The nForce2 chipset based motherboards have been out for a while now and they are really starting to show some maturity. Most companies are at least two or three revisions deep now and the new technology is more dependable than ever. We are also seeing more companies dive headlong into the nForce2 because of it's high end performance backed by nVidia. Things may have gotten off to a bumpy start for nVidia and the nForce2, but the way things are going now, the nForce2 is going to dominate the motherboard market through all of 2003 and probably well into 2004.

     One company we haven't see a lot of prior to this year is Soltek. Soltek has been busy developing their new 75-FRN series motherboards this winter, and now they are ready to do some serious competing. Soltek has sent over one of these new boards for our testing pleasure called the SL-75FRN-L. At first I was under the assumption that this was a "budget" mainboard with little to offer us Overclockers. As you will soon see, I grossly underestimated this motherboard!

Specifications

     Although the 75FRN-L version does not come standard with Serial ATA, it is available in the "R" and "RL" versions. At first I thought this was a stripped down version of the 75FRN, however that assumption was also far from the truth.  In fact, this is one of the most loaded motherboards you'll find. Onboard sound, LAN, dual channel DDR, 8X AGP, DDR400, "RedStorm" Overclocking with built in CPU Unlocking option... Check it out, it's all there.

Main Features

• 
  NVIDIA nForce2 SPP (SYSTEM PLATFORM PROCESSORS) + MCP (MEDIA AND COMMUNICATIONS PROCESSORS)
• FSB 333/266 MHz
• Supports Dual Channel DDR SDRAM @ *400/333/266 MHz
• Supports AGP 8X/4X mode
• Supports 2 x Ultra ATA 133/100/66
• Supports ABSII
• BIOS Vcore, FSB, AGP, DIMM Voltage Setting
• Supports USB2.0/1.1
• RTL8139C LAN onboard
• 6-channel Audio

  * Soltek Computer Inc. typically runs a DDR 400 Memory Module Validation Program. Detailed information is available here.

• NVIDIA nForce2 (SPP + MCP)
  • SPP:
    (SYSTEM PLATFORM PROCESSORS)
    • Features 333/266/200MHz Front Side Bus settings
    • Dual Channel *400/333/266MHz Memory Bus
    • DDR200, DDR266, DDR333, DDR400 compliant
    • Asynchronous Memory Mode
    • Supports AGP 8X/4X

      * Soltek Computer Inc. typically runs a DDR 400 Memory Module Validation Program for Chipset VIA P4X400A. Detailed information is available here.

  • MCP:
    (MEDIA AND COMMUNICATIONS PROCESSORS)
    • Supports Ultra ATA-133/100/66 transfer protocol
    • Provides 6-channel AC'97 Audio
    • Support for six USB 2.0/1.1 Ports (max.)