Abit AW9D-MAX - more info released

[Heidfirst]

http://forum.abit-usa.com/showthread.php?t=111757

 

[cmdrdredd]

This is what I'm waiting for. That board looks super sweet.

i just wonder how that 7.1 Channel Dolby HD soundcard compares to a Soundblaster X-FI

 

[bluesky]

Wow, like to have one.

 

[hardwareking]

i really don't like ABIT's layout on any of their boards.They only leave 1 pci slot and that too will get blocked when using crossfire.
And not many legacy connectors on the back.(no serial and parallel).
But i guess the main selling point is the overclocking optionsand stability.

 

[cmdrdredd]

Originally posted by: hardwareking
i really don't like ABIT's layout on any of their boards.They only leave 1 pci slot and that too will get blocked when using crossfire.
And not many legacy connectors on the back.(no serial and parallel).
But i guess the main selling point is the overclocking optionsand stability.

Not many people buying a motherboard like this would even use serial ports or parallel.

The single PCI slot I dunno the reasoning for. I think they could have moved the 2nd PCI-E slot closer to the first one to get it out of the way. I'd never use SLi or crossfire anyway. It's a total waste of money IMO. The reason I want this board is because it has everything I need and it's made to be an overclocker's board.

 

[slpaulson]

They should have made the audio slot shared with a 2nd pci slot, much like motherboard makers used to do with isa slots.

I do like the fact that you aren't stuck with a bunch of useless audio ports if you're using a pci soundcard.

 

[Heidfirst]

Originally posted by: hardwareking
And not many legacy connectors on the back.(no serial and parallel).

that's because it's a MAX board which historically have done away with legacy connections.
I imagine that the standard AW9D has them but will lose out on some of the MAX's features.

 

[Bursk]

Out of interest, is there any way to connect an old parallel port printer (I use an HP Laserjet 4000TN for my work) to a motherboard like this? Any sort of dongle or connector you can buy?

 

[Heidfirst]

I believe that you can actually get PCI-E serial/parallel cards! :Q :
You can also get parallel port cables that plug into USB.

 

[Bursk]

Originally posted by: Heidfirst
I believe that you can actually get PCI-E serial/parallel cards! :Q :
You can also get parallel port cables that plug into USB.

Cheers, fishy! Do you have any links to specific products?

*goes off to Google*

 

[cmdrdredd]

Update on this motherboard!

I WILL NOT BUY IT! Sorry for caps lock but I'm kinda peeved about one thing. This motherboard will require an EPS compatable PSU. While I can go out now and get an Asus P5B Deluxe and overclock beyond 500Mhz FSB with standard ATX power. I think Abit is shooting themselves here...whatever type of overclocking they hope to get out of it by making it require EPS I see Gigabyte and Asus both going over 400mhz on the fsb and pushing e6300s to 3ghz or more without it.

Such a disappointment for me because I'm not about to throw away a perfectly good PSU because I can't use it with a motherboard. Unfortunately for ABit they lost a sale from me, but Asus gained one. Going to get a P5B Deluxe soon.

 

[Heidfirst]

why don't you wait & see?
There are 3 versions of this board & it's possible that 1 or all may not require an EPS PSU the same as Abit nF4 boards have 24-pin ATX sockets but run fine with 20-pin (as long as you alsio have the 4-pin ATX12V1).
It's probably the sign of things to come though as DFI switched to 8-pin a while ago on new boards.

Who would be a mobo maker - 1/2 their market want them to go 8-pin & 1/2 don't ...