Original Link: https://www.anandtech.com/show/649
Soyo SY-K7VTA KT133 Socket-A ATX (Production)
by Henry Kuo on November 6, 2000 1:36 AM EST- Posted in
- Motherboards
Four months ago, VIA released the KT133 chipset, which fully support AMD Socket-A processors, including the Thunderbirds and Durons. With the successes of the AMD processors and the chipset, almost all companies released aKT133 solution. Among the first wave of KT133 motherboards, the ASUS A7V and the ABIT KT7, with their abilities to change the multiplier ratios of the processors, clearly jumped out as the best.
Four months is a long time, however, and a lot of motherboard manufacturers have been working towards improving their KT133 solutions. Soyo is clearly one of them- just one month ago, we received the pre-production version of the SY-K7VTA motherboard. To be frank, that board did not perform or overclock very well. But as an engineering sample, the board was really stable.
Recently the retail version of the SY-K7VTA finally arrived at AnandTech labs. What could have Soyo added to the board within this month? Anything that can get users really excited? Or it is just the same as the sample we got a month ago? Let's find out.
Soyo SY-K7VTA |
|
CPU
Interface
|
Socket-A
|
Chipset
|
VIA
KT133
|
Form
Factor
|
ATX
|
Bus
Speeds
|
90 / 95 / 100 / 101 / 102 / 103 / 105 / 107 / 109 / 110 / 113 / 115 / 117 / 120 MHz |
Voltages
Supported
|
Auto
Detect |
Memory
Slots
|
3
168-pin DIMM Slots
|
Expansion
Slots
|
1
AGP Slot |
On-board
Audio
|
Sigmatel
STAC9721T AC 97 CODEC
|
BIOS
|
Award Modular BIOS 6.00PG (Revision 2AA1) |
The Good
Once again, when you take a look at the retail version of the SY-K7VTA, you will notice that it looks an awful lot like the pre-production sample. It uses the same size PCB, which is about 12 by 9 inches. On the pre-production sample, the power supply connector was placed next to the serial / parallel connectors and some tall capacitors. That means that the power cables would have to run over the memory and CPU, potentially causing airflow problems, especially since current processors generate considerable among of heat. Also, from the picture, you can see that the capacitors are very close to the power cable connectors, making it very hard to unplug the power cables. Unfortunately, Soyo stays with the same design in the retail version of the board. The best place for the power supply connector would be the right edge of the motherboard.
The most important achievement by Soyo on the retail version of the SY-K7VTA lies in the set of four dipswitches on the front side of the board. After modifying a set of jumpers to enable the feature, the 4 dipswitches provide a total of 16 multiplier ratio settings, 5 / 5.5 / 6 / 6.5 / 7 / 7.5 / 8 / 8.5 / 9 / 9.5 / 10 / 10.5 / 11 / 11.5 / 12 / 12.5. Yes, that means theoretically you can overclock any Thunderbird or Duron processors to 1.25GHz (100MHz x 12.5) by changing the multiplier ratios. Practically, that is not possible because of heat issues and CPU yield, but there is no doubt that changing the multiplier is a much better way to overclock AMD processors than by just increasing the FSB.
Multiplier overclocking is by far the easiest way to overclock your AMD Duron or Athlon for a few simple reasons. Most important is the fact that the KT133 chipset is currently unable to run the FSB above 110MHz while maintaining stability in the vast majority of cases. However, most AMD processors that are currently available are "multiplier locked", meaning that users are not able to change the multiplier easily. We put that in quotes because "unlocking" these CPU's is as simple as reconnecting the L1 bridges on the processor. If you are interested in knowing how to unlock AMD processors and overclocking, please refer to our "AMD Thunderbird & Duron Overclocking Revealed" article.
At the beginning changing the multiplier ratios was just a privilege of ABIT and ASUS. But like we said in the Microstar K7T Pro2 Review, this is not going to be the case anymore. At this point, Microstar, EPoX, Soyo, FIC, and QDI have already released their new KT133 solutions that include the multiplier settings. Most of them are just a slight revision of the already existing versions, so that means it only needs some hardware tweaks to enable this new feature, and it is clear that other companies will follow the path soon to include the multiplier settings on their boards.
Unlike the ABIT KT7 and the Microstar K7T Pro2, users will have to play with the dipswitches on the board instead of changing the ratios inside the BIOS. Fortunately, besides this, everything else is pretty much jumperless. The SY-K7VTA is using the Award Modular BIOS 6.00PG, and Soyo adds in the Soyo Combo Setup, which provides some more tweaking options.. FSB options include 90 / 95 / 100 / 101 / 102 / 103 / 105 / 107 / 109 / 110 / 113 / 115 / 117 / 120 MHz. Ideally, settings in 1 MHz increments, at least between 100 and 110 MHz range, would be the best, but this should be enough for most users already. As noted above, sometimes users are able to set FSB above 110MHz, but that's not very common.
Without tweaking the CPU core voltage, you're limiting your overclocking potential. With that in mind, Soyo also includes a set of core voltage tweaks as well. Users can stay with the default voltage, 0.025 - 0.250V above, or 0.025 - 0.100V below, all in 0.025V increments. In the PC Health panel of the BIOS, you can read about the temperature of the CPU and the system temperature, the speeds of two fans, and also the core voltage of the CPU.
Once again, it is more useful to see how changing of multiplier ratios helps in overclocking. We used the pre-production sample of the SY-K7VTA and the retail version of the board, and try to overclock the AMD 800MHz OEM Thunderbird processor under the exact same setup. For the pre-production sample, possibly due to the lack of FSB settings, we could only hit 103MHz. 107MHz, which is already the next setting after 103MHz, caused the system not able to load Windows. So the clock speed was limited to only a mere 824MHz (103MHz x 8). Using the retail version of the SY-K7VTA, things are totally different. We first fixed the FSB at 100MHz and increase the multiplier. We were able to reach 9.5 before the system lost its stability. Then we started to increase the FSB, and 105MHz seemed to be the limit. That means the exact same Thunderbird CPU was running at a clock speed of 997.5MHz (105MHz x 9.5). This is a huge margin in performance increase if you consider that we are using the same processor. One thing to notice is that we did not change the CPU core voltage for fair comparison.
Stability is definitely one of the most important factors in choosing a motherboard. No matter how fast the board is or how much it can help in overclocking the CPU, it will be useless if the board is not stable. Soyo has done a very good job in this category. In the pre-production sample of the SY-K7VTA, there are a total of thirteen 1500uF capacitors sitting around the CPU socket, and stability tests placed it above the average. In the retail version of the SY-K7VTA, Soyo made some changes and put a total of eleven1500uF capacitors and one 3300uF capacitor around the CPU socket. Although the total count of capacitors is lower, the 3300uF capacitor and the redesign actually help to make the board even more stable. In our stability tests, the board crashed a total of 3 times in a 24-hour span, which is very good. Unfortunately, some of the capacitors are quite close to the CPU-socket, so users with larger heat sinks might have problems installing them.
The Features
The VIA 8363 North Bridge sits beside the CPU socket, and is the core of the KT133 chipset. It provides all the major features of the KT133, including the 133MHz memory bus and AGP 4X support. The AGP Slot is a "universal slot," which means it is not keyed specifically for AGP 2X or AGP 4X cards, so the user can install almost any current AGP card in the slot.
There are three DIMM slots on the SY-K7VTA, allowing a maximum of 1.5GB SDRAM. The 8363 memory controller allows you to run your memory at either 133MHz or 100MHz. Therefore, users with PC133 SDRAM can take advantage of the increased bandwidth over PC100 SDRAM, going from 800MB/s to 1.06GB/s. This can be done easily in the BIOS by choosing either 100MHz or 133MHz memory clock. There is also a setting for CAS latency in the BIOS, so users can push their memory to the limit if they have some good memory.
The SY-K7VTA retail version we received still uses the VIA 686A South Bridge, which supports dual channel Ultra ATA 66 (two devices per channel) and two USB root hubs (four USB ports total). Two traditional USB ports are mounted at the back of the motherboard together with the serial / parallel ports, and there are connectors ready for USB 3 and 4 at the front of the board. Unfortunately, Soyo does not include the necessary expansion bracket to take advantage of those extra USB ports.
Since our SY-K7VTA is still using the VIA 686A South Bridge, the two IDE channels only support Ultra ATA 66. Although at this time we have not seen a hard drive with a sustained transfer rate of higher than 40MB/sec, it will not be too long before the 66MB/sec transfer rate is saturated. Therefore, Soyo is already working on the next revision of the board, SY-K7VTA100, which will incorporate the VIA 686B South Bridge and support two Ultra ATA 100 IDE channels. The SY-K7VTA100 is currently targeted for a December release.
The 5/1/0/1 (PCI/AGP/AMR/ISA) expansion slot configuration on the SY-K7VTA is close to perfect for most users. Since the VIA 686A South Bridge features an integrated PCI-ISA bridge, so the only added costs of the ISA slot i are those associated with mounting the physical slot on the board. This is great news for users who still own ISA devices, such as an old ISA modem or SCSI controller. The five PCI slots should be enough for most users, and the lack of an AMR slot clearly shows that Soyo does not target this board for any OEM system.
AMD processors generate considerable amounts of heat, and that is why they usually require better HSF units. If there is no HSF attached to the processor, or the fan starts malfunction and stops spinning, the processor will be toasted in a matter of seconds. There have been a lot of cases where users forgot to plug in the power for the fan or the fan stopped working, which led to toasted processors. Therefore, Soyo introduces the Fan-Off Control for the SY-K7VTA, which helps to protect the processors from potential overheating.
It works like this: when the system is booted up and before entering the operating system, the hardware will detect the signals of the CPU fan pins and get their revolution information. If the fan is spinning, everything goes on normally. However, if the hardware does not detect a spinning fan, it will inform the system to have the power supply shut off immediately, protecting the CPU from overheating. The CPU fan has to have the sensor pins in order to take advantage of the feature, and users can also disable the feature if they don't want it. We actually tested this feature by not connecting the CPU fan, and the system automatically turns off three seconds after we booted it up. And sure enough, we were still able to use the CPU afterwards.
In the pre-production SY-K7VTA, Soyo used a set of diagnostic LED's to help users troubleshooting problems during boot-up. In the retail version of the SY-K7VTA, Soyo does not use them anymore, but instead introduces what they called the Voice Doctor. It works like the diagnostic LED's, but the Voice Doctor will inform the user by voice through the internal speaker at what point in boot-up sequence the problem arises. It can detect processor, memory, VGA card, keyboard, IDE connectors, and floppy errors.
|
|
The SY-K7VTA is using the Sigmatel STAC9721T AC 97 CODEC to provide some basic on-board sound. This should be enough for users that do not need special sound effects, but for those who are serious about 3D sound, they should go for some other PCI hardware sound card for better results. For more information on Sound and Speakers, be sure to read our Speaker Buyer's Guide as well as our growing collection of sound and speaker reviews.
The manual we have for the SY-K7VTA does not provide too much information. There's very little on how to install the board or the software. It talks about the key connectors, jumpers, and dipswitches, but does not contain any details on the BIOS settings. For experienced users this should not be a problem, since they are familiar with motherboards and can quickly pick things up. But for first-time users, it might be hard for them to understand details from the manual.
The Soyo CD bundled with the motherboard includes all the necessary drivers and utilities you need for the motherboard. There is a second CD which contains the Soyo "3 in 1" Bonus Pack, which includes Norton Ghost, Norton Anti-Virus, and Norton Virtual Drive. Norton Ghost is very useful in cloning a hard disk; Norton Anti-Virus is definitely important for every computer system; and Norton Virtual Drive can copy your CD to hard disk for ultra-fast access.
Interesting enough, Soyo includes a small pack of thermal paste together with the SY-K7VTA, so users can put them on the processors for better thermal conductivity.
The Bad
Soyo does not ship the bracket required to take advantage of USB ports 3 and 4 provided by the 686A South Bridge.
The placement of the power supply connector will block the airflow around the CPU socket. Also, the capacitors are too close to this connector, making it hard to unplug the power cable.
The manual is not nearly detailed enough. Soyo should have provided more details on how to install the motherboard, software, as well as the functions of jumpers and connectors. It would be nice if they could include information on BIOS settings as well.
The multiplier ratio settings are certainly nicebut they would be even better if Soyo had include them in the BIOS as well, making CPU setup and overclocking completely jumperless.
USB Compatibility
- Number of Front Universial Serial Bus Root Ports: 2
- Number of Rear Universal Serial Bus Root Ports: 2
- USB IRQ Enable/Disable in BIOS: Yes
- USB Keyboard Support in BIOS: Yes
Recommended SDRAM
Recommended SDRAM: 1 x 128MB Corsair PC133 SDRAM; 1 x 128MB Mushkin PC133 SDRAM
SDRAM Tested: 1 x 128MB Mushkin PC133 SDRAM
Manufacturer: Corsair
Purchase Website: http://www.corsairmicro.com
Manufacturer: Mushkin
Purchase Website: http://www.mushkin.com
The Test
In recent times, choosing a motherboard cannot be completely determined by a Winstone score. Now, many boards come within one Winstone point of each other and therefore the need to benchmark boards against each other falls. Therefore you should not base your decision entirely on the benchmarks you see here, but also on the technical features and advantages of this particular board, seeing as that will probably make the greatest difference in your overall experience.
Click Here to learn about AnandTech's Motherboard Testing Methodology.
Test Configuration |
|
Processor(s): |
AMD
Athlon (Thunderbird) 800MHz
|
RAM: |
1 x 128MB Mushkin PC133 SDRAM
|
Hard Drive(s): |
Western Digital 153BA Ultra
ATA 66 7200 RPM
|
Bus Master Drivers: |
VIA 4-in-1 v4.24 Service Pack
|
Video Card(s): |
NVIDIA
GeForce 2 GTS 32MB DDR
|
Video Drivers: |
NVIDIA
Detonator 5.22
|
Operation System(s): |
Windows
98 SE
|
Motherboard Revision: |
Soyo
SY-K7VTA Revision 1.0
|
Windows 98 Performance |
|||
Athlon
800MHz OEM (KT133)
|
Sysmark
2000
|
Content
Creation
Winstone 2000 |
Quake
III Arena - 640 x 480 x 16
|
Soyo SY-K7VTA (retail) |
164
|
32.6
|
123.0
|
Soyo
SY-K7VTA (Pre-production) |
160
|
27.5
|
127.0
|
Microstar K7T Pro2 |
162
|
32.5
|
122.5
|
Microstar K7T Pro |
161
|
32.7
|
123.7
|
Iwill KV200-R |
160
|
32.9
|
123.9
|
Final Words
With the SY-K7VTA, Soyo does not disappoint. With the pre-production of the SY-K7VTA we thought the KT133 solution from Soyo was not surprising at all - just a typical KT133 with no particularly special features. We were obviously wrong.
In barely a month, the retail version of the SY-K7VTA is a totally different contender in the KT133 motherboard market. It has great performance and outstanding stability. It also provides brings the ability to change the multiplier ratios, once a privilege of ASUS and ABIT owners only, to all hardware enthusiasts out there. Together with its competitive price, the SY-K7VTA is definitely one of the best choices out there.
When we reviewed KT133 motherboards three months ago, most of the time we ended up with "we still recommend waiting for the first wave of boards to be released and making your decision then, especially since the whole issue of unlocking the Socket-A CPU's multiplier is still up in the air." The first wave of boards arrived a while ago, with ASUS and ABIT coming out the winners. Now the second wave has begun, with the multiplier issue resolved, we see a much more competitive market out there. Don't be surprised to see more boards with multiplier settings and VIA 686B support appear in the near future. Stay tuned for more KT133 coverage.
How it Rates
AnandTech Motherboard Rating |
|
Rating
(x/10)
|
|
Performance
|
7.5
|
Price
|
7.5
|
Stability
|
8.0
|
Quality
|
8.0
|
Features
|
7.5
|
Layout
|
5.0
|
Availability
|
7.5
|
Documentation & Software Bundle
|
5.0
|
Overall Rating - not an average Click here to find out why |
7.5
|