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ABIT KT7A-RAID Socket-A KT133A ATX

 by Mike Andrawes on January 21, 2001 11:31 PM EST
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Final Words

There is no doubt that the ABIT KT7A-RAID is a really impressive motherboard.  All of ABIT’s signature features have been included and should satisfy all overclockers. It is not very different from its older brother the KT7-RAID, but the features it has definitely make this board stand out from the early KT133A crowd.

The competition in the KT133A arena is about to heat up, however, with just about every manufacturer releasing their own product with this new chipset.  Only time will tell if the KT7A-RAID can withstand the heat.  However we anticipate that it will do just fine.

If you're in the market for a Socket-A motherboard, KT133A based solutions are quite attractive, making it almost silly to pursue a regular KT133 motherboard. The 5 - 10% performance gains aren't enough, however, to lure you away from your current KT133 board unless you absolutely need to find a replacement for whatever reason.

There is no doubt about it, the market for the KT133A chipset is here only as a transition to the point where DDR SDRAM and the DDR Socket-A platforms can offer a good enough price point that they become the platform of choice. Until then, VIA can enjoy the relatively effortless transition many users will make to KT133A based motherboards.

How it Rates

AnandTech Motherboard Rating
 
Rating (x/10)

Performance

The performance of the KT7A-RAID is definitely promising.  A lot of tweaking in the BIOS contributes to the performance.  The big key, however, is the availability of the 133MHz FSB which appears to be a major key to maximizing the Athlon’s performance at this point in time.
8.0

Price

The price of the board is around 160 dollars US, which is above average.  If ABIT could have reduced the price a little bit, it would definitely make their boards even more attractive.
4.0

Stability

The KT7-RAID was among the best KT133’s in terms of stability, and its younger brother is no exception.  Although the KT7A-RAID crashed two times, a bit more than the KT7-RAID, it is still considered a very stable motherboard.
8.0

Quality

The improvement in quality by ABIT continues with the KT7A-RAID.  It has the same high quality components as the KT7-RAID, and we would love to see this trend to continue with their future products.
6.0

Features

Without a doubt, SoftMenu III and the HighPoint RAID controller make this board very unique.  And don’t forget about its 6 PCI and 1 ISA expansion slot configuration, which should fit pretty much everyone’s need.  Also, for the first time, the HSF unit proves to be useful in cooling the 8363A North Bridge.
8.0

Layout

In general the layout is very good.  The placement of the power supply connectors and the IDE / floppy connectors are ideal.  However, the CPU socket is placed too close to the right edge, which could be a trouble when trying to change the CPU when the motherboard is seated inside the case.
6.0

Availability

ABIT’s products are easily found everywhere.  It is never hard to find their product for a decent price online, and even for local computer stores often carry ABIT products.
8.5

Documentation & Software Bundle

ABIT’s documentation has always been excellent, and the KT7A-RAID is no exception.  Their manual has detailed information on hardware and software installation, as well as all details on all the jumpers and connectors on the motherboard.  Together with the BIOS setup explanation, you can find pretty much everything about the board that you might need to know. 

7.5
Overall Rating - not an average Click here to find out why
8.5
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