Hot P4 Board From Gigabyte (Gigabyte GA-8IRXP)

Member Name: kfn54

Product:	Gigabyte GA-8IRXP
Date:	17/05/02 (1919 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Price, Easy Setup, Lots of Features

Disadvantages: Raid Hard to setup, Only 1.5v Graphics

If you?re looking to upgrade to a P4 board you won?t go far wrong with Gigabytes new P4 offering the GA-81RXP.
The Intel 845 DDR chipset board offers an abundance of features designed to last for optimum versatility in the near future.
So what has it got to offer, well hear goes.

Socket 478 Intel 845 DDR chipset, for current and future Pentium 4 processor`s, 3 dimms support up to 2GB DDR Ram. DDR266/200 providing you the highest performance/Price ratio with the double-Bandwidth 2.1GB`s High-Volume and upcoming-Mainstream DDR Memory solution. The GA-81RXP provides superior system bus bandwidth up to 3.2 GB/s coupling with 2.1 GB/s memory bus bandwidth by DDR Architecture81RXP dedicates seamless user interaction and greater system responsiveness.
Bandwidth on hub interface supports up to 266MB/s almost four times the internal data transfer capability over previous generations.
What you get: 4 USB 2.0 via supplied cable colour coded in orange direct from the mother board that are easily identified. It also has 4 USB 1.1 2 via cable and 2 from the back of the board.
USB 2.0 provides data transfer rate up to 480 MBPS, 40 times faster than USB 1.1, in total 8 USB ports on this board. Another fantastic extra are memory stick, secure digital and smart card reader function support by optional reader (Not supplied with Board).
Promise Raid + Ata 133 Ide controllers provides not only Raid but also 2 additional IDE Ata -133/100 connectors supporting up to 8 ata-100 IDE devices yes that?s right eight devices (IE 6 Hard Drives,DVD,CDR.) or whatever takes your fancy.
On Board Intel LAN ensures a high speed stable and cost effective solution for new Broadband.
On Board creative CT 5880 guarantees quality audio output.
Dual Bios providing backup bios reducing the chances of bios failure due to infection by virus and enabling the desktop PC stable as a server.
Genius Jumper less design makes all settings are available from t
he Bios.

CNRslot, 6xPCI slots, EZ-Fix AGP Slot takes 1.5v AGP cards only (Check your AGP card spec before purchase of this board as 3.3v AGP cards are not compatible).
Gold Plating ATX Power connector (12v Power connector also on board). Multi language bios, easy tune 111, (Q-flash (Dual Bios Utility), Face wizard utility allows you to create and edit stylish boot up screen, easy tune 111 a window-based over clocking utility, allows you to over clock your system without opening the case. (Before over clocking check with other users on the internet or at overclockers. com to see what is possible etc.)
Q-Flash utility allows you to flash bios easily under bios mode, update latest bios via the internet. Enclosed IAA driver (Intel Application Accelerator) and windows XP ready. IAA accelerates not only operating system loading time but disk input and output for games, graphic applications, disk utilities and media authoring applications, enhancing Intel P4 Processor-Based systems. Phew have I missed anything what a board this is voted the number 1 Performer (Pc Pro April 2002).
This is a great board RRP £148.
It can be bought a lot cheaper than the RRP e-mail me for further details on price and suppliers. I can highly recommend the GA-81RXP.
Others to consider ASUS P4S-533, Abit KR7 A133RAID, MSI-845 Ultra.
Finally the GA-81RXP comes with a four page Quick PC Installation Guide in full colour with full identification of all motherboard features; this is in addition to the standard user?s manual in 4 different languages.
Please note you will need a P4 dedicated power supply for this board also.
I hope this review helps in your decision to purchase a P4 Board.

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