Conclusion: SiS645 Is A Hot Alternative To I845!
SiS has matured quite convincingly: in contrast to previous motherboard tests with SiS chipsets, the SiS645 is a good choice and should be taken seriously. We did not encounter problems during our tests. In addition, this chipset is able to outperform Intel's 845 DDR chipset , and at lower prices. A motherboard with the SiS645 chipset can be purchased for a hundred bucks; products based on i845 usually cost at least $130.
Our recommendation this time is the Soyo SY-P4S Dragon Ultra - it is fast and comes with a large list of features, starting with IDE RAID and a full-out sound system with digital connectors (optical and coax), up to 100 Mbit LAN controller and overclocking features. It leaves no stone unturned, except for USB 2.0.
In terms of performance, MSI's 645 Ultra and Soltek's SL-85DRS2 are at the top. The P4S333 from Asus is also in the upper midfield. All three should be given credit, considering that they all reach their performance without FSB overclocking - this is an indicator for thoroughness and quality. Epox wanted to reach the best performance level by increasing the FSB clock with its motherboard, but in the end, that didn't manage to change anything.
Another aspect shown in this review: regardless of whether it's hardware or software add-ons, the market wants flexibility. Soyo shows a perfect example of what a retail motherboard should look like. In the business sector, each add-on that makes the motherboard more expensive is usually uninteresting and automatically decreases the demand. A manufacturer should be able to address both types of users.
In the future, we would like to see more useful add-ons such as USB adapters or anti virus software. Let's see how the companies set their priorities.
