Epox 8KRA2+ (KT600): KT600 Hits the Streets

Epox 8KRA2+: BIOS and Overclocking

The 8KRA2+ uses Phoenix Technology’s Award BIOS, a very popular BIOS among enthusiasts.

The 8KRA2+’s PC Health section is fairly standard, with a few nice touches throw in. Some of readings in this section include System and CPU temperatures, CPU and Chassis fan speeds, Vcore, VDIMM, VAGP, PSU readings (all rails), and a battery voltage reading. Epox is one of the few motherboard makers that includes VDIMM and VAGP readings in the BIOS. We are glad to see Epox continue this tradition, as many enthusiasts enjoy seeing as many readings as possible in the BIOS. The only thing we would have added to this PC Health section would be a fan speed control option. We should also mention that there is an option for enabling or disabling PC Health readings during POST. This option is enabled by default and is extremely handy if you want to quickly check your system’s vitals without having to enter the BIOS and then reboot your system.

There is a DRAM timing section within the Advanced Chipset Features section of the 8KRA2+’s BIOS that includes the usual memory timings; CAS Latency, RAS to CAS Delay, RAS Precharge, and Precharge Delay. What is nice about this section is that you can also tweak such memory options as Command Rate and Bank Interleave. These options increase performance without jeopardizing stability and so were enabled during all of our performance tests. We suggest you do the same if you’re utilizing quality memory modules.

The memory divider options aren’t anything to write home about. There are three memory frequencies to choose from when your FSB is set to 200MHz. There’s DDR266, DDR333, and DDR400 (133MHz, 166MHz, 200MHz). These options will scale accordingly as your FSB is raised or lowered, despite what the misleading POST screen might display (e.g. at a 1:1 ratio the POST screen might read out DDR400 at 410MHz FSB even though memory is really running at DDR410).

Epox continues to include stellar voltage options with their motherboards, with the 8KRA2+’s VDIMM capable of being adjusted up to 3.2V in 0.1V increments. This voltage ceiling is more than enough for any hardcore enthusiast, and can in fact be detrimental to your memory modules if set at this value. Unless you’re shooting for extremely high frequencies of 466MHz-500MHz DDR we suggest no more than 2.8V. Otherwise 2.9V-3.1V with memory modules like OCZ’s GOLD series is acceptable.

The 8KRA2+’s Vcore options are more than adequate in terms of highest attainable voltage, as 2.00V is unnecessarily high for your Athlon XP anyway. What’s disappointing is that you can only adjust Vcore in 0.0250V increments up to 1.850V, and 0.050V after that. Since the 8KRA2+ undervolts between 0.03V and 0.04V this compounds the problem a bit further. Most enthusiasts should have nothing to worry about though, as any extra frequency gained from a higher than 1.80V Vcore offers little real world benefit using air cooling. Other methods of cooling are a different story altogether, but also a significantly more expensive story.

One of the most disappointing aspects of the Epox 8KRA2+ from an overclocker’s perspective is the lack of an AGP/PCI lock. This feature is standard on Intel chipset-based motherboard’s as well as nForce2 motherboards. This isn’t Epox’s fault though, it’s the fault of VIA’s KT600 chipset.

Oddly enough Epox completely left out any VAGP adjustments in this BIOS revision. However, Epox has assured us that they will release a BIOS update on their web site that allows VAPG adjustments up to 2.2V in 0.1V increments as per Epox tradition, so we can let this oversight slid for now. We don't doubt Eopx will come through because they have done similar things in the past, specifically with their Intel 875P-based 4PCA3+ motherboard; initial engineering BIOSes had a Vcore ceiling of 1.60V while the final shipping BIOS had a Vcore ceiling of 1.850V, as Epox promised.

We would like to end this section by saying that the little things Epox does with their motherboards (like incredible voltage adjustments, PC Health readings during POST, etc.) is the reason Epox has developed an almost cult-like following among performance/overclocking enthusiasts. Other motherboard makers need to differentiate themselves like Epox.