ABIT AT7 MAX2 - ABIT AT7-MAX2

Performance:

TEST SETUP

1. AMD XP 2700+
2. ABIT AT7 MAX2 (C5 BIOS)
3. 512 MB Kingston HyperX DDR3500
4. 2x120 Seagate Barracuda SATA V ST3120023AS (RAID 0)
5. ATI 9700 PRO
6. Cool Max 550W PSU
7. H2O Cooled (Maze3, Z-Chip, SwiftechMCW50, Hydor L30, BIX Pro)

BENCHMARKS

1. PCMARK2002
2. 3DMARK2001SE (Build 330)
3. SiSoft Sandra CPU Bench (2003)
4. SiSoft Sandra Memory Bench (2003)
5. SiSoft Sandra Networking Bench (2003)
6. Ziff-Davis Audio WinBench '99 (v 1.0.1)
7. HD Tach (v 2.61)

SOFTWARE

1. Windows XP w/ SP1 & DX9
2. VIA Hyperion 4in1 v 4.45
3. ATI Catalyst v 3.0

Results:

PCMark 2002 scores test a wide pallet of system settings, and while it is tough to compare from system to system due to different settings/components, its still a sufficient yardstick as a synthetic benchmark.

While 3DMark tests primarily the video subsystem, it is still a good indicator of overall performance. 14K+ is a pretty good score out of the box with no tweaks for this setup.

Here are the Sandra CPU numbers on the AT7 MAX2. The numbers are right in line with what we would expect on the KT400 chipset.

The Sandra Memory scores are almost giving us 2700MB's estimated bandwidth. A little tweaking, and the board would run the theoretical speed which leads us to believe that ABIT has the manufacturing of this board pretty honed in on the second revision.

With the onboard LAN, we might as well see how it stands up to its PCI cousin. The onboard LAN handles the task nicely compared to Sandra's database. Plus not having to deal with installing an additional add-on card is always a bonus, not to mention a small, if not welcome price saver.

Here is the performance of the onboard 5.1 channel sound. ZD Audio WinBench may be an older benchmark, but still shows an accurate result of the onboard sound system capabilities and performance hit. The onboard sound is above par for onboard sound. While it may not be 'Audigy' quality, it has replaced my trusty SB Live! 5.1 X-Gamer.

With HD Tach, we can measure the read time, and random access times of the hard drive('s) on the controller. Since the SATA controller is a new technology, we will be taking a look at the performance numbers.

While not blisteringly fast, the inclusion of the SATA controller makes the AT7 a board that will last a little longer than the usual 6 months before becoming outdated. CPU utilization is almost negligible, so the controller is doing its job.

Here are the results of overclocking the AT7 MAX2. While the fastest stable speed the system would complete the benchmarks was 186x13, I was able to squeeze out some benches at 200x13. 3DMark would not run with the ATI 9700 so far out of spec on the AGP bus.

3DMark @ 186x13

Sandra @ 186x13

Sandra @ 200x13

Overclocking the AT7 to the 186 mark was quite easy, and only required minimal voltage boosts on the CPU and MEM. Unfortunately, the VIA KT400 chipset does not have the 1/6 divider that we all were waiting for to bring the PCI/AGP bus back into spec when trying to surpass the elusive 200 FSB mark. This is not ABIT's fault, and I am sure if the 1/6 divider was there, the AT7 MAX2 would easily surpass 200 FSB.

Conclusion: The AT7 MAX2 has been a pleasure to have on the OCA workbench. The board layout, minus the AGP lock down tab issue, is well thought out, and easy to navigate when installing/troubleshooting/upgrading hardware. With the exception of the VIA KT400 chipset not having the 1/6 divider, overclocking went well. If your looking for the +200 FSB overclocker, look elsewhere, if your looking for a motherboard with more bells and whistles than you'll know what to do with, and features that will last through a couple of upgrade cycles, the ABIT AT7 MAX2 is for you.

Even though you the $160 price tag may make you think twice, realistically, with the quality of the onboard components, you are saving money in the long run. With the AT7 MAX2, you can scratch the LAN card, sound card, firewire, and USB off the list of upgrades for your next major overhaul. With just the board, HDD, CPU, graphics card, and a stick of memory, you'll be the envy of your friends for some time to come. Additionally, ABIT's lineup includes some less pricey alternatives such as the KD7 series motherboards (including the KD7E, KD7, KD7-RAID and KD7-S) if you are looking for legacy ports or just something a bit easier on the wallet.

Pros

1. Easy to navigate layout

2. Tons of onboard features that are actually good

3. They brought back the PS2 ports

4. ABIT SoftMenu™ Bios...'nuf said

5. Thoroughbred's are unlocked

Cons

1. No room to work around the AGP lock down and memory lock down

2. No 1/6 divider (due to VIA KT400 Limitation)

I would like to give the ABIT AT7 MAX2 the Dev Hardware Editors' Choice award. Even though the VIA KT400 chipset was somewhat of a letdown in the eyes of hardcore overclockers, ABIT stepped up to the plate to serve a robust offering including their famous SoftMenu™ BIOS, Serial ATA 150, RAID Capability , and just about every other conceivable on-board amenity to satisfy today's demanding enthusiast. In my honest opinion, the AT7 MAX2 is easily the best KT400 motherboard available.

We'd like to thank ABIT Computer Corp. for for the ABIT AT7 MAX2 Motherboard. We'd also like to thank you for joining us here today for the ABIT AT7 MAX2 Review. Please feel free to head into our forums if you wish to discuss this article or any others.