Introduction

For about a year and a half Intel has abstained from launching any new chipsets intended for wide use in Slot-1 mainboards. This position of the world's chipset leader constrained mainboards manufacturers, trying to survive in terms of cut-throat competition, to introduce a second generation of i440BX-based mainboards. And as we can see those manufacturers, who made up their mind to wait for Camino (i820) to come out are rapidly loosing the market. The thing is that BX-mainboard engineers aim not only at designing a new high-quality mainboard but also at introducing some exclusive features, which could help this product stand the competition.

And Gigabyte wasn't an exception. This company, which occupies a well-deserved place among 3 top mainboard manufacturers, has always pleased its customers with just high-quality products and never hunted for any striking or extraordinary features. However, this trend carried it away together with everyone else, who decided not to keep hands in pockets. Recently, Gigabyte launched a new BX-mainboard - GA-BX2000 - which doesn't try to impress with any additional processor overclocking features as most of its competitors do but suggests a very interesting DualBIOS technology. In other words it is none other than two BIOS microchips placed on the same board. This feature is a revolutionary achievement in mainboards technology that's why we decided to take a closer look at Gigabyte BX2000 with the DualBIOS in our review. So, let's get started.

Specification

• CPU
  • Slot-1 for future processor support;
  • Intel Pentium II/III and Intel Celeron processor from 233 to 550MHz;
  • 66 and 100MHz system bus;
  • Automatic CPU voltage detection;
  • Clock multipliers from 3 to 6.5;
• Chipset
  • Intel 82443BX/PIIX4E;
  • Input/Output iTE 8671 controller;
• System memory
  • Supports from 8MB to 1GB DRAM;
  • 4 DIMM slots, 3.3V each;
  • 8/16/32/64/128/256MB SDRAM module support;
  • ECC (Error Code Correct) support;
• Slots
  • 1 AGP slot;
  • 5 PCI slots corresponding to PCI 2.2 specs;
  • 2 ISA slots
• Input/ Output
  • 2 Ultra DMA/33 ports with Bus Mastering support;
  • 1 FDD-port, 2 serial COM-ports, 1 parallel LPT-port, PS/2-ports for keyboard and mouse;
  • 2 integrated USB ports;
  • Optional infrared IrDA TX/RX connector;
• Power
  • ATX power connector;
  • Wake on keyboard, PS/2mouse, LAN, modem;
  • Software power-off;
  • Stopping fans while suspend is enabled;
• Form-factor
  • ATX, 4-layer PCB 30.7x19.2cm;
• Monitoring
  • Flexible temperature sensor for radiator and CPU temperature measuring;
  • Automatic processor fan activity control and overheating alarm;
  • Voltage monitoring for +/-5V, +/-12V as well as processor and battery voltage;
• BIOS
  • DualBIOS technology;
  • 2Mbit Flash ROM microchips;
  • Award BIOS with ACPI, PnP, DMI and antivirus functions support;
  • Boots from IDE, SCSI, LS120, ZIP and CD-ROM;
  • Integrated system monitoring;
• Other
  • Suspend to RAM function;
  • Wake on LAN and SB-LINK connectors;
  • On-board PC-speaker;
  • 3 fan connectors;
  • Case open detection.

The mainboard is supplied in a box together with a user's manual. Though the booklet can't boast very detailed descriptions numerous illustrations can easily make up for the lack of textual info (if you like comics, of course :)!). Besides, the package also includes a set of IDE and FDD cables, and a CD-ROM containing Intel, Triones and X-Store drivers, Intel LDCM, patches, antivirus program and a lot of other things.

Well, we are through with the formal part of our review. Now let's pass over to our impressions and observations.

Closer Look

At first sight the Gigabyte BX2000 mainboard makes a very good impression: it strikes as orderly and skillfully made. The engineers managed to locate the maximum set of slots on it and despite the amount of components they still did it in a very reasonable way. The mainboard has 5 PCI slots, which is the most popular and probably the most justified solution by now. All the new expansion cards are now produced with exactly the same interface. In some cases PCI bus provides a higher data transfer rate and in some cases it is just a matter of style and fashion. And the remaining two ISA slots are more than enough for those who have older devices working only with this bus.

Another positive feature is the presence of four DIMM slots, which support up to 1GB memory. However, on Gigabyte BX2000 there is no memory buffer similar to that on ABIT mainboards. According to the specs this buffer should provide a relatively stable performance of the chipset with four DIMM modules. But in case of Gigabyte BX2000 mainboard the DIMM slots are located very close to the chipset and therefore memory stability is not imperiled.

Though there are so many different slots the installation of component parts on Gigabyte BX2000 is very unlikely to cause any serious problems. All connectors are very cleverly placed and won't obstruct each other and other devices. Nevertheless, we want to draw your attention to ATX power connector, which is situated on the very edge of the mainboard - too close to the case side - and may make you apply certain efforts while connecting the power supply cord. As for the full-size cards, 4 out of 5 PCI slots allow to plug them in without any problems. However, if you use such boards the ISA interface can still cost you a lot of nerves because of the case lads and switches connectors.

Besides, there are a few more nice details. The first one is a universal CPU clasp-lock which is already fastened on the mainboard, and the second one is a yellow light-emitting diode, which serves to signal power presence in the system memory. This diode is probably designed to warn the user that in case the system is under voltage any configuration changes may result into a break-down of some component parts. To make it simpler, the diode keeps on reminding careless users of the necessity to switch off the power before opening the case. By the way, it has already become typical of all Gigabyte mainboards that CPU configuring is carried out not through SoftMenu, and even not through jumpers but with the help of dip-switches. And Gugabyte BX2000 is not an exception. It is equipped with a very conveniently located set of 8 dip-switches. That's why you don't have to care about your jumper caps any more.

In general, as far as upgrading features are concerned, Gigabyte BX2000 is one of the best. However, there's another side to the picture. For instance, the current BIOS version doesn't allow to assign IRQs for PCI slots manually. Though we have to admit that this feature is not so widely used nowadays and Gigabyte BX2000 in its turn distributes the IRQs pretty correctly. Besides, BIOS lacks the option to set RAS to CAS, and RAS signals manually making it possible to change only CAS. In other words, Gigabyte makes it clear that they are not going to introduce any additional BIOS functions of a rather doubtful importance. On the one hand, it is good: you won't get lost, but on the other hand overclockers and other progressive users may not like it.

However, the whole thing makes us believe that Gigabyte cared first of all about the corporate utilization of its Gigabyte BX2000. And in fact the construction peculiarities prove this supposition. Take, for instance, no processor configuring through BIOS, possible booting of the system through network, a case-opening sensor and a small piezobeeper replacing the speaker.

And now a few words about system monitoring. It is made on Winbond W83782D chip, which differs from the like by the possibility of soft fan activity control (rpm control) and 9 ports for voltage measuring. And strictly speaking these functions are fully applied: the CPU cooler fan rotates at a variable speed, which depend on the radiator temperature, and all the nine voltages are under constant control, including the battery voltage even! Unfortunately, there is only one temperature sensor and there is no way to connect any external thermistors. This sensor looks like a flexible "tail" (a shape, which has become quite popular recently) located near Slot-1 against the radiator. This allows to detect the CPU temperature more precisely.

DualBIOS and Suspend to RAM

It's high time we talked about Gigabyte BX2000 exclusive features - DualBIOS and Suspend to RAM -which are usually the point of Gigabyte's mainboard advertising campaign.

What is actually a DualBios? Well, in fact, nothing special. There are simply two absolutely identical Flash ROM microchips on the BX2000 mainboard. Together with two BIOS copies (a primary and reserved one) these chips contain a small utility intended for checking the primary BIOS integrity and fixing the contents from one chip to the other. It means that if while starting the fist BIOS turns out to be damaged, a message appears: "Primary BIOS is not ready" andthe user is offered to restore it. If restoring is confirmed BIOS recovery utility is activated. This program restores the initial BIOS version, or if it fails to, restarts the system with the reserved BIOS copy.

We think you've got how it works. Now let's try to find out what we need this for. We do understand that in case the BIOS crashes this function will be absolutely irreplaceable but we can hardly recall the last time we had a problem like that. Such things seem to happen not that often, actually. The most frequently occurring cases of Flash ROM contents damaging are either if the electricity suddenly switches off while you are reflashing your BIOS with a newer version, or if you are flashing to your BIOS not exactly the thing you should (maybe even the thing you shouldn't J). Or if worst comes to worst, when you'll be lucky to get an awful CIH virus (which appeared on April 26) destroying all the data stored on your HDD as well as your BIOS.

In fact, DualBIOS helps in all these cases. However, there are several "buts". First, it's very rare that one needs to fix your BIOS with a newer version (only if the improvements are of certain importance for a particular user or if the newer version provide additional devices support). And the probability of the fatal coincidence with the electricity switching-off seems almost impossible. As for CIH it reminds of itself once a year at the most and usually strikes those who aren't used to running antivirus programs from time to time. And to fix your Flash ROM with a wrong version you need to be fairly stupid. Besides, there is another way to restore a spoilt BIOS: you can simply reflash it on another mainboard of the same brand and release. Judging by all the mentioned arguments, we would like to express our personal opinion that there is not much gain in paying 5 bucks extra for a second microchip. The only ones who can benefit by it are the BIOS-developers. :)

It seems that Gigabyte understands the matter because it is planning to launch another version without this progressive technology.

And now a few words about Suspend to RAM. The main idea of this function is that you simply save all the data in the system memory and leave it active activated instead of shutting down your PC and restarting it anew. After that though your computer is practically switched off it contains all the information about its last condition preceding the shut down command. But pressing the start button again in a few seconds will allow you to continue your work at exactly the same place where you stopped before shutting down. And you won't have to wait until the operation system and all the necessary applications finish loading.

Actually, it looks attractive. Moreover, such standby condition is included into ACPI specification and theoretically it should be soon supported by all the new mainboards with a separate memory power supply.

However, the situation nowadays leaves much to be desired. The instruction manual included into Gigabyte BX2000 package lists very few devices supporting this technology. Besides, it states once and for all that SCSI-devices and Suspend to RAM are two absolutely incompatible things. As usual it is Microsoft and expansion mainboards manufacturers that are to blame: they haven't yet added Suspend to RAM support into their drivers. But there is always hope for the better. Everything is supposed to run impeccably in Windows 2000. And in the meanwhile you may try the Suspend to RAM function in your system but no one bets its proper work.

Suspend to RAM and DualBIOS are two very interesting technologies, which characterize Gigabyte engineers as very skillful and capable of developing and applying their own innovations. However, we think that Gigabyte BX2000 deserves our preferences not due to these cool functions but in the first place due to its simple configuration, high performance and guaranteed stability.

Overclocking

Gigabyte mainboards seem to be in no way for designed overclockers. And Gigabyte BX2000 only proves the rule. If you decide to change its FSB frequency you'll have to open the case and to switch a couple of dip-switches in a different position. The range of supported external frequencies is relatively poor: 66, 75, 83, 100, 112, 124 and 133MHz. It can be easily noticed that even the most important frequency for Celeron overclocking - 103MHz - is absent here. Besides, there is also no way to increase the CPU core voltage. Moreover, Gigabyte BX2000 mainboard is armed with a special CPU over voltage protect technology, which won't let you boot the system with the CPU voltage exceeding the nominal value even if you isolate some contacts with a scotch-tape. So, if you are a dedicated overclocker Gigabyte BX2000 is not the right choice for you.

Nevertheless, we would like to point out that at FSB frequency equal to 133MHz Gigabyte BX2000 allows to divide the PCI bus frequency by 4, which doesn't actually deprive this frequency of its importance. Besides, it is possible to set the AGP frequency divider manually - 1:1 or 2:3.

Performance

Gigabyte mainboards could always boast a relatively high performance. So, from the very beginning Gigabyte BX2000 seemed to be able to show good results because it is far not the first try of Gigabyte company to create a good BX-mainboard. The testing system was configured as follows:

• Intel Pentium II 450 CPU;
• ASUS V3400TNT graphics card;
• AGP 16MB SDRAM;
• Sound card on Ensoniq ES1370 chip;
• IBM Titan DTTA 371010 HDD;
• 128MB SEC PC-100 SDRAM .

For our benchmarks we utilized the following applications:

• Windows98;
• WinStone99;
• Quake2 massive1 working in OpenGL at 800x600 resolution.

We see that Gigabyte BX2000 performed almost as well as most of the fastest mainboards did. And as far as AGP port is concerned (you can see the results on the Quake2 diagram), its performance here turned out the highest of all. So, as we have expected Gigabyte again didn't disappoint us in terms of performance.

Conclusions

If you ask us, we regard Gigabyte BX2000 as just a high-quality mainboard for normal work. Nobody will doubt its absolute uselessness for overclockers but as for all the rest, especially for those afflicted with constant fears, this mainboard will turn out a panacea.

Highs

• High performance;
• Two interesting features - DualBIOS and Suspend to RAM;
• Up to 1GB system memory support.

Lows

• Unsuitable for overclocking;
• No ways to manually assign IRQ for PCI-slots.