BIOS and Overclocking

ABIT mainboards have always been known for their overclocking friendly features. So, ABIT IC7-MAX3 is also not an exception. The BIOS Setup of the newcomer features all the functions necessary for efficient CPU overclocking and fine-tuning of the system.

After the launch of i875 and i865 chipsets, many mainboard manufacturers started using AMI BIOS. ABIT, however, didn’t give up its old traditions, therefore, ABIT IC7-MAX3 features a significantly modified Award BIOS code. First of all, you notice Softmenu Setup section, where you can reset the CPU and memory working modes and this way do some overclocking.

There are the following features available here:

• Adjustable bus frequency. The formal frequencies range is 100-412MHz. However, this super high upper limit for the FSB frequency is none other but a marketing trick. None of the today’s and upcoming Socket478 processors will be able to work with the FSB of such high frequency.
• Theoretically adjustable processor clock frequency multiplier. Although this option is listed among the available settings, you will not be able to use it. The currently selling Intel processors feature deadly locked multiplier.
• N/B Strap CPU As option allows resetting the “default” CPU bus frequency. This function can be very useful when you are trying to unlock the memory frequency dividers, for instance.
• Adjustable memory frequency dividers. The available settings range for the memory frequency depends on the “default” processor bus frequency and can be described with the following table:
  

• The AGP/PCI bus frequencies can be either locked at a certain value, or the divider can be set depending on the FSB frequency. This way on the one hand, you don’t have to bother about the PCI and AGP frequencies during overclocking, you simply set them as fixed. And on the other hand, the AGP bus can be overclocked independently of the FSB frequency.
• Manually adjustable processor Vcore. The available range starts at the nominal value and allows setting any value up to 1.95V with 0.025V increment. So, the available means for the processor Vcore adjustment are very rich. Especially, since Socket478 processors manufactured with 0.13micron technology do not react that well to the Vcore increase.
• Adjustable Vdimm. The supported interval includes all values from 2.5V up to 3.3V with 0.05V increment until 2.7V and 0.1V above that.
• Adjustable Vagp. You can set Vagp to 1.5V, 1.55V, 1.6V or 1.65V.