Conclusion
The SiS645DX chipset, whilst not revolutionary, has proven itself to be a sterling performer. It seems quite clear that it is the fastest DDR chipset that we've tested, it even displaces RAMBUS as the performance platform of choice, perhaps only VIA's P4X333 can mount a credible challenge.
MSI's interpretation, the 645E Max-LRU firstly is impressive from a pure performance standpoint and secondly it firmly endorses their tradition of equipping their top-of-the-line motherboards with all the latest features. We are blessed with RAID, whilst not being particularly suited to our test bed of dual 120GB Western Digital drives, it nevertheless allows the end-user greater IDE management flexibility. USB2.0 is currying greater favour amongst peripheral manufacturers so its inclusion is most welcome, too.
Nowadays, onboard sound comes in two flavours, firstly, simply the onboard AC'97 CODEC that struggles to be called sound, and far better solutions such as Realtek's ALC650 and CMI's 8738 series of CODECS. These are far preferred by us at Hexus, and we are glad to report that the former, along with the relevant output bracket, is provided. From a features point of view, the MSI 645E scores highly.
What we're not so happy about is the lack of meaningful voltage adjustment available, especially for the CPU. We're only given the option of 1.6v, this effectively equates down to 1.52v under load, not really enough for meaningful overclocking. We really had hoped for more although it does tie in with MSI's tradition of playing the voltage game with a modicum of safety.
If you're thinking of investing in a Pentium4 processor right now, the best path to take would be to considering buying a Northwood B, one that natively runs at 133FSB. Now, quite a few motherboards have the ability to run at 133FSB without undue difficulty, but only a few are officially ratified to do so, the MSI 645E Max-LRU being one of them. If you want a feature-laden, stable, fast and relatively inexpensive motherboard to complement your Pentium4, the MSI should really make it on to your shortlist.
Highs
- Runs at 133FSB without any problems whatsover
- IDE RAID
- Excellent all-round package
- Decent onboard sound
- USB2.0
- Excellent performance throughout our battery of tests
- MSI's legendary stability
- Widespread availability
- Excellent manual
Lows
- Limited Vcore adjustment
- ACARD RAID doesn't produce blistering performance gains
- SiS' reputation doesn't quite match that of the Intel chipsets
Overall, 8.5/10
