Soyo Dragon KT333 Ultra
 Reviewed by Akimoto, 05.11.02
 Provided by: Soyo USA

Layout

    The color scheme of the DRAGON Ultra is the same as the previous DRAGON models. The contrast of purple on black makes this board really stand out. While this may not matter for most, the distinctive look adds nicely to a system that has a side-panel window (especially when it's coupled with the cool USB 2.0 cables for the Sigma box).

    The expansion slots are the now performance standard 5 PCI and 1 AGP. 5 PCI slots should be enough for almost any user, especially considering the integrated LAN and 6-channel audio. 3 DIMM sockets are pretty standard, but there are some users who would prefer 4.

    The IDE/RAID layout is very tidy. The connectors are located far enough apart to avoid a very cramped installation, but close enough to ensure that the cables can reach up to the top of a tower case. Some mainbaords have the RAID connectors down by the bottom-right corner, which can make it impossible to connect drives at the upper part of the case to the RAID connectors.

    The CPU socket is very spacious, and should definitely have enough room for the larger heatsinks. It's horizontal (meaning that the Ziff feet are parallel with the ground), which makes heatsink installation much easier. When the socket is vertical, the PSU will more often than not obstruct the clip, and installation or removal will require the removal of the PSU. The only downside to the layout of the CPU socket is that the DIMM sockets are fairly close, and heatsink installation or removal might require the user to temporarily remove the RAM module.

                                         (taken from www.soyousa.com)

    The ATX power connector is quite well placed toward the left end of the board, ensuring that the connector cables don't run over the CPU fan and inhibit airflow. Finally, The KT333 northbridge is cooled by an active heatsink. It's well oiled, and is not noticeable at all. It's shows that Soyo has the enthusiast in mind, because the active cooling should make the board more overclocker friendly.

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