Test Configuration

Processor(s): Intel Celeron 366
RAM: 1 - 64MB Mushkin PC100 SDRAM
1 - 64MB Memory Man PC100 SDRAM DIMM
Hard Drive(s): Western Digital Caviar AC35100 - UltraATA
Video Card(s): Matrox Millennium G200 (8MB SGRAM - AGP)
Bus Master Drivers: Microsoft Win98 DMA Drivers
Video Drivers: MGA Millennium G200 Release 1677-411
Operation System(s): Windows 98
Motherboard Revision: Shuttle HOT-681 Revision 1.2

 

Windows 98 Performance

  Winstone Quake 2
Business 98 Business 99 Quake 2 demo1.dm2 crusher.dm2
Intel Celeron 366 (66MHz FSB) 26.0 18.1 14.4 11.0

A true example of the equivalence in performance between the LX and BX chipsets with 66MHz FSB Celeron processors, the HOT-681 performed identically to its LX based sister, the HOT-683.


The Final Decision

The BX based HOT-681 doesn't offer any significant advantages over the HOT-683 (LX) to justify purchasing it, simply because most 66MHz FSB Celeron processors aren't of a high enough yield to overclock reliably to their 100MHz FSB counterparts (i.e. 366 -> 550MHz, 400 -> 600MHz) leaving a HOT-681 owner with nothing more than a more expensive Socket-370 board, with a few useless settings.   It seems like the sweet spot for Socket-370 may in fact lie in the realm of the VIA Apollo Pro+.  Make way for Shuttle's HOT-681V.


How it Rates

AnandTech Motherboard Rating

  Business
Performance 81%
Price 80%
Ease of Use 85%
Overclocked Stability 80%
General Stability 88%
Quality 82%
Documentation 75%
Reliability 80%
Overall Rating 81%

The New Rating System
Each motherboard is rated in 8 areas, Performance, Price, Ease of Use, Overclocked Stability, Stability, Quality, Documentation, and Reliability.

Do not compare newer scores to older ones, the newer scores are much more aggressive

  • Performance - How well the motherboard compares to others in its class

  • Price - How competitive the price of the motherboard is when compared to others in its class

  • Ease of Use - How easy it is to setup the motherboard, jumper settings, jumperless configuration etc...

  • Overclocked Stability - How stable the motherboard is at overclocked CPU/Bus speeds

  • Stability - How stable the motherboard is at normal CPU/Bus speeds

  • Quality - How much effort went into producing the motherboard

  • Documentation - How helpful is the manual and bundled support manuals

  • Reliability - How long will this motherboard last, will it fail? Deals with quantity/size of capacitors, known bugs, etc...

  • Overall Rating - an average of the eight above areas

The Bad
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