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Installation
Soyo has always done an above average job with their accessories and support for the boards. Included in the box was a 200 page printed manual (something MOST companies SHOULD have), the driver CD which is essential if you need to reinstall the computer and have network support, an 8-in-1 bonus pack featuring Norton antivirus (OEM edition) and Intervideo WinDVD (trial version), 3 ATA/100 cables, 1 Floppy cable, the daughtercard for the CMI audio, and of course the motherboard itself.
The layout of the board is exactly like the original DRAGON. As for the layout, I like how everything is easy to reach and connect except the ATX power connector that's toward the mid left of the motherboard; if you have a bird's eye view. Technically, there is nothing wrong with this position and it might seem convenient but I just don't like how the cord brushes up against the heatsink when plugged in. It's my preference that all of the cords and cables are concentrated in one area, this makes it look less cluttered and more open, allowing more airflow through the case.
Installation was basically straightforward, mount the board, plug everything in, fire it up. This was pretty easy and the motherboard started without any problem. I felt that this board lacked some of the diagnostic features found in boards from MSI and EPoX. MSI boards have a 4 LED problem identified; a combination of the LED's indicate the specific problem. EPoX has a similar one but the problem is told by the 2-digit LCD display. The BIOS has preset settings for "normal" operation and "maximum" operation. The normal being the settings the board will work the best with (CAS 2.5, AGP2X, etc…) while the maximum has the best settings possible (CAS 2, AGP4X, etc...).
>> Benchmarks
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