The user manual is very well written and laid out. There are some areas where it is very detailed and others where it seems to be lacking a little information, such as within the BIOS section, however most users will not be tweaking a budget board such as this so it is easily overlooked. The manual covers installation and configuration very well, covering each step one at a time with graphics to support the text. Another area which is very detailed would be the discussion over the various items that are on the motherboard itself such as the various jumpers, how to set them, and what each does. This is the type of user guide that would be expected of a manufacturer such as ECS.

     The included software CD comes along with all of the drivers you’ll need to get the system up and running smoothly. The CD also comes with various software programs such as PC-CILLIN, a popular anti-virus program that is frequently included in motherboard packages, and a utility that allows you the ability to flash your BIOS from a Windows environment, a task I discourage from merely because of my distrust of Windows. Other software includes titles such as CD Ghost, Recovery Genius, Language Genius, and PageABC. Language Genius is a program that helps you learn new languages, and PageABC is included for you to create your own homepage. There are two programs I have yet to come across with any other manufacturer. Recovery Genius should be self explanatory enough for everyone to figure out, as with CD Ghost.

     The ECS K7VTA3 v3.1 comes nicely outfitted considering the budget cost of the board. The K7VTA3 v3.1 features an integrated AC 97’ v2.2 codec, offering decent two channel sound, optional support for USB 2.0 which is provided by the VIA VT6202 USB 2.0 Controller, optional ATA/100 RAID provided by the Promise 20265 chip, and onboard LAN provided by the Realtek RTL8100B chip. It would be nice to see ECS throw in the occasional support for four to six channel audio, however when you consider that anyone looking for true high quality sound, myself for example, will head down the add-on peripheral route, it is acceptable.

     As I have mentioned time and time again, I have come to love seeing motherboards come along with an onboard LAN controller. The Realtek RTL8100B chip will suit the end user just fine, however I’m sure there will be a few out there who will still opt to stick with their PCI networking cards. The implementation of an onboard LAN controller can help when it comes to PCI card placement and IRQ conflicts. It’s just one less thing to have to worry about causing system instability because it’s in the wrong slot.

     The K7VTA3 v3.1 also features ATA/133 support provided by VIA’s VT8233A Southbridge. The board comes along with two ATA/133 IDE ports, providing a maximum of 4 IDE devices. The Promise 20265 RAID controller provides another two IDE connectors, however these are only capable of supporting devices up to ATA/100.

     The last great onboard feature is the optional inclusion of VIA’s own VT6202 USB 2.0 controller. As USB 2.0 products fill the shelves, this feature will garner more and more use. I myself still prefer FireWire over USB 2.0, however no one can argue the immense support of USB over FireWire in today’s market. FirewWire is indeed however beginning to be implemented on several newer motherboards from manufacturers such as Abit and VIA. Whether or not you chose to go with the USB 2.0 option, the board is outfitted with only two USB slots.