Conclusion

ABIT has always been at the forefront of motherboard innovation and with the ABIT BF6, they have proven their reputation yet again. Just imagine the BF6 as a cheaper version of the BE6-II with an extra PCI slot but no UltraDMA 66 support because that's what it really is. It has all the important features that made the BE6-II such a great motherboard but added an extra PCI slot for greater expandability and dropped the HPT366 controller to lower the cost.

As such, the BF6 is great for those who do not need UltraDMA 66 support or simply prefer to get an alternative UltraDMA 66 card with IDE RAID capabilities like the ABIT HotRod 100 Pro (based on the HighPoint HPT370 controller). Note that if you choose to buy the BF6 and use a standard UltraDMA 66 card, you will use up one of the PCI slots and your expandability options would be the same as if you own the BE6-II. So, unless you are thinking of using an IDE card with better capabilities, it might be better to buy the BE6-II instead. The HighPoint HPT366 controller works fine (I can't say the same for their XStore Pro software though) and you might even save a little money that way.

Just like the BE6-II, the BF6 comes with a free thermal probe attached to a long cable and a full-blown hardware monitoring chip. Those are certainly bonuses that many other manufacturers do not provide. Also, let's not forget the almost complete control of bus speeds supported by the BF6 which translates into as yet unparalleled overclocking flexibility. Notable among the other new options featured in SoftMenu III is the I/O Voltage option which introduces a new avenue for improving the stability of overclocked components. Finally, the addition of the DIP switches reduces the risk of unauthorized changing of the processor settings. All these features shows ABIT's efforts in creating the ultimate motherboard for both overclockers as well as the everyday Joe.

However, because the BF6 uses the same PCB design as the BE6-II, it is inevitable that the the BF6 is also marred by the same flaw as the BE6-II. That flaw is, as you guessed it, the repositioning of the CPU slot nearer to the center of the board. That meant that the user can only use a cooler that is as short as or shorter than 4 cm. Otherwise, he/she will lose the use of one or more DIMM slots. While this isn't so important for those who use Intel-bundled coolers or small coolers, this will be a critical factor for hardcore overclockers who won't part with their megacoolers! So, if you are currently using a cooler that's taller than 4 cm, you may have to give this board a wide berth unless you are willing to lose one or two DIMM slots.

With that in mind, this is still among the best motherboards to ever come out of ABIT. I can't really compare it to the BE6-II because it's targeted at a different market segment. It is definitely a more affordable 440BX motherboard designed to both bring ABIT's goodies to the lower-end market segment or the hardware enthusiast who wants something better than the onboard HighPoint HPT366 controller. So, if you are in the market for a great overclocking 440BX motherboard with greater expandability and all the overclocking features you ever wanted in a neat, affordable package, the ABIT BF6 is about the best there is. Just make sure you have a cooler that fits the board!

Optimal BIOS Settings

Note : The settings posted above are what would be considered as optimal values for the motherboard's performance. Proper settings for your system may vary according to your system setup. For more information and tips on the BIOS settings, check out the BIOS Optimization Guide.