X-bit labs

Biostar TP35D2-A7 and TP35D3-A7 Deluxe Mainboards Review (page 2)

Category: Mainboards

by Doors4ever

[ 08/27/2007 | 12:51 PM ]

PCB Design and Functionality

From the moment I first saw Biostar TP35D2-A7 mainboard I couldn’t get rid of the feeling that something about it was very familiar:

However, the intrigue didn’t last long, only until I opened our previous article called Biostar TForce P965 Mainboard Review. There are a few differences between these two solutions, but they are undoubtedly based on the same PCB design. Therefore, almost everything we said about the advantages and drawbacks of Biostar TForce P965 PCB layout in our previous article may be readdressed to the new Biostar TP35D2-A7.

Three-phase processor voltage regulator circuitry is built with solid-state capacitors. The 4-pin and 24-pin power connectors are positioned nearby. Maybe this location is easier to layout but it is not the best place from the convenience of assembly standpoint.

There are a lot of standing out elements on the reverse side of Biostar TP35D2-A7 mainboard, but all of them are quite far away from the processor socket spot and hence will hardly prevent you from installing any cooling backplates.

The chipset North Bridge is cooled down with a small aluminum heatsink that heats up a lot during work. However, there is a three-pin fan connector close to it, so you can definitely use it for additional cooling.

By the way, one of the drawbacks that we have pointed out in our Biostar TForce P965 mainboard review has been eliminated in this model. Biostar TP35D2-A7 still has only three fan connectors, including the processor one, but they are much more conveniently located this time. Two of the fan connectors used to be grouped together close to the chipset South Bridge. Now you can use the fan connector next to the chipset North Bridge for the case rare panel fan as well.

Except the fan connector that has moved closer to the center of the PCB and a USB connector that took its old place, everything around the South Bridge remained the same. The FDD connector is still not in its best place. Besides, there are only four SATA connectors onboard. As for the definite advantages, we should mention the color coded marking of the front panel connector set, a Power On and Reset buttons.

By the way, there are two diagnostic LEDs to the right of the buttons that I forgot to mention in my previous review. They can help to roughly identify the problem if it occurs. If both LEDs are on, everything is in order; if the first one is out, then the problem is with the graphics card, if the second one is out - there is a problem with the memory, and if both of them are out - it is the mainboard or the CPU. This is pretty primitive diagnostic tool, but it will certainly help in case something goes wrong: most mainboards do not have even this to offer.

The back panel of Biostar TP35D2-A7 features a COM-port, which is a pretty rare sighting these days. Other than that everything is pretty usual. By the way, there is a parallel port pin-connector behind the rear panel, but there is no LPT-cable among the mainboard’s accessories.