and the CNR cards are relatively cheap.

Analog Device AD1881A AC97 CODEC

EPoX chose to use the Analog Devices AD1881A AC97 CODEC on the EP-3SPA3, which will provide basic sound functionality, which should be enough for normal office applications. But if you are serious about entertainment and games, you should get a hardware-based PCI audio device for better performance and quality.

Overclocking Package

Despite the newer i815EP chipset and the fact that EPoX is trying to produce a more cost effective motherboard, the EP-3SPA3 still comes with a full suite of overclocking features.

Since multiplier overclocking is not available for commercial Intel processors (engineering samples are unlocked), FSB overclocking is the only option. As such, it is that much more important for Socket-370 motherboards to include 1MHz FSB increments for maximum overclocking potential, and that's exactly what EPoX has implemented on the EP-3SPA3.

The EP-3SPA3 allows you to select FSB speeds between 66MHz and 250MHz in 1MHz increments. This can easily done right within the BIOS. Depending on the processor you install on the EP-3SPA3, the board will auto detect the original FSB and use this information to set the AGP:FSB and PCI:FSB ratios appropriately, although you can override these values with a set of jumpers on the motherboard. This will allow you to overclock your 100MHz FSB CPU to 133MHz (or higher), without having to worry about AGP or PCI speeds running out of spec.

Jumpers for overriding the autodetect pins on the CPU for FSB settings

FSB speeds up to 250MHz are great in theory, but a variety of factors keep us from reaching such high speeds when overclocking, including the design of the board, limited memory speeds, and the fact that we're using multiplier locked CPU's. The most we can reasonably expect to achieve is in the 160MHz range, so FSB speeds from 160MHz to 250MHz don't really help much with real overclocking. However, the 1MHz increments between 100MHz to 160MHz will in most cases fit your needs when it comes to squeezing out the last bit of performance from your CPU.

EPoX also did an exceptional job with their variety of voltage tweaking options, all of which are found in the BIOS as well, which in turn makes overclocking that much easier for you. For CPU core voltage, you can select increases of 0.05 / 0.10 / 0.15 / 0.20 / 0.25 / 0.30 V above the auto detected value. I/O voltage defaults to 3.45V, but can be raised by 0.05 / 0.10 / 0.15 / 0.20 V. Last of all, EPoX once again brings us voltage tweaks for the AGP interface. The default voltage is 1.5V, which can be raised by 0.1 / 0.2 / 0.3 / 0.4 V. In theory, raising the voltage helps to maintain stability in overclocking systems at the expense of additional heat production. However, keep in mind that putting too much voltage through a device might damage it, especially when run for extended periods of time. In general, 10-15% increases in voltage seem to be acceptable.

Like most other i815E boards, the EP-3SPA3 uses the Winbond W8362HF-AW as the I/O controller and for hardware monitoring. There are a total of three fan headers on the EP-3SPA3, all of which can be monitored in the BIOS. You can also keep track of two temperatures - the CPU (through the on-die thermal diode) and the system temperature.

Winbond W83627HF-AW I/O controller & hardware monitor

EPoX not only put in more overclocking options on the EP-3SPA3, they also put in a lot of effort towards making the board more stable. To ensure sufficient power to the CPU, they put in six 2200uF capacitors. Throw in a clean layout of the board and you get a relatively stable board, crashing only three times in 24 hours. Although it is not the best i815 board we have tested, the EP-3SPA3 is considered very stable compared to the average crash rate of 5 to 6 in 24 hours.

On the EPoX web page you will notice they also carry another model using the i815EP chipset, the EP-3SPA3L. The only difference between that board and the EP-3SPA3 we have here is that the EP-our board also features the POSTMAN diagnostic tool. If you recall from our EP-8KTA3 KT133A review, EPoX started to include a new diagnostic system on their motherboards called the P80P LED Debugger. However, putting that decoder on the EP-3SPA3 would not only take up a lot of space but also raise the cost considerably. Instead EPoX has put in a custom ASIC called POSTMAN, providing a human voice based diagnostics.

The EPoX ASIC for POSTMAN diagnostic tool

You may have noticed that there is a blank silk screen above the fourth and fifth PCI slots. That's designed for an optional C-Media sound chip, but inline with attempts to reduce the cost of the board, EPoX decided not to include this chip on our sample, although it will probably still be available as an option.

Silk screen for optional C-Media sound chip

The manual for the board is a little bit above average. You should be able to find most information about the jumpers and connectors on the motherboard along with installation instructions. BIOS settings are also discussed but not in great detail. Last of all, it also contains instructions on driver and utility installation.

The Test

In recent times, choosing a motherboard cannot be completely determined by a Winstone score. Now, many boards come within one Winstone point of each other and therefore the need to benchmark boards against each other falls. Therefore you should not base your decision entirely on the benchmarks you see here, but also on the technical features and advantages of this particular board, seeing as that will probably make the greatest difference in your overall experience.

Click Here to learn about AnandTech's Motherboard Testing Methodology.

Final Words

All in all, the EP-3SPA3 offers the same kind of performance figures as most other i815E motherboards at a lower price, with high stability, and more overclocking options.

In terms of the price, the EP-3SPA3 runs around $10 to $20 below other i815E boards, mostly due to the use of the 82815EP MCH. All you give up is integrated video, which is a very attractive feature since it is really something most users don't need. Further, the price is more competitive with boards using the VIA Apollo Pro133A chipset, and at the same time is much cheaper than those using the Apollo Pro266.

Meanwhile, EPoX has also managed to put in a lot of overclocking features on the EP-3SPA3. The 1MHz FSB speed increments and all the voltage tweaking options give you the complete package to push your chips to the limit, while maintaining a high level of stability.

How it Rates

AnandTech Motherboard Rating
	Rating (x/10)
Performance The EP-3SPA3 performs a bit above average.	5.5
Price Taking advantage of the cheaper 82815EP MCH, the EP-3SPA3 comes in at a price of around $100. Suddenly, it becomes more competitive with those using the VIA Apollo Pro133A chipset. This price is about $20 lower than the equivalent EPoX model that uses the i815E chipset.	7.0
Stability The EP-3SPA3 was very solid in our stability tests, crashing just three times in 24 hours. Although this is not the most impressive board we have dealt with in terms of stability, it is better than most other boards we have reviewed.	7.0
Quality EPoX has stepped up its quality quite a bit with the EP-3SPA3. This is one of the higher quality boards we have seen come through the AnandTech labs.	7.0
Features EPoX offers a complete set of overclocking tools with 1MHz FSB speed increments and voltage tweaks for just about every component.	6.0
Layout The layout of the board is pretty decent, with the only complaints going to the poor design of the front panel connectors, which block the expansion slots.	6.5
Availability EPoX products are easily found in most on-line stores, and you should be able to find them in some local computer stores as well.	6.5
Documentation & Software Bundle The manual is a little bit above average. Within it, you can find most information about the motherboard's jumpers, connectors, BIOS settings, and software installation.	6.5
Overall Rating - not an average Click here to find out why	6.5