Overclocking
Overclocking the Albatron PX925X Pro is something I have been looking forward to since I got news I was receiving the board. I've seen some good overclocks using the 915 based boards from Albatron and coupled with the options in the BIOS I had high hopes.
Since I apparently have a good core code on my CPU, and all the other parts of the system should be good for a high overclock, I jumped in with both feet at 215FSB. Sure enough, without any major adjustments in the BIOS, I was rock solid stable. 220FSB however kicked in the Watchdog and reset the system back to 200. So once again back into the BIOS for some serious tweaking. A little voltage here, loosen and lock memory settings there, double check the temperatures are ok, and try for 220 once more. And again Watchdog set me back to 200. Next time around I went for 216 and sure enough stable as a rock, as was 217, but 218FSB instantly kicked in the Watchdog.
Removing the SATA drives from the system didn't help, and despite having chosen to lock the PCIe ports at 100MHz, I tried with a PCI graphics card as well just to be sure, all to no avail. Now since this is all new hardware for the most part and since I have nothing to compare with as yet, I'm willing to believe that something else is letting me down here. But having no prior indications of such (minor instability, high temperatures, lock-ups during boot up of Windows or during Windows operation etc) I can't help but wonder if nothing is holding it back except the Watchdog being over cautious.
This is where my overclocking ended, since you can't switch off the Watchdog to test this and nothing I tried will let me go higher than 217FSB. I like the idea of the Watchdog, as it will provide users who are new to overclocking a safety net that is otherwise missing, but I feel that to truly appeal to all overclockers, new and old alike, the Watchdog should be switchable in the BIOS. We have seen 915/925 boards that won't go much above the 215 mark for no apparent reason and our sample at least of the PX925X Pro seems to be the same. Still, an extra 17 on the FSB to raise our 3.2 to a near 3.5 is ok, and as I've stated the Albatron PX925X even without voltage increases is rock solid stable.
Final Words
This has personally been my first look at an motherboard and I have come away with mixed feelings about it. From a true hardcore enthusiasts point of view I have to say there is better on the market, but from a 'I just want a motherboard that works without the fanfare and extras' point of view, you can't go wrong with the Albatron PX925X Pro.
I like the idea of the Watchdog timer which will reset you back to default CPU FSB settings if you overclock to far, providing folks new to overclocking with a measure of safety, but experienced overclockers will likely find it to be a bit of a hindrance. It is nice not to have to reach in the case and reset CMOS by a jumper, but the will always be that nagging question of who is right; you or the Watchdog.
Throughout all the testing the Albatron PX925X Pro didn't falter once, and let's face it, if your motherboard isn't stable, then nothing you do will make the whole system stable. Standard performance was up there with all the other 925 based boards we have seen, and even put in a few impressive memory and content creation scores higher than expected (nothing you would see except in a benchmark but higher none the less). The board itself is good looking and based on a blue PCB, not a colour that is common in motherboards. The layout was generally good although I am a little concerned by the array of capacitors that sit around two sides of the CPU socket.
The package isn't anything to write home about but this is reflected in the price. You do get what you will need to get going, IDE leads, SATA cables and a rear I/O Panel of the standard fare variety.
What it all boils down to with this board is knowing what you are buying. You won't find a kick ass package with rounded cables and extra's overflowing from the box. Overclocking performance is OK but could be better, and you won't get SATA RAID. What you will get is solid base for a system that either won't be overclocked or only mildly overclocked, has good performance and won't take much to set it up, and won't break the bank doing it.
Pros: Solid performance, Stable, Quiet, Good looking, Extra IDE ports via the ITE RAID controller, Jumperless design – thanks to the Watchdog you probably won't need CMOS reset either, Afterburner overclocking from the BIOS will auto-overclock for a slight and free system boost
Cons: Overclocking might be better without the Watchdog, Caps around the CPU socket could cause issues with large footprint coolers, Front Audio Panel Pinout doesn't match up with enclosures on the market
Bottom Line: If you are a hardened overclocker looking for the ultimate package, look elsewhere. If you want a board without the fanfare that plain and simply works, while allowing you to get slightly adventurous for the first time, then the Albatron PX925X Pro will suit.
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