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Last week, we brought you the
exclusive coverage of the ALi M1687 Reference board. In this review, we will
bring you more information about the Athlon64 K8 and a review of the Gigabyte's
K8NNXP mainboard based on the nForce3 150 chipset.
nVIDIA nForce3 150 is a single chip
solution different from the rest of the chipset makers which adopt a North-South
bridge chipsets. With an integrated solution, this bridge connecting the north
and south is no longer needed. The only important factor is now the bus width
and frequency
of the HyperTransport link between the AMD64 processor and the the NF3 150
chipset is. Will the single chip solution compensate the lower bus width and
frequency in up/downstream? We shall see in the benchmarks.
Supporting the revolutionary AMD
AthlonTM64 processor, GA-K8NNXP brings new levels of performance and
features to the desktop platforms. The brand new AMD AthlonTM64
processor is furnished with unprecedented framework consisted of AMD’s 64-bit
computing platform, HyperTransport Technology, and the CPU-integrated memory
controller to boost the overall performance. Accompanied with the innovative
designs of AthlonTM64, the advanced NVIDIA nForce3 platform processor
and Gigabyte’s unique technology also contribute to the functionality and
stability of this platform. The Gigabyte patented Dual Power System (DPS)
enhances the computing power and steadiness of the system. Dual LAN is equipped
for establishing the traffic between two separate networks, ensuring rapid
transfer of data from WAN to LAN. The IEEE1394b, Serial ATA and IDE RAID provide
superior input/output performance and data protection. GA-K8NNXP will definitely
represent the uppermost platform for today’s computer enthusiasts.
AMD AthlonTM64
Computing Platform
Powered by nForce3 platform processors, GA-K8NNXP supports the brand new 8th
generation AMD AthlonTM64 processor to deliver a high performance
platform with dual support for 32-bit applications and increasing 64-bit
computing needs.
HyperTransportTM
technology
A high-speed, low latency, point-to-point link designed to provide excellent
interconnect for computation and networking. This Technology not only
provides more bandwidth but also reduces the I/O bottlenecks and,
consequently, greatly enhances the system performance.
Integrated DDR memory
controller
The AMD AthlonTM 64 processor improves the memory performance by
integrating a DDR memory controller into the processor. By running at the
processor’s core frequency, an integrated memory controller greatly
increases bandwidth directly available to the processor at significantly
reduced latencies.
Superb bandwidth AGP 8X
graphics interface
Featuring AGP 8x (AGP 3.0) the new generation VGA interface specification,
this platform delivers enhanced graphics performance with high bandwidth up
to 2.12GB/s. Allowing users to have a more realistic graphics experiences
while gaming or movie watching.
Dual Power Sysytem K8 (DPS K8)
Specially designed for AthlonTM64 platform, the Dual Power System
delivers a total of 6-phase power circuit to provide more solid and durable
power supply for the new generation AMD platform. Ensuring a more secure and
stable platform than ever before.
DUAL LAN
Equipped with Gigabit and Ethernet LAN solution, this platform can be
applied as network gateway, managing traffic between two separate networks
and ensuring rapid transfer of data from WAN to LAN without any added
arbitration or latency.
Industry’s first IEEE1394b
motherboard
This platform is the first motherboard with IEEE1394b FireWire interface
from Texas Instruments (TI). With the transfer speed up to 800Mb/s, the new
generation IEEE1394b interface further enhances PC connectivity with
consumer electronics audio/video (A/V) appliances, and storage peripherals.
Serial ATA with RAID 0, 1
function
Serial ATA is the revolutionary ATA interface that provides scalable
performance for IDE device. With up to 150MB/s data transfer rate, Serial
ATA is faster than current Parallel ATA and delivers superior input/output
performance. In addition, the Serial ATA interface is furnished with RAID
0,1 function for extra performace enhancement and data protection.
GigaRAID IDE RAID Controller
Supporting RAID (0, 1, 0+1), JBOD function and ATA133 interface, GigaRAID
Controller delivers completely solution for storage interface to increase
fault tolerance, improve data access performance and provides additional
interface for more IDE devices.
6 Channel Audio with UAJ
With the innovative function of Universal Audio Jack (UAJ) of ALC 658 AC97
codec, this platform provides superior 6-Channel stereo sound enjoyment
without the distress for wrong installation.
GIGABYTE Patent DualBIOSTM
DualBIOSTM prevents BIOS from virus attacks to provide a double
security thus assuring the PC stability.
Norton Internet Security™
Included
Norton Internet SecurityTM 2003 is the essential protection from
viruses, hackers, and privacy threats. It protects user during the online
activities such as e-mailing, shopping, banking, and game playing.
