BIOS
ABIT's strong suit has been their BIOSes. Eminently tweakable, they're one of the reasons that true enthusiasts often hanker for ABIT to release motherboards based on a particular chipset. As is customary, ABIT have a modified Softmenu III manipulation screen taking centre stage. Let's have a look.
Taking it one step at a time. CPU operating speed can either be set to 'user define' (as shown), or to a number of pre-defined speeds. The BIOS is new enough to include a setting for AMD's XP2800 processor, one that's currently vapourware here in the UK. User define status allows you to take control of the settings. FSB speeds can be manipulated from 100 - 237FSB. Strangely, it's not in strict 1MHz increments as usual: A number of individual FSBs are missing. Further, you cannot key in a pre-chosen number either; you have to cycle through each FSB. That's strange for ABIT, but may be due to the nForce2 design. It appears as if ABIT have used a 3rd-party clock generator, as other nForce2-based motherboards seem to be limited to 211FSB. Having said that, options at the top end are limited
The multiplier is actually relevant here. Using our test XP2400, the NF7-S gave us the choice of every single available multiplier (5x - 22x), so in theory you can mimic every current AMD XP CPU - assuming your CPU is capable. AGP frequency can be set to the default 66MHz or taken all the way up to 99MHz in 1MHz increments this time, strange why this should allow single MHz increments and the FSB does not.
CPU FSB/DRAM sets the system RAM to a chosen ratio of the CPU's FSB. You're given a vast range of options as follows: 3/3, 3/4, 3/5, 3/6, 4/3, 4/4, 4/5, 4/6, 5/3, 5/4, 5/5, 5/6, 6/3, 6/4, 6/5, and 6/6. You can manually work out what each will equate to at a given CPU FSB. I would have preferred a little subscreen highlighting the probable memory speed once you've chosen a ratio. Incidentally, choosing either 3/3, 4/4, 5/5, or 6/6 will give you the same 1:1 ratio. CPU interface needs to be enabled for performance-enhancing memory timings to be applied.
I've shown the maximum levels of voltage for each option above. I'd had hoped for 3v+ on the RAM and 2v on the CPU; others specify it. I feel as if ABIT are becoming increasingly conservative in their BIOS voltage options.
Memory timings are tweakable like never before. You can either go with a pre-defined option or do-it-yourself with the Expert option chosen. Unlike most motherboards where you've got limited scope for manipulation, here you can change the row-active delay from 1 up to 15, RAS-to-CAS goes from 1-7, as does row-precharge. CL wavers from 1.5 clocks to 3 clocks. I chose the timings shown above for all testing. As the nForce2 chipset is 8x AGP compliant, you're given the option in BIOS if you have a compatible video card. In brief testing 8x AGP showed a statistically significant gain over 4x in geometry-heavy games.
A few of the options on offer. Serial ATA is toggled on/off on a separate screen. The nForce2 MCP-T shows its strength here.
I've chosen to highlight this screen for one reason. With a Taisol 760 and a twin YSTech fan combination, I had previously seen default voltage BIOS temperatures of ~40c on both the EPoX and SOYO KT400-based motherboards. The ABIT NF7-S puts it at a rather toasty 52c with only 1.6v load voltage. A decent BIOS only marred by the lack of real top-end voltage options.
