Motherboard: ECS L4S5A Review :: Installation

The basic setup procedures as far as getting a POST are very simple on the L4S5A as the board is based on a Jumper-Free design that allows the board to automatically detect your CPU, RAM and FSB options.

Actually this was one of the simpler boards I have had to work with and it posted for me right out of the gate. After installing the motherboard into the case it was just a matter of connecting the system wires and then I was up and going.

All the system adjustments are done within the BIOS and overclocking options are available but they are very slim. There are no settings for increasing voltage to the CPU, VGA or memory so FSB overclocking becomes unfeasible on this motherboard. Increasing these settings will add stability to an overclocked system and usually yields better overall OC results.

The power connectors are located in a very good place but the 1.44 floppy controller is located in an extremely bad place as it is located away from the other connections and over by the power connectors creating a cable that stretches across the entire motherboard and is in the way of airflow to the board.

There is only one jumper you will need to know about on the board and that is jumper JP1 that is located by the battery. This jumper is used to reset the BIOS, in the case of user errors that make the board unbootable such as extreme OC settings that board cannot handle and cause a no POST situation. Resetting this jumper brings the board to its factory default settings.

The rear connectors are all standard with the exception of the LAN port, which requires the use of a special back plate that was missing in the sample I received. Without the proper back plate the board would be left open to dust and other airborne debris, which is not a good thing. All in all though a very straightforward procedure is what I encountered using the L4S5A and was pleased at its user friendliness.