X-bit labs

Review of MSI 875P Neo-FIS2R Mainboard on i875P Chipset

Category: Mainboards

by Ilya Gavrichenkov

[ 06/12/2003 | 01:21 PM ]

We reviewed one of the few mainboards on i875P (Canterwood) from MSI. This mainboard boasts a unique CoreCell technology and outstanding overclocking friendly options. Find out if this board is as good as it looks at first sight!

Table of contents:

• Specifications
  
• Closer Look
  
• RAID in ICH5R
  
• IDE RAID: Intel vs. Promise
  
• PCB Design
  
• BIOS and Overclocking
  
• Performance
  
• Conclusion
  

The arrival of the new chipsets from the i875 and i865 families catalyzed some changes in the mainboard market. These chipsets were launched to unleash the power of the sweetest pair: Pentium 4 processors with 800MHz bus and dual-channel DDR SDRAM memory configuration. No wonder every respectable mainboard maker has already announced new products based on these chipsets. For today, i875/i865 based products have reached adulthood and left all children’s diseases behind as the manufacturers have already eliminated most bugs. So, we are going to announce our own series: reviews of mainboards based on i875 and i865 chipsets.

The first mainboard like that to enter our test lab was MSI 875P Neo-FIS2R. As the name tells, it is based on the most expensive i875P chipset. This mainboard has already appeared in stores, and that is why we decided to review it among the first.

The manufacturer positions MSI 875P Neo-FIS2R as a flagship of their Pentium 4 product line. MSI emphasizes the big number of integrated controllers, extensive overclocking opportunities and rich accessories set. But what can MSI 875P Neo-FIS2R show in practice? Let’s check it out!

Specifications

MSI 875P Neo may come in several flavors, differing in availability of some integrated features. So far, we’ve seen two variants of this mainboard:

• MSI 875P Neo-FIS2R (full-feature version);
• MSI 875P Neo-LSR (a version with a 10/100Mbit network controller and without IEEE1394 and additional IDE RAID controllers).

These two variants quite naturally cost different money: the full version costs $190 today, the simpler one - $150. This is a nice fact, considering that the i875P chipset itself costs more than all the integrated stuff (over $50).

The accessories coming with MSI 875P Neo-FIS2R are really numerous:

• CD disk and two floppies with a standard set of drivers and utilities;
• Bundled software CD with Photoshop Album SE, WinDVD 4, WinRip 2, Virtual Drive 7, RestoreIT! 3 and Media Ring;
• Four Serial ATA cables and two power adapters for Serial ATA hard disk drives;
• One round aerodynamic ATA-133 cable;
• FDD cable;
• D-Bracket 2 with a four-LED diagnostic system and a pair of additional USB 2.0 ports;
• Bracket with a coaxial and SPDIF outs;
• Bracket with three IEEE1394 ports;
• User’s manual and RAID-array manual.