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Gigabyte GA-6OXM7E Review

This is a mainboard from Gigabyte built on i815E chipset. The mainboard is equipped with 4 DIMM slots andcan boast Dual BIOS technology and Easy Tune III overclocking utility

by FastSite
08/17/2000 | 12:00 AM

i815 seems to be replacing VIA Apollo Pro133A in the today's market like the latter in its turn replaced i440BX chipset. At least, if we take into account the enthusiastic welcome i815 received from the manufacturers as well as from the customers, we will have every right to state that i815 based mainboards will enjoy great popularity. Everybody has long waited for an Intel chipset supporting 133MHz FSB and PC133 SDRAM. However, Intel lost too much time trying to push forward its i820 supporting expensive RDRAM into the market and as a result the triumph of i815 chipset turned out a bit faded. There is less than half a year left till the launching of new chipsets for Pentium III supporting low-cost but very high-performance DDR SDRAM. And the first mainboards with DDR memory, though this time for AMD processors, are expected to come out in the beginning of autumn. Nevertheless, i815 looks really attractive especially for Intel CPU owners. That's why today we are offering you one more review of a new product on this chipset.<%BANNER[article]%>

This review is devoted to a new mainboard from Gigabyte - GA-6OXM7E. Gigabyte has already developed a few mainboards on i815 chipset, but GA-6OXM7E seems to be the most promising product of all. It uses a newer ICH2 with more functions as a South Bridge. The mainboard is designed in ATX form-factor. Since all Gigabyte products have always been known for their high quality and stability that is why GA-6OXM7E promises to be a really good choice to make. Well, let's find out what the verdict will sound like after all the tests are over.

Specification

GA-6OXM7E is supplied in a conventional Gigabyte box of blue color. The package contains of course the mainboard, a user's manual, a CD-disk with the drivers and a set of cables: a FDD cable and UltraDMA/66 cable. As far as the manual is concerned, it is provided with the whole lot of illustrations, which is typical of Gigabyte. Even an unsophisticated user can cope with the mainboard installation with the help of a manual like that. Unfortunately, the package doesn't include and commercial software, which has become a usual thing for the mainboards by other manufacturers. Nevertheless, on the CD-disk you can find a couple of nice trifles from Gigabyte: Easy Tune III and @BIOS. We are going to tell you about all of them later in our review.

Closer Look

Gigabyte GA-6OXM7E represents the last generation of i815E based mainboards. It is equipped with Socket 370. Despite all the drawbacks of i815E chipset, which include the support of only 512MB of memory and no AGP Aperture Size support for over 64MB, this chipset is nearly the only one in i8XX family to meet the today's requirements and to offer acceptable price-to-performance ratio. The most important plus of i815E compared to the previous Intel blockbuster, i440BX, is the support of 1:2 AGP frequency divider, which allows graphics cards to work at the nominal frequencies even if the FSB is set to 133MHz.

The major distinguishing feature of GA-6OXM7E compared to other i815E based mainboards is the 4 DIMM slots, which you can surely notice at first glance. All the other mainboards on this chipset we have already reviewed, feature 3 DIMMs. However, it doesn't mean that Gigabyte managed to somehow overcome the chipset restrictions. No, it didn't. Like all other i815E based products, GA-6OXM7E supports 512MB of memory and 6 banks at the most. In other words, the fourth DIMM slot can be involved only if there are at least two single-bank (single-side) DIMM modules in the system. Besides, you should always keep in mind one more thing. According to Intel's guidelines, Gigabyte is so carefully following, i815E based mainboards should support only 4 PC133 SDRAM memory banks. In other words, it means that with the 2 double-bank (double-side) PC133 SDRAM modules installed into GA-6OXM7E, they will be able to work at 100MHz only and there is nothing you can do about it. However, if the system is equipped with a CPU supporting 133MHz FSB and there are less than 5 memory banks used (1 or 2 double-bank modules), then the BIOS of GA-6OXM7E allows selecting which SDRAM working frequency you'd like to set: 100MHz or 133MHz. If the CPU supports 600 or 100MHz FSB, the memory will be always clocked for 100MHz in any case.

After this complicated description of the memory configuring algorithm for our GA-6OXM7E, we really feel like pointing out that Gigabyte managed to catch up with Intel in terms of CPU installation simplicity. In other words, you don't need anything other than the CPU itself to carry out the installation process correctly. The mainboard as well as BIOS Setup can't boast any extra means to change the FSB frequency or to set the clock multiplier. Everything is done automatically.

Since i815 chipset features an integrated graphics core based on i752, like the one used in i810E chipset, GA-6OXM7E can be used with the integrated graphics as well as with a fully-fledged external graphics card. For this purpose the mainboard is equipped with an AGP slot supporting 3.3V and 1.5V AGP 1x/2x/4x graphics cards. In order to make use of your GA-6OXM7E's integrated graphics, you need simply to plug the monitor cable into the corresponding Out on the rear panel of the mainboard, which is placed instead of the second COM-port. However, when making this decision you should bear in mind the relatively low performance shown by i752 in 3D graphics that's why the solution with the integrated graphics will suit only for office systems at the most. To make using AGP slot convenient for you, it is provided with the company's brand retention mechanism, which has become Gigabyte's distinguishing feature. This mechanism helps to hold the graphics cards installed into AGP slot in a correct position.

To slightly speed up the integrated graphics, Gigabyte engineers made it possible for GA-6OXM7E to allow installing AIMM cards into the AGP slot, like we can see on many other i815E based mainboards. These cards are none other but a graphics cache, like the one used by i810E mainboards. The cache works at 133MHz and serves either to store the z-buffer or to buffer 2D operations. Moreover, if you wish to extend the functions of your integrated graphics, GA-6OXM7E also has a special connector for a GA-DFP-X riser-card, which equips the mainboard with the DFP and TV-Out connectors.

GA-Gigabyte 6OXM7E is fully compliant with PC99a spec and doesn't have any ISA slots. The mainboard has 6 PCI and 1 CNR (Communication and Network Riser) slot instead. Actually, the full size expansion cards can be installed only into one PCI slot, otherwise the connectors located on the mainboard front edge will stand in the way. As for the CNR slot, this innovation appeared only in i815E and i820E based mainboards with a new ICH2 South Bridge. CNR slots are a further stage of AMR (which is incompatible with CNR, actually). These slots serve for special software sound cards, LAN-cards, HPNA-cards and modems. In fact, an alternative to CNR slot actively pushed forwards by AMD, namely ACR slot, looks a bit more promising because it can boast a richer range of supported features. However, no ACR slots have been really implemented yet.

ICH2 (Intel 82801BA) South Bridge used on GA-6OXM7E implements a few more interesting features. In particular, this controller supports new HDD interface - ATA/100 and so does GA-6OXM7E mainboard. To make use of this new interface you need a hard disk drive supporting ATA/100 and an 80-pin cable, which goes together with the mainboard.

Gigabyte decided not to use ICH2 features responsible for the software AC'97 sound implementation. The mainboard is equipped with a fully-fledged PCI sound controller: Creative CT5880. An interesting peculiarity about the realization of this sound is the use of four-channel Sigmatel STAC9708T codec. From the practical viewpoint it means that the graphics card integrated into GA-6OXM7E is also a four-channel one and hence you can connect one more pair of speakers into the mainboard's Line In.

As far as the ATX specification is concerned, Gigabyte GA-6OXM7E is very close to being ideal. As a mainboard of a standard size, GA-6OXM7E can fit into any ATX case. IDE and FDD connectors and power supply connector are situated in front of the DIMM slots as recommended by the specification. Since there is a monitor Out instead of the second COM-port on the rear panel, the connector for the missing COM-port is located on the mainboard itself. However, there are no cables with an external connector in the supply. We would also like to point out a very nicely looking PCB of vivid blue color.

GMCH, the main hub of i815E, is provided with a gold heatsink stuck to its surface. There is a tiny yellow LED in font of the DIMM slots warning the user against installing/removing the devices with the power on, in Suspend-to-RAM mode, for instance. However, we are very unhappy to tell you that it doesn't cope with its task to the full extent. The thing is that according to PCI 2.2 specification, PCI slots can be powered even when the DIMMs are de-energized. That is why it would be more correct connecting this LED to the PCI bus, like on ASUS CUSL2.

Near Socket 370 of our GA-6OXM7E there are 9 capacitors of 1200uF each and a few smaller ones. All of them are located so that not to hinder the installation of large coolers, such as Golden Orb, for example.

Among the most funny peculiarities of GA-6OXM7E we should mention a Smart Card Reader connector for a device, which is installed into the empty 3.5" slot and which allows reading flash cards, electronic keys and cell phone cards. Certainly this option may be very useful for corporate networks and to solve authorization and authentificaton tasks.

Gigabyte used AMI BIOS in all its latest mainboards. However, GA-6OXM7E appeared the first exception. This mainboard is provided with Award BIOS version 6.00PG. Gigabyte modified this BIOS having removed all the options for the mainboard fine tuning so that the only thing you can change from BIOS Setup remained the memory timings. The specialists will hardly like this BIOS, but nevertheless, easy Setup configuring will be irreplaceable for inexperienced users.

Speaking about BIOS we can't help mentioning Gigabyte's new development - @BIOS utility. This utility is intended for BIOS reflashing from Windows. It allows downloading BIOS updates from Gigabyte web-site automatically and reflashing the BIOS by pressing one single button. So, @BIOS not only simplifies BIOS updating procedure but also serves as a panacea for Windows2000 owners, who cannot use the command prompt and other conventional reflashing utilities like AwardFlash.

In conclusion let us say a few words about one more peculiarity of Gigabyte GA-6OXM7E mainboard connected with the BIOS. It's the company's brand Dual BIOS Technology. In brief, its main idea looks as follows. There are two physical FWH microchips with flash memory on the mainboard, which store two BIOS copies: primary and reserved. If the primary BIOS gets damaged, the copy allows booting the mainboard and restoring the content of the spoilt chip. This technology protects the mainboard against breakdown caused by CIH-like viruses or by reflashing improper BIOS versions.

GA-6OXM7E also features hardware monitoring. It fulfils pretty diverse functions, namely: measures the CPU temperature based on the thermal diode built into the processor core, rotation speeds of all 3 fans and 8 voltages. The mainboard is also equipped with a chassis intrusion detector.

Overclocking

Well, Gigabyte once again managed to think of something remarkable. This time in terms of overclocking. As we have already stated above, BIOS Setup as well as the mainboard itself do not provide any opportunities to change the FSB frequency. Even the three jumpers, which should serve to switch between 66, 100 and 133MHz FSB, are simply absent, though the layout implies them. As a result the CPU frequency is set as default every time you install a new CPU.

However, this doesn't mean that Gigabyte GA-6OXM7E doesn't allow overclocking CPUs. The thing is that Gigabyte provided its mainboard with a special Windows utility - Easy Tune III, which is destined to make overclocking an easy task even for beginners. This utility supports two modes: easy and advanced.

In easy mode the only thing you have to do is to press the "Auto Optimize" button. The utility will analyze all the data and increase the CPU frequency up to the safe level.

In advanced mode you can change the FSB frequency on your own. The available range includes: 55, 60, 66, 68, 70, 72, 75, 77, 83, 90, 100, 103, 112, 115, 120, 125, 128, 130, 133, 137, 140, 145, 150, 153MHz. Moreover, the utility shows you the PCI and memory frequencies you get if setting the FSB to a selected value.

Unfortunately, Easy Tune III utility works only in Windows OS that's why all users working in other operation systems appear completely deprived of all overclocking options. Of course, this program is very helpful for overclocking, but it could be much better to also have some other hardware opportunities, such as jumpers or BIOS Setup, besides that.

However, besides Easy Tune III, Gigabyte has also made it possible to increase Vcore by 10% with a special Magic Booster jumper.

And now a bit of practical stuff. In order to test the mainboard's overclocking potential we took Intel Pentium III 600 with a new cB0 core stepping, which we managed to overclock up to 960MHz (160MHz FSB) on other i815 based mainboards. Having applied Easy Tune III utility in easy mode the CPU core frequency rose up to 681MHz (112MHz FSB). We were disappointed with this outcome, to say the least of it, so we decided to take another try in advanced mode. This time we managed to get 130MHz FSB and as soon as we set this value equal to 133MHz, the system crashed. In other words, the maximum we achieved on Gigabyte GA-6OXM7E was only 780MHz core frequency. Unfortunately, this result is much lower than the frequencies we reached with the same CPU on other i815 based mainboards. This fiasco is very likely to be connected with Easy Tune III utility and not with the mainboard and hopefully next programs will allow achieving more in terms of CPU overclocking. And in the meanwhile, Gigabyte GA-6OXM7E hardly suits for overclocking purposes.

Performance

The test system was configured as follows:

We have already considered the performance of Intel 815 chipset (see Intel 815 Chipset Review). And now let's take a look at the results shown by some mainboards based on this chipset:


Unfortunately, we have to state that Gigabyte GA-6OXM7E can't boast super high performance though we are used to regarding Gigabyte mainboards as really fast products. However, speed characteristics aren't the main argument when you choose a mainboard from a range of products based on the same chipset. The performances of different products differ so much, that you can't rely only on the benchmarks when selecting the right board. It's much more important to pay attention to the special features of a product.

As for the product's stability, Gigabyte GA-6OXM7E proved one of the most stable and reliable i815 based mainboards.

Conclusions

Well, for an unsophisticated user Gigabyte GA-6OXM7E is a really good mainboard to choose, because it proves highly stable and reliable at nominal frequencies, features beautiful design and some unique things, such as Dual BIOS. However, overclockers will hardly be happy with this piece. The absence of hardware overclocking options and not very impressive results obtained with Easy Tune III utility are very unlikely to inspire progressive users.

Highs:

Lows:

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