Abit has once again scored with their AG8 motherboard. This board was rock solid, with performance that is only slightly below the high-end board based on 925X (the AA8 DuraMAX) and performance is on par with the other 915/925 platform boards. I really like the design of this board. ABIT went all-out with the board and put a lot of hard work into the BIOS, giving both automatic shutdowns in case of heat and fan failures. This board should be a good over clocker if used properly and carefully. The bottom line is, the ABIT AG8 is an excellent board for the new 775 platform. If I had to choose a new board this is most assuredly one that I would consider.
The uGURU is what sets this board apart from the other 915P boards announced so far. With a plethora of options this allows for easy overclocking of the AG8 board. The configuration options in the BIOS are a welcome change from the standard found in most manufacturers boards. I would recommend the AG8 uGURU if you want a platform to change to the new 775 platform without changing to DDR2. As the board supports DDR memory, you can use your old memory with it, making cost of ownership a little less than if you need to use DDR2. There are a few issues that Abit should work on. First, the location of the floppy connector is in an extremely precarious position. Usage of the connector is limited to those with a long floppy cable. Second issue I had with the board is the high initial temperature readings. I would love to have seen new features like Wireless Networking and more SATA devices.
