Some time ago we reviewed PowerColor DREAMCODE mainboard with the integrated graphics acceleratorbased on a popular nVidia Riva TNT graphics chip. But this is not the only mainboard of the kind.Intel appeared to have a finger in this pie as well - it also integrates nVidia Riva TNT chips intoits boards. However, this seems quite strange, because the world's top processor and mainboardmanufacturer can boast its own graphics developments.

Moreover, Intel is not only a huge company, but also a very flexible one. It has an absolutelyindependent, self-supporting subsidiary dealing solely with mainboards. Riva TNT is now probablymore popular than i740 among PC assemblers, who are the main buyers of Intel mainboards.This situation is very likely to have given birth to such a weird hybrid as SR440BX with a reallybeautiful and even romantic name: SunRiver. This is a Slot 1 mainboard based on i440BX chipsetwith integrated graphics on Riva TNT, and Creative ES1317 soundchip.

Specification

• CPU
  • Slot-1 processor support;
  • Intel Pentium II/III and Intel Celeron processor with frequencies from 233 to 550MHz;
  • 66 and 100MHz system bus;
  • Automatic CPU voltage detection from 1.3 to 3.5V;
  • Clock multipliers from 3 to 5.5;
• Chipset
  • Intel 82443BX/PIIX4E;
  • Input/Output SMSC FDC37B807 controller;
• System memory
  • Supports from 8MB to 512MB DRAM;
  • 2 168-contact DIMM slots 3.3V each;
  • 8/16/32/64/128/256MB SDRAM modules support;
  • ECC (Error Code Correct) support;
• Integrated video
  • nVidia Riva TNT chipset;
  • 16MB SDRAM;
• Slots
  • 4 PCI-slots with Bus Mastering support;
  • 1 shared ISA slot;
• Input/ Output
  • 2 Ultra DMA/33 IDE-ports with BusMastering support;
  • 1 FDD-port, 2 serial COM-ports, 1 parallel LPT-port;
  • PS/2-ports for keyboard and mouse;
  • 2 integrated USB ports;
• Integrated sound
  • Sound Blaster AudioPCI 64V sound controller;
  • Crystal CS4297 AC'97-codec;
• Form-factor
  • MicroATX PCB 9.6x9.6 inches;
• BIOS
  • Intel/AMI BIOS;
  • 4Mbit Flash-memory microchip;
  • APM, ACPI, PnP support;
• Other
  • Integrated PC-speaker;
  • Wake on LAN and Wake on Ring support;
  • Optional hardware monitoring;
  • 2 fan connectors.

The mainboard is supplied in Intel's traditional "high" box, which also contains a set ofIDE and Floppy cables, a user's manual, a CD-ROM with BIOSes and drivers, a back side for theATX-case, and a unified processor retention mechanism fitting both: SECC and SECC2.

Installation

We have already discussed all the cons and pros of the integrated solutions that's whythis time we would like to start right from the board. The first thing that catches your eyewhen you open the box is a relatively small size of this PSB. Strange as it might seem but theboard is made in MicroATX format though it has integrated graphics and sound chips, 4 PCI- and1 ISA-slot. If you remember, PowerColor has failed to make a MicroATX solution: their mainboardis bigger and has fewer slots on it. However, the name of the developer - Intel - is the bestexplanation for such success of SR440BX.

4 PCI-slots are quite sufficient according to the today's average standards, and for MicroATXit is even more than just sufficient. One ISA-slot should be also enough. However, there are some causes forconcern: Intel's engineers had to save on the amount of DIMM-slots, and as a result, we seeonly two DIMM-slots on SR440BX. That's why the maximum memory you can install on this mainboardis 512MB.

The second thing Intel tried to save on, was a chipset radiator. The shining metallic devicethree times as large as the chipset itself, which was so typical of Intel mainboards, turnedout too big for this board. So, the 8244BX microchip appeared absolutely naked, which cantheoretically lead to chipset overheating. However, we failed to create such a situation inpractice.

If it came to radiators, then let's say a few words about Riva TNT cooling as well. Thischip is provided with a small radiator (a bit smaller than the usual one for a graphics card)stuck to its top. But its larger height easily makes up for the small size, because the finalcooling surface is in no way smaller than required.

As in case of the previous integrated mainboard - PowerColor, the integrated graphics card occupiesAGP-slot on SR440BX, in other words it is simply absent on the board. This means that the onlyway for you to upgrade your graphics is to use PCI graphics cards, which are very likely to graduallyleave the market in the near future.

Since all the PCI-slots and Slot 1 were placed at the rear of the board, there was no roomfor Riva TNT and the memory. So, the engineers had nothing to do but place the graphics chiptogether with 16MB SDRAM at the very front. The image quality seemed to suffer greatly becauseof such inconvenient location of the graphics chip: too far from the monitor output, whichcould cause much interference. But Intel managed to solve this problem in a highly original way.They placed a special interference eliminating filter, which also helped to avoid picture blurring,directly in front of the monitor out. And the results struck as brilliant: Intel SR440BX providedsuch perfect image quality and clearness that Matrox Millennium G200 could hardly compete with it.

While assembling a PC on the basis of Intel SR440BX, you are the last one to face any serious problems,because all the connectors are placed far enough from each other and can be easily reached. Andeven the unusual location of the power supply connector - in front of the DIMM-slots - is not acause for concern. On the contrary, it may be regarded as very practical especially taking intoaccount the today's MicroATX-cases design. However, everything went not so smoothly as itseemed from the beginning. While assembling the test system we had some difficultiesinstalling a CPU. The capacitors behind Slot 1 were so close to it that the OEM-processordidn't fit there because of the cooler retention clips, and if we tried the boxed processorits rear side appeared tightly pressed to the capacitors. So, we had to bend backwards thesecapacitors, which are actually quite big. Though the size is more their advantage because ithelps to provide higher performance stability of all Intel's mainboards, and of course, of ourSR440BX.

Unfortunately, the traditional ascetic BIOS on this mainboard gives the user almost no possibilityfor finer system configuring. But, we have to admit that those of you who will prefer integrated graphicsfor their PCs, will hardly need any features like that.

The processor frequency on SR440BX is set through SoftMenu, which can be accessed only byswitching the only jumper of the mainboard. In other words, if you lock your mainboard in thecase, you won't be able to change any important settings.

As for the sound, the integrated soundchip PCI SoundBlaster 64 (ES1373) provides quite asatisfactory sounding quality. To our great disappointment, it does not support the so popular3D-sound that's why you may need to install an additional soundcard and to disable the on-boardsound controller through BIOS (thank goodness, it has this important option!).

Overclocking

If you have read that far, you are very unlikely to be an overclocker. Overclockers are notfond of Intel mainboards, they are even allergic to them! And that is quite understandable: youcan't overclock the processor on SR440BX mainboard. The FSB frequency is set automatically eitherto 66 or to 100MHz. No other options. That's why if you have just become a happy owner of SR440BX,forget about overclocking.

Oh, wait! We have absolutely left out another beautiful component just perfect foroverclocking - the graphics accelerator. Strange as it might seem, but Riva TNT on SR440BXis overclockable. The default working frequencies are non-standard 85/100MHz, i.e. the chipand the memory are slightly slowed down. Well, it turns out already the second case with RivaTNT integrated mainboards, so, we suppose that this retardation is caused by some forcible reasons.For example, it may be the result of other system components overheating.

However, the on-board TNT can be overclocked up to 110MHz core and 125MHz memory frequency,which is actually very similar to the results shown by most ordinary graphics cards based on thischip.

Performance

As we remember, Intel mainboards used to be notorious for their low performance, which was actuallyquite puzzling, to us at least. But now the situation has changed greatly: a new Intel engineering team formainboards made them incredibly fast - they are simply "flying"!

The testing system was configured as follows:

• Intel Pentium III 450 CPU
• IBM Titan DJNA 372200 harddisk
• 128MB SEC PC-100 SDRAM

We used the following applications:

• Windows98
• WinStone99
• 3DMark 99 MAX
• Quake2 massive1 working through OpenGL

Here are the results obtained:

Well, as we see, the performance in office applications is quite up to the mark. As for thefigures obtained in 3D-graphics, they appeared a bit lower than those by the usual system. Andthe main reason is undoubtedly the slower graphics core and memory. However, Intel SR440BX canboast highly stable and reliable performance - its main trump!

Conclusions

Well, it looks as if Intel SR440BX were the best mainboard with integrated Riva TNT for thosewho don't care for overclocking. Frankly speaking, it isn't surprising at all. The mainboards fromthe chipset and CPU developer must be perfect.

Highs

• The manufacturer is of really great name
• High stability and reliability
• Simple installation and maintenance
• Good price

Lows

• Non-overclockable
• Graphics hard to upgrade
• Integrated sound without 3D support