Soyo SY-K7V (Dragon Plus!) + Anandtech inquiry.

[Locut0s]

Hi there!

My first post here! Though I'm not new to Anandtech, Gread job Anand!

Just wondering when/if Anandtech will review the Soyo SY-K7V (Dragon Plus!) Mobo. I'm thinking of building a new system and this board is just dripping with nice features.

- Integrated digital audio, comes with a braket which gives you acces to optical digital outputs and inputs, and analouge in/out.
- 3.5" bay, smart card reader with smart cards, this one is a first for me, not sure what it would be good for in real life but its neat to see some inovation!
- Integrated Promise RAID controller
- Integrated Network card

Not that I will probably use most of the integrated features, I will probably replace them with better performing hardware, but its nice to have them anyway.

It also comes with 3 IDE cables and an IO backplate, so you can actually install it in your case and still access all the ports in back. I took a look at the manual on thier website, 200+ pages looks quite thurough, which looks to be a change for Soyo, I see that many previous Soyo reviews have mentioned lack of documentaion. I just finished reading the THG roundup of KT266A boards and this board seems to post quite well. Anyone else have this board and would like to voice their opinions on it?

 

[Snoop]

Soyo, from my experiance makes a top-notch board. I would try it out

 

[FlipSide]

go to the motherboard threads and you will find tons of info regarding the dragon plus

 

[novon]

I just built a system on this board (see sig) and it rocks! stable, featurefilled, fast, I use every feature it came with except the smart card reader (yet).

 

[Windogg]

I've built many systems on the Dragon and just completed my first Dragon Plus system for someone. Overall it's a great mobo and you can't go wrong with it. If you plan on replacing the integrated components with "better" stuff, I'd go with another KT266A board just because you would be defeating the purpose of the Dragon.

I use "better" in quotes because you really can't get things that are much better. The Audigy would be an upgrade to the 6 channel C-Media but IMHO I really can't hear the difference between that and the SBLive. It's hardware so it doesn't suck down a large chunk of CPU cycles like AC97. The integrated 10/100 ethernet is also hardware based. Overall the VIA Rhine is great. Spending about $30 on a 3Com or Intel is a waste. In fact spending even $15 for a Netgear or Linksys would also be too much.

Use the board for its strengths. Use those 5 open PCI slots for stuff like DVD decoders, SCSI cards, TV Tuners, or whatever your heart desires. If you plan on replacing any of the parts, get a cheaper KT266A board.

Windogg

 

[jhites]

Going to build new system this weekend as follows but have a couple of Questions?

SY-K7V Dragon Plus
AIW Radeon 32MB AGP DDR Retail
XP1600 with Alpha 8045 in new Antec SX840 Case
2 Crucial 256 PC2100 = 512MB
2 Maxtor D740X 40Gig 7200rpm UDMA133 on Promise Controller in (Raid0 - ?)
1 Maxtor 30Gig and 1 Maxtor 20Gig on IDE1 UDMA66
HP 9350i CD/RW
3Com NIC for cable modem or home network

I already have the new BIOS on a disk so I can do update as the first step. I have the Promise Raid disk for the Win2K install. Also will move to WinXP which I already have full install version.

1.) Does the raid0 give that much of performance boost? I will be using 2 Maxtor 40Gig UDMA133 7200RPM Drives.

2.) I have SoundWorks 4.1 speakers with only two jacks vs the three that are available with the daughter card.

3.) I was thinking of using the onboard lan 10/100 for my modem connection and using my 3Com network card for the home networking setup. I have been using the 3Com for my cable modem. Did you get any performance difference with the onboard lan?

Thanks

 

[Adul]

jsut built one for someone. Very stable so far and it performs well. nice MB.

 

[flexy]

stoooooooooooopp jhites...

according to the alpha website the 8045 does NOT fit on the soyo dragon.

 

[jhites]

flexy

Your right! It does not fit on the Soyo Dragon, but it does fit on the Dragon Plus according to every forum of owners that have posted.

 

[flexy]

and you're positive ?

hmmmmm

 

[jhites]

Yes, but by others who have done it without any mod. I will have personal experience this weekend.

Just do a search! It has been confirmed by many who have the board.

One I remember by rondeemc, I think in Motherboard or General Hardware.

 

[Windogg]

Yes the 8045 does fit on the plus. There used to be a capacity above the DIMM slots next to the CPU fan header on the Dragon classic. The Plus removes that capacitor and there is now enough clearance for the 8045.

Windogg