DDR333 for P4: 16 Boards with Intel 845G - Part I

Gigabyte GA-8IGXP: Is There Still A Profit Margin?

Nobody offers more than this: the Gigabyte GA8IGXP offers the best range of features.

In the previous tests, Gigabyte achieved respectable results. The manufacturer has managed to win several tests, so our expectations for its 845G board were quite high. Out of all the motherboards tested in Part I of this comparison, Gigabyte offers the best features: in addition to FireWire (IEE1394) through the VIA VT6306, there are six USB interfaces installed.

The Gigabyte GA8IGXP comes with a full series of accessories. Many of its competitors could stand to learn a lesson from this.

FireWire (IEEE1394) ports.

Part of its trump card is the Dual BIOS function, which allows you to start from a second BIOS when a flash process fails. Note: the settings for manual memory timing have been hidden in the BIOS. By pressing CTRL + F1, you can get to the hidden menu. With the help of the Promise RAID controller, you can connect up to eight IDE devices. For friends of overclocking, the manufacturer has provided the following functions: voltages for the CPU core (up to 1.85 Volt), memory (2.8 Volt) and AGP (1.8 Volt) can be adjusted in fine increments. The setting for the FSB clock is over the top, ending at 355 MHz. Noteworthy is the sound chip from Creative (CT5880) with six-channel audio, which is completed with an optical-out on the slot bracket. Included with the motherboard are a USB bracket with four ports, a FireWire cable with three ports and three Ultra-DMA/100 cables. By now, you've got to start asking how this manufacturer manages to set the price at only about $135 for these mega-features. In the performance scores, this board lands at third place on average.

Sound chip from Creative with the Gigabyte GA8IGXP.

A quite practical fan on the Northbridge of the chipset on the Gigabyte GA8IGXP.