Foreword

After RAM chip sets SiS735, ALi MAGiK1, VIA KT266 and AMD760 in our past the GDR reviews a more or less hard and narrow struggle for the top position in the benchmark rankings have delivered and are in effect the SiS chip before the competition from AMD, VIA and ALi place could we received a Board now with the “2nd revision” of KT266, the KT266A. Three months ago, we had taken the KT266 on the basis of the Board of 8KHA of EPoX under the microscope, what was there now closer than this time to the descendants, the 8KHA +, to grab back from same company. At this point we want to thank law genial EPoX company for the provision of test samples. VIA itself advertises the KT266A as a significant step in the development of socket A DDR chipsets. The review will show whether the chipset can also respond to his praise and his already excellent reputation.

Chipset: VIA KT266A

The KT266A is the revised version of KT266, via first chipset for the DDR RAM Socket A platform. What ultimately has urged VIA now to a new of chip set, is not with 100% determine security. Fact is, however, that the KT266 both AMD’s seventies and the SiS735 much trouble put was. Both chips showed application in most slightly to significantly better performance. The SiS735 was, and is also available for a fraction of the KT266 price. The pressure on VIA was rumored to even so scary that you chose to offer the KT266 to the price of SiS735. Revision KT266A should therefore seize the Crown of the socket A chipsets now final itself with clear facts. Good for her pin compatible comes the new revision building. The chip is thus at least theoretically can be used without any changes to the layout on each Board on the already the KT266 performed his work. The differences between two version are therefore purely externally virtually not to recognize. The features of the chipset accordingly continue as follows looks on paper.

< div >

As mentioned previously, additional features has not powered VIA the chipset, the changes are in detail. While the VT8233 Southbridge exactly matches the version of KT266, the Northbridge VT8366A is now available in the revision “A”. Much is unknown about the modifications, but it is sure that especially the memory controller must have received a proper update. Rumors had assumed for a time even that VIA the KT266A chipset P4X266 4 has powered the memory controller of the Pentium. But no matter in what way, the changes caused a huge reduction of latency (delays in the forwarding of data), as well as the extension of the so-called “queues”-more data can be sent buffered and at the same time, increases the data throughput. Also the “V link” that communicate via an own line North and southbridge can be should be been revised slightly. What now have these perhaps quite lean forthcoming innovations for impact on the practice, was now to be resolved in this review.

We the EPoX 8KHA + now devote ourselves but, without long Umschweifen, our test candidates. It still pleases whom at this point for more information about North and southbridge, which we refer to our EPoX vs QDI review, in which we have lit the subject in detail.

Scope of delivery

The EPoX includes typical components. Saying there is no nothing. An ATA66/100, an ATA33 and a floppy-cable, a USB slot for the ports 3 & 4, two handbooks, one contains the complete English Guide and the other discusses the most important options in German and the driver CD should actually almost every customer satisfy. The CD includes the necessary drivers (VIA 4in1 v. 4. 32, in the test by 4.33 replaced) as a small bonus, quite helpful OEM programs again. With the part of the “backup” Norton Ghost and PC-cillin is 2000, which replaced the has always represented Norton AntiVirus. As another extra still PowerQuest partition magic 6.0 se-the retail, our CD not included the tool but still.

Documentation

At first glance, it seems as EPoX have as only change if the documentation is a “+” printed on the cover page, but also in content reading was adapted to a few innovations of 8KHA +. The first manual written in English this covers everything from installation of BIOS settings up to the software device. Questions not be actually, everything is clean explained and well illustrated. A second booklet also contains the main settings in the German language. All in all a good successful documentation that the right users with English knowledge useful to the page is.

Features

EPoX 8KHA +

• Form factor
  • Socket A ATX (30.5 cm x 24.5cm)
• Processor
  • Supports AMD Athlon and Duron
  • Automatic CPU detection
  • 200/266 MHz system bus
• Chip set
  • VIA KT266A chipset
  • VIA VT8366A Northbridge (active cooling)
  • VT8233 Southbridge with onboard audio (AC97)
• RAM
  • 3 x 184-pin DIMMS (DDR RAM)
  • Supports RAM with 2, 5V DDR PC1600/2100
  • Maximum storage size: 1.5 GB
• Expansion slots
  • 1 x AGP 4 x slot
  • 6 x 32 bit PCI slots
  • 3 x Fan connectors (Monitorfähig)
  • 2 IDE ports (UDMA 33/66/100)
• External connectors
  • 1 x parallel port
  • 2 x serial ports
  • 6 USB ports (2 x intern, 2 x per slot, 2 x optional)
  • 1 x game port
  • 1 x microphone in
  • 1 x speaker out
  • 1 x line in
• BIOS
  • Award BIOS with 2MBit Flash ROM
  • Multiplier option in the BIOS
  • Front steps side bus in 1 MHz option in the BIOS (100-199MHz)
  • CPU voltage adjustable in BIOS (1, 65-1, 85V)
  • VDimm voltage adjustable in BIOS
• Special features
  • P80P “Post Code” display
• Other functions
  • Keyboard power-on, suspend to RAM
  • Wake on LAN, wake on modem

Facilities

As I mentioned at the beginning: the KT266 is pin-compatible to its predecessor and thus not only theoretically can be soldered on Board of his predecessor. The view of the motherboard, and its name can appear this situation quickly. You must go with the magnifying glass to search, to find differences between 8KHA and 8KHA +. Consequently, equipment and layout in the end are unchanged. One drawback, the new old design does not however, is, we had already rated it in the review of the 8KHA as an advantage. Thus slot, the 6 vote us the AGP 4 x PCI slots and the old familiar features also this time positively. On the ISA bus, which neither supported the KT266A, as did the KT266, you must refrain from even this time. But at some point it is just for each technology at the time, abdicate. Also is nothing new to discover at the RAM banks. With three DDR RAM slots sees EPoX though, like virtually every other manufacturer, a maximum configuration of four slots, but should range from the thus maximum 1.5 gigabyte actually always. Error during boot of the Board must rhyme also the owner of the 8KHA + from cryptischen beep tones together. The EPoX currently typical “uninstall debug card” towers with its 2 ads still in the lower, right Boardecke and helps tremendously in an emergency. Actually only the capacitor series criticized already at the 8KHA in the vicinity of the CPU remains as the only criticism the base. Although fit even larger sized rectangular cooler without problems on the Board, for circular heat sinks it can be quite quickly very closely. Apropos cooler, an innovation is us then still noticed: the used Northbridge cooler. Now, a quiet cooling fan from the House of Cooler Master perform his service. Current revisions of 8KHA are also equipped with this product.

Stability

The stability of 8KHA + is excellent. In addition to the A7V266 of ASUS, the Board was now the 2nd Board, which left the computer without crashing after the test phase. Also surprised us with the fact that RAM timings that were not possible with the identical RAM frame on the 8KHA, now ran on the 8KHA + without any problems. EPoX seems to have operated a little tweaking in this respect again.

Overclocking

Same with the overclocking features and their implementation 8KHA and 8KHA + down to the smallest detail. Therefore, our test Board also leaves no wish actually. EPoX has packed all relevant settings in an own menu item, the offer is rich. The multiplier may be selected in 0,5er increments, the FSB from 100 199MHz in 1 MHz-steps. The VCore allows for settings on the well-known interval of 1, 65-1, 85V. Also the DIMM voltage must be adjusted. It is located already “default” 1V of the actually specified 2, 5V. A quite conservative method also unruly RAM to work together to persuade. Particularly positive, an extremely extensive menu to the RAM tweaking falls also on once again. Pretty much any relevant variables may be varied according to whim. In addition to four predefined settings (“normal”, “”fastest”and”turbo”fast”,) the most may be brought thus from each RAM module. Total hence the 8KHA + deserves an unqualified “very good” in the terms of overclocking.

Note:Also, the 8KHA + we wanted to check on a hidden, factory overclocking and dared a look in WCPUID of H.Oda. With 133,64MHz bus keeps straight is still the front side so in normal, even if in this way at a multiplier of 10 an effective measure of 1336Mhz comes into being.

Test system

Yes, also this time we decided detonator drivers of version 12.41 for Windows 2000 (SP2) and the NVidia. We wanted to, even if Windows XP before the door and the detonator offers more performance 21.81 einges, can compare the results so obtained 100% with the old reviews. Also the rest of the system remains in effect.

• Processor
  • AMD Athlon C 1333MHz
• Motherboard
  • EPoX 8KHA +
  • EPoX 8K7A + (revision 1.1, BIOS 11.07.2001)
  • EPoX 8KHA (revision 1.1, BIOS 17.05.2001)
  • Elitegroup K7S5A (revision 1.01, BIOS 27.08.2001)
  • ASUS A7V266 (revision 1.06, BIOS 1002)
  • ASUS A7A266 (revision 1.1, BIOS 1006)
• Memory
  • 1 x 256 MB PC2100 Apacer DDR RAM
• Graphics card
  • Inno3D tornado GeForce2 Ultra
• Peripherals
  • Western Digital WD600AB
  • Western Digital caviar AC310100B
  • Sony CRX160-E
  • Sound Blaster Live! 1024
  • Realtek RTL8029(AS) NIC
  • Hauppauge WinTV PCI
• Other
  • Logitech mouse man wheel optical
  • Microsoft Natural Keyboard Pro
• Software
  • Windows 2000 Professional Service Pack 2
  • nVidia detonator 12.41
  • Via 4in1 version 4.33
  • ALi-driver package 1.04
  • SiS AGP driver 1.07
  • DirectX 8 0a

Benchmarks

Benchmarks: The majority of the benchmarks will seem certainly already known industrious readers of root. SiSoft Sandra continues to takes a critical look at the theoretical performance of the mainboard, where a number of benchmark tools and games to test there visible differences on its impact in practice. Newly added to come is a test with the Packers WinACE. Packing a large folder with different file formats 359MB requires from the memory interface a lot especially and should therefore immediately also contribute to the objective opinion. Unfortunately, we are due to time constraints not in after the fact with any previously tested Board perform the test. Thus as an example, as a representative of the “old generation”, we chose the ancestor of the 8KHA +, the 8KHA.

• DirectX 7.0
  • 3DMark 2000-1.1
  • Unreal tournament 4.36 (utbench)
• DirectX 8.0
  • 3DMark 2001
• OpenGL
  • Quake3Arena 1.17 (Q3bench)
  • Vulpine GL mark
• Storage performance
  • SiSoft Sandra 2001
• Other
  • WinACE 2.03

SiSoft Sandra 2001

The tension was great, and the first test in SiSoft Sandra stood. The tool should include probably currently with confidence to one of the most popular memory benchmarks, the results already promise 1. views of the coming tests. Elected we have two different testSettings. A well-known settings (which all other benchmarks were driven and exactly correspond to those of 8KHA) and on the other hand the best dial-up in the BIOS options “moderate”. These were bars with our Apacer incidentally at the 8KHA not possible, the machine rebooted even more under this condition. The 8KHA + shows no weaknesses in this regard and mastered the hurdle without batting. Certainly, a sign of the improved structure of the EPoX Board.

Already the “direct comparison” with identical BIOS settings demonstrates the gigantic line thrust and-Vorsprung of KT266A in impressive way. None of the other chipsets can be followed only in the approach, 725MB / s in the ALU and 881MB / s in the FPU sets rating is the 8KHA + at the top. The difference from its predecessor is enormous despite identical settings. 2. Run with the BIOS settings “Turbo”, which includes among others the executable on the 8KHA not “1T command”, brings the 8KHA + definitively in unprecedented dimensions of socket A Board. Just the circuit board missed the 1 GB/s brand in the FPU.

The first impression seems to confirm the really successful integration of a “new” or at least extremely improved memory controller. But the question of whether the theoretical supererogation in practice comes to full, remains. The following tests will show it.

WinACE 2.03

To test the results on their suitability for everyday use away from the colorful game worlds in SiSoft Sandra, we decided to incorporate a “WinACE test” with in the review. Task is to grab a 359MB big folder with 85 bitmaps and a number of other files. The fact that it also and especially the memory throughput plays an important role, had hope for a meaningful result. Due to time constraints we have refrained however retroactively to check all boards so far tested by us in this discipline. We chose this as the representative of the ancestor of the 8KHA +, the 8KHA.

All 48 seconds the KT266A may decrease the identical motherboard his predecessor on practical. The BIOS of Stettings were exactly the same. Otherwise probably remains the KT266, as with a 7.5% worse “pack performance” admit his defeat.

Quake3Arena 1.17

Quake3Arena still among one of the most important benchmark programs in our test course. On the one hand, more and more games are based on the current still today quite graphics engine, on the other hand, the results are extremely meaningful and very stable in the times each.

“Which is then probably everything so far unprecedented in the shadows”, was the first set that wandering us testing through the head. The Inno3D without major problems in a position to implement the enormous advantage of KT266A relatively indemnify is in the lowest resolution. The 8KHA + dominated the entire competition with 7% advance and shows how much the memory throughput in Quake3Arena can affect the performance.

The usual image. With the config, “normal” again just under 12 frames come out ahead of the 8KHA +, the graphics card is expecting with cheerfully. The two higher CFGs demand a little more the GeForce2 Ultra. Nevertheless: 6-7 frames increased output are still a lot of wood.

Again the config leaves cold “normal” quite the GeForce, with 10 frames, the Vorspung is again quite clear 5.5%. But the other configs encourage to reflection for the first time. They show one more time. Also a still so fast video card, and in Q3 the ultra is certainly a top of the line, no increased output can Tickle from a certain graphics load from one Board still so fast times.

The just mentioned once again in color on white. It may at least regardless of graphics fetishists in Quake3 and related games, working the Board in the computer. Finally the video card performance is critical.

Vulpine GL mark

As a second representative of the group, OpenGL, we chose the GL mark once again from the House of Vulpine. Partly, we here have seen an exchange of position in the Geschwindigkeitscharts in the last test.

The default run of the GL marks has proved time and again ultra in the last tests especially hard chunks for the GeForce2, differences in the performance of the Board were hard to detect. And once again the difference seems marginal. Nevertheless the 8KHA + is meagre 0.2 frames/s ahead. The toning of color depth and resolution brought to bear, however, again not only the discharge of the graphics card, but also the use of the Boardreservern. While the boards of the last review more or less dense to lie close together, the 8KHA + 3.8% stands out clearly.

3DMark 2000

Compared to our last review we have 2000 slightly slowed the benchmark flood in 3DMark. The program scales in virtually every resolution very well with the performance of the mainboard so that we have focused exclusively on the performance in the default run.

A great surprise not brought us the 3DMark. With about 3%, the EPoX 8KHA + also here is the former leader of SiS735 from the throne.

3DMark 2000 CPU mark

A part of the 3DMark 2000 represents the so-called CPU mark, which is to determine only the theoretical performance of the CPU. Of course, also the memory access on the chip set here plays an important role.

In the last test the boards with KT266, if also scarce, could lead here and in this respect, the now extremely good performance of KT266A is surprising not too much. The gap relatively clearly fails with just under 4%.

3DMark 2001

The 3DMark 2001 presented us itself so far in virtually every solution for extreme Grafikkartenlastig, large differences between the boards were hard to watch. But this time the image should change completely.

Change? Again wrong. The KT266A of 8KHA + dominated the entire close to close the competition. The 4266 points of default run were possible with our 8KHA only with an overclocking of Athlons 1466 MHz and a slight overclocking of the Videocard. Perhaps a good example of this by the KT266A gave potential of the complete system. The advantage in this discipline is 3-5%.

Unreal tournament

The hugely popular “utbench” was used as the last graphic benchmark. Been Unreal Tournament provides exceptionally high demands on board, CPU and RAM. The “utbench” (demo file of a play against bots) but again tops this, the graphics card barely a role.

The UTBench has been one of the hurdles in the the residue of old KT266 on the AMD760 was quite clear. The KT266A ranges now not only approach the competition, he surpassed them again with 1-2% advantage again.

EPoX 8KHA + conclusion

An objective conclusion after such fascinating test results? Very difficult, but we dare the balancing act. What has made with the 8KHA + on the legs EPoX, currently certainly belongs to one of the most interesting boards at all. Already the 8KHA and actually any current Board from the home of EPoX impressive scope of supply, equipment, documentation and stability. The 8KHA + brings the currently most impressive performance values in the buyer’s computer now, coupled by via small masterpiece KT266A. Who now remembered with horror a horrendous price, unfortunately will be disappointed. Because the Board is available in stores for below 300 DM. Thus, the price far below the of 8KHA is located at its launch. What remains to us? In view of the absence of really negative aspects well otherwise, as the new leader of the mainboard top list declare first as the 8KHA + with a clear conscience and secondly uncompromisingly to recommend.

&Lt; div > Elito EPoX 8KHA + < div > positive properties

• Scope of delivery
• Documentation
• Facilities
• Stability
• Performance
• BIOS settings (RAM tweaking + overclocking)

Conclusion KT266A

It is in the light of the outstanding performance of KT266A actually not otherwise express: the chipset is currently the absolute none plus ultra for the socket A platform. The predecessor fought even forehead to forehead with its numerous competitors, the KT266A leaves all competitors far behind. Coupled with an extremely good at our Board stability and supports more than lush North and southbridge hardly a way to this chip passes in the light of these results probably currently the power-hungry buyers. Only the SiS735 may provide a slightly slower, but very cheap alternative because of its unbeatable price. But back to the KT266A. The bug VIA southbridge, with whom the AMD760 has to fight, is alien to him. The SiS735 is by far no danger in questions speed more. Only diehard SDRAM and ISA slot Favorites probably still must look for an other chip. Both techniques will be on KT266A boards probably no longer seen. Probably noticed, this conclusion aimed rather at DDR newcomers and on sidelines. Current owner a DDR-RAM Board should however three times consider, whether the much higher memory throughput in their application and resolution together with CPU and in particular graphics card makes sense.