ABIT KV8-MAX3 (VIA K8T800) Motherboard

ABIT KV8-MAX3 Layout:

The ABIT KV8-MAX3 has a decent layout and design but we do have a few complaints. The first is that the 20-pin ATX connector as well as the 4-pin is placed at the top left corner of the board. This requires a strange bending of the large connector to get it to reach the connection on the board. The other problem that we have with the layout is the spacing around the CPU socket. Heatsinks within AMD's specifications should work fine but larger ones might not have enough room to fit.

An active cooling solution similar to the one used with the IC7-G is found on the KV8-MAX3. Some people complain that active cooling solutions create too much added noise but as overclockers we do not really notice. Active cooling for the North Bridge will keep the chip cooler and might prolong the life of the components. The only problem with a heatsink and fan is worrying about the fan dying.

A LED display allows users to figure out any problems upon booting the system. A code is shown on the display and consumers can refer to the manual to see exactly what the code means. Below the LED display, are the front panel connections. Notice that ABIT has not labeled any of these connections, which means that users will have to refer to the manual if they want to properly hook up wires.

ABIT's OTES (outside thermal exhaust system) is used to keep the power regulators and capacitors cool. These are some of the hottest components in a system and by keeping them at lower temperatures, users may be able to overclock higher. One problem that we have we the OTES design for this board is that it interferes with the mounting of the stock AMD heatsink. The clip touches the plastic wind tunnel making it difficult to properly mount. We found that by taking the OTES off and then seating the heatsink, installation was much easier. Then afterwards, just put the plastic shell back on and the system is ready for use.

When the system is powered on OTES is nicely lit up with red LEDs. This will probably only appeal to the case modders with windows to show of their lit up motherboard.

The last complaint we have about the layout of the board is the AGP slot with respect to the DIMM slots. They are to close together to be able to remove memory without also removing the video card. Our 9700 was just shy of the first DIMM slot but a longer card such as the NVIDIA 5900 will cover a few of the DIMMs. This is a common mistake to many motherboards but can be easily avoided.