Late Vintage: High Degree of Maturity of the KT133

Transcend TS-AKT4

BIOS Version: 3rd November 2000

Board Revision: 29-8080

The TS-AKT4 is equipped with two additional USB ports, as introduced also by some other main board manufacturers. A notable exception is, however, the USB connection cable with the slot cover included in the delivery package. All in all, the TS-AKT4 has 5 PCI slots and 1 ISA SLOT. The latter shares the installation space with the last PCI slot. In addition, Transcend has integrated an AMR connection, but appropriate RISER cards are not available in computer supply stores.

Transcend's new main board allows the adjustment of clocking in the BIOS. Over-voltage and over-current protection ensure that the system is reset in the event of defective overclocking, and no damage is caused to both the CPU and the board. The possible (hypothetical) limits of the processor bus clock lie between 100 and 132 MHz, and can be adjusted in 1 MHz steps. Necessary for successful overclocking is, of course, an AMD-CPU, which L1-bridges have been closed using the pencil trick. Unfortunately, this option is not available to change the Vcore voltage. Therefore, the overclocking options are limited.

The current BIOS dated November 3rd, 2000, version 1.04, eliminates compatibility problems with some SDRAM models that are only just within the specification limit. As with all BIOS updates, you should, if possible, make sure that the FLASH procedure is not interrupted. An advantage is that the Intercept Virus Hardware solution restores the BIOS in case of a failure. In addition, this function protects the BIOS from a virus attack. Lazy users who would rather not consult the handbook end up realising that the front panel connector is not labelled. Consulting the handbook cannot be avoided.

Model variation TS-AKM4 with a KM133-chip set comes equipped with an S3 Savage4 graphic core, which reduces the purchase price of a PC intended purely for office applications. By extending two years warranty, Transcend offers good service on its main boards.