The chipset North Bridge features with a large aluminum heatsink that proves efficient enough in case the system runs with a dual-core processor in non-overclocked mode.

The ICH7R South Bridge is topped with a much smaller heatsink.

Actually, I don’t have that many comments about the bottom part of the ASRock 4Core1333-eSATA2 mainboard PCB around the South Bridge. We have already pointed out not the best placement of the FDD connector. I would also like to point out that the front panel connectors are not color-coded, however, the notes on the PCB will help you out. I would also like to point out that there are three PCI slots and the graphics cards may be configured in Crossfire mode. The second PCI Express x16 connector (“AGI Express” according to ASRock) works as PCI-E x4. There is even an additional VIA VT6308S IEEE1394 controller, with one port pinned out on the mainboard and another one put on the rear connectors panel.

Besides the FireWire connector, the mainboard rear panel features PS/2 connectors for keyboard and mouse, LPT and COM ports, four USB ports, RJ45 (RTL 8111B) network port, six audio jacks (ALC888) and one eSATA port. The latter is implemented in a not very traditional way: to make it operational you have to connect one of the chipset SATA with a connector in the upper left corner of the PCB next to the mainboard rear panel with a SATA cable. The cable running over the entire mainboard from the lower right to the upper left corner of the PCB doesn’t look very pretty, however, it requires no additional onboard controller.

All in all, there are some frustrating drawbacks in the PCB layout that I have pointed out. And the availability of only two fan connectors doesn’t make us feel any happier.