- Introduction

Foxconn has a long tradition of releasing quality motherboards with integrated VGA chipsets on board. In this review, we will examine their latest proposal for the AM2 socket, a design with a different approach, based on VIA chipset as opposed to Nvidia/ATI designs.

- Foxconn K8M890M2MA-RS2H

The Foxconn K8M890M2MA-RS2H is based on the VIA K8M890 + VT8237R-plus, which supports AMD Sempron, Athlon 64, Athlon 64FX, Athlon 64X2 processors for Socket AM2. It features 2000 MT/s HyperTransport FSB and Dual channel DDR2 800/667 x2 DIMMs (max 2GB).

- Main features

• Size: mATX form factor - 9.6" x 8.8"
• Microprocessor: Supports socket AM2 for AMD Athlon TM 64 FX / Athlon 64 X2 Dual-Core / AthlonTM 64/ Sempron processors
• Supports HyperTransport up to 2000MT/s
• Chipset: VIA K8M890 (North Bridge) + VT8237R Plus/VT8237A (South Bridge)
• System Memory: Two 240-pin DDRII slots, Supports Dual Channel DDRII 800/667/533 memory up to 2GB
• Eight USB 2.0 Ports
• Onboard Serial ATA supports two SATA devices with RAID 0, 1,0+1 and JBOD
• Onboard LAN supports 10/100/ Mbit/sec Ethernet
• Onboard Audio (5.1), AC’97 2.3 compliant, supports SPDIF output
• Two PCI slots, 1x PCI Express 16X slot and 1x PCI Express 1X slot
• Green Function: Supports ACPI, S0, S1, S3, S4 and S5
• PCI 2.3 Specification Compliant
• Supports PC Health function (capable of monitoring system voltage, CPU temperature, system temperature and fan speed)

- VIA K8M890

The VIA K8M890 chipset has an Integrated Graphics Processor (IGP) and PCI Express connectivity. VIA K8M890 delivers DirectX 9 graphics support with hardware pixel shaders to meet the requirements of the upcoming Windows Vista operating system, and rising high definition video requirements. Integrating support for the latest PCI Express graphics cards and high speed peripheral devices, the VIA K8M890 supports the full range of AMD Athlon64 and AMD Sempron processors.

At the core of the VIA K8M890 North Bridge lies the all new VIA Chrome9 IGP, delivering a rich visual experience through the implementation of innovative features such a 128 bit 2D/3D engine with dual pixel pipeline. The K8M890 also features extensive display support for all HDTV output formats including 1920x1080p and additional advanced graphics capabilities include the Chromotion Video Display Engine, comprehensive de-interlace support, and DuoView for enhanced productivity and presentation capabilities. The K8M890's highly flexible architecture also allows for an external PCI Express x16 port for optional graphic card upgrades.

The VIA K8M890 integrates VIA's Hyper8 technology supporting a 1GHz/16-bit (upstream and downstream) HyperTransport processor-to-chipset link, that delivers up to 8GB/s of bandwidth to help ensure all AMD64 processor-based systems achieve their full performance potential. The VIA K8M890 benefits from VIA's unique V-MAP (VIA Modular Architecture Platform) architecture that facilitates faster product development and speeds up time to market, and features the high-throughput Ultra V-Link interconnect running at speeds of up to 1GB/s between the North and South Bridge.

- VT8237R Plus South Bridge

The VIA VT8237R has been designed from the ground up to meet the increasing demands of today's software while providing all the necessary headroom for the data-intensive applications of tomorrow. Previously confined to niche enterprise and enthusiast segments, the VT8237R brings to the mainstream for the first time the latest high performance storage technologies, Serial ATA and RAID, as well as a host of connectivity features such as USB 2.0 and 10/100 Mbps Fast Ethernet, as well as the Ultra V-Link chipset interconnect with over 1GB/s of bandwidth.

The VIA VT8237R comprises four distinct application segments: the new VIA DriveStation Controller Suite with the first native support for Serial ATA RAID, the VIA Advanced Connectivity Suite that includes support for eight USB 2.0 ports, the VIA Vinyl Multi-channel Audio Suite for superlative onboard sound, and the VIA Modular Architecture Platform (V-MAP) providing maximum flexibility to motherboard manufacturers. As PC audio becomes an increasingly crucial factor in purchase decisions, the VT8237R provides support for the VIA Vinyl Multi-channel Audio Suite, delivering a platform solution to enable the highest levels of onboard audio performance. Enabling six-channel and the only 8-channel onboard solution, with support for 24/96 resolutions, the VT8237R with VIA Vinyl Audio delivers a full featured, rich, warm audio experience.

- Full specifications