BIOS
ABIT can usually regard its BIOSes as a strong point. SoftMenu has evolved into perhaps the best in the industry.
The DigiDice features a standard SoftMenu setup. FSB speeds can range up to 300MHz when inputted manually. Multiplier selection is only available on unlocked or semi-unlocked S478 CPUs. Like most other ABIT P4 boards, the DigiDice allows asynchronous FSB-to-RAM settings of 5:4 and 3:2. Perfect if you either have poor RAM at the default 200MHz FSB or are looking to raise the FSB for overclocking purposes. We also like having the ability to enter a particular FSB by typing in the numbers. It beats having to cycle through each and every one.
We'd always go with a fixed set of frequencies for the AGP and PCI buses. However, ABIT can confuse the user with its wacky range of ratios. 8:2:1, for example. We'd much like them expressed in MHz and not ratios. CPU voltage sees a healthy +0.375v adjustment but cannot be lowered to, say, 1.1v for passively-cooled experimentation.
High-speed memory modules now often state a minimum voltage specification of over 2.6v. We've seen modules from TwinMOS and OCZ that require 2.8v to function at nominal speeds. In that case, the maximum 2.8v is perhaps just a little shy of what we'd like. AGP voltage runs up to 1.65v. There's no on-the-fly overclocking here in the BIOS. That job is left to the wheel with its preset increases.
We'll do well to remember that the DigiDice features integrated graphics in the form of Intel Extreme 2. We've gone to great lengths to show just how poor an onboard solution it is. Intel reckons it's good enough for its main intended purpose of supply decent 2D quality. We'd not agree. It consistently produces poor image quality on a number of motherboards. What's pleasing is in the inclusion of performance-enhancing Game Accelerator settings. These, when set to Street Racer and Enhanced, provided a significant boost for the DigiDice. It seems as if the AB-2003 SFF system carries a PAT-enabled BIOS. On-chip support is toggled at the bottom of this subscreen.
The obligatory features shot shows it to be a versatile performer. There's plenty of high-speed connectivity here.
As enthusiasts, we like to see exactly what's going on with respect to voltages. ABIT doesn't pull any punches here and offers the user a glut of useful information on each and every line. The CPU temperature seemed a little high for default voltage and DDR voltage is stronger than expected. We also like ABIT's FanEQ speed control system. It allows for the fan to spin at a percentage of maximum. Kind of a rheobus, if you will. Another solid ABIT BIOS.
