Lightning Strikes
Written: May 08 '00 (Updated May 08 '00)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Supports Legacy ISA Cards, Updateable Bios, and Excellent Support
Cons: Limited to 384MB of RAM
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| lperryii's Full Review: Leadman Electronic Co. FIC PA-2013 |
I have been using this motherboard for a year now, and haven't had any issues, such as compatibility problems. The 1MB of onboard cache makes this one of the faster motherboards.
Unlike many other manufacturers, FIC has made the 1MB of onboard cache part of the motherboard, instead of a separate component. Most manufacturers will use a separate component, sold separately, that the user or technician has to install on the board.
This motherboard can support many different types of processors (CPUs), such as the Intel CPU, AMD CPU, and even the Cyrix CPUs. However, the speed of the processors is limited to low end machines, with the AMD 400MHz being the fastest CPU that it can support.
Another limitation of the board is that it only supports up to 384MB of RAM. Well, I guess this is a limitation, but it all depends on what the user will be running. I run 64MB of RAM, so this isn't an issue for me just yet. The higher end motherboards can handle as much as 1.5 Gigabytes of RAM (in case you're wondering).
Besides the ability to support many types of processors, the board will also support the new Advanced Graphics Protocol (AGP) technology. These slots were made for Graphics. I bought a Voodoo3 2000 Graphics card to put into the slot, and have been extremely happy with the new protocol. The motherboard has not caused any support issues with this slot at all.
Other slots on the board include several PCI slots and 2 ISA slots. The 2 ISA Slots were included for users who need to install older cards that maybe they are carrying over from their older system. These slots are also great places for older Sound Cards.
FIC has done a great job of supporting this board as well. The company provides online manuals and technical support. They also have a section with information on how to properly setup the numerous jumpers on the board.
For those who want a good solid configuration and who view stability as a major issue, then this board is for you! While it doesn't support the newer processors, such as the 500MHz and above, it supports most anything below that. It is also very affordable now as the faster machines keep driving the prices downward.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID: lperryii
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Member: Larry Perry II
Reviews written: 26
Trusted by: 4 members
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