X-bit labs

ASRock 4Core1333-eSATA2 Mainboard on Intel P31 Express Chipset (page 4)

Category: Mainboards

by Doors4ever

[ 12/26/2007 | 11:53 AM ]

PCB Design and Features

At first I was a little confused by the info on the chipset his mainboard uses that I found on the manufacturer’s web-site and on the mainboard package. When I saw that it is base on Intel P31/G31 North Bridge I decided that this mainboard features integrated graphics and like many other mainboards of the kind it should be designed in compact but very inconvenient for proper components placement MicroATX format. In reality, ASRock 4Core1333-eSATA2 has no integrated graphics, it is designed in standard ATX form-factor, however, despite this fact it cannot boast ideal PCB layout. The power supply connector stands out in the very center of the PCB, the FDD connector is in the very bottom right beneath the PCI slots, and the free room on the PCB that emerged because of not very optimal components placement is covered with mainboard name and model names written in unusually large font.

Unlike many contemporary mainboards, ASRock 4Core1333-eSATA2 has not a single solid-state capacitor onboard, even in the processor voltage regulator circuitry.

Moreover, despite the constantly stressed quad-core processors support, the board uses a four-pin ATX12V power connector and a 20-pin ATX instead of 8- and 24-pin connectors respectively.

If you cast a glance at the reverse side of the ASRock 4Core1333-eSATA2 PCB, you will see something you would rather not: numerous solder contacts right beneath the LGA775 processor Socket. If you intend to install a CPU cooler with a backplate, you may damage the contacts and thus put the system out of order.

We were a little disappointed to see jumpers on ASRock 4Core1333-eSATA2 mainboard: two jumpers next to the power supply connector and another one beneath the first PCI Express x16 slot.

I was pretty surprised to find no mention of these jumpers in the electronic version of the mainboard user’s manual or on the company web-site, however, the printed booklet did tell about them. These jumpers turned out to serve for proper DDR2 533 support implementation for processors with different nominal FSB speed. They are placed very inconveniently, you will have to remove the graphics card and disconnect the power cable to switch the jumpers. Moreover, no one uses jumpers in the 21^st century anymore: it is inconvenient and most mainboard makers have given them up already.