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TWO SPECIAL MOMMAS: Elite
Motherboards Review
ELITE Computer Systems, has recently come up with an ingenious idea: to make a motherboard that would allow the widest flexibility in processor upgrade options. This idea they have translated into two special motherboards for the Intel line of processors: the P6BAT-A+ and the P6BXT-A+. So what’s so special about these motherboards?
The P6BXT-A+ is the first 2-in-1 motherboard in the world, the Intel BX-based motherboard that supports both Slot1 and Socket370 processors, while the newly-released P6BAT-A+ is another version of the board but based on the Elite BX (VIA OEM)-chipset. It should be pointed out, however, that the board only allows the use of one processor at a time. This unique feature give you the widest choice of processors when upgrading. For example, if you are using Celeron 300A—a slot 1 processor—and you want to upgrade your system, you can opt for any current Intel processor, from Pentium II to the newest Pentium III, or the newer Celerons whether in Slot 1 format or the Socket 370 PPGA (Plastic Pin Grid Array). No other motherboards allow this flexibility in upgrade options--that is, before other manufacturers wisened up and scrambled to fill in the need. Recently, some motherboard companies made their own solution to the problem with the introduction of the Socket 370 adapter—basically a Socket 370 in a card that can be fitted into a Slot 1. So, do the new Elite Motherboards really provide the user with a better option? This can be answered by looking at the overall features, and, of course, the performance of the boards measured through business applications and gaming benchmark programs. But before the benchmark results, let us consider the overall features of the two boards first. |
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