Product Listing

The Budget P55 - Jetway Kuroshio BI-700

By Vincent Chang - 7 Feb 2010

Conclusion

Conclusion

We predict that the new dual-core processors from Intel with integrated graphics will soon flood the mainstream market, particularly from system integrators and OEMs. The enthusiast DIY will find it a decent budget processor for home theater PCs and the simple workhorse desktops but for more 'serious' tasks, a quad-core will be essential. That's when you find yourself looking at the Lynnfield CPU family and the Intel P55 chipset.

This may give the impression that the Intel P55 chipset will cost more, and it will be partly correct. In fact, if you're on a budget, there are quite a few microATX P55 motherboards out there, with some hovering near the US$100 mark. A full-sized ATX board using the Intel P55 chipset will nevertheless cost more than that, such as a basic model like the Jetway Kuroshio BI-700. As a plain implementation of the Intel P55 chipset, it's got the essentials, from the dual PCIe graphics slots to the RAID capable SATA ports.

A budget P55 that just works. It may be not be the most polished board but it gets the job done.

There are even a few extras thrown in, from the PATA support to having limited but useful tweaking options in the BIOS. Given its US$116 price tag, don't expect to find those high grade components used in other brands, though there are some solid capacitors dotting the PCB of this Jetway.

Fortunately, the basics are enough, as our benchmark numbers for this board showed that it was competitive against its more costly rivals. The temperature reading we recorded was also quite exemplary. No doubt, the overclocking falls some way short of the other P55 boards but those who are considering such a budget board will surely not mind this. Essentially, you're getting what you paid for and you should have no illusions about the Jetway Kuroshio BI-700 after this review.

Join HWZ's Telegram channel here and catch all the latest tech news!
7.5
  • Performance 8
  • Features 7
  • Value 8
The Good
Inexpensive and performs up to expectations
The Bad
Limited tweaking options in BIOS and mediocre overclocking
Our articles may contain affiliate links. If you buy through these links, we may earn a small commission.