Software
Abit includes a software package specifically geared to interact with µGuru.
Abit does include a nice manual that covers the functions of the software, but in summary, the Abit EQ monitors the heath and user (or default) defined settings of the system. The OC Guru allows for On-the-fly overclocking from within Windows. The Fan EQ can be used to control and monitor the fans in your system. In addition to these tools, the FlashMenu can update the BIOS from within Windows and the BlackBox utility will collect system settings for the user to send to Abit in the troubleshooting process.
Overclocking
Our particular Pentium 840XE CPU isn't the friendliest of overclockers but we still managed a solid 3.824GHz from 3.2GHz with a Koolance EXOS water-cooling kit. This equates to a 239FSB overclock which is a little higher than what we've been able to achieve in the past using the same cooler. We have seen results from other sites where they were hitting in the 450MHz+ FSB range using an Intel X6800 Extreme, so for those of you jumping on the Conroe bandwagon, this bodes well for you.
Final Words
Abit is certainly a welcome sight on our lab bench after all this time. The AW9D-MAX was very impressive throughout testing. It was the fastest overall Intel motherboard we've tested in the past 18 months at stock speeds and one of the best overclocking platforms for our 840XE.
For workstation or "work-minded" folks, the board offers a solid and stable platform. The Abit EQ is a nice touch for those who track system health constantly as well as allowing the user to manage the system within Windows quite easily with the included software. Add to this, every LGA775 CPU up to the X6800 Extreme is currently supported, giving the buyer a wide range for CPU choices. The storage connections are plenty and we doubt anyone will have a problem of running out of places to plug in their hard drives.
For the gamer, the board is at least as fast as Intel's previous chipset, and like that one before it, you do have the option of hooking up two ATI cards for CrossFire action. On the NVIDIA side of things, you're only option for multi-GPU gaming is a single 7950GX2 which does indeed work with this specific board (we tested with the MSI 7950GX2). Of course there are the wide CPU options for either the rich, or not as rich gamers. The Audio MAX 7.1 riser card does a decent job for gaming and entertainment, though we did not notice any audible improvement in sound quality over other HD onboard audio solutions.
Overclocking went well for us, though we'll admit our numbers may not seem like the most impressive. That said, we've seen other publications hitting well over 400MHz FSB with Intel's latest CPUs. The AW9D-MAX offers numerous voltage options as well which make this easier.
Stability was never an issue with this board. Historically, our experiences have always been favorable with Intel motherboards since they always "work". The AW9D-MAX was no exception. Keep in mind that we did use quality components in our system build, so your experiences may vary depending on the parts used. While our overclocks were stable, we did position a 120mm fan over the CPU area since we were using a water block for the CPU. This was needed as the surrounding area did get warm, though not searing hot.
Pricing for the board is fairly reasonable at the moment, retailing as low as . Abit will also be releasing a non-MAX version as well as a Fatal1ty version of the board. From what we've learned, the Fatal1ty will feature a red PCB with red LED lights fewer SATA ports and two 40mm fans for cooling the capacitors. Personally, we feel the MAX version is your best bet, as it covers all your bases.
If you have any comments, be sure to hit us up in our forums.
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