Abit IP45 Pro Image and feedback of course :-)

[AbitUK]

Should be available by the end of June, perhaps 1st week July in the shops

Feedback?

[staffsMike]

It looks very nice indeed. It's a shame you lose one of the PCIe 1x slots for a double width graphics card but thats no big deal really, it was just a nice touch on of the IP-35

What sort of height do those heatsinks reach? Are they going to block any popular cpu coolers, thermalrights, scythes etc.. ?

[Lucio]

Oooh shiny!

Do you offer installment plans of £1 a year?? It's about the only way I'd get the upgrade by my wife

[AbitUK]

Oooh shiny!

Do you offer installment plans of £1 a year?? It's about the only way I'd get the upgrade by my wife

Do what I do,,,Lie and promise about being helpful round the house!!! As long as you get it, it ain't going back!!!

[chuckskull]

Not changed to much since IP-35, but that's a good thing IMO, but can we get an angled shot? Want a proper look at that NB HSF.

[AbitUK]

Not changed to much since IP-35, but that's a good thing IMO, but can we get an angled shot? Want a proper look at that NB HSF.[/QUOTE]

Hope this helps

[chuckskull]

Excellent thanks AbitUK. I see it's been kept nice and low, very good. As much as I like lots of stock cooling I hate it when it's big enough to spoil the fitting of bigger CPU coolers. Shouldn't spoil the fins or pipes on most by the looks of it.

That second set of fins near the NB looks like it's only connected to the heatpipe, not sure how well it will actually work, but if it actually helps, it's a good use of a bit of dead space on the board(and very common on other boards).

[sleepyhead]

Oh very nice....

It's tempting just to buy it because it looks nice.

Any chance you could circle where the fan headers are? I remember on an old Abit board the Fan Header for the CPU and system were so close to the CPU and GFX card, it made it difficult to plug and unplug even with stock items. I think I can see where they are, just be nice to have confirmation.

Other than that, it looks placement of SATA/IDE/Power are in good locations. Means much easier to have a tidy case too.

[gilgamesh]

Should be available by the end of June, perhaps 1st week July in the shops

Feedback?

Looks good but here is my two pennies worth (lol you know me)

There is NO POINT in connecting a southbridge in a heatpipe system on a Intel chipset (It doesnt generate enough heat)

I am glad they have put what look to be the firewire and USB ports on the EDGE of the board (been nagging abit for years about this)

Note to old timers like myself: Notice the top PWM heatsink block, look familiar. it should as that looks like the exact PWM sink used on the old Abit AB9 Quad GT! I hope its all copper like that one was.

Good that abit has finally taken my advice and seperated the northbridge and PWM blocks=well done!

This means if a user wishes to w/c cool the northbridge he just needs to change the MCH block oh and (in this case) the ICH (southbridge) which is a simple matter for a southbridge sink.

Another thing, the Northbridge sink of that size should be SCREWED down, for maximum surface contact, not just with plastic clips.

Lastly the area around CPU looks a little cluttured, so for freaks like me, dry-ice is out of the question. However looks to be good enough for water cooling.

Glad to see soem of the suggestion we have been nagging abit for, have actually been implimented!

ALl in all board layout gets a 8/10 and Heatsink, which is a BIG improvement on the X38 Quad GT

EDIT: Lastly notice that the design is an analogue rather than a digital design, just need to know how many phase it is!

When I get one of these boards, I will mention these points in my review!

gilgamesh

[chuckskull]

I never noticed the separate heatpipes. Now I have it seems so obviously the 'right' way to do it.

[gilgamesh]

I never noticed the separate heatpipes. Now I have it seems so obviously the 'right' way to do it.

Cheers mate


Knew I was on the right track


gilgamesh

[kalniel]

Very nice indeed and likely to become my top recommendation.

I share the concern about using a heatpipe to the southbridge, and my only other concern is that you make sure all heatsinks have full and proper contact to the chips and thus work at full efficiency.

Also I'd personally prefer the 24pin and floppy connectors to be the otherway around, as in my cases the PSU is at the top and floppy towards the middle/bottom, but I know some other cases do have the PSU at the bottom now.

[gilgamesh]

there you go

gilgamesh

[BUFF]

EDIT: Lastly notice that the design is an analogue rather than a digital design, just need to know how many phase it is!

looks like 8.
I agree with your comments about separating PWM/nb cooling & bolt/pushpin for hs mounting.

[gilgamesh]

oh yes 8 your right. Glad its eight and not four as i was fearing!

Should be ok for vdroop then!

gilgamesh

[gilgamesh]

oh almost forgot

Glad to see abit has ditched the laughable 'floating' heatsink extendor

gilgamesh