LabsPentium 4 DDR Motherboards
A casual glance cast over the 85DRV3 might give you a feeling of dÚjà vu, since it looks so similar to the MSI 845 Ultra-ARU. The red PCB is the only real similarity, though, as the Soltek is the sole board on test to use VIA's P4X266A chipset. This is an update to the original, and controversial, P4X266, and both the north bridge and south bridge are new. There aren't any significant changes to the specification
Performance, then, was one of our key interests in the 85DRV3 and it managed second place overall with 3.46 in our 2D suite. Only Gigabyte, using an 845D chipset, bettered this score and the SiS645-based MSI 645 Ultra was a little further behind. However, in 3DMark2001, the Soltek didn't fare as well - it was the slowest on test with 6,365 3DMarks. The six PCI slots are a welcome sight and the three DIMM sockets support up to 3Gb of RAM, but only if you install Registered DIMMs. There aren't any integrated components other than the VIA AC97 audio, but this is reflected in the low price. Good overclocking potential and a decent software bundle all help the Soltek's cause, but the MSI 645 Ultra is better value. We advise waiting for the P4X333 if you crave ultimate performance. |
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