Date: April 21st, 2003
Article by: Nathan Glentworth (Owner, Head Editor & Hardware Reviewer)
Product was donated by: Soyo
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PRODUCT FEATURES AND PICTORIAL

Other than the gorgeous looks and the accessories, I wanted to point a couple extra things out to you.

One unique included peripheral is this USB 2.0 frontpanel which directly connects to the motherboard via a simple two cable connection. I tell ya, with this hub in the front, you get all the speed of USB 2.0 without having to reach in behind your computer, especially for digital cameras.

The rear panel of the motherboard is simple and clean cut. With your two PS/2 ports for you keyboard, the ethernet connection, two USB 1.1 ports, parallel port, two serial ports, gameport and alas your 6 channel audio ports all available for easy access.

Viewing from the right hand side of the board, the connections are laid out in an easy to install fashion. Both the RAID, IDE and floppy connections are together and easy to access. Another good thing is that they are not at the bottom of the board to block the case intake which will promote better ventilation.

Also note the placement of the main motherboard power connector above the IDE ports. I find this to be an excellent place to situate this connector instead of burying it close to the CPU socket like some other manufacturers do.

Ah, the resting place of your powerhouse P4. The area is relatively clear and free from any major obstructions and should facilitate an easy install of your favorite cooler.