[Abit AT7 Thread] {Abit AT7: the one with mad specs...}

[PUNKtotalled]

What you guys thinks about it?

Abit announced their latest line of motherboard boards the other day at CeBIT. The MAX series includes the IT7 for the Pentium 4 and AT7 for the Athlon XP. The interesting feature of these boards is that they sport no legacy ports, such as parallel, serial, PS/2, etc. Instead, this board sports such ports as four USB 2.0, three IEEE 1394a, six channel digital audio. The boards also sport 4 channel ATA133 IDE RAID using the HighPoint HPT374 chip. All around these are pretty spec'd out boards for today.

Check the pics here..

 

[zzzz]

I will buy it if it is less than $150.(Probably not going to happen)

 

[Athlon4all]

I still have a Serial device (my digi camera), all my keyboards are PS/2 and only my Intellimouse Explorer is USB and I need Floppy Drive's (does this board have Floppy connectors?). So nope

 

[PUNKtotalled]

I don't think that 4 channel UDMA RAID would be useful. Does anyone know if there's a non RAID version that will be available?
Athlon4all: yep you got a floppy connector but really bad placed: just behind the RAID connectors :disgust:
zzzz: don't expect any abit board to be cheap!
btw if there's a non RAID version, it should be cheapier...

 

[Muerto]

I'll buy it if it's compatible with the Alpha PAL8045. The capacitors by the CPU socket look a little close.

 

[PUNKtotalled]

Some improvements about what I know on the features of that board:
* VIA KT333CE Chipset/ VT8233A Southbridge
* Supports DDR 333/266 SDRAM
* 4 DIMM Slots up to 4GB registered memory
* 3 PCI & 1 AGP
* 4 USB 2.0 and 6 USB 1.1 devices
* Dual Channel ATA133 IDE
* 4-channel ATA-133 RAID (HighPoint HPT374)
* 2 x IEEE 1394 ports
* Integrated 6 Channel sound (SP/DIF in/out available)
* 10/100 Fast Ethernet controller (Realtek 8100C)
* SoftMenu III (CPU core, I/O, and DDR VCC voltages and CPU FSB adjustments)


It seems that there will be two versions: one with RAID and Firewire, nammed AT7 (about 250?), and an other one without that stuff, nammed AT7E (about 199?).
...................................Why is abit so pricey?

 

[PUNKtotalled]

<< I'll buy it if it's compatible with the Alpha PAL8045. The capacitors by the CPU socket look a little close. >>



I wouldn't say that...... watch closely the AT7! Compare with the KR7, which sports the ALPHA PAL 8045....... You'll see that there is equal room on both.

 

[devil1127]

HI, does any one know that the AT7 motherboard contain IR port inside??? this will affected that I'm gonna buy the board or not, so anyone who know please help me!!!!!!

 

[gunnm]

You can't be serious on those prices ($250/$200)! Tell me you're guessing....or smack Abit upside the head for me : )

 

[deej1977]

Here are the specs

There are some things that still make me wonder:



<< 4 USB 1.1 Connectors
On board VIA VT6202 USB 2.0 header for four extra USB channels >>



What does this mean? To use USB 2.0 you'll need to buy something extra then???



<< Audio
Realtek ALC650 (AC-Link)
Supports 6CH DAC for AC3 5.1 CH purpose
Professional digital audio interface supporting 24-bit SPDIF OUT >>



Anyone know that this is worth it? Since I'd buy primarily for doing gaming I suppose I'd be better off with a SB Audigy?

@devil1127
There isn't mention of IR support but when they put the manual online (isn't there yet) you can go and look in there, usually those things are far more useful then specs on a website

 

[PUNKtotalled]

<< You can't be serious on those prices ($250/$200)! Tell me you're guessing....or smack Abit upside the head for me : ) >>




I swear it is in euros: I found some prices on a french site. It goes from 199 euros to 238,99 euros. Check those prices here.

<< To use USB 2.0 you'll need to buy something extra then??? >>



I swear no, check the pics... The USB2 connector is included, nearby the LAN connector.

 

[Chubbz]

im debating whether to get this or the epox, someone be the guinea pig!

 

[PUNKtotalled]

Yep we need at least a review!
I think that in fact THE big question is: Has ABIT done a great job on that board, and is all that stuff well integrated, so that board can be stable, conflict-free, performing (and also a good overclocker)?

Usually I trust ABIT for those things, but that board is so mad that it changes everything.

 

[ukDave]

http://www.dabs.com/abit/abit.asp?s=571

£157.44 inc. VAT.

thats the AT7, with RAID and stuff.

I think i'm gunna get it, once its available. Soon hopefully. Looks like i need a new keyboard...

 

[Chubbz]

i just need to know its stability and all that, that will determine whether ill get it or not

 

[PUNKtotalled]

The problem are:
1. Abit doesn't follow the AMD guidelines. AMD won't recommend an ABIT board, and the truth is that some of them have been buggy...
2. Who needs 4 channel IDE RAID?

 

[Smacksmackums]

Tweak3d.net got one in today. The dude is mad excited. He said he'll have a review up on the site within this week, so look out for it. Looks like it could be a sweet board. Too bad I'll end up needing a new keyboard too, dammit, how many people actually have usb keyboards? It sounds fast which I like. And for USA prices, there are some on Pricewatch that range from about 175 to 200 bucks. That's for the loaded version. Not a bad deal if the sound card is decent and the network, firewire and raid hold up well.

 

[PUNKtotalled]

bump

 

[billyjak]

You could just buy a USB to ps2 adapter instead of a USB keyboard.

 

[Chubbz]

i just bought one, it better be worth it

 

[Kelston]

Does this thing have a floppy?

I'm praying that it does since I just ordered one.

The pricing is about 172-199US plus shipping.

 

[CoDerEd]

I think I saw the floppy connector on the picture.
If I'm wrong then you have to buy the LS120, it goes to the IDE.

 

[Chubbz]

IT DOES HAVE A FLOPPY, its near the RAID connectors

 

[Kelston]

Woohoo! Thanks Chubbz, puts my mind at ease. Didn't want to end up with a floppy-less board in a week or two when mine comes in hehe.

But I am still curious as to the space around the cpu socket. In all the pictures I could find, it looks like a very tight area. Any ideas on whether or not it can fit some of the larger heatsinks? (Thermalright AX-7 is 77mm x 77mm, pretty large, and I have one and i'm hoping it fits).

First mobo I bought when I first saw it before reading reviews, i'm hoping it's as good as it looks and sounds

 

[PUNKtotalled]

<< I am still curious as to the space around the cpu socket. >>



By analysing the pics, it seems that there's almost an equal amount of space on the AT7 and on the KG7. The KG7 can easily handle an ALPHA PAL 8045 (80mm x 80mm). I think that most of the fans can be mounted on the AT7, including your ThermalRight AK7.