OC3D Review: abit Fatal1ty F-I90HD Socket 775 motherboard

[FarFarAway]

"Onboard Graphics" used to be dirty words in the world of the enthusiast, but with nVidia stepping up the heat with their onboard GPU's, it's not quite so bad.

AMD/ATI decided it's about time they hit back with something special...let's see what we've got

Click here

 

[Doddsy]

I think the most impressive part is the letter from Wendell!

Tbh I've quite liked the look of this one since I first saw it, imo it'd be fantastic for a HTPC.

 

[nunzio]

sweet looking.. and with the c2d price drops should soon be in my htpc budget

 

[Doddsy]

One thing I just thought of actually, why did they decide to brand it as a fatality product? Surely they should be for 'hardcore' gamers?

 

[FarFarAway]

Well ye I thought that a bit strange, but I suppose they are trying to market it as a gaming product

 

[Doddsy]

I'm sure they'd probably make more money marketing it as a HTPC product. Without the fatality branding it'd probably be cheaper and the 690G with HDMI just seems like the perfect HTPC board. Ah well, I'm sure there are some very well paid people in the workd making these kind of desisions.

 

[shiftlocked]

HI Guys

Can i request something in the review. What screen res does it go up to. Reason being is that I have an older abit board here that i cant remember and I cant get the full 1440 * 900 even with latest drivers, think its purely a spec issue

 

[FarFarAway]

Well I had it running at 1680 x 1050 no problems and it easily ran movies at 720p - 1368 x 768

 

[ai_01]

i love the bright red bios screen

 

[duktayp]

what are PCI-e x1 slots used for? thanks

edit: something else that was on my mind... is tekheads part of OC3D? i wasn't sure because i couldnt see an area to buy parts on OC3D and tekheads seems to have the same logo, also the tech support forums

 

[Ham]

what are PCI-e x1 slots used for? thanks

Not much atm, theres some network cards iirc and theres some sound cards on the horrizon

 

[limqareb]

nothing actually atm

in future NICs and sound cards will be pci e x1 in fact there is an XF-i that is x1 pci e

 

[BUFF]

One thing I just thought of actually, why did they decide to brand it as a fatality product? Surely they should be for 'hardcore' gamers?

& yet the latest Fatal1ty gfx card from XFX is a 7600GT & the other latest Fatal1ty mobo from abit is an £80 650i SLI .

I wonder if Wendel has realised that the volume (& hence the higher licence income) isn't at the the top end ...

 

[PV5150]

Great review Kemp and not too bad a performer either considering the onboard graphics...very respectable. But why oh why do abit insist on always putting their floppy connector at the bottom of the board? It drives me nuts! Admittedly, it is a smaller board but it just seems far too easy to place it there.

 

[FarFarAway]

Great review Kemp and not too bad a performer either considering the onboard graphics...very respectable. But why oh why do abit insist on always putting their floppy connector at the bottom of the board? It drives me nuts! Admittedly, it is a smaller board but it just seems far too easy to place it there.

Well at least it's at the edge of the board

Get with the times Peevs, no-one uses floppy's any more I never thought I'd say this but I haven't plugged in a floppy for about a year

something else that was on my mind... is tekheads part of OC3D? i wasn't sure because i couldnt see an area to buy parts on OC3D and tekheads seems to have the same logo, also the tech support forums

No we are not Tekheads at all, but we do host their support forums here.

@BUFF quite agreed - I think he puts his name to anything that looks like it will be profitable

 

[PV5150]

Well at least it's at the edge of the board

Get with the times Peevs, no-one uses floppy's any more

Granted it is at the edge of the board, and I haven't used a floppy either for probably longer. Virtual floppy and Nlite ftw for RAID drivers! Imo it's time to retire the floppy connector period, but great review anyway mate.

 

[FarFarAway]

Aye well good that Vista recognises a flash drive as a boot device properley

ty mate

 

[nunzio]

I still use floppies... well, have a floppy drive in my new computer. But it also have the cardread built onto it.

Not much atm, theres some network cards iirc and theres some sound cards on the horrizon

There is also a few TV/DVB/PVR cards out.

 

[nunzio]

Not much atm, theres some network cards iirc and theres some sound cards on the horrizon

There is also a few TV/DVB/PVR cards out.

 

[Rastalovich]

nothing actually atm

in future NICs and sound cards will be pci e x1 in fact there is an XF-i that is x1 pci e

I feel there maybe a new slot out b4 these slots get that popular.

Excellent review again Kemp, would liked to have seen the I/O section with it`s backplate on, wondering also if they`d stuck with a regular plain silver effect or they`d added some HTPC lettering/symbols above the ports and perhaps `fancied` it up a bit.

Have u tried the HDMI->DVI lead in anything else ? I`m thinking u can get a HDMI lead for an XBox 360 possibly ?