EliteGroup Computer Systems recently announced the availability of its latest Socket A AMD Athlon motherboard, the K7S5A. The K7S5A is the first commercially available motherboard for both the OEM and retail market segments based on
Silicon Integrated Systems new SIS735 chipset.
This single-chip solution integrates a variety of performance options, such as high-speed DDR memory support, multi-threaded concurrent transactions, a dedicated ATA/100 IDE controller, and AGP v2.0 4x transfers. Additional support is extended for integrated AC97 audio, an audio/modem riser (AMR), and an optional 10/100 Mbps network controller. ECS has brought us great designs for even better prices in the past; hopefully the K7S5A will continue in this long-term tradition.
| ECS K7S5A Motherboard Specifications |
| Processor Support | Socket A, currently 550 MHz - 1.4+ GHz
Compatible with AMD Duron/Thunderbird series
200 - 266 MHz Processor Bus Compatible |
| Chipset | SIS 735S DDR Single Chip Controller |
| Bus Speeds | 100 - 166 MHz in 33 MHz Increments
(200 - 333 MHz effective rate)
112 / 124 MHz Non-Spec Supported |
| System Memory | 2x 184-pin DDR SDRAM PC-1600/2100
2x 168-pin SDRAM PC-100/133
1.0 GB Maximum Memory |
| Expansion Slots | 1x AGP v2.0 4x
5x PCI v2.2
1x AMR |
| IDE Support | Ultra DMA/100 SIS Dedicated EIDE Controller
Maximum 2 Channels, 4 Drives Supported |
| Sound Support | AC '97 Compliant 3D Audio Codec
Microsoft Windows WHQL Compliant |
| Integrated I/O | 2x USB v1.1 Standard, Support for 2 More Via Header
1x Parallel, ECP and EPP supported
2x Serial, max 115,200bps FIFO
2x PS/2 Keyboard + Mouse
Game/Midi/Audio Riser Connectors
10/100 Mbps LAN Controller (Optional) |
| BIOS | 2 MB AMI BIOS (Full ACPI, DMI, PnP, Virus Protect) |
| PC Monitoring | CPU / Motherboard Temperatures
CPU / System Fan Speeds
Multiple Voltage Levels |
| Form Factor | ATX, 30.4 cm x 24.4 cm |
| Voltage Support | Voltage Autodetect Routine |
| Bundled Software | ECS Support CD
PC-Cillin 2000 Anti-Virus
MediaRing Talk
WinDVD 2000 (Optional) |
| Boot Options | IDE HDD
CD-ROM
Floppy Drive
SCSI
ZIP/LS-120 |
Summary
Price
Street: $65
+
Excellent stability
Extreme Performance
Efficient Layout / Design
-
Limited Socket Clearance
Overall
CS delivers yet another great design with the K7S5A. This SIS735 chipset motherboard offers the best performance as compared to any other DDR board in its class.
Setup as Tested
ECS K7S5A M/B
AMD Thunderbird 1.2 GHz
128MB PC-1600 DDR
10GB Maxtor ATA/100 HDD
8x Hitachi DVD-ROM |
Design / Layout
The K7S5A offers an effective layout through an efficient design approach. The large 30.4 x 24.4 centimeter footprint allows for a great amount of clearance between each onboard device, especially as the single-chip SIS735 controller only resides on a small portion of the PCB real estate. A large mid-tower case is recommended, though even the smallest case should accommodate this board assuming the power supply offers enough clearance. The nearly jumper-free design is also appreciated, as this motherboard only features two board level jumpers.
The only potential design negative is the limited amount of clearance available between the processor socket and the corresponding processor capacitors. Perfectly vertical or offset-notched heatsinks should prove usable, though users hoping to utilize the largest coolers will need to closely examine the heatsinks' size specifications. Thermaltake's SuperORB proved tedious to align with the fins brushing against the center capacitor during installation. To contrast, AMD's spec approved retail heatsink snapped in place with a minimum of effort.
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