> I'm considering to build an AMD-based PC, utilizing my PC133 SDRAMs and
> ATA100 7200RPM HDD. I didn't follow the development or progress of VIA for
> AMD though, since my systems were mostly Intel systems.
> Now, browsing the market prices, there are significant cost difference if I
> take motherboard that is based on KM133 despite of the highly recommended
> KT133A. What are actually the differences between KT133A and KM133? I'll use
> the PC  for regular home office usage, i.e.: basic multimedia is enough.
> Appreciate if you can enlighten me on this matter. Thank you.

Petrus,
Where in the global village do you live?

I have just been through the same problem of trying to decide which new
motherboard and CPU will best suit my my current and future needs.
I eventually decided on the 'Asus KT133a'  motherboard because it offered the
best combination of quality, and future upgrade path, - and of course, it wasn't
the cheapest.
(I will try to save by using existing components until I can afford to upgrade
them in turn)

Your memory and hard-drive are made for these type mobos.

The VIA KT133 chipset is basically limited to the Duron CPU, with its smaller L2
cache, -  the '133a' series should handle any AMD processor up to Thunderbird,
or Athlon 4, or whatever they've decided to call it.
Or so we are told.

I had never heard of the KM133, but a Google search shows some of the first
pages as Russian or Chinese. I make no comment.

A look at an indepenent review site might help. ("Anandtech" is a good one.)
Various Search Engines will get you there,

My personal choice was to go with AMD, simply because they chose a pin array
(Socket A) and committed to stick with it.
By contrast, Intel seem to have have invented almost as many slots and sockets
as they have processors.

Kevin.

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