915 Motherboard Roundup: Socket 775 for the Rest of Us

Foxconn 915A01-P-8EKRS: Features and Layout

Foxconn 915A01 Motherboard Specifications
CPU Interface	Socket 775 Pentium 4 (Prescott)
Chipset	Intel 915P/ICH6R
BUS Speeds	200MHz to 350MHz (in 1MHz increments)
DDR2 Speeds	Auto, 400, 533
PCI Speeds	33.33, 36.36, 40.00, Ref PCIex
PCI Express Speeds	100MHz to 200MHz in 1MHz increments
Core Voltage	-0.025V to +0.10V in 0.0125V increments
DRAM Voltage	NO Options
Memory Slots	Four 240-pin DDR2 Slots Dual-Channel Unbuffered Memory to 4GB
Expansion Slots	1 PCIe x16 Slot 3 PCIe x1 slot 3 PCI Slots
Onboard SATA/RAID	4 SATA 150 drives by ICH6R Can be combined in RAID 0, 1, Intel Matrix
Onboard IDE	One Standard ATA100/66 (2 drives)
Onboard USB 2.0/IEEE-1394	8 USB 2.0 ports 2 IEEE 1394a FireWire Ports by VIA VT6307
Onboard LAN	Gigabit PCI Ethernet by Realtek 8110S-32
Onboard Audio	Realtek ALC880 (HD Audio) 8-Channel with SPDIF
Tested BIOS	915A03G Award 10/28/2004

The Foxconn 925A01, tested in the 925X roundup, was the first full-featured Foxconn board that we had tested. The 915A01 continues in that same vein as a full-featured Socket 775 motherboard based on the Intel 915P chipset. Foxconn has earned a reputation of building solid motherboards that represent very good value. The Foxconn 915A01 fits that market segment better than the premium 925X board that we reviewed, since Intel considers the 915 to be the mainstream version of their Socket 775 chipsets. Almost everyone offers a 915 "mainstream" motherboard, so Foxconn can carve out a value niche for their boards in this segment.

When we take a closer look at the 915A01, we see that Foxconn can manufacture it in many flavors. The numbers at the end of the board name represent available options that are on the board. In the case of the test board, it is 8EKRS. A quick check of the Foxconn manual shows that this board adds to the base model: 8-channel HD audio, firewire, 1G LAN, and SATA RAID. With these exact same features, you will find this Foxconn 915 selling for around $150 at online retailers.

While we can attest to the solid and reliable operation of Foxconn boards, we have been very surprised that Foxconn has had so much difficulty building a competitive enthusiast grade board. Every time that we test a Foxconn board, a BIOS seems to come later that adds any overclocking options at all, and the boards always seem to be missing the most important adjustments for memory voltage. It's really a shame that Foxconn can't get this right because when you can buy a DFI for $160, an Albatron 915P Pro for $109, or an Abit AG8 for $128, then the question is, why would you buy a Foxconn for $150 and it doesn't even have any adjustments for memory voltage?

It is good to see Foxconn offering the most important options from the 915 options. High-Definition audio and the ICH6R chipset with Intel Matrix RAID are both a part of the 915A01 board that we are testing. So is Gigabit LAN, but it is (once again) the slow PCI version instead of the faster PCIe LAN chip. Other than the complaint about PCI LAN, the feature set of the 915A01 is just fine, and the feature list will satisfy most users. Foxconn even includes the 6 mini-jacks needed for Intel High Definition audio, and Firewire ports for those who prefer that interface. The only weakness in the audio ports is that only an SPDIF coaxial connector is provided on an accessory bracket. There is no provision at all for an optical connector.

The Foxconn is not quite up to the level of the top 50% of boards in this roundup, but it is close. The 915A01 is rock solid no matter what we threw at it, and it only seems less than capable when we looked at the much abbreviated options for tweaking to get the best performance and overclocking on the board.

Layout of the Foxconn 915A01 is very good - much better than you might expect. Floppy and IDE connectors are located at the preferred upper right board edge. So is the 24/20-pin power connector. The 12V requires fishing the cable around the CPU, but this is an issue with many 915 boards anyway. It would be better if this 4-pin connector was also at a board edge.

There is one annoying item on every Foxconn board that we have reviewed so far, and that is the front panel connections. Foxconn seems to like the connections, which includes a 9-pin USB-like arrangement with no color-coding or other means to identify the panel connector. As a result, every time that we connect a Foxconn board, one of the connectors is usually set up wrong. It is also a fact that every case that we have in the lab has a 3-pin power LED connector, with just one exception. In the Foxconn universe, however, all power LEDs are 2-pin. We have seen a number of boards with a preference for 2-pin power LED connections, but most provided a 3-pin option also. It would be really appreciated if Foxconn would consider the same Power LED option on their boards. For those of you with a 3-pin power LED, the only option on the Foxconn is to modify your cable or leave the power LED disconnected.

Nitpicks aside, the Foxconn really has little to complain about in board layout. We mounted all of the boards in the roundup in a typical mid-tower case just to see how the layout worked and the Foxconn was an easier layout to work with than most.