If you buying a KT266A board, you may want to hold off 'til March or so...

[GetInMyFatBelly]

http://www.aceshardware.com/

The Via KT333 is due:

(taken from Aces Hardware)

"Robert of Lucky Star Technology CO., Ltd sent us a mail that Lucky Star will launch the KTVA333 in march 2002. The KTVA333 will be based on VIA's KT-333 chipset, the successor of VIA's very popular VIAKT266A chipset.

The KT333 support PC2700 DDR and ATA-133. Interesting is that the 0.13 micron Athlon XP CPU's (Thoroughbred) will probably see the daylight at that time. So it is likely that Thoroughbred will come with a 166 MHz DDR interface.

ATA-133 might be more interesting than most of us think. Harddisks used to have 128-512 KB cache, but many harddisk today get shipped with 2 MB SDRAM caches, as the price for DRAM is so low. Such caches can easily use the full 133 MB/s of bandwidth. Industry sources told us that Serial ATA Harddisks will probably not be available before the first half of 2003. Serial ATA will start 150 MB/s but has the potential to scale to 300 MB/s en 600 MB/s."

Looking so forward to what MSI and Soyo will have to offer. (the MSI K7T333 Pro2-RU? & Soyo Dragon Plus +2?)

 

[volfan]

I figured out a pretty good upgrade path for myself that seems to work. I don't give in to VIA's new chipset until they have their 'A' revision out. I upgrade to KT133A and now to KT266A. It's worked out, because their 'A' versions always fix the bugs from a brand new chipset. Something to think about before you jump on the KT333...wait for KT333A. Just my opinion

 

[PCHPlayer]

Thanks for the info. Of course in march the KT333A chipset will be right around the corner. Then I'll want to wait for serial ATA. Oh no, then comes the new 166 FSB Athlon XXP so I'll have to wait some more.....
You get the picture. Buy when the time is right for you or you will never buy anything. Take it from someone who went from a Asus P55T2P4 (socket 7) with EDO memory to a KT266A.

 

[LocutusX]

Waiting for hardware because something new is around the corner is silly. There is always something new around the corner. Buy hardware if and when you need it. Simple as that. Don't play the waiting game.

 

[Mem]

Yep no point waiting I mean you will probably have KT400 ,KT400a then KT500 etc so why wait everything becomes out of date pretty quick so just buy it when you need to and enjoy it while you can .

Anybody want to take bets when ATA-166 standard comes out .

 

[billyjak]

I agree, after waiting for my Abit KR7A , next time I want one I'll just buy then sell the old one.
The suspense is too much, go for it now.

 

[classy]

<< Waiting for hardware because something new is around the corner is silly. There is always something new around the corner. Buy hardware if and when you need it. Simple as that. Don't play the waiting game. >>



Couldn't have said it no better. There is always something better around the corner. You'll always be waiting.

 

[CStroman]

<< I figured out a pretty good upgrade path for myself that seems to work. I don't give in to VIA's new chipset until they have their 'A' revision out. I upgrade to KT133A and now to KT266A. It's worked out, because their 'A' versions always fix the bugs from a brand new chipset. Something to think about before you jump on the KT333...wait for KT333A. Just my opinion >>



Yeah, I seem to have taken the same path. I had a KT133A, and now a KT266A, so my next board will most likely be a KT333A.



<< Yep no point waiting I mean you will probably have KT400 ,KT400a then KT500 etc so why wait everything becomes out of date pretty quick so just buy it when you need to and enjoy it while you can . >>



Actually, I predict that KT333A is as far as VIA will go, because the AMD Hammer is going to be replacing the north bridge.

 

[Eforster]

waiting for anything that abit does is just dumb.....
they are just sloth...

 

[DIRTsquirt]

eforster.. in my opinion you are thread crapper. not to mentions an obviously unhappy fellow... If your comment has nothing to do with the topic of the post.. Start your own post. and then feel free slander anyones product you wish. If you feel like Flaming me please dont crap any more in this tread.. Go to "Off Topic" forum and start a new post. :Q

 

[Wind]

Go for the KT266A. Its pretty mature board now.

 

[mschell]

It's really doubtfull that AMD will be releasing any processor for the 166MHz FBS, that is in 2002 anyway. Such a CPU would not officially be compatible with any motherboard produced now, there's not even a PC 2700 memory standard currently in place.
The current ATA133 standard is just like the release of ATA 100 and 66 for that matter, small improvments in I/O burst speeds overshadowed by gradual improvements in in Hard Drive speed and certainly nothing to wait for.
Serial ATA is another matter however. Performance increases aside, getting rid of those stupid IDE ribbon cables and IDE master /slave relationships would be something to wait for.

 

[Eforster]

dirt, wtf are you talking about

and what i meant by that is abit is always SLOW to adopt new chips and there boards are no longer any better than the competion!!!!

 

[Jethro666]

Waiting to buy things is like the Chewbacca defense- it doesn't make sense. Why would Chewbacca, a 7' wookie, want to live on Endor with little 2' ewoks? It doesn't make sense. If Chewbacca doesn't make sense, you must not wait.

LOL

 

[DAPUNISHER]

<< Waiting to buy things is like the Chewbacca defense- it doesn't make sense. Why would Chewbacca, a 7' wookie, want to live on Endor with little 2' ewoks? It doesn't make sense. If Chewbacca doesn't make sense, you must not wait.

LOL >>

LOL I love that Johnny Chochran paradoy stuff! Was that from SNL or a Stand-Up act? I can't remember were I saw it.

 

[contrapasta]

>>ATA-133 might be more interesting than most of us think. Harddisks used to have 128-512 KB cache, but many harddisk today get shipped with 2 MB SDRAM caches, as the price for DRAM is so low. Such caches can easily use the full 133 MB/s of bandwidth.>>

The guy at aceshardware seems like a retard. AFAIK, current harddrives are only just touching 50 MB/s sustained despite being ATA 100... Higher bandwith will come from higher disk densities and higher disk speeds... not from ATA 133

 

[Bovinicus]

<< Anybody want to take bets when ATA-166 standard comes out >>


That is most likely never going to happen. The main reason for ATA133 is the 128GB barrier. After ATA133 the next step will most likely be Serial ATA.

 

[DevilsAdvocate]

The Chewbacca defense was immortalized in the South Park episode when Chef sued over the rights to his song "Stinky Britches."

 

[DAPUNISHER]

Thanx advocate It was eating at me that I couldn't remember where I saw that!