EARLIER THIS WEEK, AMD launched its long-awaited Socket 939 platform, and there was much rejoicing. But the rejoicing was followed by a heavy sigh, for as promising as AMD's dual-channel Athlon 64s are, the cheapest one rings in at $500. Ouch. For $500 can also buy an Athlon 64 2800+, 1GB of DDR400 memory, a shiny Antec Sonata case, and one of Abit's new KV8 Pro Socket 754 motherboards.

And let me tell you, the KV8 Pro is pretty sweet. With competitive performance, a working AGP/PCI lock, the most feature-rich BIOS I've ever seen, and the ability to lower the CPU multiplier, the KV8 Pro could very well be the best Athlon 64 platform for budget-conscious enthusiasts and MHz-starved overclockers. Read on for a detailed look at the KV8 Pro's features, performance, and intriguing overclocking potential.