A Closer Look:

    Like always I start off with the CPU socket, which on this motherboard is free from obstructions and sporting some of the new solid state capacitors around the edge. The abit IP35 Pro can handle Core 2 Extreme/Quad/Duo. Both the heatsinks for the heatpipe flank the CPU socket on two sides, so be aware of that for future HSF purchases.

   Moving around in a clockwise manner, the next stop is the DDR2 800MHz RAM slots: two banks of two slots. Slots 1-3 and 2-4 make up the dual-channel;  also, the slots are colored coded. Next to the DIMM slots are two surface mount LED's: one for PSU power, and one for system power. Just below the LED's and next to the DIMM slots is the motherboard main power header.

    The busiest part of the motherboard is the lower right corner. Along the side edge is a single IDE header, and just below that are the 6 SATAII headers. The lower edge has the FDD header, front panel header, and four USB headers. Also in this area are the BIOS chip and two Winbond chips, one being used for the motherboard Super I/O controller, and one is the abit uGURU controller used in conjunction with a 5pin header for the optional uGURU external control panel. Another item included is an onboard power and reset switch, which I found to be very useful during the testing phase on the Tech Station. Lastly in this corner is a dual 7-segment LED display. This is the onboard POST Code Display for the BIOS.

    Now on to the lower left corner of the abit IP35 Pro. This corner has two PCI-E slots, one PCIE x1 slot, and three PCI slots. A Molex connection is here also to supply some extra juice to the PCI Express setup. A front panel audio header is at the bottom right, while two 1394 IEEE headers sit between the upper PCI-E slots. Two Realtek RTL8110SCGigabit Ethernet controllers combine a triple-speed IEEE 802.3 compliant Media Access Controller (MAC) with a triple-speed Ethernet transceiver, 32-bit PCI bus controller, and embedded memory. With state-of-the-art DSP technology and mixed-mode signal technology, they offer high-speed transmission over CAT 5 UTP cable.

    Now on to the rear motherboard I/O panel. This area is also rather busy with some very useful features. First are the standard PS/2 ports for the keyboard and mouse. Then there is an external CMOS switch. This feature is called the EZ-CCMOS1, which clears the CMOS with a flip of a switch and eliminates the need to open the case. Next are two SPDIF optical ports, one for In and one for Out. There are also two E-SATA ports, the 7.1Ch HD audio connections, dual LAN ports, and finally four USB2 connections. A feature-rich rear panel is always nice and reduces unsightly cable connections at the front of a case.   

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