Soyo SY-6IBM i440BX microATX Rage 128VR

The Bad

Unlike Soyo's latest board, the SY-6BA+III, the SY-6IBM continues to include a quick start guide with the manual on CD. Once you get to it on the CD, the manual is decent for the experienced system builder with all BIOS options and pin outs explained. The quick start guide provides enough information for the experience builder, but not nearly enough for a rookie.

Overclocking is basically out with the SY-6IBM. Unlike Soyo's SY-6BA+III, this board does not offer voltage adjustment options here, limiting overclocking potential somewhat. Even worse is the fact that FSB settings above 105 MHz are completely unstable and unusable on the SY-6IBM. Overclocking of the Rage 128VR core or memory was also not possible on our test sample.

As mentioned earlier, the manual is a bit weak in the installation section. Anyone that has never installed a motherboard before will not feel comfortable with the complete lack of information given in the Gigabyte manual on this topic.

The biggest issue may in fact be the Rage 128VR itself. The Rage 128 family has its own set of issues, mostly driver related. The strange 16-bit dithering issues have yet to be fixed properly. The Quake 3 special drivers, albeit "unsupported" according to ATI, but available from their site nonetheless, fail to complete Business Winstone 99 and sometimes produce visual anomalies in games.

One minor issue with Soyo's implementation is that it detects as a Rage 128VR PCI, but utilities such as Powerstrip and ATI's own driver status tab report that AGP 2x is in use.

Finally, the SY-6IBM is actually offered with either the Rage Pro Turbo or the Rage 128VR since they are pin compatible chips. However, the Rage 128VR version is somewhat difficult to find, whereas the Rage Pro Turbo seems to pop up everywhere. Make sure you know what you're getting ahead of time.

USB Compatibility

• Number of Front Universal Serial Bus Root Ports: 0

• Number of Rear Universal Serial Bus Root Ports: 2

• USB IRQ Enable/Disable in BIOS: Yes

• USB Keyboard Support in BIOS: Yes

Recommended SDRAM

Recommended SDRAM: 1 x 64MB Mushkin SEC Original PC100 SDRAM; 1 x 64MB Memory-Man SEC Original PC100 SDRAM

SDRAM Tested: 1 x 128MB Mushkin SEC Original PC100 SDRAM; 1 x 128MB Memory-Man SEC Original PC100 SDRAM

Manufacturer: The Memory Man
Purchase Web-Site: http://www.memory-man.com

Manufacturer: Mushkin
Purchase Website: http://www.mushkin.com