Biostar T Series
It might not be the biggest name in motherboards, but we’ve been impressed with Biostar’s efforts in the past, such as the. Now we’re looking at the T Series TA870+, an ATX board based on the AMD 870 Northbridge and SB850 Southbridge combo. Not to be confused with AMD’s new 890GX IGP, which combines the same SB850 Southbridge with an 890GX Northbridge (as used in the recently-reviewed and Biostar’s own TA890GXE), the TA870+ doesn’t offer integrated graphics, which is probably preferable for an enthusiast-class motherboard anyway. USB 3.0 support is also lacking though, which helps keep the price down but is a regrettable absentee. However, considering USB 3.0 is easily added through an expansion card, more basic models like the TA870+ can still be an attractive option – especially since this Biostar board offers a very decent feature set.
Download
Testimonials » Fixed my Biostar driver 'I got a new Biostar WebCam but it can't works properly, and the manufacturer's website didn't help at all. 1GB Memory KIT For Biostar NF Series NF3 250 AM2 NF4 AM2 NF4 AM2G NF4 AM2L NF4U AM2G NF500 AM2G NF500 AM2L NF500U AM2G NF520 A2+ NF520 A2+ T Netcna® Memory from USA.
Features of note include CPU Core Unlocking, CrossFire support (x8/x8), USB BIOS updating, software overclocking and SATA 6Gb/s (also known as SATA3, which though technically inaccurate is what Biostar calls it). The motherboard can also provide up to 140W to the CPU, meaning it supports hexacore Phenom II X6s such as the Phenom II X6 1090T found in the. It comes with a five-phase power system and indicates how many phases are in use at any one time with red LEDs, a nice if somewhat superfluous touch. On the other hand the included bundle is rather sparse, with the obligatory driver CD and manual, a four-pin to SATA power adapter cable, a blue Velcro cable strap and three yellow SATA data cables which don’t match the board.
Motherboard
Onto the motherboard itself, the first thing those familiar with Biostar’s motherboards will notice is that the company has revised its design philosophy significantly. Gone are the garish hotchpotch combinations of neon colours used in its previous boards, such as the. Instead we’re greeted with a sharp combination of red, white, black and gunmetal grey that’s eerily similar to that used by the or indeed high-end boards.