ECS, or Elitegroup Computer Systems, has a massive line-up planned this year. Their P6ISA, an ATX i815 board, will arrive in mid-June. The P6ISA-II, an i815e version, should follow not too long after. On the microATX i815 front, ECS will have their P6ISM, with three PCI, one AGP and two DIMM slots as well as optional LAN. There will be an i815e version of the board, called the P6ISM-II, which will add all the ICH2 features.
As for VIA boards for Intel processors, ECS has their P6VMM microATX board in the works. It will sport the VIA PM133 chipset, with integral S3 Savage4 video and external AGP 4x. It will also have two PCI, one AMR, and three DIMM slots as well as onboard LAN and a riser slot for adding a TV-out or DFP-out. A full-ATX version of the board, called the P6VMA, will trade the LAN and riser slot in exchange for three more PCI slots. Depending on whether the boards use VIA's 686A or 686B southbridge, they will use ATA/66 or ATA/100 respectively. The 686A and 686B will be pin compatible, so price and availability will be major factors in determining which one the boards will have.
In the garden of motherboards, ECS leaves no stone unturned. In addition to Intel and VIA FC-PGA boards, they will have SiS630S-based microATX FC-PGA board. P6SSM will use the SiS630S chipset, which uses integrated video but also has external AGP 4x. The board will have three PCI and three DIMM slots, ATA/100 support, and integrated LAN or HPNA (depending on the way the board is ordered).
On the AMD Athlon side, ECS has four boards in the works. Going into mass production in mid-June, the K7VZM, a microATX Socket A board, will use VIA's KT133 chipset. The specifications include three PCI, one AGP, one AMR, and three DIMM slots. Like the P6VMM, it will have a riser slot for TV-out or DFP-out and include LAN onboard. A five PCI and one ISA slot ATX version of the board, called the K7VZA will follow on its heals. A KM133-based board is also in the works.
ECS also has plans for a few SiS-based Athlon boards. The K7SSM, a Socket A microATX board, will use SiS' just announced SiS730S chipset. With integrated video as well as an external AGP slot, two PCI and two DIMM slots, integrated LAN (10/100 or HPNA), and ATA/100 support, the K7SSM should make some OEM checklists very happy.
There is a new feature ECS is adding to their motherboards called Guard Master. Guard Master is an easy to use, BIOS level utility that protects your data. You set it to backup certain parts of your data, OS, and applications. It then watches the backed up parts for any changes that may occur, then records what the changes are. If the changes are destructive, say, from a virus, you can quickly restore your machine to a workable condition. Guard Master does not replace regular backups. A hard drive crash could destroy all of your data. Its advantage is in getting you up and running immediately after a problem occurs without having to wait for the IT guy.