Soyo CK8 Dragon Plus Review - Conclusion, Highs and Lows
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Are you looking for a reasonably-priced motherboard, that is well laid out, with only one cable (the P4 12V connector) draped over it? While the CK8 takes a bit of a minimalist approach, as opposed to the typical Soyo opulence, I have to say I like that idea. You aren't paying for something you aren't going to use. I don't know of many people running 4 drive SATA RAID arrays, nor folks who actually have gigabit enabled networks in a home setting. This is a board more for the masses, not one specifically for enthusiasts, nor those with a need for the latest, most expensive gadgets.
While the nForce3 250 based boards are now starting to show up, unless you are an overclocker willing to deal with the difficulties involved in getting a Hammer solidly OC'd, the now much cheaper nForce3 150 motherboards (like the CK8 here) should allow less pricey entry into the A64 universe. If you are looking for more features integrated into the chipset, or massive overclocking, definitely look to pick up a newer board. If you are looking for a reliable, cheap(er) setup, I can recommend the Soyo CK8 Dragon Plus. Let's go over the highs and lows:
Highs:
- No gimmicky add-ons
- Excellent board layout
- Solid multimedia and math performance
Lows:
- Weak overclocking
- Nothing to set it apart from the crowd
- nForce3 150 chipset is hurting for features, all items must be hooked through an overworked PCI bus
Thanks for joining us today here at Dev Hardware. We'd like to thank Soyo for sending us this review sample. If you wish to comment on this article, or just want to talk hardware, then by all means, drop by our forums. Otherwise, feel free to jump back to the front page for more hardware news and reviews.
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