After a quick trip to the wonderful CPU settings menu in BIOS, we powered the machine up at the 400MHz level. We used a Matrox Millenium G200 AGP card for video, the rest of the system remained the same as the previously listed components.
Without hesitation the machine booted into Windows and ran the rest of the day perfectly through repeated testing and prodding. Even the Millenium G200 functioned properly (usually a tough one when the AGP bus speed goes from it's stock 66MHz level to 90MHz due to the jump from 100MHz to 133MHz in FSB) prompting us to believe that a full 1/4 clock divider is utilized on the AX6BC. We'll try to find out for certain what the deal is and update this review at that time, as tech support via Taiwan is tough to accomplish quickly.
In any case, the AX6BC proved itself to be a true friend to the overclocking club, which Sharky Extreme's staff are card carrying members in. It certainly wouldn't be a bad choice for anyone not interested in overclocking as well, thanks to the simple BIOS controls and bulletproof stability.
Our first experience with AOpen proved to be a very rewarding one as the AX6BC is a great product deserving of high praise. It delivers flawless stability, simple and intuitive controls, and suits the overclocking audience perfectly.
If you're looking for a great board, one that's extremely well rounded and capable, look no further than the AX6BC.
- Jumperless BIOS CPU Control
- 5-PCI slots with fully accurate IRQ mapping
- Well laid out board design, every area easily accessed
- Only three DIMM module slots
If you have any questions for us regarding the AX6BC or any other topic, please post them to the SharkyExtreme Discussion Board.
Craig Campanaro
Hardware Director
