1.4Special features

1.4.1 Product highlights

333MHz FSB Athlon XP CPU support

AMD’s Athlon XP 2800+ and all follow-up CPUs now support 333MHz Front Side Bus (FSB) for increased application program productivity and enhanced digital media experience.

AGP 8X support

AGP 8X (AGP 3.0) is the next generation VGA interface specification that enables enhanced graphics performance with high bandwidth speeds up to 2.12 GB/s. With a bus of 533Mhz, AGP 8X is twice as fast as AGP 4X.

DDR400 (PC3200) support

DDR400 (PC3200), the latest and fastest DDR memory standard, supports bandwidth up to 3.2 GB/s to provide enhanced system performance.

(Note: PC2700 maximum to 4 banks only. PC3200 maximum to 2 banks only.)

C.O.P. (CPU Overheating Protection):

With AMD® Athlon XP™ installed, the motherboard offers automatic CPU Overheating Protection to prolong the life of the entire system. If the CPU temperature exceeds the set criteria, the PC shuts down automatically.

ASUS EZ Flash

With ASUS EZ Flash, you can update BIOS before entering operating system. No more DOS-based flash utility and bootable diskette required.

SoundMax Digital Audio System (on audio models only)

The SoundMax Digital Audio System is the industry’s highest performance and most reliable audio solution for business professionals, audiophiles, musicians, and gamers. SoundMAX Digital Audio System can output 5.1 channel surround and features state-of-the-art DLS2 MIDI synthesizer with Yamaha DLSbyXG sound set, 5.1 Virtual Theater™ and supports all major game audio technologies including Microsoft DirectX™8.0, Microsoft DirectSound 3D™, A3D, MacroFX, ZoomFX, MultiDrive 5.1 and EAX. Refer to section “3.2.5 Multi-channel audio feature” on page 3-5 for more information.

C.P.R. (CPU Parameter Recall)

When the system hangs due to overclocking failure, there is no need to open the case to clear the CMOS data. Simply restart the system and the BIOS will automatically restore the CPU default setting for each parameter.

CrashFree BIOS

CrashFree BIOS allows users to restore BIOS data from a floppy diskette even when BIOS code and data are corrupted during upgrade or invaded by a virus. Unlike other competing vendors’ products, ASUS motherboards now enable users to enjoy this protection feature without the need to pay for an optional ROM.

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Chapter 1: Motherboard Information