Testing

Components tested:

Software:

    Operating System and Drivers:
    • Windows XP Professional SP1
    • DirectX 8.1b
    • VIA 4-in-1 4.42
    • NVIDIA Detonator v40.41 (VSync=Off)
    Benchmarks:
    • VirtualDub 1.4.10 + DivX codec 5.02 Pro
    • WinAce 2.2
    • BAPCo & MadOnion SYSmark 2002 (Internet Content Creation + Office Productivity)
    • MadOnion 3DMark 2001 SE build 330
    • Gray Matter Studios & Nerve Software Return to Castle Wolfenstein v1.1
    • Croteam/GodGames Serious Sam: The Second Encounter v1.07

 


Board Abit AT7-MAX2 Abit KD7 RAID ASUS A7V8X Chaintech 7VJL Deluxe DFI AD77 Infinity Elitegroup L7VTA Gigabyte 7VAXP MSI KT4 Ultra QDI KuDoz 7X Soltek 75FRV
Chipset VIA KT400 (KT400 + VT8235)
Processors Socket 462, AMD Duron, AMD Athlon, AMD Athlon XP
Memory slots 4 DDR 4 DDR 3 DDR 4 DDR 4 DDR 3 DDR 3 DDR 3 DDR 3 DDR 3 DDR
Extensions AGP/ 5 PCI AGP/ 6 PCI AGP/ 6 PCI AGP/ 6 PCI AGP/ 5 PCI/ CNR AGP/ 5 PCI/ CNR AGP/ 5 PCI AGP/ 6 PCI AGP/ 6 PCI/ CNR AGP/ 5 PCI
Input/Output 2 PS/2, 3 IEEE 1394 1 FDD, 2 COM, 1 LPT, 2 PS/2 1 FDD, 2 COM, 1 LPT, 2 PS/2, 2 IEEE 1394 1 FDD, 2 COM, 1 LPT, 2 PS/2 1 FDD, 2 COM, 1 LPT, 2 PS/2, 3 IEEE 1394 1 FDD, 2 COM, 1 LPT, 2 PS/2, 2 IEEE 1394 1 FDD, 2 COM, 1 LPT, 2 PS/2, 3 IEEE 1394 1 FDD, 2 COM, 1 LPT, 2 PS/2 1 FDD, 2 COM, 1 LPT, 2 PS/2 1 FDD, 2 COM, 1 LPT, 2 PS/2
USB 6 USB 2.0 + 2x2 USB 2.0 2 USB 2.0 + 2x2 USB 2.0 4 USB 2.0 +   1x2 USB 2.0 2 USB 2.0 +  2x2 USB 2.0 4 USB 2.0 + 1x2 USB 2.0 4 USB 2.0 + 1x2 USB 2.0 2 USB 2.0 + 2x2 USB 2.0 4 USB 2.0 + 1x2 USB 2.0 2 USB 2.0 + 2x2 USB 2.0 2 USB 2.0 + 2x2 USB 2.0
IDE (Integrated) ATA133
 External IDE HighPoint HPT374+ Marvell 88i8030 HighPoint HPT372 Promise PDC20376 — HighPoint HPT371+ Marvell 88i8030 Promise PDC20265R Promise PDC20276 — — —
Sound AC’97-кодек, Avance Logic ALC650 AC’97-кодек, Avance Logic ALC650 AC’97-кодек, Avance Logic ALC650 PCI Audio, C-Media CMI8738/PCI-6ch-LX AC’97-кодек, Avance Logic ALC650 AC’97-кодек, VIA VT1612A AC’97-кодек, Avance Logic ALC650 PCI Audio, C-Media CMI8738/PCI-6ch-MX AC’97-кодек, VIA VT1616 AC’97-кодек, Avance Logic ALC650
Network Controller 10BaseT/ 100BaseTX 10BaseT/ 100BaseTX Broadcom BCM5702CKFB 10BaseT/ 100BaseTX 10BaseT/ 100BaseTX 10BaseT/ 100BaseTX Realtek 8100BL — VIA VT6105 LOM —
Cards Connection — — — — — — SMC, MS — SMC SMC
I/O-controller Winbond W83697HF Winbond W83697HF ITE IT8703F-A ITE IT8705F Winbond W83697HF ITE IT8705F ITE IT8705F Winbond W83697HF ITE IT8705F ITE IT8705F
BIOS 2 Мбит Phoenix AwardBIOS v6.00PG 2 Мбит Phoenix AwardBIOS v6.00PG 4 Мбит Award BIOS v6.00 2 Мбит Phoenix AwardBIOS v6.00PG 2 Мбит Phoenix AwardBIOS v6.00PG 2 Мбит Phoenix AwardBIOS v6.00PG 2 Мбит Award BIOS v6.00PG 2 Мбит AMI BIOS v3.31a 2 Мбит Phoenix AwardBIOS v6.00PG 2 Мбит AMI BIOS v3.31a
Form-Factor ATX, 30,5x24,5 cm ATX, 30,5x24,5 cm ATX, 30,5x24,5 cm ATX, 30,5x24,5 cm ATX, 30,5x24,5 cm ATX, 30,5x24,5 cm ATX, 30,5x23,5 cm ATX, 30,5x23 см ATX, 30,5x24 cm ATX, 30,5x22,5 cm
Distributable good usual good good good good good good no data usual
Overclocking great great great great great great great great great great


Testing Results

It was decided to take VIA KT333 main board... The fastest in the previous testing - Gigabyte  7VRXP as well as DDR400 for VIA KT400 Main boards although this memory wasn't officially certified. But still...All the systems showed the stability during the testing and the results are for you below.    (You need Macromedia Flash 4 or higher to view the tests)



 

I placed these tests together because they actually fully load the system-memory combination - the main target of this testing for VIA KT400. If evolutional changes were made the results would have been completely different. So what have we seen:

We saw the instability of DDR400 for VIA KT400 Main boards. In fact, Chaintech one with DDR333 showed the best results. At all there's a progress of 2-3% in results.

Gigabyte came third after Chaintech and ASUS so this actually means that VIA KT400 brought nothing evolutional and I actually can't see any serious reason of going on with the testng

ASUS A7V8X is quite noticeable as it was the only main board that showed better results than the one on VIA KT333 even with DDR400 installed.

And SYSmark traditionally to show that there's no big difference in the performances...If you buy the top main board you will get a 3% advantage in editing the Internet content and working with Office. Well, I still believe, you're not buying this for typing in MS Word.

And, finally the results of 3D-Shooters, fastest @ 800x600x16, fps .

This testing shows the productivity of video card - processor. ASUS and Chaintech are as usually in the lead while Soltek and Elitegroup take surprisingly low positions as they are outsiders again. All the main boards are all going well in this benchmark that is primarily for  3D Games productivity.

Resume

So the resume is actually  quite clear. VIA KT400 are not worse than VIA KT333. I don't want to force you not to buy these main boards. All I want to say is that there is no point of buying DDR400 for VIA KT400 as they are not certified and are actually rare and provided with minimal timings at the moment. So high-quality DDR333 Modules can well provide the biggest needs of the main board. The advantage of VIA KT400 main boards is the VT8235 South Bridge (although you can find it in some KT333 boards as well). Anyway, VIA KT400 is not the worst solution at all. If deciding between VIA KT333 and VIA KT400 the productivity/price difference should be the main thing.

About the models now: ASUS A7V8X and ABIT KD7-RAID, are the leaders.....well their lead is not looking so sure...but still. Some models surprised by a low performance. If Soltek 75FRV is only 3—4% lower than the middle group,  Elitegroup L7VTA sometimes shows 7% that is not normal. I wouldn't offer it to you.

Some other main boards are well packaged and grouped ( I mean different extensions and this stuff). The characteristics I placed is informational enough for you. Finally, the prices might help you to finally decide.

But anyway: all this stuff is for AMD Athlon XP processors for 266 MHz FSB. But according to AMD new 333 MHz processors are to be released. These are not Hammers but with Barton core (512 KB of L2 Cache). So will VIA KT400 be upgraded (current version doesn't support the mode of 333 MHz FSB) and adapted for 333 MHz Front-Side Bus.

Thanks to iXBT.com for some help in preparing the main boards characteristics



Posted on 24.11.2002



 

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