It seems that the philosophy behind the AZ-11 is fairly simple. Keep the design simple and the connectivity basic in order to succeed. Sporting a 1xAGP/5xPCI configuration, the AZ-11 offers a basic package that should satisfy the majority of cost-conscious consumers.

Audio support is included via the SigmaTel STAC9744T AC97 audio codec, but anyone with a desire for top-notch sound will look to an alternate solution. Interestingly, the multimedia package does not include a game port, leaving joystick owners out in the cold.

On the topic of missing ports, there is also only one serial port. In its place, silk-screened on the board is "VGA," likely for the upcoming KM133 chipset with integrated Savage 4 graphics. Additionally, FIC neglected to include an extra USB bracket, which would bring the total number of USB ports to four (a bad move we have seen several manufacturers make).

Component layout is of particular importance with large boards, and the AZ-11 is a prime example of why. IDE and Floppy drive connections are side-by-side, making cable installations a bit inconvenient. The ATX power connection is located next to the parallel/serial ports, potentially obstructing airflow from the heatsink-fan combo used to cool your Thunderbird. Fancy cooling schemes will not be of particular use, since the 1500-microfarad capacitors used for power regulation are positioned in near proximity to the Socket A 462-pin interface.

The downside of not being able to implement a good custom cooling solution is an accumulation of heat on the sensitive surface of AMD's latest CPU. To compound the problem, FIC has dropped a feature present on many boards since the TX chipset days: hardware monitoring. Two fan speeds are reported, but there is a complete lack of temperature or voltage checking, so heat problems will have to be detected with the often-painful "finger monitor."

At the moment it seems as though every Intel platform is capped at a 512MB limit for memory, making the 1.5GB limit of the AZ-11 quite attractive. If you plan to add more than 512MB, make sure and buy quality RAM to avoid any potential problems the VIA chipset may encounter.