Abit BD7 RAID i845D socket 478
Friday, January 18, 2002
Introduction
Abit has stepped up to the plate once again, and it seems that this time they're swinging a spanking new Intel Pentium 4 motherboard - the BD7 RAID. The new BD7 is latest release from Abit incorporated, and sports an equally new Intel 845D chipset, with support for DDR-SDRAM memory. As its name suggests the BD7 RAID also comes with an integrated RAID controller, which is especially notable for its support for ATA133 drives. As you might expect, though, the innovation doesn't stop there, and Abit has indeed pulled-out all the stops once again. with BD7 RAID features including a thermal-sensor connector, a LED diagnostic panel, and the Soft Menu III configuration system.
So, without further dithering on the introduction, let's say we get down to the review.
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Characteristics of the Abit BD7 RAID
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CPU
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-Supports Intel® Pentium® 4 processor in the 478 pin package.
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Chipset
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Intel® 845D (593 FC-BGA) Chipset
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Form factor
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ATX
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Expansion
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6 PCI - 0 ISA - 1 CNR - 1 AGP - 4 USB
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Memory
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2X 184-pin DIMM DDR SDRAM slots for up to 2GB of memory
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FSB
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100MHz to 250MHz in steps of 1MHz
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Vcore adj.
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1..1v to 2.2v
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Vio adj./Dram
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2.5v, 2.6v, 2.7v
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Audio chipset
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integrated into chipset
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Configuration
Just about every aspect of the BD7 RAID that is configurable - including Overclocking functions - is accessed through the Soft Menu III BIOS system.
Among those settings that can be tweaked, we can count the Vcore and DRAM voltages, the FSB frequency, and the FSB/PCI ratio. In short, every feature an Overclocker would need to maximize their system's performance.
For those who like to get their hands dirty, however, Abit has also included a Dip-switch array (S1) which can be used to set the FSB frequency, activate the internal network card (or use the CNR connector), and to activate or deactivate the Soft Menu system.
Next: Technical details
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