Even after finishing our 5-way memory compatibility comparison that tested seventeen different Pentium 4 motherboards, we still had lots of work ahead of us. Today we bring you the first part of a two-part 865PE/875P roundup series. Part 1 includes twenty different 865PE and 875P motherboards, while Part 2 will include another thirteen to fifteen P4 motherboards. We will announce the runner-ups in Part 2.

Usually we don’t do 20-way motherboard roundups because they would take up an enormous amount of space if they were to follow our normal motherboard format, where five pages of information are dedicated to each motherboard and an entire benchmark suite is run. So to write a 20-way motherboard roundup we were forced to condense all the important 865PE/875P motherboard information we had into charts and graphs so that you, our readers, won't have to peruse 100+ pages to find the motherboard you’re looking for. This is why we’re breaking up our 865PE/875P coverage into separate roundups. Don’t worry though, we’ve managed to kept all the important data for this roundup that you normally read about in our individual motherboard reviews.

Read on to find out what we think about some of the latest and greatest Pentium 4 motherboards on the market and why you just may be interested in purchasing one of these motherboards in the near future...

UPDATED 6/13/2003

ABIT IC7

Motherboard Specifications
CPU Interface	Socket-478
Chipset	Intel 82875P MCH (North Bridge) Intel 82801ER ICH5R (South Bridge)
Bus Speeds	up to 412MHz (in 1MHz increments)
Core Voltages Supported	up to 1.925V (in 0.025V increments)
I/O Voltages Supported	N/A
DRAM Voltages Supported	up to 2.80V (in 0.05V increments)
Memory Slots	4 184-pin DDR DIMM Slots
Expansion Slots	1 AGP 8X Slot 5 PCI Slots
Onboard IDE RAID	N/A
Onboard USB 2.0/IEEE-1394	Eight USB 2.0 ports supported through South Bridge TI TSB43AB23 IEEE-1394 FireWire Controller (up to 3 ports total)
Onboard LAN	N/A
Onboard Audio	Realtek ALC650 codec
Onboard Serial ATA	Two SATA connectors via ICH5R (RAID 0 & RAID 1 only)
BIOS Revision	Rev. 13 (5/19/2003)

There are a few things that separate the IC7 from the IC7-G. The biggest difference is in Serial ATA support. While the IC7-G comes with an onboard PCI Serial ATA controller from Silicon Image (SI3112A) that controls two SATA connectors, the IC7 is stripped of this feature (the picture above is actually of the IC7-G). The IC7 is not stripped of all Serial ATA support by any means, as ABIT includes the ICH5R South Bridge, which comes with two onboard Serial ATA connectors capable of RAID 0 and RAID 1. There will be some users that'll desire more than the two Serial ATA connectors that the IC7 affords, and so they will undoubtedly go with the ABIT IC7-G. Barring some high-end users, the vast majority of users should do fine just fine with two Serial ATA connectors and the Primary and Secondary IDE connectors, especially since Serial ATA drives are not by any means being shipped in great quantities, nor do they provide a significant performance advantage over IDE drives.

The ABIT IC7 also lacks Intel's PRO/1000CT Gigabit LAN controller that travels through the CSA (Communications Streaming Architecture) bus. In fact the IC7 lacks onboard Ethernet altogether. This is one of the more glaring losses, as there are more and more users connecting to broadband services by the second. Buying an add-in PCI Ethernet card will force you to take time out of your day, while also costing you an additional $9-10.

The final feature the IC7 lacks is not an onboard component but ABIT's convenient Serillel 2 adapter that can convert your existing IDE hard drives' interface into SATA. Though there is a bit of performance degradation, the difference is minute.

Overall the ABIT IC7 keeps the vast majority of components found on the IC7-G. You still get all those rear SPDIF ports as well as a rear IEEE 1394 FireWire port (with the bracket as well). You get the same bundle (minus the Serillel 2 adapter of course) and most importantly the IC7 keeps the same excellent BIOS options for overclocking and performance tweaking. As we will mention in the ABIT IC7-G section, there's an AGP/PCI lock at 96MHz/48MHz and a very high 1.925V Vcore ceiling, adjustable in 0.0250V increments.

Unfortunately the IC7 contains the exact same faults as the IC7-G in terms of layout. The horizontally placed Primary and Secondary IDE connectors force you to twist and weave your IDE cables, and the fact that they're placed below the midsection of the PCB make it even more difficult for the bundled IDE cables to reach the upper bays of many ATX cases. This will cause users to drop the top drive bay for the 2nd or 3rd bay, making the front of your case look quite ridiculous. As we mentioned before, ABIT's 875P series of boards comes with a very loud North Bridge fan, which is certainly an annoyance if you desire a silent system. Thankfully this will be replaced with a quieter unit in the near future.

ABIT IC7-G

Motherboard Specifications
CPU Interface	Socket-478
Chipset	Intel 82875P MCH (North Bridge) Intel 82801ER ICH5R (South Bridge)
Bus Speeds	up to 412MHz (in 1MHz increments)
Core Voltages Supported	up to 1.925V (in 0.025V increments)
I/O Voltages Supported	N/A
DRAM Voltages Supported	up to 2.80V (in 0.05V increments)
Memory Slots	4 184-pin DDR DIMM Slots
Expansion Slots	1 AGP 8X Slot 5 PCI Slots
Onboard IDE RAID	N/A
Onboard USB 2.0/IEEE-1394	Eight USB 2.0 ports supported through South Bridge TI TSB43AB23 IEEE-1394 FireWire Controller (up to 3 ports total)
Onboard LAN	Intel PRO/1000CT Gigabit LAN (CSA bus)
Onboard Audio	Realtek ALC650 codec
Onboard Serial ATA	Two SATA connectors via Silicon Image 3112A Controller (RAID 0, 1, & 0 + 1) Two SATA connectors via ICH5R (RAID 0 & RAID 1 only)
BIOS Revision	Rev. 13 (5/19/2003)

One of the more impressive features the IC7-G brings to the table is excellent Serial ATA and IDE drive support. With two standard Primary/Secondary IDE connectors and four Serial ATA connectors (via Silicon Image 3112A controller and ICH5R) the ABIT IC7-G is capable of supporting four SATA as well as four IDE drives for a grand total of eight possible drives. While most desktop users will find this feature to be nice instead of necessary there will always be those who desire this capability for something a little more potent than everyday desktop usage.

Another interesting feature of note is the TI TSB43AB23 IEEE-1394 FireWire controller that comes onboard the IC7-G. FireWire support is always a nice thing to have, especially if you're a heavy DV camera user. On the other hand, most users simply want enough USB 2.0 ports as their devices more than likely don't require a FireWire interface. Nonetheless, the addition of a rear FireWire port and bracket are very nice, quite good high-end additions for quite a high-end motherboard.

As shown in the picture above the IC7-G contains some excellent BIOS options for tweaking memory performance. Besides the standard memory timings you find on all Intel chipset-based motherboards, there is a "Performance Mode" option that allows speeds of "Fast", "Turbo", and "Ultra", options which are common among VIA chipset-based motherboards. Unfortunately these options are somewhat broken in the IC7-G BIOS, you can only use them if your memory timings are fairly relaxed. Aggressive timings with Performance Mode disabled yields more performance than relaxed timings with Performance Mode at "Turbo", so we suggest you shoot for the lowest memory timings possible when configuring your IC7-G. Still, it's nice to have options if your memory modules happen to be incapable of CAS 2-3-2-5 or lower.

Another nice BIOS option comes in the form of an adjustable AGP/PCI option available as high as 96MHz/48MHz, which is more than enough for even the most hardcore overclockers. The IC7-G's Vcore range is easily the most intriguing feature of this BIOS. Adjustable up to a staggering 1.925V, this Vcore is especially appealing to overclockers, as too little a Vcore can definitely minimize your overclock despite the fact that most P4 overclockers can do just fine on default voltage (1.525V or 1.550V depending on your P4 processor). The IC7-G hardly undervolts so you will be able to reach approximately 1.90V in real world usage.

Among the more annoying aspects of the IC7-G are its horizontally placed Primary and Secondary IDE connectors. The fact that these connectors are placed horizontally is annoying enough, as you are forced to maneuver your IDE cables through other cables in your case. What's worse is that the Primary and Secondary IDE connectors are placed below the midsection of the motherboard, meaning the IDE cables that come bundled with the IC7-G may not reach the upper bays of certain ATX cases, especially the high-end ones that tend to be bigger than your standard computer case. This placement therefore forces you to install your optical drives on the lower bays, making the front of your case look fairly ridiculous, though I suppose that depends on how sensitive you are to aesthetics. Another negative aspect of the IC7-G is its very loud North Bridge fan. However, ABIT is currently in the middle of shipping new motherboards with a bigger, quieter North Bridge HSF so this will not be a concern for users purchasing in the not so distant future.

ABIT IS7

Motherboard Specifications
CPU Interface	Socket-478
Chipset	Intel 82865PE MCH (North Bridge) Intel 82801ER ICH5R (South Bridge)
Bus Speeds	up to 412MHz (in 1MHz increments)
Core Voltages Supported	up to 1.925V (in 0.025V increments)
I/O Voltages Supported	N/A
DRAM Voltages Supported	up to 2.80V (in 0.05V increments)
Memory Slots	4 184-pin DDR DIMM Slots
Expansion Slots	1 AGP 8X Slot 5 PCI Slots
Onboard IDE RAID	N/A
Onboard USB 2.0/IEEE-1394	Eight USB 2.0 ports supported through South Bridge TI TSB43AB23 IEEE-1394 FireWire (2 ports available)
Onboard LAN	3COM 10/100 LAN (no CSA)
Onboard Audio	Analog Devices AD1985 codec
Onboard Serial ATA	Two SATA connectors via ICH5R (RAID 0 & RAID 1 only)
BIOS Revision	Rev. 13 B03

As is to be expected from ABIT, the BIOS options are superb. A nice and high 412MHz FSB is the maximum allowable FSB available in the IS7's BIOS. A 2.8V VDIMM is noteworthy, especially with such a potent motherboard as the IS7. Finally we have the Vcore that is available as high as 1.925V in 0.0250V increments. The Vcore in particular stands out because there are many 865PE and 875P motherboards that are constrained by 1.60V Vcore ceilings, making the serious overclockers quite unhappy. The IS7's 1.925V Vcore is more than enough, in fact we would have been happy with 1.80V.

On the performance side of things we see that ABIT is yet another manufacturer that has successfully mimicked PAT (Performance Acceleration Technology) code previously exclusive to 875P motherboards. As a result the IS7 is not only slightly faster than every 875P motherboard we've tested but, ironically, also faster than ABIT's own 875P motherboard, the IC7/IC7-G. It doesn't take much effort to reap the benefits of PAT-like performance from the IS7, simply make sure that your memory timings are as reliably aggressive as your modules are able to withstand, the "PSB533" setting is enabled under "N/B strap" if you're using an 800MHz FSB processor, the 1:1 ratio is enabled along with the "fixed" option for your AGP/PCI bus, and the CPC (Command Per Clock) is enabled in the Advanced Chipset Features section. This applies to users that will be running their IS7 at stock speeds, but if you're overclocking (especially past 250MHz FSB) make sure you use change N/B strap back to PSB800 so as to not max out your memory too quickly. We suggest the 3:2 ratio if you're going well past 250MHz FSB.

There are only a few negative things to say about the IS7. Firstly there's the layout, which ABIT has struggled with a bit in the recent past. The horizontally placed Primary and Secondary IDE connectors are simply unacceptable for any modern day computer case if you ever plan on using that first or second bay for your optical drive(s).

Another poor layout choice is the positioning of the DIMM connectors that are much too close to the AGP slot. Even if your video card isn't all that long the DIMM connectors are still nearly impossible to unhinge unless you go through the annoying and time-consuming task of unscrewing and uninstalling your video card for a simple memory upgrade or initial install.

Our final layout complaint deals with the truly mind-boggling location of the AGP lever. The AGP lever is positioned in such a way that makes it virtually impossible to push into place, forcing us to uninstall the memory module in DIMM slot #1 just to get it positioned correctly. Our video card could have been completely void of capacitors (though that's impossible) at its lower edge and we still would not have been able to get a finger near the AGP lever. We don't see what kept ABIT from organizing the capacitors so that this wouldn't be a problem.

Our final general complaint deals with the lack of any SATA-to-IDE adapters, what ABIT calls "Serillel", or as it's now called "Serillel 2". This is a very convenient tool for users that want to use more than the two available Primary/Secondary IDE connectors and who don't happen to have (or want to purchase) any Serial ATA drives. Performance degradation with these adapters is virtually nil, especially if your apps don't require high sustained throughputs of 70MB/s or more (most don't).

ABIT IS7-G

Motherboard Specifications
CPU Interface	Socket-478
Chipset	Intel 82865PE MCH (North Bridge) Intel 82801ER ICH5R (South Bridge)
Bus Speeds	up to 412MHz (in 1MHz increments)
Core Voltages Supported	up to 1.925V (in 0.025V increments)
I/O Voltages Supported	N/A
DRAM Voltages Supported	up to 2.80V (in 0.05V increments)
Memory Slots	4 184-pin DDR DIMM Slots
Expansion Slots	1 AGP 8X Slot 5 PCI Slots
Onboard IDE RAID	N/A
Onboard USB 2.0/IEEE-1394	Eight USB 2.0 ports supported through South Bridge TI TSB43AB23 IEEE-1394 FireWire (3 ports available)
Onboard LAN	3COM 3C940 Gigabit LAN (no CSA)
Onboard Audio	Realtek ALC650 codec
Onboard Serial ATA	Two SATA connectors via ICH5R (RAID 0 & RAID 1 only) Two SATA connectors via SI3112A (RAID 0, 1, 0 + 1)
BIOS Revision	Rev. 13 B03

The ABIT IS7 and IS7-G are very similar to one another, mostly in terms of BIOS options but also in terms of onboard features. A lot of the same positive and negative things can be applied to both motherboards.

The IS7-G comes with excellent Serial ATA support. Two of the four onboard SATA connectors are powered by Silicon Image's SI3112A controller, which is bound to the PCI bus (133MB/s). The other two SATA connectors are controlled by the ICH5R South Bridge, which does not run through a usually very crowded PCI bus but instead through its own dedicated I/O link at 266MB/s. We want to emphasize the term dedicated here, meaning that no other devices will be sharing this 266MB/s expect the drives connected to the two SATA connectors. In contrast, every other onboard component is running directly through the 133MB/s PCI bus which includes the sound, LAN, SI3112A SATA drives, and anything else you decide to install into the five available PCI slots.

The same BIOS options found on the IS7 can also be found on the IS7-G. 412MHz FSB is the maximum allowable FSB available in the IS7-G's BIOS, plenty for any CPU now and into the foreseeable future. VDIMM is adjustable as high as 2.8V, so most users shouldn't have any trouble reaching very high memory speeds at high memory voltages with the IS7-G. Then there's the Vcore, which is available as high as 1.925V in 0.0250V increments. We're glad to see that ABIT continues their tradition of high Vcores and great BIOS overclocking options in general. However these options are all standard at ABIT so it's not surprising in the least.

Just like the IS7, the IS7-G is yet another motherboard that has successfully mimicked PAT (Performance Acceleration Technology) code previously exclusive to 875P motherboards. As a result the IS7-G is not only slightly faster than every 875P motherboard we've tested but, ironically, also faster than ABIT's own 875P motherboard, the IC7/IC7-G. The procedure for reaping the benefits of PAT-like performance are the same for the IS7-G as they were for the IS7. That is, first make sure your memory timings are as reliably aggressive as your modules are able to withstand. Then, enable the "PSB533" setting under "N/B strap" if you're using an 800MHz FSB processor. After that enable the 1:1 ratio along with the "fixed" option for your AGP/PCI bus. Finally, enable the CPC (Command Per Clock) in the Advanced Chipset Features section. This only applies to users that will be running their IS7-G at stock speeds, if you're overclocking (especially past 250MHz FSB) make sure you use change N/B strap back to PSB800 so as to not max out your memory too quickly. A 3:2 DRAM:CPU memory ratio is usually your best bet past 250MHz FSB if you don't have expensive memory rated higher than PC3200 (DDR400). Otherwise 5:4 is still possible with high-speed memory validated at DDR433 (PC3500) or DDR466 (PC3700).

The IS7 and IS7-G both share exactly the same negatives. The first mistake is the IS7-G's horizontally placed Primary and Secondary IDE connectors are simply unacceptable for any modern day computer case if you ever plan on using that first or second bay for your optical drive(s). Another poor layout choice is the positioning of the DIMM connectors that are much too close to the AGP slot. Even if your video card isn't all that long the DIMM connectors are still nearly impossible to unhinge unless you go through the annoying and time-consuming task of unscrewing and uninstalling your video card for a simple memory upgrade or initial install. Our final layout complaint deals with the truly mind-boggling location of the AGP lever. The AGP lever is positioned in such a way that makes it virtually impossible to push into place, forcing us to uninstall the memory module in DIMM slot #1 just to get it positioned correctly. We don't see what kept ABIT from organizing the capacitors so that this wouldn't be a problem.

One other complaint we'd like to quickly mention again is the lack of any SATA-to-IDE adapters, what ABIT calls "Serillel" and what is now called "Serillel 2". This is a very convenient tool for users that want to use more than the two available Primary/Secondary IDE connectors and who don't happen to have (or want to purchase) any Serial ATA drives. Performance degradation with these adapters is virtually nil, especially if your apps don't require high sustained throughputs of 70MB/s or more (most don't). The ABIT IS7, unfortunately, shares the same fate as the IS7-G in this regard. However we understand that ABIT has to make a profit, and we really ought not to complain considering the outstanding price the IS7 and IS7-G are selling for in comparison to their competitor's motherboards.

Albatron PX865PE Pro

Motherboard Specifications
CPU Interface	Socket-478
Chipset	Intel 82865PE MCH (North Bridge) Intel 82801EB ICH5 (South Bridge)
Bus Speeds	up to 333MHz (in 1MHz increments)
Core Voltages Supported	up to 1.60V (in 0.0250V increments)
I/O Voltages Supported	N/A
DRAM Voltages Supported	up to 2.85V (in 0.1V increments)
Memory Slots	4 184-pin DDR DIMM Slots
Expansion Slots	1 AGP 8X Slot 5 PCI Slots
Onboard IDE RAID	N/A
Onboard USB 2.0/IEEE-1394	Eight USB 2.0 ports supported through South Bridge No IEEE 1394 FireWire
Onboard LAN	3COM 3C910 10/100 LAN (no CSA bus)
Onboard Audio	Realtek ALC650 codec
Onboard Serial ATA	Two SATA connectors via ICH5
BIOS Revision	4/17/2003 BIOS date (first release)

The PX865PE Pro is one of the few motherboards that fits quite well into its target market. Some of the features that stand out for a value board such as this one are its Serial ATA support via the ICH5 South Bridge and excellent overclocking capability courtesy of Albatron's track record for highly overclockable motherboards and Intel's solid track record for reliable chipsets.

One nice addition to the PX865PE Pro is the active North Bridge HSF's copper construction which, in combination with the fan should very effectively cool the 865PE North Bridge. Our only complaint is that some users will use bigger and more powerful cooling solutions for their CPU and video card, and since the North Bridge HSF is so close to both the CPU socket and AGP slot this could force users to adjust the positioning of the North Bridge HSF. Otherwise the type of North Bridge HSF Albatron choose is quite nice.

The BIOS options are pretty good for a value motherboard though nothing to write home about. The PX865PE Pro's overclocking performance was excellent though, clocking in at 278MHz FSB. You can read more about the stress testing and FSB overclocking tests we conducted on all 20 865PE/875P motherboards by skipping to the end of this review just before our conclusion.

Believe it or not but the only real disappointing thing about this motherboard is its low potential Vcore of 1.60V, which topped with an average undervolt of about 0.03V and a low FSB of 333MHz is not too appealing to hardcore overclockers. We would like it if Albatron were to release a new BIOS that adds at least 400MHz FSB and 1.75V Vcore support to the PX865PE Pro. Otherwise this is a very solid value motherboard, though still behind tough competition from Gigabyte's 8IPE1000 Pro and ABIT's IS7 motherboards, which include better onboard features and BIOS options, though the Gigabyte 8IPE1000 Pro does not overclock as well as Albatron's PX865PE Pro/II.

Albatron PX865PE Pro II

Motherboard Specifications
CPU Interface	Socket-478
Chipset	Intel 82865PE MCH (North Bridge) Intel 82801ER ICH5R (South Bridge)
Bus Speeds	up to 333MHz (in 1MHz increments)
Core Voltages Supported	up to 1.60V (in 0.0250V increments)
I/O Voltages Supported	N/A
DRAM Voltages Supported	up to 2.85V (in 0.1V increments)
Memory Slots	4 184-pin DDR DIMM Slots
Expansion Slots	1 AGP 8X Slot 5 PCI Slots
Onboard IDE RAID	Promise PDC20276 (RAID 0 & RAID 1 only)
Onboard USB 2.0/IEEE-1394	Eight USB 2.0 ports supported through South Bridge (only six ports available in our revision) VIA VT6307 IEEE-1394 FireWire Controller (up to 2 ports total)
Onboard LAN	Intel PRO/1000CT Gigabit LAN (CSA bus)
Onboard Audio	8-channel VIA Envy VT1720 audio (VIA VT1616 Codec)
Onboard Serial ATA	Two SATA connectors via ICH5R (RAID 0 & RAID 1 only)
BIOS Revision	4/17/2003 BIOS date (first release)

The PX865PE Pro II brings some fairly interesting BIOS features to the table. The FSB ceiling of 333MHz is lower than most boards, we would have preferred 400MHz FSB. Even though no one will be able to hit this high of a FSB in the near future, it's possible that the upcoming Socket 478 Prescott or Tejas processors will eventually have a 1000MHz FSB, meaning PX865PE Pro II users won't be forced to upgrade their motherboard if they want to engage in some extreme overclocking assuming the FSB BIOS maximum were 400MHz instead of 333MHz. The VDIMM options up to 2.85V are a nice touch for the PX865PE Pro II, but we're disappointed that the Vcore still remains at 1.60V.

The most notable feature the PX865PE Pro II brings to the table is support for VIA's new Envy chip, the VT1720, with the VIA VT1616 as the codec. The PX865PE Pro II integrates two VIA Audio chips; the VIA Envy24PT PCI Audio controller and the VIA Vinyl Six-TRAC (Codec), so spec wise the PX865PE Pro II is the first motherboard that features 7.1 support and 24/96 digital outputs. The VIA Envy24PT while having a reduced feature specification is still based on the original Envy core, designed to pass audio with the same bit-for-bit accuracy as solutions based on the Envy24/HT controllers featured in soundcards like the Terratec DMX6fire and the M-Audio Revolution 7.1.

Like all motherboards with an 875P/ICH5(R) chipset combination, there are two Serial ATA connectors located next to the ICH5(R) South Bridge. Albatron decided to add just two onboard Serial ATA connectors instead of four like some other motherboard makers. This isn't a terrible loss considering Albatron added a Promise PDC20276 controller which means there are now two additional IDE connectors available via the Promise controller, and therefore you can still connect more than two Serial ATA drives by simply purchasing a parallel-to-serial adapter. In case you've forgotten, the new ICH5 South Bridge has its own link that allows a stream of 266MB/s of data to each of the two Serial ATA connectors, which is certainly better than the PCI bus constrained 133MB/s. This is good for users that have many devices running over the PCI bus, which makes native SATA support a plus.

There aren't too many negative things to say about the PX865PE Pro II. Some people may say it's too expensive, but the high quality onboard sound, FireWire, robost IDE and SATA support, and good overclocking features and performance could warrent this motherboard $190 or so price tag. There aren't any other features we think Albatron could have added to the PX865PE Pro II that would have made it significantly better.

UPDATE We have been aware of a newly released PX865PE Pro/Pro II BIOS for a couple days now but never found the time to properly benchmark the PX865PE Pro/Pro II in time for this roundup. However, our sources tell us that the performance improment is significant and that the PX865PE Pro/Pro II should be able to rival ABIT and ASUS' 865PE motherboards. We will be able to confirm these claims in Part II of our 865PE/875P motherboard coverage.

ASUS P4C800 Deluxe

Motherboard Specifications
CPU Interface	Socket-478
Chipset	Intel 82875P MCH (North Bridge) Intel 82801EB ICH5 (South Bridge)
Bus Speeds	up to 400MHz (in 1MHz increments)
Core Voltages Supported	up to 1.950V (in 0.0125V increments up to 1.60V, and 0.0250V after that)
I/O Voltages Supported	N/A
DRAM Voltages Supported	up to 2.85V (in 0.05V increments)
Memory Slots	4 184-pin DDR DIMM Slots
Expansion Slots	1 AGP 8X Slot 5 PCI Slots
Onboard IDE RAID	Promise PDC20378 controller (RAID 0, RAID 1 & RAID 0 + 1)
Onboard USB 2.0/IEEE-1394	Eight USB 2.0 ports supported through South Bridge VT6307 IEEE-1394 FireWire Controller
Onboard LAN	3COM 3C940 Gigabit LAN (no CSA bus)
Onboard Audio	Analog Devices AD1985 Controller
Onboard Serial ATA	Two SATA connectors via ICH5 (no RAID) Two SATA connectors via Promise PDC20378 Controller (RAID 0, RAID 1 & RAID 0 + 1)
BIOS Revision	1006

One of the most notable attributes of the P4C800 Deluxe is its IDE/Serial ATA drive support. As usual there are the standard IDE connectors, dubbed the Primary and Secondary IDE connectors, which support two channels each and therefore up to four IDE drives total. There's one additional IDE connector powered by the Promise PDC20378 controller. This specific Promise controller supports just two IDE channels, meaning a max of two hard drives (no optical drives allowed) can be connected. This same Promise PDC20378 controller also powers two Serial ATA connectors (not the two ICH5-bound Serial ATA connectors), which allows users to connect one SATA drive to each connector. All in all you should be able to connect four SATA and six IDE drives to this motherboard, though we can't imagine what desktop user would have the need for ten drives in one case as the heat, noise, and maintenance required would be quite severe. Though we have to admit, the P4C800 Deluxe's drive capability is perfect for small database workstations/servers and the like.

Not surprisingly the ASUS P4C800 Deluxe contains excellent overclocking options such as a Vcore available as high as 1.950V, VDIMM up to 2.85V in 0.5V increments and a FSB ceiling of 400MHz. All these options make it exceedingly easy for overclockers to take advantage of the P4C800 Deluxe's tremendous FSB overclocking ability. In fact, if you were to replace the P4C800 Deluxe's passive North Bridge heatsink with a good active cooling solution you'll probably be able to squeeze a good 290MHz FSB out of this motherboard. We would never have guessed 6 months ago that 300MHz FSB (1.2GHz effective) frequencies would be possible by summer.

Some of the negative aspects the P4C800 Deluxe carries are its lack of basic high-end features like ICH5R and CSA Gigabit LAN that all top-of-the-line 875P Pentium 4 motherboards should carry. Coincidently enough ASUS has just released a new version of the P4C800 Deluxe, dubbed the P4C800-E Deluxe. This new revision corrects some of the mistakes ASUS made with the original 875P revision we examined last April and are examining again today. The E revision tacks on native RAID support and CSA support, almost certainly because there has been demand for it. However the price premium being asked for the P4C800-E Deluxe simply isn't worth it when compared to other high-end motherboards on the market such as ABIT's IS7-G/IC7-G, Soyo's P4I875P DRAGON 2, Gigabyte's 8KNXP, and AOpen's AX4C Max.

ASUS P4P800 Deluxe

Motherboard Specifications
CPU Interface	Socket-478
Chipset	Intel 82865PE MCH (North Bridge) Intel 82801ER ICH5R (South Bridge)
Bus Speeds	up to 400MHz (in 1MHz increments)
Core Voltages Supported	up to 1.950V (in 0.0125V increments up to 1.60V, and 0.0250V after that)
I/O Voltages Supported	N/A
DRAM Voltages Supported	up to 2.85V (in 0.05V increments)
Memory Slots	4 184-pin DDR DIMM Slots
Expansion Slots	1 AGP 8X Slot 5 PCI Slots
Onboard IDE RAID	VIA VT6410 controller
Onboard USB 2.0/IEEE-1394	Eight USB 2.0 ports supported through South Bridge VIA VT6307 IEEE-1394 FireWire (2 ports available)
Onboard LAN	3COM 3C940 Gigabit LAN (no CSA)
Onboard Audio	Analog Devices AD1985 codec
Onboard Serial ATA	Two SATA connectors via ICH5R (RAID 0 & RAID 1 only)
BIOS Revision	Rev. 1007

Though the P4P800 Deluxe is not as feature-rich as the high-end 865PE and 875P motherboards there are still lots of positive things to say about its features, especially for the price it's going for online.

First and foremost is the IDE RAID controller onboard the P4P800 Deluxe. VIA is certainly not known for their IDE RAID solutions, and so the VT6410 RAID controller is quite unique, in fact the first of its kind that we've ever come across. In combination with the Primary and Secondary IDE connectors (which support a total of four drives), the two VT6410-controlled IDE RAID connectors, and the two ICH5R-powered Serial ATA connectors, the P4P800 Deluxe is capable of supporting a total of 10 drives. That's an excellent amount of drive support for the middle-range asking price of the P4P800 Deluxe in the U.S.

Not surprisingly the P4P800 Deluxe contains excellent BIOS options, exactly the kind you would expect from ASUS. Some notable performance tweaking options include FSB adjustments available up to 400MHz, VDIMM adjustable up to 2.85V, AGP/PCI adjustments up to 80MHz/40MHz (about as high as is doable) and Vcore values available up to 1.950V in fine 0.0125V and 0.0250V increments. The FSB ceiling of 400MHz isn't in the least surprising as ASUS has always left lots of room for FSB overclockers in the past. What really stands out is the tremendous Vcore support available up to 1.950V. This ceiling is even higher when you take into account the average overvolt of 0.040V, meaning you could reach as high as 2.00V with your P4 processor on the P4P800 Deluxe (something we highly recommend against). Don't be alarmed though, ASUS has a history of producing motherboards that naturally overvolt. We should note that our FSB overclocking results were performed at a Vcore of just over 1.565V instead of the usual 1.525V because of the P4P800 Deluxe's default overvolting.

Quite obviously the most notable aspect of the P4P800 Deluxe is its ability to mimic PAT (Performance Acceleration Technology) found only on Intel's 875P series of chipsets. While the 865PE chipsets ASUS uses for the P4P800 Deluxe are not truly PAT enabled, ASUS has found a way to "crack" PAT microcode, enabling their P4P800 Deluxe motherboards to perform just as well as 875P motherboards for a significantly lower price. If you have a P4P800 Deluxe and want to make sure you're reaping 875P-like performance, make sure you enable MAM (Memory Acceleration Mode) and set the Performance Mode option to "Turbo" in the BIOS. We recommend that you use BIOS revision 1007 or higher (when available) for the best possible performance and reliability.

There are a few negative things we have to say about the P4P800 Deluxe. Firstly, we would have preferred it if ASUS had left some space between the AGP slot and DIMM connectors, as it's exceedingly inconvenient for users to have to uninstall their video card if they simply want to add or remove their memory modules. This feature is easy to implement, especially since there is an unusually large amount of space between the AGP slot and the first PCI slot.

AOpen AX4C Max

Motherboard Specifications
CPU Interface	Socket-478
Chipset	Intel 82875P MCH (North Bridge) Intel 82801ER ICH5R (South Bridge)
Bus Speeds	up to 400MHz (in 1MHz increments)
Core Voltages Supported	up to 1.850V (in 0.0250V increments)
I/O Voltages Supported	N/A
DRAM Voltages Supported	up to 2.8V (in 0.0225V increments)
Memory Slots	4 184-pin DDR DIMM Slots
Expansion Slots	1 AGP 8X Slot 5 PCI Slots
Onboard IDE RAID	Promise PDC20378 controller (RAID 0, RAID 1 & RAID 0 + 1)
Onboard USB 2.0/IEEE-1394	Eight USB 2.0 ports supported through South Bridge Agere FW323 IEEE-1394 FireWire (2 ports available)
Onboard LAN	Broadcom 5702 Gigabit LAN (no CSA)
Onboard Audio	Realtek ALC650 codec
Onboard Serial ATA	Two SATA connectors via ICH5R (RAID 0/1 only) Two SATA connectors via PDC20378 controller (RAID 0, 1, & 0 + 1)
BIOS Revision	Rev. 1.04a (5/21/2003)

As you can see the AX4C Max is an extremely feature-packed motherboard with lots to offer.

The most notable feature the AX4C Max has to offer is its Serial ATA and IDE ATA support. Using the Promise PDC20378 controller the AX4C Max contains RAID support in both the Serial ATA and IDE ATA standard, with array levels of 0, 1, and 0 + 1. Two IDE drives can be connected to the single Promise-controlled connector onboard the AX4C Max. The Promise PDC20378 controller also supports two of the four onboard Serial ATA connectors, with one SATA drive capable of being connected to each of the two connectors. So, including the Primary, Secondary, Promise-controlled Serial ATA and IDE connectors and two ICH5R SATA connectors, the AX4C Max is capable of supporting a total of ten drives. This sort of drive support is quite unique to find on a motherboard, though it's not totally unexpected considering the high-end nature of this board.

Another defining feature of the AX4C Max is its IEEE 1394 FireWire support, courtesy of Agere's FW323 controller. AOpen makes a sensible move by bundling a two-port IEEE 1394 FireWire bracket to utilize the two onboard FireWire headers located at the bottom of the PCB. Assuming you're willing to lose a bit of performance, you can always connect more than two FireWire devices to the AX4C Max via the daisy chaining method. Still, most users should do just fine with the eight available USB 2.0 ports (six rear ports) and two IEEE 1394 FireWire ports.

Another feature we like to see is dual BIOSes. Gigabyte is famous for always including a dual BIOS feature on their high-end line of motherboards, and somewhat more recently AOpen has adopted this trend. having two BIOS chips can be helpful if you've permanently corrupted your first BIOS chip (through overclocking, overvolting, etc.) and instead being forced to RMA your board or replace the chip yourself, your board will simply revert to the second backup BIOS chip.

As already illustrated in the chart at the top of the page, the AX4C Max contains some excellent BIOS performance tweaking options as well as powerful overclocking options. One of the most important performance tweaking features within the AX4C Max's BIOS is its memory frequency and memory timings. As always you can tweak your memory modules' timings to CAS 2/2T/5T/2T with some good Corsair TwinX or XMS PC3200 memory, and as usual you can adjust memory frequency to 266MHz, 320MHz or 400MHz DDR if you've installed an 800MHz FSB processor. The most intriguing feature of the AX4C Max's BIOS is the grayed out area that automatically adjusts itself in front of your eyes as you choose your FSB (up to 400MHz single pumped), AGP (up to 98.68MHz), PCI (up to 49.34MHz) and memory frequencies. Little features like this make a positive impact on overclockers and high-performance users alike, so hopefully more motherboard makers catch on.

Another option we thought worth going into a little bit of detail on is Vcore support. Vcore is adjustable in the AX4C Max's BIOS up to 1.850V in 0.0250V increments. Even though 0.0250V increments aren't as fine as other adjustments in other motherboard's BIOSes, 1.850V is an excellent ceiling for AOpen to set. Overclockers will have all the room they need to ratchet up their FSB. On that note, we should mention that the AX4C Max undervolts quite a bit according to CPU-Z (version 1.18) and the BIOS PC Health section. We noticed an average undervolt of about 0.060V-0.065V. Therefore, you will want to set your Vcore to 1.60V in the BIOS if you want your 800MHz FSB CPU to run at its real default Vcore (1.525V) or 1.625V if you have a 3.0C processor (default Vcore for this CPU = 1.55V).

Despite all the positive things we have to say about the AX4C Max, we did run into some heat issues with this motherboard. The first and most significant of the heat issues with the AX4C Max was the active cooler used to cool the 875P North Bridge. This heatsink was still very warm to the touch compared to other North Bridge heatsinks. Secondly, despite the fact that we didn't have time to measure exactly how hot our 3.0C (HT enabled) was running, the CPU HSF was definitely much warmer to the touch installed in an AOpen AX4C Max motherboard than with any other P4 motherboard tested here today.

The third and final heat issue came from the massive passive heatsink used to cool one of the voltage regulators to the left of the North Bridge. This heatsink was not warm, it was burning hot, so hot that we could not touch this heatsink for more than 4 seconds without burning an index finger. AOpen needs to address the AX4C Max's layout, as it is simply not adequately dissipating heat.

DFI PRO875: Basic Features

Motherboard Specifications
CPU Interface	Socket-478
Chipset	Intel 82875P MCH (North Bridge) Intel 82801ER ICH5R (South Bridge)
Bus Speeds	up to 400MHz (in 1MHz increments)
Core Voltages Supported	up to 1.85V (in 0.050V increments)
I/O Voltages Supported	N/A
DRAM Voltages Supported	up to 2.7V (in 0.1V increments)
Memory Slots	4 184-pin DDR DIMM Slots
Expansion Slots	1 AGP 8X Slot 5 PCI Slots
Onboard IDE RAID	HighPoint HPT372 ATA133 Controller
Onboard USB 2.0/IEEE-1394	Eight USB 2.0 ports supported through South Bridge No Firewire
Onboard LAN	Intel PRO/1000CT Gigabit LAN (CSA bus)
Onboard Audio	C-Media CMI9739A codec
Onboard Serial ATA	Two SATA connectors via ICH5R (RAID 0 & RAID 1 only)
BIOS Revision	5/16/2003 BIOS date

A nice touch to the PRO875 is its HighPoint HPT372 controller for onboard IDE RAID, capable of RAID 0, 1, and 0 + 1 support. This ATA133 complaint controller is capable of supporting up to two IDE drives via the two orange IDE connectors located at the bottom of the motherboard. In combination with the Primary and Secondary IDE connectors, two Serial ATA connectors, and the two HighPoint RAID connectors the PRO875 is capable of supporting up to a total of ten IDE drives.

What truly separates the PRO875 from most other P4 motherboards is its bundle of accessories. The most interesting accessory included with the PRO875 is the PC Transpo, which is essentially a light backpack for carrying your tower around, mostly to LAN parties (hence the reason DFI is marketing the PRO875 as a "LAN Party" motherboard). This backpack is a very nice feature to have if you're someone who travels a lot and doesn't want to sacrifice any performance like you would have to by carrying a laptop around. This is truer for gamers more than any other audience, especially when you consider the fact that there isn't a single laptop in existence that is powered by a DX9 GPU. Of course, if you're not really a hardcore gamer and can't stand lugging around your tower in a backpack, the PC Transpo probably isn't for you.
Another accessory included with the PRO875 is a FrontX panel which includes two USB 2.0 ports and two audio ports for sound. DFI also includes a two-port USB 2.0 bracket to round out the eight possible USB 2.0 ports you can use with the PRO875. FrontX is an excellent addition to the PRO875's accessory package as it is convenient for those that don't like to hook up their USB and/or audio devices to the back of their tower.

Another interesting "feature" the PRO875 brings to the table is its UV sensitive components, such as the PCI slots and IDE connectors. Install this motherboard into a good see-through computer case and place a black light inside and you've got a glow-in-the-dark machine lighting up your room. This glow-in-the-dark feature is especially handy if you're afraid of the dark.

The most notable BIOS options the PRO875 contains is Vcore, which is available up to 1.85V in 0.050V increments. Though the increments in which you are able to adjust Vcore aren't as fine as most motherboard's BIOSes (usually 0.0250V, sometimes lower), 1.85V is still an excellent Vcore maximum for this type of motherboard. It doesn't matter that the PRO875 undervolts to 1.48V or so with the 2.4C processor we used, as you'll still be able to get well over 1.80V anyway. This high of a Vcore is not at all necessary unless you're simply going for an overclocking/performance record in 3DMark or something like that, so we suggest you stray no higher than a 1.70V maximum if you want to push your CPU and motherboard to the limit without scrapping them within a matter or weeks or a couple of months.

There are only a few negative things worth pointing out about the PRO875. Firstly the odd positioning of the Floppy connector will cause problems for users that intend to use the onboard IDE RAID. Reducing case clutter will be difficult with a Floppy drive installed along with any drives attached to the IDE RAID connectors at the bottom of the PCB. It would have been nice to have added some IEEE 1394 FireWire to the mix as well, but since USB is much more widely used (even among enthusiasts and gamers) we can understand DFI's decision. Only a niche segment of the market will be disappointed that the PRO875 lacks any PCI FireWire.

Epox 4PDA2+

Motherboard Specifications
CPU Interface	Socket-478
Chipset	Intel 82865PE MCH (North Bridge) Intel 82801ER ICH5R (South Bridge)
Bus Speeds	up to 350MHz (in 1MHz increments)
Core Voltages Supported	up to 1.60V (in 0.050V increments)
I/O Voltages Supported	N/A
DRAM Voltages Supported	up to 2.8V (in 0.1V increments)
Memory Slots	4 184-pin DDR DIMM Slots
Expansion Slots	1 AGP 8X Slot 5 PCI Slots
Onboard IDE RAID	HighPoint HPT372N controller (RAID 0, 1, 0 + 1. Hot Swap capable)
Onboard USB 2.0/IEEE-1394	Eight USB 2.0 ports supported through South Bridge Agere FW323 IEEE-1394 FireWire (3 ports available)
Onboard LAN	Broadcom 5705 Gigabit LAN (no CSA)
Onboard Audio	C-Media CMI9739A codec
Onboard Serial ATA	Two SATA connectors via ICH5R (RAID 0 & RAID 1 only) Two SATA connectors via SI3112A (RAID 0, 1 & 0 + 1)
BIOS Revision	05/09/2003

The 4PDA2+ comes with a somewhat unique IDE RAID support powered by HighPoint's HPT372N controller. Two of the four onboard IDE connectors are regulated by the HPT372N while the final two IDE connectors are controlled by the ICH5R South Bridge (but running through the PCI bus), better known as the Primary and Secondary IDE connectors. Not surprisingly Epox went with Silicon Image's SI3112A controller for two of the four Serial ATA connectors onboard the 4PDA2+, as this controller is widely used among high-performance modern-day motherboards, though performance still lags a bit behind SATA controllers from Promise. With the Primary and Secondary IDE connectors, SI3122A Serial ATA connectors, ICH5R Serial ATA connectors, and HPT372N IDE connectors the 4PDA2+ is able to support a grand total of twelve SATA/IDE drives. This is certainly an impressive amount of drive support. We can't image any user being disappointed with such a varied assortment of SATA and IDE options. Unfortunately you won't be able to use the HPT372N for any ATAPI (optical) drives, but keep in mind that you can always use the Primary/Secondary IDE channels.

Epox has a good habit of organizing their BIOS features well, a tradition that is continued with the 4PDA2+. While a FSB maximum of 350MHz isn't anything special, a VDIMM max of 3.30V and a VAGP max of 2.2V are certainly noteworthy. If only the Vcore support were better; currently the highest available option in the 4PDA2+'s BIOS is 1.60V. Epox tells us, however, that a revision 2.0 4PDA2+ motherboard will be released onto the market with Vcore support up to 1.85V just like their 875P-based 4PCA3+. If you're going to be purchasing the 4PDA2+ and are a hardcore overclocker we suggest you wait for revision 2.0 of the 4PDA2+, otherwise go for it if you don't desire more than 1.60 Vcore.

Another nice addition that is rare among motherboards BIOSes is VDIMM and VAGP voltage readings in the PC Health section. VAGP undervolts to about 1.47V-1.48V at default 1.5V VAGP spec, while VDIMM undervolts by just 0.01V. One other interesting thing to note is that Epox doesn't adhere to the default voltage spec of 2.5V set for all modern-day memory modules. Instead Epox goes with 2.6V, which isn't a bad thing if you're a memory performance buff.

We can't stress enough how good Epox is at providing solid and overclocking-friendly BIOSes that are fully functional right from the start. The fact that this motherboard worked exactly as it should have straight out of the box is another thing we take seriously, as it's a common trait among popular, high-performance desktop motherboards.

The addition of IEEE 1394 FireWire support is also worthy of note, as even the most high-end motherboard can sometimes lack basic PCI IEEE 1394 FireWire. Oddly enough Epox chose to implement IEEE 1394 FireWire for their 865PE-based 4PDA2+ and not their 875P-based 4PCA3+. Funnily enough Epox is one of a shrinking majority of motherboard manufacturers whose 865PE motherboard is still slower than their 875P motherboard, meaning Epox has yet to find the workaround to enable PAT-like abilities.

Anyway, Epox chose Agere's FW323 controller for FireWire support. This controller is capable of supporting up to 3 ports, all of which must be activated via the three onboard headers located at the bottom of the PCB below the 5th PCI slot. Thankfully Epox doesn't skimp on accessories and includes the 3-port FireWire bracket to make use of the onboard headers.

The few negative aspects of the 4PDA2+ are, for the most part, fairly trivial. One layout decision we were quite annoyed with was the location of the clear CMOS jumper, which is located in the worst possible position you could image, smack dab in the middle of two mid-sized capacitors and two SATA connectors. We were forced to use a tweezers just to clear the CMOS. One other feature we would have like to have been changed was the omission of Intel's CSA Gigabit bus. Instead the 4PDA2+ integrates onboard Broadcom 5705 Gigabit Ethernet running directly through the PCI bus. As we illustrated here, CSA does make a significant impact on performance. However if you're like most people, you're not transferring large amount of data through Gigabit Ethernet and therefore do not need to worry about this feature.

Epox 4PCA3+

Motherboard Specifications
CPU Interface	Socket-478
Chipset	Intel 82875P MCH (North Bridge) Intel 82801ER ICH5R (South Bridge)
Bus Speeds	up to 350MHz (in 1MHz increments)
Core Voltages Supported	up to 1.850V (in 0.0125V and 0.0250V increments)
I/O Voltages Supported	N/A
DRAM Voltages Supported	up to 3.30V (in 0.1V increments)
Memory Slots	4 184-pin DDR DIMM Slots
Expansion Slots	1 AGP 8X Slot 5 PCI Slots
Onboard IDE RAID	HighPoint HPT374 controller (RAID 0, 1, 0 + 1 and hot swap capabilities)
Onboard USB 2.0/IEEE-1394	Eight USB 2.0 ports supported through South Bridge No IEEE-1394 FireWire
Onboard LAN	Broadcom 5705 Gigabit LAN (no CSA)
Onboard Audio	C-Media CMI9739A codec
Onboard Serial ATA	Two SATA connectors via ICH5R (RAID 0 & RAID 1 only)
BIOS Revision	06/06/2003

The 4PCA3+ is in a class of its own when it comes to IDE support. Epox makes what we think is an excellent choice in HighPoint's latest and great ATA133 PCI RAID controller, the HPT374. This controller is capable of supporting eight independent disk drives, which in of itself would be stellar if it wasn't just limited to disk drives (optical drives would have been a nice addition, though it would've been impossible for Epox to choose any other IDE RAID controller capable of supporting as many drives). So including the ICH5R Serial ATA connectors, Primary/Secondary IDE connectors, and HPT374 connectors the 4PCA3+ is capable of supporting a record setting total of fourteen disk drives and/or hard drives. How many people will actually have fourteen drives in their system? Not many, but if it were me I'm sure I'd find a way to use at least nine or ten of those fourteen possible drives/ I might even find myself wanting more, as the 4PCA3+ can only support four ATAPI (optical drives), via the Primary/Secondary IDE connectors. That will be extended to six possible ATAPI drives once SATA optical drives start hitting the market.

Not surprisingly Epox laid out their 4PCA3+ BIOS exactly the same way and with exactly the same features as their 865PE motherboard, the 4PDA2+. Therefore, you will get the same max FSB of 350MHz, an especially unique and tasty VDIMM maximum of 3.30V and a VAGP max of 2.20V, which is yet another noteworthy BIOS feature (though not uncommon among Epox motherboards). While the initial 4PCA3+ BIOS releases were limited to a 1.60 Vcore like a lot of 875P motherboards were (some still are), the latest 4PCA3+ BIOS adds Vcore support up to 1.85V.

There are only a few minor negative things to say about the 4PCA3. Feature-wise the 4PCA3+ would have been more attractive with CSA support and onboard IEEE 1394 FireWire, both pretty standard features with any high-end motherboard. However very few users need CSA support (as most people aren't transferring large amounts of data over Gigabit Ethernet) and IEEE 1394 FireWire isn't as necessary a feature if you've already got eight USB 2.0 ports to choose from. Though we can certainly see some users that would desire FireWire, especially heavy DV camera users. One negative aspect of the 4PCA3+ actually has nothing to do with the motherboard itself, but its current availability, which is absolutely none at all in the U.S. We doubt any other parts of the world have the 4PCA3+ available and ready to ship in any kind of volume.

Gigabyte 8IPE1000 Pro

Motherboard Specifications
CPU Interface	Socket-478
Chipset	Intel 82865PE MCH (North Bridge) Intel 82801EB ICH5 (South Bridge)
Bus Speeds	up to 355MHz (in 1MHz increments)
Core Voltages Supported	up to 1.76V (in 0.0125V increments)
I/O Voltages Supported	N/A
DRAM Voltages Supported	up to 2.8V (in 0.050V increments)
Memory Slots	4 184-pin DDR DIMM Slots
Expansion Slots	1 AGP 8X Slot 5 PCI Slots
Onboard IDE RAID	N/A
Onboard USB 2.0/IEEE-1394	Eight USB 2.0 ports supported through South Bridge TI TSB43AB23 IEEE-1394 FireWire Controller (up to 3 ports total)
Onboard LAN	Intel PRO/100 VE LAN (no CSA)
Onboard Audio	Realtek ALC655 codec
Onboard Serial ATA	Two SATA connectors via ICH5 (no RAID)
BIOS Revision	Rev. F6 (04/30/2003)

Even though the 8IPE1000 Pro is a value motherboard it carries some of the same features previously only found on high-end motherboards, and even on some of today's high-end motherboards. Let's talk a little bit about these features…

First off we have the Serial ATA support via the ICH5 South Bridge. This isn't surprising to see, as every single 865PE or 875P motherboard we've ever tested has come with native Serial ATA support. What makes this special is the fact that it signals that Serial ATA is now finally becoming a standard feature on the majority of desktop motherboards being shipped (Intel-only motherboards for now), and that includes value to high-end. Unfortunately the 8IPE1000 Pro does not include the ICH5R, which supports RAID 0 & RAID 1. However most users looking to purchase a value motherboard are likely not too serious about IDE RAID to begin with, so this isn't a huge loss.

The two features that make a value motherboard like the 8IPE1000 Pro stand out in our opinion is the addition of IEEE 1394 FireWire (TI's TSB43AB23 controller) and the Realtek ALC655 codec. IEEE 1394 support is an excellent option to have on a value motherboard if it doesn't add any significant cost, and with the 8IPE1000 Pro going for as low as $115 shipped in the U.S. the 8IPE1000 Pro certainly seems to be priced quite well. The Realtek ALC655 codec is a very nice addition as it has jack sensing technology that allows users to choose whichever audio port they want for their speakers. That is, you could plug in a pair of 2.1 speakers into any of the available audio ports and the ALC655 codec would configure whichever port you chose into Analog out. A nifty feature for inexperienced users, but a nice one nonetheless.