The Specification in detail
Processors
- Supports Socket 478 for Intel Pentium 4 processors (400FSB & 533FSB)
- Supports 1300MHz up to 2400MHz+ processors and higher
Chipset
- North bridge: Intel I845E MCH
- South bridge: Intel ICH4
System Memory
- 3 x 184-pin DDR SDRAM
- DDR200 / DDR266 support @ 2.5v
- 2GB maximum system RAM
Slots
- AGP slot, 4x AGP compliant (1.5v support only)
- 4 x 32-bit PCI 33MHz slots
On-board peripherals
- 1 floppy port supports 2 FDD
- 3 Audio Jacks for Realtek ALC650 sound chipset
- RJ-45 LAN Port (Realtek 8100BL)
- 6 USB2.0 connectors
- 2 IEEE 1394a Firewire ports.
- S/PIDF-OutA
- Headers for another 4 USB2.0 ports as well as a 3rd Firewire portdio jacks w
On-board IDE
- An IDE controller on the ICH4 chipset provides IDE HDD/CD-ROM with PIO, Bus Master and Ultra DMA/100/66/ operation modes
- Highpoint HPT374 - 4 independent channel RAID controller
- Ultra DMA/ATA133, 100, 66, 33 operation modes
- RAID 0, 1, 0+1 support
- Can connect up to 8 IDE devices
- Hot swap capability
Integrated Components
- Realtek RTL8100BL 10/100 Base-T Fast Ethernet Controller
- Realtek ALC650 6-channel sound
- Texas Instruments Firewire chip.
BIOS & Voltages
- ABIT Softmenu III
- FSB speeds of 100Mhz - 250Mhz (quad-pumped)
- 1.1v - 1.70v Vcore adjustable in 0.025v increments
- 2.5v - 3.2v Vmem adjustable in 0.1v increments
- 3/1, 4/1 FSB:PCI dividers. Fix PCI options at 33MHz, 37MHz and 44MHz
Other features
- Custom backplane
- 2 digit debug LCD
- On / off power buttons on motherboard
- 5 fan headers
Form Factor
- 305mm x 245mm
To say the specification is comprehensive is an understatement of grand proportions. This is the first time that we've seen the new 4-channel Highpoint HPT374 RAID controller integrated onto a motherboard. A total of 8 IDE devices can be connected up at any one time, making 12 in total with 4 coming from the standard ICH4 IDE ports.
10 USB2.0 connections make it onto the IT7, 6 run natively from the ICH4, whilst 4 are provided by the onboard VIA VT6202 USB2.0 chip, 6 are soldered onto the motherboard backplane and a further 4 are added by appropriate brackets You might as well wave goodbye to your USB hub, there seems little need for it.
In some views a competing high-speed peripheral connection, Firewire has also been included in the form of 2 IEEE 1394a (400Mbps) ports, the first time we've seen both USB2.0 and Firewire concurrently grace a Pentium4 motherboard.
One thing to note from the outset is the provision of 4 PCI slots, one more than the equivalent AMD motherboard. We'll discuss this matter in more detail later.
We must note that our IT7 was one of the very first production models from Taiwan. With that in mind, we didn't receive the usual ABIT retail packaging in the form of extra USB2.0 brackets, manuals, cables and utilities. Rest assured that this will not be the case for the full retail model. Our ABIT AT7 (AMD) came furnished with the retail packaging including the new ATA133 IDE cables.
